Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-10-23
MISCELLA A N Y
SPEECH OF GEN. LESLIE COOMBS.


Letter and Resolutions Written by Henry
Clay.
Gen. Leslie Ooombs, of Kentucky, addressed
a Bell and Everett meeting at Cincinnati, as fol-
lows:
Fellow citizens this is not the first visit that
T have made to your State by several. My first
anpearance in Ohio was on the occasion alluded
to by the honorable gentleman, when came &C.
companied by Kentucky Volunteers, to protect
the women and children from the merclless tom
ahawk and scalping knife of the savage, and the
still greater cruelty of British soldiers, standing
by and seeing the work well done.
Then we came armed with muskets and bay
onets. now we come with firm hearts, and good
reasons to stand by you in this contest for the
preservation of our Union. Long may it be be-
fore any of the despoilers of our Union, residing
along the Gulf coast, shall dare to cross Ken
tucky and invade Ohio | have for many years
seen the movements which are now looming up,
both in the South and in the North, threatening
destruction to our glorious Union. l am here
tonight. prepared with written power OF at
torney from Henry Clay, appointing me his po-
litical legatee upon this great question. He
foresaw the trouble, and fearing its imminent
danger, wrote letter to me, and drafted resolu-
tions which tonight, for the second time, pre-
sent for the adoption of the lovers OF the Union.
The first time was in Frankfort, last night.
| Mr.. Ooombs held up original letters OF Henry
Clay-one written to him Gen. Coombs) du-
ring the pendency of the Missouri Compromise
question. expressing great fear of the formation
of sectional parties, and another written in 1049.
Mr.. Coonbs said the sectional parties that Clay
feared then had been formed by the abrogation
of that Compromise. He called on the people
TO witness the handwriting of Henry Clay, and
handed II to Hon. j. Scott Harrison, who pro-
nounced it the handwriting of Mr.. Clay. MIR.
Coombs said the suggestions of the letter and the
resolutions which Clay had drafted, and which
he had with him, were precisely applicable to
the present condition OF the politics OF the coun
try. Mr.. Coombs then reed the letter and
resolutions of which the following is copy
CONFIDENTIAL
W WAsHINGToN, Dec. %, 1849.
Ny DEAR SIR IL received your favor OF the
18th inst, and thank you for its details.
NV object in writing you now is one OF great
Importance, and I soish you to lead OF sn Ut. 1t
will do the country good, and do you good.
The feeling for dsunion among some inten-
perate Southern politicians is stronger than
supposed it could be. The masses generally,
even at the South, are, believe, YET sound J
bnt thew may become nfamed and perverted
derived from popular expression at public meet
ings of the people. Now, what ! should be
Glad to see is such meetings held throughout
Kentucky. for you must know that the dlsun-
;on;sts count upon the cooperation OF our patrl-
otic State.
Can'r YOU get up large, powerful meeting OF
both nartjes. If possible at Lexington, at LOUIS
vile &c. to express in strong language their
determination to stand by the Union. l hope
the Legislature, and the Convention also, if it
has not adjourned, may do the same lfyou re-
main silent and passive, there is danger that the
bad feeling may reach you. Now is the time
for sautary action, and y0U are the man to do IT,
enclose some resolutions, which, or some SINH
lar to them, l should be happy to see adopted.
Prudence and propriety will suggest TO you
that too free use OF my name shouid not pe
made in getting up this movement. You will
know the persons to counsel with, and l wish
Won would keep me advised of what you do.
Your friend, ID. CLAY.
Gen. Leslie Coombs.
RESOLUTIONS.
/. ResoZped, That this meeting is firmly at
tached to the Union of these States, and that
tbey 90 for it one and indivisible, now and for
ever.
Q. Resozved, That whilst this meeting would
be most happy that the controverted question Of
slavery within the territory recently acquired
from Mexico should be settled in manner salts
factory to all parts of Mexico, no settlement of
it what-wise it may be will create any just oc-
casion for dissolving the Union.
8. Resoloed, That this meeting beholds in
the dissolution of our glorious Union no remedy
for any alleged evils, real or imaginary but a
great aggravaton of them all, and contemplate
that deplorable event as the parent of other ca
lamities, far transcending in magnitude and fatal
consequences aay of which complaint is now
made.
4. Resolved, That as far as depends upon Us,
we will stand by, support and uphold the Union
against all attacks from without or within, and
al ultraisms, whether at the North or the South.
Here you have the power of attorney which
constitutes me the legatee of Henry Clay in this
behalf, nor would give it for half his estate
AS Marc Antony exhibited the robe of Caesar to
the Roman populace, l exhibit to you these
relics of that great man, and ask you if you are
prepared to give up the Union to say yes. On
ly one yes.
He put Mr.. Clay's resolutions before the
meeting and they were, of course, adopted with
immense enthusiasm.
My principal business here tonight, fellow
citizens, is to exhibit to your gaze these halow-
ed relics. Last night | made my first political
speech for eight years. | stood by the death
bed of Henry Clay and retired from political life,
but when the people OF the North and of the
South are rending our Union, the one trying to
uproot slavery from where it is, and the other
trying to drive it where it don't want to 90, |
feel it is time to rise, and feel renewed for the
fight. evidenced my attachment to the Union,
not one star of which l would lose on the occa-
sion before referred to. On that occasion | had
the honor to be a captain of those Kentucky
volunteers who came to the rescue of your
northwestern frontier. | was called the boy