Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-08-02
A Mistake Corr rrected.---Henry Clay's
Opinions on the Principle of the
Nebraska Bill.

llSueu III SoNcIai uSiOh paPcio 40 shO iaiS Sua5O
and sentiments of Mr.. CLAY. 1t appeared in
the Republican of Tuesday evening with ap-
lpropriate editorial comments.
T"IREPEAT it, sir, / never can, and never
will, and no earthly power will make me vote,
directly or indirectly, TO SPREAD SLAVERY
OVER TERRITORY wHERE 1T DOES NOT EXIST.
Never while reason holds her seat in my
lbrain-NEvER WHILE MY HEART SENDS THE
VITAL FLUID THROUGH MY YvEINs-NEvERl"-
HENRY CLAY.
Now the truth is, this extract conveys a
most erroneous impression in regard to Mr..
CLAY's opinions. The whols of what he said
and thought may be found in his speech on
the Compounds Resolutions. February 6,
1850:
From this it appears that he was decidedly
in favor of the doctrine of non-intervention,
that he wished Congress to leave the ques-
ton of slavery in the territories untouched.
1t is true he always maintained that the Gen
eral Government had the pOsOer of absolute
legislation over the territories; but he put
forth all his eloquence and srdor to prove
that equity and expediency required that this
naked power should not be exercised. Here
is the extract, and we ask the Republican, as
an act of justice to the memory of HENRY
CLAY, to copy it:
al have said that never could vote for it
myself, and repeat that never can and
never will vote, and no earthly power will
ever make me vote to spread slavery over
territory where it does not exist. Still if there
be majority who are for interdicting slavery
north of the line, there ought to be a ma
jority, if justice is done to the South, to admit
slavery south of the line. And if there be a
majority to accomplish both of these purposes
although cannot concur in their action, yet
| shall be one of the last to create any dis
turbance; shall be one of the first to acqui-
esce in that legislation, although it is con-
trary to my own judgment and my own con-
science.
hope then to keep these matters untouched
By any legislation of Congress on the subject of
slavery. Non-action by Congress is best for
the South, and best for all the views which
the South has disclosed. know it has been
said with regard to the territories and espe-
cially with regard to California that non-legis-
lation on the part of Congress implies the
same thing as the exclusion Of slavery. That
we cannot help. That Congress is not res
ponsible for. If nature has pronounced the
doom of slavery in these territories,-who can
you reproach but nature and natures God?-
Congress abstains, Congress is passive; Congress
is non-scting north and south of the line; or
rather if Congress agrees to the plan 0lich
propose, extending no line it leaves the entire
theatre of the whole cession of these terrific
ries untouched by legislative enactments Ell
ther to exclude or admit slsvery."-Appen-
dir to Cong. Globe, Feb. 6, 1850.
From this extract it appears that Mr. Czays
o,onplan was to leave the question Of slavery
untouched by Congress; in other words that
he favored the principle of the Nebraska bill.
In this connection we may observe that
Mr. CLAY never was in favor of geographi
cal line, and was not the author of the Mis-
sour Compromise. He disclaims it in the
speech from which we have quoted above.
"Sir," said he, "while was engaged in
anxious consideration upon this subject, the
idea of the Missouri Compromise, as it has
been termed, came under my review, was
considered by me- and finally rejected, as in
my judgment less worthy OF the common ac-
lceptance of both parties of this Union than
the project which 1 offer to your considera-
tion."
He not only rejected the idea (the princi-
pie Of the Missouri Compromise but signif-
cantly alluded to it, not as a Compromise, but
a something which had been merely "teynaed
tso."
In the same speech he denies distinctly and
emphatically, that he was the author of the
Compromise.
"Mr. President before / enter into par
ticular examination, however, of that Mis-
souri Compromise, beg to be allowed to cor
rect GREAT ERROR, not merely in the
Senate, but throughout the whole country
in respect to my agency in regard to the Mis-
souri, Compromise, or rather the line of 36 deg
80 m. established by the agency of Congress-
= do not know whether anything has excited
! more surprise in my mind, as to the rapidity
with which important historical transaction.
. are obiiterated and pass out of memory, thar
has the knowledge of the fact that | wa
every where considered the author of tn,
line of SO deg. 80 min.
On another occasion he said:
; at is high time that the wounds which tn
Wilmot Provso had inflicted, should be heal
: edup and closed; and that to avoid, in all fl.
ture time, the agitation which must be pro
!. duced by the conflict of opinion on the slave
ry question, the true principle toltics ouqA Q
! regulate the action of Congress in forming tel
"a ritOrial governments for each newly acquire
= domain, is, to refrain from aHlegislation ON
N subject ia the territory acquired, so long as IL n
" tains the territorial form Of government.
is 1t is our candid conviction that if CLA
ut and WEBSTER were now living, they woul
Y side with the Democratic party for they we
- =, National men.
s. And here we will ask what we have fir
ty quently asked before, but could never get {
answer from our neighbors of the Journ
90 how they can advocate 'the restoration
the Missouri Compromise" when by SO doll
ed slavery Is permitted south of the line;
an least such is tho opinion of Mr.. CLAY.
IL that point he said:
TIL
,r by the Compromise which-took place
UR the passage of the act for the admission
TO Missouri into the Union in the year 1920,
'k- was agreed and understood that the line of
ON deg. 80 min. should mark the boundary JetsOe
Il the free States and SLAVE States to be created
Ike the territories ceded by the treaty of Loui
nd ana-those situated South of it being sla
on W States and those North of it free States"
N. m But the Journal is perhaps wiser than
are CLAY, it knows more about the Coznprom
ow than he did. One of its editors at least |
set been enormously supposed to he.ve some E
II. ~. tattered remnants of Whiggery hanging ab'