Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-08-23
Henry Clay and Daniel Webster
on the Extension of Slavery.

Henry Gay and DANIEL webster
on the, Extension Of Slavery.
To show. that the position now occupied
BY the r publican. party is the same as that
Of those reno sned Wing leaders, Webster
and Clay' we subjoin the opinions Of both,
at different periods Of their nves, In regard
to the extension Of Slavery. q The following
Is an extract rom speech made BY Henry
Clay in 1927:
"We are reprosched with doing mischief
BY the agitation Of this question (Slavery }
Collateral conse quenccs we are not respon-
sible for. 1t 10 not, this society (Colonizs-
tion) which has produced the great moral
revolution which tbs age exhibits. What
would they, who thus approach US. have
donel Il they would express all tendencies
tow ard liberty, and Ultimate emancipation,
they must do more than to put down the
BENEVOLENT efforts of that Society. They
must go TO the era Of our liberty and indep'n
oeDce, e. muzzle the cannon which thunders
its annual joyous return. They must revive
the slave trade with all it's train of atrocities.
They must blow out the moral lights around
us, and extinguish the greatest torch Of
all, which America presents to benighted
world, pointing the way 10 their rights, their
liberties snd their happines. And when
they have achieved all these purposes, their
work will yet be incomplete. They must
penetrate the human soul, and eradicate
the light Of reason and the love Of s!iberiy.
Then, and not till them when universal
darkness and and despair prevail, can you
perpetuste Slavery, and repress all sympa-
thies, and all.humane and benevolent efforts
among freemen, in behalf Of the unhappy
portion OF our race doomed to bondage. Col.
toms Life, vol l. page lS9.)
rIn ! $780, in similar speech, Henry Clay
asked: .rar-t . .fra q
''Ts there no remedy Must we endure
perpetually all the undoubted mischiefs OF
a state of Slavery. ss it affects both the free
and the bond portions Of these Stotes!"
His latter utteIances were in the same di.
rection. He appesleJ to Kentucky to insert
in its pew Constitution a clause for the
gradual extinction of slavery in that State
And in the heat OF the Compromise debates
Of 1850, when in his intense anxiety for
peace he went as far as his conscience would
permit in concession to Slavery. he declared
again and again that he would never vote to
extend it over territory now free. He. said
'As long as God allows the vital current to
flow through my veins, will never, never
never, by word or thought, by mind or will
aid in admitting to one rood of Free Terri.
itory the everlasting curse Of Human Bon
dage.'
Daniel Webster, in his famous speech OF
the 7th Of March, 1850, when he was charg-
ed with having receeded fIom his former
positions on this question said: ~.
Sir,wherever there is particular got d to
be done. wherever there is foot Of land to
be stayed from becoming Slave Territory
am ready to assert The principle of the ex-
clusion of Slavery. am pledged to Il from
the year 1887; have been pledged to it
again and again; and will perform those
pledges. 4.s' a2H fafF'''' ts 'f-f
In his Msrssfsldl speech, in ls4s, Mr..
Webster said: .r.-
IL, my friends,t the term "Freesoil" party,
or "Freesoil man." is meant to designate
one who has been fixed, unalterable-to day !,
yesterday. and for some days past-in op-
position to Slavery extension, then may
claim to be, and may hold myself as good a
"Freesoil" man as any member Of that Buff
alo Convention &c h97'l fl- 'i'-4
In a speech IN the United States Senate,
the same year, he had occasion to discuss
this same question, of '.property" in slaves.
in it's application 10 the Territories.
'1'he real meaning then, OF Southern gen.
tlemen in making this complaint i,that they
sannGt go into the Territories of the United
States, carrying with them their own pecu-
liar local law, a law.whch creates property
in persons. - xviii not be con-
tended that this sort of personal slavery ex-
lists BY general law. II exists only by local
law. +s+ And wherever that local
law does not extend. property in persons
does not exist. Well, sir, what Is now the
demand on the part of our Southern friends!
qri,v- ----f.~. ~;n Gerry o~r te~.s s.-.. -,i.A
Us wherever we GO We insist that Con.
gress doesus injustice un less It establishes
insthe Territories in which we wish to go.
our own local law" b. This demand, for
one resist, and shall resist" .-..,
Hamilton, Of Texss,'in a recent Doug
las speech, spoke as follows of Genl. Lane;
aHa ridjcu,eI Cen lane "a an -ionorant