The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-07-24


Wing party left. All of it. except a few high
ly respectable old fogies," has been swallow
ed up by the Republicans, the Know Nothings,
or the Sham Democracy.
ECTI0NALISM-CLAY, WEBSTER, FREMONT.
Col. Fremont is denounced as secti0naiist
for entertaining principles Identical with those
of Clay and Webster, in lS47 and 184S. Even
Mr.. Fillmore, who at one time was in favor of
abolishing Slavery in this District and of abol-
ishing the Interstate slave trade, has now the
GOODNESS to threaten dissolution of the Union,
if Col. Fremont is elected President. Now, hear
what Webster and Clay said, few years before
the close of their long careers. In fact, they
may be said almost to have died with the Ian
guage on their lips which we quote below. Tie
worshippers of these great names nowadays,
like the worshippers of those of Washington and
Jefferson in Virginia, are ready to tear in pecea
all who would reduce to practice the principles
of Freedom which they proclaimed. We might
attribute to superstition such gross inconsistency,
IT it appertained to matters of religion; but in
politics It's difficult to believe in the prevalence
of-such folly over the minds of intelligent men.
We are therefore constrained to believe that dem.
sgoguism is the source of the incongruity.
When we hear politicians affecting profound re-
spect for the great names of the past, while
prosecuting and slandering those of the living
who adhere to the principles whose illustration
nd in tha L. Ok !
in the Field, gave and still give, lustre to those
names, we are reminded of those hypocritical
Scribes and Pharisees who, while protesting
peculiar sanctity and peculiar reverence for the
Laws of Moses, managed to render them nuga-
tory by their traditions:
Now, this is what Daniel Webster said of
Slavery, in his famous Marshfeld speech, in
l847:
say, as / said the other day, that have
made up my mind, for one, that under no cir
cumstaa,ces ,ciU I consent to the extension of
area Of Slavery in the United States or to the,
further increase Of slaUe representation in tho
House Of Representatives."
And two years later, in the heat of the
Compromise controversy:
to be done, aohererer there is foot of land to
be stayed back from becoming slaue territory,
am ready to assert the principle Of the exclusion
of Slavery" u
The Wings supported Henry Clay for the
Presidency, regarded him as the embodiment
of Wing principles, and now worship him in.
memory, as the greatest of statesmen and pa.
triots. Henry Clay was a Southern man, but
he spoke thus of Slavery in his speech at Lex
ington, in November, l847:
"My opinions on the subject of Slavery
are well known. They have the merit, if it be !.
one, of consistency, uniformity, and long dura-
ton. have ever regarded Slavery as great
evil, wrong-for the present, fear, an IRENE.
diable wrong-to its unfortunate victims. l
should rejoice if not single slave breathed
the air, or was within the limits of our country.
But here they are, to be dealt with as we'll as
we can, with due consideration of all circum-
stances affecting the security, safety, and hap
piness of both races. Every State has the su-
preme, uncontrolled, and exclusive power to
decide for itself whether Slavery shall cease or
continue within its limits, without any exterior
Intervention from any quarter. In States
where slaves outnumber the whites, as is the
case with several, the blacks could not be
emancipated and invested with all the rights
of freemen, without becoming the governing
race in those States. Collisions and conflicts
between the two races would be inevitable !; |
and, after shocking scenes of rapine and car
mage, the extinction or expulsion of the blacks
Kentucky, near fifty years ago, thought the
proportion of slaves, in comparison with the
whites, was 80 uncomfortable, that we might
safely adopt a system of gradual emancips-
ton that would ultimately eradicate this evil
in our State. That system was totally differ
ept from the immediate abolition of Slavery,
for which the party of the Abolitionists of the
present day contend. Whether they have in
tended it or not, it is my calm and deliberate be-
lief that they have done incalculable mischief,
even to the very cause which they espoused,
to say nothing of the discord which has been
produced between different parts of the Union
According to the system we attempted,
near the close of the last century, all slaves in
,sing were to remain such but all who might
be born subsequent to specified day were to
become free at the age Of twentyeight, and
during their service were to be taught to read,
write, and cipher. Thus, instead of being
thrown upon the community, ignorant and I'm.
prepared, las would be the case by immediate
emancipation,) they would have entered upon
the possession of their freedom, capable in
some degree of enjoying it. After hard strug.
gle, the system was defeated; and | regret It
extremely, as, if it had been then adopted, our
State would be now nearly rid of that reproach.'
It seems to me that it is the duty of our
country, as well on the score of moderation and
magnanimitY, as With the view of avoiding dis
cord and dscontent at home, to abstain from
seeking to conquer and annex to the United
States, Mexico, or any part Of til and especially
to disabuse the public mind in any quarter Of
the Union of the impression, (if it anywhere
exists,) that desire for conquest is cherished