New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-08-03
JAMES B. CLAY AND GEO. D. PRENTICE

Tie pubic VIII reccuect The controversy ort"teh
Mr.. Jsmes B. Clay aud the editor of TIE Louisville
journal. Mr.. Clay made q speech in Lexington
sgainst Know No.hinsisn early last month, and on
the 18th bitter personal attack was made upon him
in IAs Journal. On the 18th, Mr.. Clay replied to It
through the columns Of The Journal, and on the same
day The Journal commented upon it in personally
offensive article In Consequence Of these attacks,
Mr. Clay addressed the following note to Mr.. Prentice:
ASHLAND July 20, 1s55.
SIR: This note viii be handed to you by my friend
Major I. Lewiuski. A similar one was addressed TO
you on the 18th hrouss my friend, Mr. H. c. Pindeu,
who having lately engaged in the practice "a law IN
your city, found the seiyery Of Inconsistent with his
views Of the moral obligation of The oath he as law
yer required 10 take.
The Object OF this note Il solely to inquire whether
you mold yourself p, rsonaly responsible, a geutc
man. for publications made in the newspaper of which
YOU are Il Editor, attacking private individuals
/ l1n, sr your obedient Ent, JAMES b. CLAY.
To GEo. b PREoToE Esq E3or of The L0u'rtle JHruaL
Mr. Prentice replies at considerable length forward
ing the letter to Mr. Clay by mail. We make room for
the concluding paragraph, which is the emily material
part OF the letter:
However all this IL very little to my present pur-
pose have oIly to repeat that would rot accept
challenge from you on account OF my article OF
Wednesday. And as see no necessity for my adopt
ing the etiquette of ouels.s in telling you 80, shall
send this bS mail scarcely need atd that, if have
erred in any 81 fact i'll gard to your con-
duct shall bayirg the errors pointed out TO me,
take pleasure in correcting them
In reply to this, Mr.. Clay has issued the following
card:
To rHF PuBLIc-It "a always a task, tellow.cit-
zons, revolving TO private individual, II he have
proper seusibtes 70 obtrude bis private affairs upon
The notice OF bis fcllow-men. But there are occasions
when lie may feel himself compelled, however disa-
greesble may be-, to adopt such course aud be JUS
tfed in claiming public attention feel myself
placed 10y the Editor of The LousriNe Journal, in
such position, and appeal TO the tribunal of your
calm and dispassonate Judgment the more confidently,
as think chat your liberty has been assaed IN my
person. Invading the sanctity OF private lte regard
lees OF the feelings of mother of seventy fe years q
age the widow of the man of Ashland, whose memory
he has preendei almost TO idoize that editor has not
scTuped through tie columns OF his paper, to hold up
hi and her son us gu object tor the seorn ana ndigna-
iiCn Of his Countrymen.
WHY II mat have been so assaied Was il that
had personally offended the editor of The Louisville
Journal Not so. Never in the whole course OF my
life had given him the least cause OF Onense and II
there was any public print in the land from which l
ought least to have expected such attacks lie L2HiS
rifle .JCHrE0i was that one. Was II that had been
guilty of any act which any OF you, placed in similar
circumstances, would have hesitated to have done
borght Ashland as have heretofore said, al the de-
fire OF both my father and mother; determined to DO
with II as thought best for the interest ami comfort
of ny family. l. accorded better with M judgment
TO build my fathers house upon the same design,
ufipr In lis construction every particle OF the old ma
teria-stone brick OF WO0d-that would wer, than
10 leave standing an old mansion, through which
the water coursed and whose walls were cracked to
such an extent render 1t positively unsafe, as a
han bor for rats ard resort for thieves and runaway
negroes 1t ID true that did in The Observer
and Reporter newspaper, as the editor OF The
carHGi states IN his letter of the 2lst inst, that
wished to sell certain portions OF the old material but
| specified in that advertisement doors, SASH &C.,
lob. a / IVA uafzn E.rfI
nate az to find purchaser for single article that
desired 10 SELL AID the consequence Is that large
quantity of old rubbish encumbers my place, which
shall have to got lid OF By making a bonfire. II was
not the offer sell such old rubbish tLat referred
TO in iho first article in Tie Journal attacking IL
wat q very different thing with which was cssrged.
Ii Was that knowing them to be hallosed by assOcia-
ton with my fathers name, either was or had been
selling for my private profit the beams raftsrs, posts,
&C.. of bis old dwelling house TO be made into sticks,
snufi-boxos, sc. In my answer, which was published
in bis paper, gave such Information respecting my
private affairs as thought would have satisfied any
candid aud reasonable that lie had done I'M jus
tee it is true that used language which harsh,
but did not conceive it to be too much 80 toward
the GuEor OF such an attack upon me.
In making his attacks upon me, the editor OF The
Louisruie Journal not nstigated by any oifense
which had given him personally, and my conduct
with respect TO my private property was but preext.
He has clearly shown that he cared little for my
father u8Ise Bis fame, hs family The true cause,
TO exercise Of the rights OF freeman and had
been guilty OF the enormous oiense of making pub
lie address TO my fellow-ctzens around my own home
in opposition TO the principles Of party to which he
was attached. | appeal to you II this was not the
sole caUfe. In attao kiug me for such reason your
liberty and that of every freeman IN the land was as
sailed in my person.
The reply which thought right TO make to the par
sgTaph in the Louisville Journal OF the 18th instant
was published in that paper, aud accompanied by an
article OF its editor column ID length, more violent
and uIustitable than the first had BEEN te that Il
did not become ire 70 answer II by new publication,
and that should be wanting IN selfrespect did tamey
suffer ny name to be held up in such manner before
| the pubic. accordingly deemed Il my duty 20 al
CrCfs the editor note through the hands OF friend,
simply making the inquiry whetherhe held himself per-
sonally rospOsble, az gentleman, Tor publications. az
tackinc private individuals made in his newspaper
received through the post Office on the 23d inst re-
ply from him dated the 2lst in which he refuses TO kotf
kmsef responsible as a gentleman 10 me, ana WITH a
feDdsh bsseness wholly aleled in the history OF
any intercourse between honorable men, with the sole
purpose st further TO harrow my feelings, audes TO
an anGr with which had nothing 70 do, aud Of which
/ was entirely ignorant.
nizcd by ell honorable gentlemen, in this region at
least | can never again, at any time, or upon any
preiext or OCCASION cOndescend 70 take the leest no
tee Of any thing whatsoever that may emanete from
the editor of The Louisville JOVraa! either IN his pub
lie ca, Gciiy or a. apfivete man.
have thought 1t II ht, have been publicly per-
secuted, to place in public all the facts and
circumstances before my fellow-eountrymen. The
fstatack of The Journal my reply to it, the renewed
assa u Of lie editor upon me- my note 10 hum through
L hands Of friend, aud ns reply through the post
Office, II appear uRder the same cover with this a.
tc.e
In tie fullest confidence that generous pub ic will
pardou me for thus again bringing myself before its
notice. subscribe myself, with great respect, It's ODE
dent servant JANIS Is. CLAY.
.fi6lqHG July a, Iss5
NFFDTp FYTP ACTED FROM 4 NO