The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-01-16
Cassius NJ. Clay on Republican
ISM"

ISM"
LOUISVILLE, Ky, Dec 10, 1855.
Hon A. p. SroNE-- Dear Sir -
Your favor of the l4th is received Ac-
cep, my thanks for your favorable con.
sidcration IN asking the opinions Of one
so humble as myself The republicans
Of the Slave States, though few in mum
ber, are no new party, Faithful among
the faithlcss, proof against the seductions
of Office and the threatenings OF powor
We stand firm upon the platform of our
fathers Of '76, in the w,rld-wide spirit Of
the Declaration. We hold with Jeffcr-
son and his distinguished cotemporaries
that Slavery is an anomaly in Rcpub-
lie. and against the law of God and mans
highest instincts Of right--that justice is
always the highest cxpodiency.-that Lib
erty andSlavery cannot -0exist-but that
one or the other must die While on the
one hand we base ourselves upon those
central ideas which we inherited as our
birth-right as true Republicans, we do not
forget that without law there can be no
true Freedom or Progress. We have,
therefore, studiously regarded the high
obligations OF the State and Federal
Constitutions, and willingly Subjected
ourselves to their supremacy, even when
perverted by mcrcenary majorites from
their true spirit. We regard those AS
sufficiently Anti-Slavery for all practical
pprposes--as founded in their own Ian
guage to establish liberty and Justice
that Liberty is national, and Slavery
sectional, in elaboration Of which idea |
refer Won to the late letter Of the vener-
able + T. Blair, the distinguished friend
aud corflqntial adviser Of Andrew Jack.
sou. We are ucithet the advocates of
Capitalization disunion but the friends
of uatioual aud State rights in the am
pie spheres Of progress aud reform with
which the wisdom Of our fathers com
passed both We therefore believe it to
be our bounden duty, as good mon aud
true Republisans. to oppose nationally
TIE existence Of Slavery, uader any p:o
tense whatever. in place of exclusive ma
tioual domain by sea and land. aud to
bring the moral and political influence
of the National Government peGmancnt-
ly and firmly aud avowedly on the side
Of Liberty. US it has heretofore been ar
rayed On the side Of Slavery. Aud as
the friends OF Liberty have acquiesced,
without revolutionary resistance. in the
rule Of Slavery, so We demand that the
Slavery propaganda shall acquiesce in
the new ruo Of Liberty anl Law, and
they shall be justly branded as traitors
to both North aud South, who counsel
or act iu violation of this only possbili.
ty of popular government.
Now, Sir, there are many in the Slave
States ready 10 act openly with the Re
publican party--moro who secretly SYM
pathize with the movemcnt-and (in my
ju1gmeuD majority of all the South
who will acquiescc in our rule. | be-
lieve that the time has now come when
majority of the American people are
ready to viudicate the faith of our faith
crs in man's capubility Of scf.govern-
ment But it cannot he disguised that
this majority is now fragmeptary and
disorganized, and it requires sagacious
leadership aud self-sacrilcius patriotism
to array them in successful opposition to
the concentrated and drilled forces Of
the present Pro.Slavery administration.
| think, then, your suggestion is good
one and that it will meet the views of
the whole Republican party. For the
sake of unity, let the first meeting at
Pittsburgh, On the 22G of February
next, be as homogeneous as possible.
Then let the National Committee open
an octve and conciliatory correspond.
ence with al! the opponenta Of the Slave
propaganda. Let Wing ana Democrat,
Known Nothing aud AHtiKnow Nothing
Catholic and Protestant, native born aud
adopted, aud all shades Of opinion, he
urged by the great necessity of inmedi-
ate and decisive action, to save. if posSi-
bic, tho Republic from It's threatened
submcrsion into one of the most releut.
less despoti,ms which has ever dlrkeueI
the pages of history.
Ny dear Sir, know that yol feel
with me the worldwide Consequences Of
the crisis May the God Of our fathers
move us to do our whole duty. am
your obelieul servant, {. NJ. CLAY