Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1860-12-07
Letter from Honorable G. M. clay.

WHfTEIALL, KY, NV. 26.
+ DEAN SIR our favor of the 10th inst
inviting me to attend celebration of the
late Republican victory. on the oath inst, TO
the achievement of which you are pleased to
assign me some share, is received. l regret
that long absence from home, during all the
canvass, will not allow me the pleasure of he
ing with.you, and partaking of the "old fash
ioDed barbecue s-.. - ..... I'D .-....-.
| The people of Ohio have nobly served the
country and nobly done their whole duty
She has not only proved by her extraordinary
progress in all our modern civilization, which
has made her the Empire Siate' of the West,
| the pre-eminent advantages of Liberty over
Slavery, but by her piouoer and consistent
support of liberal principles, she has shown
herself worthy of her leadership.
There are none of our people who have
more cause to rejoice in our late triumph than
yourselves-beeausef few if any have done So
much towards its success. 5.s-.r
| ! regard the 9th of November, 1860, as
next in Importance TO the 4th Of July, '76.
| The day which separated us from the Brit
ish rule and Parliamentary tyranny was not
more necessary to our ultimate security and
| happiness than the, day which has freed us
| from the more destructive supremacy of the
slave oligarchy. No observant mind can fail
to sec that the British Government, with all
its defects and abuses, gives more protection
to life, liberty and property than the irrespon-
sible and lawless rule of Shareholders. speak
| not only of that terrible infection of Lynch
Law, upon all persons who are suspected OF
want of fidelity to their interests, but of that
| general lawlessness which pervadcs the whole
of slave society, and assimilates its total inse-
curity TO the worst phases of the dark ages"
| In wrestling the Government from such in
huences, and placing it upon the basis OF JUS
tice and law, the Republican party have en-
! titled themselves to the eternal gratitude of
mankind. .=asE II e. 3. ..-==..r-..-- --. ..--
But We must not fatter ourselves that our
work is done. Only the one great battle has
been won. The threats of rebellion, and ne
cessary civil war which must attend its actu-
ality, warn ms 10 be our guard, and call
lor DO halliday patriotism. ba. .s;.s77 ,t g.
Whilst we would bear with brothcrly for
bcarance, with the sore disappointmcnts of
our late rulers, and give them, patiently, time
to accommodate themselves to the new order
of things, frankness and ~ wise philanthropy,
compel us to say to them at once, that "pcace-
able secession is but pedceabte rebeliion-an
utter absurdity. Neither one slave State,
four slave States, nor all the slave States. will
be allowed peaceaby to secede, Every man
of sense secs that civil war would be better
than that eternal war which would be the re-
suit of a divided nation. The forces engaged
would be less and the result final. The Union
party of the South would be our allies, and
with victory. which would be sure. for the
Union and the right, would come peace and a
homogeneous empire. But allow secession, and
tncn with the Southern seeding States unit
ed, would come war inevitable the first time
we met upon the rivers or the seas, which
would be settled and renewed from century to
century. The South must know that the Re
publicans intend to allow her oil her Consti-
tutonai rights, and then maintain their own
to the last extremity. This is a Government
of the people, and not a compact of the
States !" there is no way to dissolve the Union