The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1860-02-16
SPEECH OF CAssIUs III. CLAY.
Delivered on The Capitol Steps at Frank
fort, January 10, 1860,
The Irrepressible Conflict.

Delivered on The Cdptot Steps ~ TT0"h-
fort, January 10, 1850,
The Irrepressible Conflict.
Another allegation is made agains,
that Senator, INTENDED to affect the Re-
publican organization. It's now alleged
that he has announced in his Rochester
speech this much abused aud cant phrase
of a conflict; that there is conflict be
tween Slave Labor ani Free Labor al
through this Government; and that that
conflict has been going on aud will 60 OF
until one or the other utterly tFiumphs.-
That is the assertion. We ackn oSlcdge II
we own up. So let US examine it
Why, gentlemen, understood that to be
the declaration of our fathers in l776.-
I understand that to be the openly avow
ed sentiment Of Washington, Madison, and
Jefferson. understand that to be the
declaration of the resolution in Virginia
for which your candidate for Speaker o.
the De- u ocratic party. M. Bocock, vo
ted some years ago. | under>tood, fur
tbermore, that that was the declaration
of the late South Carolina Legislature
and above all, | have it here, taken from
Tile LouisUiNe Courier, the leading organ
of the Democracy in Kentucky, made
more than ten years ago. You would
like to read it. Then will you have th'
good ness to turn to the files OF To at journ
al and see if | lie or not. Cries O
'Read it.
TThe speaker was Interrupted by hea
w fall! of rain whioh b forced him TO retir'
into the rotun3a Of the State House.
| will read tie extract which cut witI
py own scissors from The LouiSUiAe C0~
y5cr, and by referring to the flies Of tba
paper, you will fpd 1t in the words Wblct
to light quote:
al presume that it will not be denied
that Free labor aod Slave lator are in
compatible. The white uan is unwilling
to labor by the side Of the sla'e, snd th'
slave is equally ayerse to lnborins BY tn
side OF the white man. There exists I
mutual repugnarcy, and 1T follows, o
course, that the mass of the labor of Ken
tucky must lie wholly the la'or of th'
whtee uau or wholly the labor OF th
slave"
What think you of that, coming frou
this high D, nocrstic authority Mar
the extent to which this gentleman car
ries the idea. Not only that there is
conflict. tut be goes further He say
not ou,y does the white man refuse to Ia
Dor with the slave, hut mark him well, b
puts the slave above tie Democratic " bit
laborcr of the commonwealth and tell
YOU the sentiment of tire slave. Wh8
then is his copclusionl Why that in tn
conflict the "nigger" is to have prece
dence, so that Slave labor becomes en-
tirely predominant in the commonwealth
What sort of Democratic teaching is that
In the name of God let Us hear 10 NOR
from the Democratic party, from Gov
Magof6n. or Vice President BrecklDridge
of this thing about the higher Law or o
this eternal conflict between Free an
Slave labor.
The Ignored Explanations,
But what did Gov. Seward sayl Wit
thst characteristic injustice which pei
vades too many of the Democratic jouru
sis, all the essential and philosophic qua
iicatious of that expression have bee
withheld from the free white laborers
the South. What says Gov. Seward ]
Gov. Seward is lOng-headed man. 1t
not denied that, whatsoever he may be
he knows what be is about. heard on
of the most distinguished jurists of tn
Commonwealth of Kentucky say that b
had the clearest and most pbilosophi
head OF any man in the Union; and wh'
does this clearheaded man say ! Doe
he leave it capable of perversioul Doe
be say that because Slave labor and Ere
labor are Incompatible, that the Republ
can party are going to enslave the whit
men of the South, or to interfere with tb
Slavery now existing iD the South Nc
siri deny that. | will state substaln
TALLY what be does say. He says-an
this is the important item which is lei
out by the Democratic press-that al
though this philosophical conclusion is &c
ing on whether it is the work of this Ger
tury or of the next, or of ten centuries
or of ten thousand centuries, be does no
undertake to determine. nor can any 9th
er man; but be does say that it will tax
place; not By violence. not by John Brow
raids, or conflicts and bloodsbed; bu
peaceably by the amendment of the Con
stitution and laws of the several Souther
States themselves.