Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-02-21
NEW YORK CORRESPONDENCE.
Nrw YoRK. Feb. 16. 1860

NEw YoRK, Feb. 16, 1850.
/ read with feelings of real Qualification, that
you we're to publish second edition Of the sx-
csllent speech OiC. NJ. Clay That speech ought
to be read carefully, and POndored over well
by every mat, woman and child in our land II
s full of truth, and of the outsPOken spirit
of Liberty. It should be scattered broadcast in
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Indiana and Hi
nOiS. Iu these States, wherever frsemon read
that speech, Republican fruit would be gather
ed, This is the kind of fruit we need.
It seems to me We are going back to darkness
to despotism, to bar6arism.
In 1887, our Fathers dedicated to Freedom
as an inheritance forever, every foot Of Terrific
ry belonging to the Confederacy and over which
they could exercise exclusive control.
When the Constitution was adopted, thai
dedication was most sOlemnly re enacted, and
made part of the organic law Of the land.
That ProvisO of Freedom has been re-enact
cd some seventeen times by the Congress o
the United States, and approved by Presidents
from the illustrious Washington to the TeIai
Polk.
The North West Territory was won by lh'
common blood Of all the then United States
and because the Fathers declared that in al
that broad land there should be "neither slavery
nor involuntary servitude, except for crime,
there was no threatening on the part Ofths PeO
pie of the planting States, that for that reason
they would dissolve the young Union.
In 1920, Congress declared that in all tn
Territory north of the line 80 deg, 80 min
slavery should not GO Leading Southern
Statesmen, eminent for their patriotism AM
talent voted for this exclusion Of SlGUsTy AM
called it a triumph Of the South.
In Is44-5, many of the now prominent Po
litical men Of the South, in the Revolutions b.
which Texas was made part of this Repub
lie, decided "that in sll of the territory OfTexs
north of the line SO deg. 80 min. there shoult
be neither slavery nor involuntary serVituds, ,eI
cePt for crime"
This PrOviso in that annexation, was no
good cause for dissolution.
California was won "by the common bloO'
and treasure Of all the States" and it came il
as free Sister into our COnfederacy, notwith
standing some of the Statesmen of the Soutl
declared, that she was an OctOrOOR, as the blOO'
of the slave, as well as the free States ran il
her veins.
In 1850, the same great Orator, who ha'
strangled the infant Hercules Of freedom on tn
hoor of the House of Representatives, in tn
person of Missouri, declared on the floor Of tn
Senate Chamber, ''that coming from slas
State as I do, owe it to myself, owe it Il
truth, I owe it to the subject, to say, that nj
earthly power could induce me to vote for
specific measure for the introduction Of SLAYER
where it had not before existed either South o
North Of that line" (96 deg. 80 min.) al am, 70
one, unwilling that the posterity of the Presen
inhabitants Of California and of New MeIic
shall reproach US for doing what we reprOacI
Great Britain for doing to u.s."
There was no Treason in this noble declsra
ration of the great Orator of the West nothing
about''the common blood and tTeasure;" nothinI
about excluding US and our property from tn
Territories of our common country, which wa
won by our arms and our blood" 1t was tn
declaration of an old man, who felt within hin
the same spirit of Liberty, that influenced hin
when, forty years before, in his adopted State
he advocated "the gradual emancipation of sla
very"
Our Fathers in the Halls of Legislation il
the Press and in the Pulpit. declared slavery t,
be curse-now their degenerate sons, declar
it to be blessing, and
| T,rt,ro tba pagas oF the bIessed Bible