Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-08-22
webster aud clay ON slavery.

be unwilling to aid in its extension.
The Wing contided in Daniel Webster
to the day Of his death. and would have
supported him for the Presidency in 1859
il he had been nominated instead of MIR.
Scott. Now, this is what Daniel Webster
said of slavery in his famous Marsh6eld
speech. in 1847:
al say, as | said the other day, that I
have made UP my mind, for one. that an
der no CIRCUMSTANCES soW I consent to tie
ertenSioH ofMe area of slavery. IN TIE Uni-
ted States. or to tie further increase of slave
representation IN tie House Of Represents
tiUes,''
About two years later. in the heat Of
Compromise controversy:
"S Sir. wherever there is particular.
good TO be done-wherever thereis foot
Of land to be staid back from becoming
slave territory-I am ready to assert the
principle ofthe exclusion of slavery"
The Wing supported Henry Clay for
a. embodiment" OF Wing principles, and
greatest of Statesmen and Patriots
Henry Clay was Southern man, but he
spoke thus Of slavery, in his speech at
Lexington, in November, 1647
"My opinions on the subject of slave
ry are we'll known. They have the mer-
it, if it be one, OF consistency, uniformity,
and long duration. l have ever regard
ed slavery as great. evil, q wrong, for
the present, fear, an irremediable wrong
to its unfortunate victims. / should re-
joice if not single slave breathed the air
or was within the-limits of our country
But here they are; to be dealt with as
well as we can, with. a due consideration
OF the circumstances affecting the securi~
ty, safety and happiness of both races
Every State has the supreme, uncontroll-
ed. and exclusive power to decide for It,
self whether slavery shall cease or con-
tinue within its limits, without an exte-,
rior Intervention from any quarter. In
States where slaves. outnumber the whites
as is the case with Sc Veral, the blacks
could not be emancipated and invested
with the rights of freemen, without be-
coming the governing race in those States.
Collisions and conflicts between the two,
races would be inevitable and, after
shocking scenes of rapine and carnage.
the extinction or expulsion of the blacks
would certainly take place. In the State
OF Kentucky, near fifty years ago, l
thought the proportion of the slaves, in
comparison with the whites, was so in>
considerable that we might safely adopt
q system of gradual emancipation that
would ultimately eradicate this evil from
our State. That system was totally diff
ferent from the immediate abolition of sla~
very for which the party of the Abolition
lists of the present day contend. Wheth-
81, 4 -
calm and deliberate belief, that thay have
done incalculab4e mischief even to the
very cause which they have 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 CEN
fury, all;slayes in being were to remain
such but. all who might be born subse-
quent to specified day, were to become
free at the age of twenty eight, and du-
ring their service were to be taught to
read write and cypher. Thus, instead Of
being thrown upon the community, igno-
rant. and unprepared, as 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 struggle,
the system was defeated, and regret it
extremely, as, if had been. then adopted,
our State would be now nearly rid of that
reproach."
1T seems to me that it is the duty of
our country, as we'll on the score of mod
Grafton and magnanimity, as with the
view Of avoiding ,discord and discomfort
at home. to abstain from seeking to con-
qucr and annex to the United States,
Mexico or any part of it and especially,
TO disabuse the public mind in any quar-
ter Of the Union Of the impression, if it
anywhere exists, that a desire for cons
quest is cherished for the purpose of prop
ngating or extending slavery"
A resolution framed in accordance with
these views found place with others re-
ported by Mr.. Clay, and read as follows {:
Resolved. That we do positively and
and emphaticalIy disclaim aud disavow
any wish or desire. on our part, to &C
quire any foreign territory whatever, for
the purpose ofpropagating Slavery. or of
Introducing slaves from the United
States. into such foreign Territory"
Add to this his declaration in the cons
promise debate in 1850:
al have said that never could vote
for it myself; and repeat that never
can. and never will vote, and no earthly
power ever will make me vote, to spread
Slavery over territory where it does not
exist ~
Thus spakc the father of the Wing Par
ty.-E"Quirer. -
A New CESr.-Every body will be
glad to learn that new cent is to be
coined. The old coppar head which has