Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-09-17
EtVal IsiV tllltinhNkI Wa essr'
Mr. Clay Did Ssv 50,


For SONS months past the Freesoil and
Anti slavery papers have been circulating
the following paragraph, asserting that il
contains 4 sesatmeit once uttered by
Kentucky ! grexfest statesman, HcnryC lay,
II purppsts TO- be the langnase used BY Rim:
Il rrpeat it,@sir, never can and never
will, and no certify power will make me
vote directly or indirectly TO spread slWery
over any territory where il does no, exiat.
Never while reason has seat in my brain
-~asrY, While ny heart sends the vital dull
through my train--sxeer.p s8 1
We do not believe that Henry Clay ever
ueed such language or ever uttered such a
sentiment. We have carefully examined
all the published speeches and addresses Of
that great man, and have iaiussfiously in
quired OF those who would probably remem-
Der II he had ever expressed himself in this
aianner, but we have been unable 10 find
. any authority for altribu,ing TO him expires,
sion. SO inconsistent with al! his acts and
options, either recorded o. remembered
Mf. CLAY, in his speech on the Comnro-
misc Resolutions. Feb 9TH and 9Th, 1850,
uttered the following sentiments, {see Con-
qrtssioaal Globe, vol. -, part /, page l2G.l
Il have said that never could vote for
it myself, and | repeat that / never can,
and never will vote, and no earthly pow er
will ever make me vote, to spread slavery
over a territory where II does not exist"
The above appeared in the Cleveland
Herald Of Wednesday. The extract given
BIZ the Herald, from Mr.. CLaY's speech, Is
conclusive. and We think the Louisville
.Joarna will acknowledge the error into
which il has fallen. We think the senior
editor of the paper must have been absent
when the article from which the above is
an extract appeared, for we cannot believe
that one 80 well informed in regard 10 NJ.
CLAy's opinions respecting Slavery, would
have said that the extract purpo ring to be
taken from one o. his speeches is "iacoasiS.-
tat toiti al his acts ard opinions, eithsr re-
corded 81 reusG,'srei.a' We have read Mr.
CLAY's speeches, and h. re studied his life
with care--we loved him while he lived,
and cherish his memory with afiecticuhte
regard, now that he Is dead-and we were
not at all surprised 10 see ii stated that Mr..
CLAY had spoken against Slavery extension
in the strong and ernpathic words quoted Is
his; bat we were surprised to fad in the
louisville Joaraal a statement tina, thu
sentiment they express SIS inconsistent
with all his acts and opinions, either re-
corded q rcmemberea" We could quote
many passages from Mr.. Glars So eehes
10 show that the above extract is in perfect
accordance with his known sentiments
We could quote from no speech be eyer
made, a word which would show that Ii ey-
er would have voted for The extension OF
Slavery over free tcrr tory.
We have before us the "Biography Of
HENRY CLaY,n written by GEoRsE d
Prentice, ESQ, The distinguished editor Of
the Journal. Il was published in ls3l-in
which, page 266, il is written
Slavery 10 the abstract Mr. Clay views
with unm;ngled adherence. He Justly
considers il a monster OF evil--a deadly
vampire, drawing away the life blood Of the
republic
Again, on page 20, Mr. Prentice SAYS
that Dir. Clay was opposed to slavery in
all its forms.'
Now, then, is il at all surprising that a
great statesman like Mr. CLAY, who was
opposed to slavery in all its FORMS who
regarded il as "a vampire. drawing away
the life blood of the republic who con-
sidered 1t as "a monster OF egl," thing
which he s.viewed with unmingiei abhor-
rencen--we say, Is ii surprising that he
should say. in speech, that he would new
er vote, directly or indirectly, to spread
slavery over any territory where il does not
exist,
Mr.. Clay was man who looked at this
question with the eye of great philanthropy
ic states man.--What be felt be spoke
Neither the folies of Abo lition fanatics in
the North, nor the vaporings Of Notification
fanatics in the South, could cause him to
swerye for moment fromthe path Of duty,
or take devious, tenporizing course.