Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-10-04
Chs Anti 9laperp Bnalr
SALEM, ONO, OCTOBER 4, 1856.
THE HENRY CLAY PLATFORM"

LIE HENRY CLAI
In the National Era of the 25th ult. we find the
following paragraph. We will MT say that DR..
Bailey wrote it, lest we should be found blunder-
ing. 1t is however under the editorial head and
Headed
1--WE notice that in a resolution passed at n Con-
vention Of Garrison Abolitionists at the West, il
is said that DR.. Bailey had declared, in the Era Of
August Dist, that 'the Republican platform is the
Henry Clay platform" Such a declaration was
never made by US. 1t may have appeared from
another pen, during our absence from Washington
recently.
We are not in the habit Of bOlstering up plat
forms or parties with great names. It's perfectly
immaterial whether Henry CLAW or Thomas Jefer
son would sanction the Republican platform, SC
long as it is true and sufficient for the exigency.
We presume the Garrison Convention" referred
to is the late Anniversary of the Western Anti
Slavery Society; and the resolution, " the follow
ing, adopted at that meeting:
"Wbereas, We recognize the truth of DR..
Baley's assertion in the National Era, of August
2lst, that "the Republican is a Henry Clay Plat
form, " therefore
Resolved, That we recommend to all politicians
who are in the least tinctured with Anti Slavery,
to peruse the articles written some ten years since
by DR.. Bailey and other prominent men in the Lib.
erty party, proving most cOnclusively that for
A5olitionists to support the Henry Clay Platform,
would be a practical denial Of their principles, and
that it would be far better to incur the charge of
electing Polk and annexing Texas than to sup.
port q platform which the Era now declares to be
identical with the platform Of the Republican
party"
Surprising DIR. Bailey to have written the edito,
rial paragraph quoted above, he denies that he
ever asserted that "the Republican Platform is q
Henry Clay Platform and seems by his manner
of speaking to suggest to his readers a doubt as tc
whether the Fra had ever given any occasion fol
such an assertion. "H may have appeared from
another pen, during our absence" says the Dr., as
though he was in doubt whether it had ever so ap
peared. This attempt to throw dust in the eyes Of
his readers is altogether unworthy of DR.. Bailey
He certainly has sufficient regard to his reputation
as an editor and to the interests of his rarity to
know what pen is employed to write editorials in
his absence, and to ascertain what is written after
its publication, especially when his attention is
called to a specific article. The truth is, the reso.
luton puts the inconsistency of DR.. Bailey's past
and present positions in rather too clear a point OF
light, and a little bewildermont of onlookers is i
such cases sometimes the most convenient method
of escape.
DR.. Bailey never put forth his energies more
wisely, vigorously and successfully for anti.slave.
ry than in o 1posing the election Of Henry Clay
when he was a candidate on the very non-extension
principle of the Fremont platform. And we most
heartily report the recommendation of the resolu.
ton published above, ito all politicians who are
in the least tinctured with anti.slavery, to peruse
DR.. Bdiley's articles" written during the Clay and
Polk contest.
But has there anything appeared in the Era to
Justify the statements of the resolution? DR.. Bailey
is the responsible editor of the Era, of course
whatever appears in loaded type, under the edito-
rial head of that paper is understood to be from
his pen unless some indications be given to the con-
trary. Such a statement did SO appear, and with.
out any indications that the editor was not its
author. The writer of the resolution was therefore
justified in supposing that DR.. Bailey was its au-
thor. None of the readers Of the Era had any
right to make any other supposition.
In the third editorial column of the Era for
August 2lst, is the article lin editorial type) head.
ed and commencing as follows:
THE REPUBLICANISM OF HENRY CLAY.
1--WE defy any man North or South, to read the
OIION iHS tAITuCls lTUm Mr.. Clay 8 speecheS, and
reconcile them with the ground taken in the Blu.
chanan or Fillmore Platforms; and zoe chaHenqe
them 10 point ont any disagreement 6ettceen these
Uiecs Of Mr.. Clay and Hose of the Republican
party, as embraced in their platform, and in the
letter Of Col. Fremont, accepting the nomination.
HE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM is A HENRY CLAY
PLATFORM. In proof of this proposition we select
the following passages from Colton's Last Seven
Years of the Life of Henry Clay"
Then follows q half column of extracts from
Clay's speeches ''iu proof of this proposition" In
justice to this unknown writer of editorials in the
Era, we must say that his proof, beyond all
controversy, establishes his proposition. But of
this our readers can judge for themselves, as we
append the whole article as it stands in the Era.
This proof is such that DR.. Bailey though denying
the authorship of the proposition, does not attempt
to deny its truthfulness.
1t is therefore still true that the Era asserts and
proves that the Republican platform is a Henry
Clay platform" and DR.. Bailey is unrelieved from
charge Of the resolution, until he dis.
avows the proposition and the whole article prov
ing il. To say he did not write the article, or that
it is not in accordance with his taste is but trifing
or worse. The question is, isthelRepublican position
on the question of slavery extension substantially
the same as that Of Henry Clay in 1874. Did the
Era oppose the Henry Clay Platform then as alto
below the demands of tho anti-slavery
cause as insufficient for the exigency, and does it
adopt and defend it now as altogether sufficient"
But DR.. Bailey says, in a spirit of rare indie
1endence, w are not in the habit of bolstaripg
Up platforms and parties with great names."-