Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-01-17
Cassius NJ. Clay's Anti.Slavery Speech In
Keutucky.


4 Kentucky.
A Fhntfoft correspondent Of the Cincinnati
Commercial, telegrsphing on the 10th instant,
says: - - A
An announcement, though ftom mouth to mouth
ONLY that C. M. Clay would speak somewhere in
Frankfort tonight. detained large number Of the
Democratic State Convention delegates, and filled
the streets at an early hour. Ii was rnmored that
he would be attacked II be persisted In spea King
during the present excitement, but bevond shuttng
him out of the State House, no indignitles Were
offered. He said Kentuckians, the profnundest
of historians, Gibbon. said that Of the virtues,
courage and sincerity are the greatest; you know
that | never speak Of my courage, and regard
boasting as one of the worst faults Of class of my
fellow-citizens. but the circumstances tonight
Justify me in abiding to the provefbial coufage Of
Kentuckians. Relying upon hatcourage of yotrs,
come here tO-nig ht, one against million, may
be-. AS have gone abroad all over this Com
monweath, it has been intimated that as John
Brown intimidated Virginia. intended to bully
all Kentucky, and for this reason 1t would be pest
TO silence me altogether. Your known courage is
sufic lent rebuke TO this
Your women and children have no fears. There
is one who should be sacred from publicity, but
am justified In holding up this letter from Cash
Clays wife, in which she saws nothing OF my per-
sonal safety. That is Of small account indeed but
she hopes that to-nigh will vindtcate the great
cause DENY the charge that personal conflict
was intended by the announcement that on the
10th of January | would reply to passages OF the
inaugural Of Gov Magoiin and the speech Of vice
President Breckinrld1e. 1hey are brave ahu
honorable men, but they are fallible. Humble as
| an-not so much allowed the peoples hall TO
speak in, am still citizen, and shall exercise
the rights of Whatever has been said against
me, YOU believe think what | speak. l am an
emanc pationist. He is not dangerous who avows
his sentiments. Mr.. Clay alluded to the expulsion
of John u Fee and some nineteen others from
Madison county, and declared Fee pure and up
right man, though he (Clay) did not agree with
him In his assunlp tion Of not being amenable TO
the laws, and had warned him he should not sus-
tain him therein.
EIsDIeATION OF SEWARD.
Senator Breckenridge has alluded to the position
of Senator Seward, in terms that require protest
from me- Elsewhere the statesman from New
York will vindcate himself; but here I'm Kentucky
where the press is not free and liberty Of speech
not universal, he has right to expect defense al
my hands. Mr.. CLAW proceeded TO show that by
'.hig her law'' Seward intended the same reverent
acknowledges Of everything Providence
and of the eternal supremacy of Divine Law that
every statesman and good citizen acknowledged
| III other terms. He next proceeded to defend
Seward Suppression in regard TO the irfepfessibie
conflict"
There was an "irrepressible conflict" and il
became his hearers TO examine well before they
chose their side: there We're hundreds in Frank
fort tonight, and tens of thousands in Kentucky
who, if they dared to speak their Thoughts would
proclaim opposition not only to slave code in the
Territories, but 10 slavery here at home.
After these opening remarks, Mr.. Clay pro-
ceeded 10 an elaborate argument in vindcatlon OF
the principles of the Republican party against the
| structures of Breckenridge and Magothn.