The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-03-03
Aqfi-Siabefy Speech.
Report ofcassius N. Clay's Speech.
From tie Bath Tribune, Kaine.

From tie Bat6 Tribune, Kaine
Report ofCassius N. Clay's Speech
The lecturer stated that he proposed to
deseant in conversational way, and i'm
methodically, upon the institution of sla-
very.
The general idea entertained at the
North, that the South is desirous ofthrow-
ing off slavery, is incorrect. The South
is ruled by an oligarchy of slave owners,
estimated, accordingt to the last census, at
some $50, 900 only, out of population
in the entire United States of some TWEEN
ty-four millions. The speaker called it
an oligarchy, because it was in fact-the
government of tle few. More distinctly
so, however, because such were the po-
litical predictions of the South. Not
that all were so inclined-honorable ex-
ceptions of course exist; but the mass is
thus. Many argue that the North gained
a great advantage in 1888, because they
succeeded in eurtailing the representation
of the slave interest of the South, by the
adoption of the three-ffths principle.
This is not SO. While but a portion of
the slaves, considered as property, are
represented, two thirds of them, who are
so, give representation of two thousand
millions of dollars, while the North has
no property representation. These are
bound together by common interest,
which has its exponents everin Congress.
More than this. itconstitutes agreat Wig
lance Committee. They do not wait for
caucuses or conventions, but are always
on the alert, because it is always for their
interest to be vigilant
This oligarchy is naturally and instinct
lively anti-republican. 1t never had any
sympathy with republican institutions.
Not that shareholders, personally, do not
like to be free, but that they are utterly
regardless of the liberties of others. The
free States were from their beginning re-
publican, descended, as their inhabitants
are, from Luther and Knox, with memo
ries of the Pilgrim Mayflower emphati-
cally their own. Their first government
was srepublican theocracy, and their first
political Institutions approximated nearly
to the true idea of community of goods.
Their civil and political Institutions have
been reared upon the same noble basis.
After they had achieved their independ-
ence, they threw off the system of sla-
very, because it was the surest and read
lest way to carry out their principles of
action.
With the South it is far different. Its
inhabitants are descendants of the Brit
ish aristocracy, composed of younger
members of noble families or of their
tenants, all of whose sympathies were
with the aristocratic form Of government.
Lord Baltimore, the founder of Mary
land, and Sir Walter Raleigh, are instan-
ces. With them slavery was a congen-
ialinstitution.
1t might be asked if Washington, JEFF
ferson, Henry, and Lee, who helped form
the compact of 1880, were not exceptions
No doubt they were sincere, and had
they had the power to overthrow slavery,
they would have done so at once. He
believed they faithfully carried out their
sentiments in that compact, which is emf
nently republican in letter and spirit. But
it is to be remembered that these able and
powerful men never dared to attack that
institution openly. Though they uttered
their feelings in convention and before
their constituencies-though they ex-
pressed them often in their private cor
respondence-they never made direct
and open attack upon the system of sla-
very, because there was the mass of this
ofigarchy opposed to any movement up
on this subject. This ruled Virginia,
Maryland, and every southern State ex-
septing South Carolinaand Georgia, which
never aspired to republicanism. Rut-
ledge. who represented in that conyen-
ton South Carolina and Georgia, said
there could be no denial of the general
proposition, that all men are created free
and equal; yet avowed that nations would
never be governed by abstract principles
of right. butby interest. And they sue
ceeded in imposing the slave trade upon
the country for period of twenty years,
in order to extend and expand the insti-
tuition.
1t has been said that the South was on
the eve of emancipation, and would have
carried it out, had it not been for north
eEn fanatieism and agitation He had
examined every accessible document
bearing uponthis subject, and no instance
can be found, in any debate or bill, where
this movement towards emancipation had
been retarded By northern fanaticism.
The nearest approach to this occurred in
Virginia in 1852. Bold speeches were
made, but nothing praeticalresulted or,
it so, it was voted down.
It has often been said thatin Kentucky.
IN 1875, slavery was nearly oyerthrown.
Henry Clay, It is true, advocated such a
policy as would lead to it, but he was de-
feated; every man who ran upon that
side of the question was defeated. In
that convention. Rev. Mr. Rice, Meth
odist clergyman, was the only one who
uttered liberal sentiments; but his cleo
ton was not q result of his advocacy of
emancipation--it was rather an after
thought; and as he had, of course. no In
fluenee, no steps were taken towards that
end. And so every slave States records
may be canyassed, andthe assertion could
bemade aithtruth that emancipation was
never nearer than now. ~
Thk oligsroby IS the strongest that
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