Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-08-19
henry Clay on Slavery Extension.

ENhiS ilcb NAiO uttlgut 10 StNlp Ilpnt~
selves . Henry Clay Wings" have given
III their adhesion TO the slavery-extension
Cincinnati Platform-with what proprietv
or consistency let the following passages,
taken from Coton's" Last Seven Years of
the Life of Henry Clay" answer:
'Sir." sail Mr.. Clay :. / have said ,ha;
l never could vote ior 1t, aud repeat that
l never can and never will vote for it;and
nc earthly power SHAH ever make me vote
TO plant slavery where slavery does no,
exist. Page 33S.
:" And now, Sir" said Mr.. Clay, on an
other occasion, " coming from slave state
as do, owe it to myself, | owe it 10
truth, owe it TO the subject, to say, that
no earthly power could induce me to vote
! tor specific measure, for the introduce
ton OF slavery where ii had not before ex-
listed, either South or North of that line"
1.-THE line OF 80 deg. SO min. page
$50
q shall not enlarge" said Mr.. CLAY.
g on the opinion which / have already an
nounced to the Senate as being held by
me, to wit: that slavery has been abol-.
ished in Mexico, and consequently did not
| exist IN the Territory acquired from Mex
lco by the United States. Ny opinion
Of the law of Mexico, in all the variety
of forms in which legislation can talre'
place-that is to say, by the edict of
Director, by the Constitution of the peo-
pie of Mexico, an3 by the test of the leg
islative authority of Mexico-by all these
modes of Legislation, my opinion is, that
slavery has been abolished there" page
364
Again. g | cannot agree to an amend
ment of the Territorial bill for New
! Mexico which, in point of fact, assumes
that slavery has an existence there at this
time, and which assumes, IN point of law,
/ that under the Constitution of the United
States, there Is right to carry slaves
there. | cannot vote for either PROPOSE
ton. page $40. Again: Why," said
Mr.. Clay, these United States consist
of thirty States In fifteen of them there
Is slavery, and In fiftee.. u them slavery
does not exist. Well, how can it be ar
gued that the fifteen slave States, by the
operation of the Constitution of the Uni
ted States, carry into the ceded Territory
their institution of slavery, any more than
it can be argued, on the other side, that,
| by the operation of the same Constitution,
the fifteen Free States carry into the ce--
ded Territory the principle of Freedoms
Can you come to any other con-
clusion than that which | understand to
be the conclusion of the public law of the
word, of reason and of justice, that the
statutes Of law, as it existed In the moment
of conquest or acquisition, remain until it
is altered by the conquering or acquiring
power?' page 13S.
Again: There are gentlemen said
Mr.. Clay, " who maintain that, by virtue
of the Constitution. the right TO carry
slaves south Of that line &c. ,3Ol already
exists. If l had not heard that opinion
avowed, should have regarded it as one
Of the most extraordinary assumptions
and the most indefens;ble position that was
ever taken by man. The Constitution new
er created nor does ii continue slavery
Slavery existed independent of the Con-
! stltutlon, and antecedent to the Constitu-
| ton; and ii was dependent not upon the
will Of Congress, but upon the laws of the
respective States. The Constitution is ST.
| lent and passive upon the subject of the
institution of Slavery; or, rather, 1t deals
with the fact as II exjststs In the States,
without having created 1t, or continued IT,
or being responsible for it in the slightest
| degree. IL slaves are volun-
tarly carried into such a jurisdiction,
[where slavery does net exist, their
caains instantly drop off, and they become
free, emancipated, liberated from their
| bondage. If the Constitution pos
sesses the paramount authority attributed
to it, that is, that is, to protect slavery IN
the Territories, the laws even of the free
J ,c fhn Ji.,,n,, ,r-o,lA ,-ial1 to +hot
paramount authority You cannot
put your finger on the part of thh Consti-
tuition which conveys the right or the pow
er to carry slaves from one of the States
of the Union to any Territory of the Uni
ted States. page l75. Again: g cam
not agree that, under the Constitution of
the United States, there is right to car
ry slaves into New Mexico" 1919.
Again: g And now. sir, for the first time
after the three great acquisitions of Tex
as, Florida, and Louisiana, have been
made and have redounded to the benefit
of the South-now, for the first time.
when three Territories, California, Utah
and New Mexico, are attempted to be
introduced without the institution of sla-
very Ii put it TO the hearts of my country
men OF the South, if it is right to press
matters to the disastrous consequences that
have been indicated no longer ago than
this very morning-even extending to the
dissolution of the Unions Mr.. President
| cannot believe it."-page 342-
The doctrines thus boldly enunciated by
/ Mr.. Gay ere Identical with those contain
ed in the Philadelphia Platform. No
consistent political follower of Henry
CLAY while living can oppose Mr.. FRE-
MONT en- the ground of al Objectionable
platform.
REMEaBER.-The pro-slavery party
propose to ''save the union" but at the
expense of Freedom, and viii make it a
ISl.va-oii cra rchv