Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-01-20
Speech of G. M. Clay,
y. At Frankfort, Ky.,
FROM THE .s.
CAPITOL STEPS, JAN. 10, 1860.
expressly ior the Cincinnati Gazette ]


Well, gentlemen, with this personal explana-
tion, Proeeedto the nam argument; aud for
purpose OF brevity, shall group together the
allegations made by the Governor in his mes
sage, and the allegations made by the Vice
President in his published speech. The peeu-
liar position in which / am placed will prevent
me from going into an elaborate argument, as
/ had INTENDED, and sou will pardon me if 1
skip much, and perhaps thereby weaken the
strength ofmy discourse.
THE HIGHER Law.
understand the preliminary charge to be,
in the frst place, against, what the distinguish
ed Senator elect chooses to style the sentiment
Of leading Republican of the United States,
none other than Gov. Seward the present SenN
tor Of New York. Allow me to say, ia the
beginning, that am not now, and never have
been, partiEan of Senator Seward; but stand
ing as he does, one OF the representatives of the
Empire State of New York, that great State in
which centres not only the commerce, but
may say, political intelligence Of this country;
admitted by and on all hands TO be as able a man,
if not the ablest man, in the Senate of the
United States, l say would be doing injustice
were not to yindicate him from all that which
is unjustly imputed to him here. At other
times, in other places, that Senator is perfectly
competent to vindicate himself, but here in
Kentucky where that vindicstiOn, on account
OF the censorship of the press, and in part the
refusal to allow the constitutional freedom of
speech, he will hardly else be vindicated.
imagine shall not be considered at all intru-
sive II answer one or two of those charges
made by those distinguished gentlemen.
The hrst denunciatiOn that comes to us with
regard to Mr.. Seward is that he is a higher law
man. Let US look at that for moment, a high
er law man. l intenl to be very distinctly un>
derstOod on this subject In this time when great
issues tissues unparalleled in their consequences
in the world aIe dependent upon the principles
advocated by parties, You should not 90 away
with dOubtupon your minds, and you viii allow
me TO 90 into details as to the true meaning of
this term. understand, then, gentlemen, in
the common sense in which this term is used,
by higher law, an enactment that has the
sacredness, the weight and the power that be-
long to no human law. Now are we a Chris
tian people, and is there any man that claims to
be one of the common brotherhood of Chris
tianity that will deny that there is an overrulng
Providence who governs the universe by eter-
nal and immutable laws which will prevail, the
vicious or sacrlegiOus attempts of men to the
is
who viii be SO regardless of the sentiment of
Christian goodness as to utter any such idea as
that. That ,tker, is the "higher law" which he
acknowledged, and although l do rot quote
him from the book, will state his positiOn
specifically; it was to the question of admmit-
ting the Territory on the Pacific as free State
when he said that California ought not only
to be free, but home for those driven out from
the Slave States by the competition of unpaid
labor, and for others driven from their homes
by the competition of capital in the Free States;
but there was a ''higher law" even than Com
stitutions to which this new constitution should
be conformed. Iputit to every Democrat who
hears me night that is not the true doctrine
If that be not so, how dares President Buchan-
an to make his recommendations TO Congress,
in the name of the Almighty God!
That, then, is the assertion 1t is not an as
sertion that brings anarchy upon a community,
but it is the only one principle ofright and jus
tice upon which the permanent good of the
community can rest; it is the only permanent
security for goods, property, reputation, lives
and opinion, and that was the sense in which
Senator Seward has uttered that sentiment,
and he has again and again said when Consti
tutions were made and laws enacted, not that
we should cast ignOminy and reproach upon
tueLu3 OE uisOJog Lueulp Dub LuaI we slOuiu
acquiesee in them Obeying them, until they are
changed by an intelligent constituency, acting
through the legislative department of the gov
ernment. That is what he said, and thcro
stand by him, here and elsewhere. now and
forever, and there is not a man here to night
that does not stand by US, acknowledge that
principle, that higher law, that reliance upon
God, if be dare speak his honest sentiments.
We bad great deal oft at least, in this same
Representatives Hall from which we are OK
cluded tonight. The opposite party found
there was "higher Law, j" and what was that
Divine and Omnipotent Godl It was Slavery
Slavery is higher than heaven and earth, and all
constitutions and laws It is found in the Con-
stitution we are told, or'It is higher than that
Constitution; and SINCE that time We have heard
nothing of the "higher law" of Senator Seward.
That thing is neutralized as chemists say
done for, as common men may urge.