Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-01-19

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goes about opeuy and above board, ayoSing
what his sentiments arc, but he is the Danger
Gus man who having sentiments denies them,
aud dyouRl know and feel this truth, and t.cTe-
fore it hbccauso YOU believe have been true
in my uuerance that Ehavc been able to stand
comparatively alone ia the State, telling these
things. am, upon this subject Of emaucipa-
toa, Just where always was. But | do not
now intend 10 discuss this Gubject | do not
now propose 20 enter into dehata as TO whether
We should, By gradual, auG distant. and pros
pectiye means, get clear Of slavery. That
have done almost upon oyefy stumn and in
every county 10 this cOmm nwealth, again and
again. That is not the present issue. IL oan-
not be denied, and you all know it, that l have
always stood fairly aud equarely upon the con
stitution aud the laws, that have ever been
obedicnt 20 law, Law and order man.
THE MADISON COUNTY MoBs.
Now, gentlemen Tor few ptrsonel explain.
atoms, before / enter upon the yindication Of
the Republican party. Allow me here TO state
what las been aud " hat yet is my position in
my own county. There are distinguished gem
tlemen here, members of the Legislature, and
outside Of the Legislative body, OfMadson, and
they know that that which | shall say is SO, is
truth. | alluds to the expulsion Of the Rev.
John G. Fee, Of Kentucky, aud some nineteen
other citizens Of the commonwealth by birth
and choice, from their homes; and their depart
ure into exile
Some three years since, on the Fourth day of
July, when Mr.. Fec returned again TO the State
after a temporary absence, he took the ground
of what may be called the radical abolition
party, that as O citizen of the commonwealth,
he owed no allegiance to the constitution aud
laws adopted and enacted on the subject Of
Slavery, and that be planted himself on the
higher law Of natural right. Although / ac-
corded to him, that which ] now believe and
still assert, that he was honest-that he was
pure in his purpose, that he was actuated by
the highest love of Christian charity, yet it was
not the ground upon which stood, as was a
constitution and law loving man, l argued to
him that could not and should no longer stand
| by him, that owed it to myself and owed it
to those laboring men Of the country who held
no slaves, whose cause pleaded, and who con-
Aled in my leadership, to say TO them that his
was an unsafe aud untenable position, and one
which no man can hold; that it would imme-
diately bring them into conflict with the laws OF
the country, and that that position, no matter
by whom strengthened, could not be maintained.
That is what told him and them. Well now,
1 am no Don Quixotte to 90 forward and fight
the battles Of every man who may venture mn
opinion upon the subject OF slavery; and am
TO be accused as a sedihOus man and denounced
by others az bully because | was willing to
stand by hose men who took and maintained
the ground that had taught them to stand ups
onl put it to every man that hears me if il
would not be base in me, after | persuaded
men comparatively ignorant, to come out and
| A,b 81, I hod 81
theml Although lOvs'life as much as any
man, and have perhaps as much to live for, as
any man, I would die ten thousand deaths be
fore would be guilty of such base iDgratitude
say tHs, that wherever a man, planting him.
self on the broad constitutional ground of oul
fathers Of I776, follows me, will stand by and
defend him to the best of my ability, and give
him such protection as l can when the laws oi
the country refuse to give him what tie consti-
tuition guarantees to him as his right There
fore could not stand by Fee and his associates
1 beliefe he is as pure man as ever l knew
yet did not believe his position was tenable
and ! was not willing to take ground with him
not only proclaimed this on the stump, but al
later day when was asked by men symPa-
thizing with him, coming from other portions
of the United States, it / could not cOnselen.
tiously lend him my aid and cOuntenanee IN
carrying on his work aud enforcing his doctrines
declined by letter announcing that l could
not stand upon the platform of MIR. Fee; upon
that ground we must split. He was RESPONSE
bic for his acts, and / for mine. That has
been my whole course in connection with these
parties
It is untrue-it is absolutely and entirely
unlrle-on the other side, that said that these
men ought TO be expelled from the Common
wealth. My position was one of strict neu
traliIy. l said that while l was willing to see
these men removed by law, if they violated
any law, was the sworn and eternsl enemy OF
mObs, come they from what source they might
AS soon as heard that my name was connect
cd with this transaction in that way, that l.
who had fought against some eight or ten mObsl
had come and sanctioned mob, Immediately
wrote to the editors of the Richmond Messen-
ger and the Cincinnati Gazette, utterly denying
| it, and stating my views. What was the re
sultl was told eight days after it was done
and that with the influence of my name, ne oi
the Messenger received my letter. in eight
days he received my letter, at a distance oi
about an hours ride from my office. That was
what Judge Field told me the day before left
| have inquired in regard to the other letter tC
the Cincinnati Gazette, and have learned that
there has been no such letter received in that
quarter.
FEE AND JOHN BROWN
What furtherl Mr.. Fec is stated here ai
sanctioning the raid of Brown upon Virginia