Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1855-08-09
LIBERTY, OR DEsPoTIsM.
July 10. 1855,


ger possible in a slave State! In this unequal
struggle, as the result cannot oe foreseen, I |
deem 1t due my own character and the great
issues pending, TO say parting word through
a press where suppression is impossible.-i
Born and bred In slave State, every hour of
my experience compels me 10 ovow that the |
world has not yet begun to conceive the con. !
sistent Jesuitism and unlathomabe atrocity !
of the slave propaganda! They who stand !
at the cradle, ignoring the holy sentlmen |
which consecrate he pledges of devoted and
mutual love, to catechise Gods nobest orks
and to sti1e the immortal aspirations Of a
human soul, are not the men to show magra-
nimity, or indulge in tAc weakness OF justice,
mercy and truth!
1t is their vocation to dominate over the
human mind, and to subject the brute power
20 the superior force OF intellect. Gentle,
polished, and winning; stern bullying, and
remorselessy cruel-appeoljng at one time
to the sentiments, now to the passions, and
then to the fears of men--they must be "cun-
ming in fence" indeed, who can stand up
under such odds, No wonder then that they
have taken possession Of the press, the pulpit,
and the Government; and that the boasted
! liberties of the American people lie crushed
and bleeding under their iron heel! But des-
pt tism is, under whatever name, everywhere
the same; andits chief and last resort is force.
To that has the slave power now come. Its
organs threaten to drive out the new Con-
gress with arms-renewed violence swells on
westward, and cannon ard the rife, and the
bow;eknile, overthrow tho ivll power, and
I To- a., 6
popular sovereignty" in the great prliries so
often solemnIy pledged to Liberty, to Civiliza-
ton and hristanty.
When Governor Rceder is threatened with
a halter, and assaulted with intent to kill, the
representative Of the American sovereignty
and Frank lin Pierce, who was very manly in
summonng the nations power to the recap
ture o! poor trembling fugitive from slavery
repudiates his own government and punges
the sword of justice into the heart of his own
standard bearer, it cannct be expected that
should advance, unopposed the vanguard of
the "Repubcan" army in the midst OF its
enemies. see now-I have long seen the
mcshes gathered around me. Let no man,
therefore, too harshly reprove me if the ms
t:ncts Of self preservation have caused me to
cry out too wildly, for the composed ears of
selt-de luding milton, against the ever onward
march OF Despotism! When DouIlas g. Co.
repealed the Missouri Compromise, how could
| refrain from denouncing them as ,corthy of
death! Not from me--not for me comes the
imprecation. | and nine will be forgotten in
the greater issue OF this crime, and my voice
will be slenced amid the tears--the bloc -
the woe which olow in its wake, and the
lamentations of the widows and orphans,
which it will have made! No, to all America
the time has come--Liberty or Despotism.
The Courier of Louisville found us quietly
at our work--t called upon its myrmidors
TO initiate the deeds of Atchson and Douglas
and Stringfellow: ready with pistol and bowie
knife they silence Johr G. Fee, the f arless,
martyr spirit of our party, Religion. Ii lie
had not have followed FAST in the footsteps OF
this execution, this had not been the land of
slavery! Ho is falsely accused ofdistrbuting
tracts to Slaves, and exciting insurrection!
Mr.. Fee sends his denial to the Courier with
the pro yramme of bis action, laid down in the
annual report of the American Missionary
Society. Did he retreat his caumny!--did
he publish its refutation! No, that would
not have been like the mercenary tool of
despotism. Unheard he is condemned and
6lenced.
come to the rescue OF my friend, the
defender of my cause, now once .aore against
me, also, unheard, he publishes Hbelous
letter, and Jesuitically invokes bloodshed!-
The Resolutions passed at the Jessamine
meeting and published in the Cincinnati
Gazette, were read at the assemblies at Brush
creek and Scaffold Cave, that there might be
no question about our motives and acti lns.--
know too well the scOundrelism of that
party to trust myself to their magaanimity. -
| flatter myself that my nome is placed beyonG
the sphere of culumny, and all my past h; story
gives assurance that my friends may have
caused,to mourn my fate, but never my prin.
ciples. .
! call your attention once more to nv let
ter to the New York Tribune, after the Me-
braska crime. | ask of you favor of its re-
publication. am cheercd that find mysef
in sympathy with the great minds and heroic
hea Of the Nation. Thank God for this
fore taste of "the good time coming" All
hail, Ohio'-all hail, the "North"-all hail, the
REPUBLICAN PARTY!
! Go on, then. with the sentiments OF the l3th
o. July nsrrioed on your banners--July 4th,
and July 18th; may they both be eras to be
ever rene bered among men!--When the
aspirations of the great Jefferson shall be
fulfilled, and the revolution begun in '76 shall
commence beng completed in 80!
| But we shall not have peaceful triumph.
Deity vindlcates and expiates the violation
of His eternal laws. Blood consecrates ever
the remorse OF great wrong. Standing here
under the acknowledged responsibilities of
home and country, which no man can at will
put on, or put OFF l calmly Took destiny,
whatever it be- in the face, but living OF dying
my aspiration shall be inmortal-may our
country get be free.
Your obedient servant,
G. M. CLAY.
Cincinnati Ga,ette.
ggT nE I,,-%,ao L.