The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-08-09

Fee, native Kentuckian and an American
citizen, though guaranteed in the full freedom
OF religious opinion and the untrammelled
utterance of the same, by the State aud Ma
tional Constitutions, and by the law of nature,
was, by an illegal and revolutionary" body
of the slave party of Lincoln, deprived by force
of these "inalenable rights We appealed to
the laws of the country-proved fully our griev-
ances, but were denied redress, as alleged by
the grand jury, upon the ground of fear of
excitement" Here was established des-
potism over US, efectual as if the Gear had
rule over usl Did we take the law into our our
own hands, and go and assassinate Messrs.
Montgomery & Co.. Mol but. in great for
bearance we suffered unrevenged the wrongs
of the past, and we determined in the future to
rely upon our constitutional right Of self
defence" the great first law of nature" The
platform of our action was laid down fully in
the Jessamine resolutions, published in the
Observer and Reporter" and |" Kentucky
Statesman" the organs of the Wing and Dem
ocratic parties of the State. These resolutions,
against which no press in the Commonwealth
has ventured to raise its voice of dissent, were
so published, that the responsibility of possible
civil war and bloodshed should not rest upon
us and ours in the disturbed future. Those
resolutions were read at the meetings at Scaffold
Cane and Brush Creek, as the UNREASONABLE
basis of our whole action; and neither the testi-
mony of W. Fl. Kirtley nor all the shareholders
OF Rockcastle can change the letter or the
spirit In those speeches proposed to arouse
" the people to sense of their threatened
servitude, and to involve peaceable settle
ment of this vital question of Slavery, not by
the cartridge-box, but by the ballot-box.
No, gentlemen, it is not we, but your caste,
who, standing above us, have " muddied the
stream" and sent the bitter waters down to US
to drink. Your cry of "wOlf" will have little
credit with the world against me, who have for
so many years of unequal warfare, with all my
power of pen and speech, pleaded for peace,
for the Constitution, and for the laws. 1t was
to win over these outlaws to the side of con-
stitutional action, that presented the outlines
of the argument, as stated by w. III. Kirtley.
That, after all, the triumph of the slave party
was not so certain in their resort to recol,t-
ti0nary" measures. That there were only
$4,000 shareholders in the Union, and $4,000
in the State, against 100000 slaves, and
23,O00,000 of whites and freemen, North and
South. That there was no instance in history
of civil war in slave States, where the slaves
did not come into action. That the Free Soil
Abolition " or Republican party were in the
ascendant in the North, and that a war begun
here might involve all the forces of the nation.
This is the substance of what | said. Is it
true? If you are wise, you will see, and feel,
and act up to the deep wisdom of my argument.
No friend to the safety of life liberty, and prop
crty, will recklessly and criminally precipitate
all these necessary forces into actionl wash
my hands of all the responsibility, now and
hereafter, forever! Now, all this was said to
freemen, not to slaves there was not a single
black or slave at those two meetings. How,
then, could my speeches be insurrectionary
To construe such language, under such circum-
hearing of slaves" is to construe liberty out of
the State of Kentucky. No; men do not plot
treason in open day, and proclaim it from the
stump. What | said there, will say again,
and at all times, and to the more the better
Gentlemen, whilst l deny your right to be-
come my censors, yet, in consequence of the
friendly tone of your letter. 1 will state categor-
ically, for your satisfaction and restored equa-
nimity of mind, what we only mediate.
lst. The legal and constitutional abolition of
Slavery.
I'd. Acknowledging the great republican
idea, that the will Of the legal majority should
be our rule of action, we will submit forever to
the constitutional action and domination of the
slave party if We triumph often by the same
means, they must submit to us.
anu ueSpOllC power we Will resist
by all the power God and nature has put into
our hands.
Now, put it to your better Judgment and
noblest instincts, are We rightf Would not
forfeit your confidence AID respect, if with
these views / acted otherwise? For the man
who submits to servitude to-day, will assist in
enslaving you tomorrow. Still further, allow
me to say, we have nothing to do with your
slaves personally it is neither our right nor our
best policy. For myself, l do not hesitate to
avow that neither the whites nor the blacks are
to be benefited by forcible emancipation. Treat
us as equals, and we are your friends against
illegal action, at home and from abroad, your
defenders. Your own unwise and despotc talk
and action is the great source of disturbance
among blacks and whites. Let US all stand by
the law, as the only ark of safety. The lynch
ers of Missouri put down the Republicans to-
day, and threaten the destruction of the Wings
and Bentonites tomorrow! The cause for
which we contend is not ours-it is yours
ere,,y mans. We invite shareholders and nom
shareholders, Wings and Democrats, Know
Nothings and Sag NIGHTS, Republican and
Tory, to enter in with US into this impregnable
fortress-free speech
With regard to the resolutions, we are not
sure that we rightly understand them. If you
propose a legal remedy for a violation of law,
ana to prove our words or actions insurrection-
airy and criminal, we will submit to the laws of
the land, and trust securely in the justice of
our country, the purity of our purposes, and the
patriotism of our acts. But if you threaten vio-
lence, then, as men who are free, and your
equals in spirit, we will defend ourselves and
our whole liberties, or die. The Rev. John G..
Fee and | will address the people of Rockcas-
tie, at Scaffold Cane, on Saturday next. We
invite you to share with us in the freedom of
opinion and of speech and may God defend the
right. l ask that you will lay this letter before
your meeting, as before assembled, and that
you will have the magnanimity to do me the
justice, whatever it be, which deserve.
am, with sentiments of consideration, your
obedient servant, G. NJ. CLAY.
Messrs. j. adams, DC, Esq,
CON-, de-, NJ. Ternon, Ky.
We have received an interesting letter from
the Rev. j. G. Fee, of Kentucky, relative to
this discussion, which is unavoidably postponed.