The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-09-13


the version of Douglass speech at Carroltor
a. heretofore reported in the papers. Tha,
/ Douglas used such and similar language
against Clay nobody would doubt. The Lo.
sofocos of that day were accustomed to speak
of CLAY as one Of the vilest and most corrup,
men on earth and Douglas was just such q
pot-h demagogue as delighted in denun-
Citations of the bitterest character. But here
is the eircumst antial proof:
GREENE Co., H., July 28, 1860.
MKssRs. III. JOHNSON, + RANcls p. VEapRR,
w. A DAVIS and w. A. BLACK Gentlemen
Your letter of this date is received, in which
you say that you "see the charges going the
rounds of the Republican press Of this day,
that in the memorable canvass for Congress
in this district in 1874 between yourself
(mysel) and Judge Douglas, and in speech
in the Court House square, in this place,
(Carrollton), he used the following words Of
Henry Clay Il denounced him in the Con-
gress of the United States, and | now de-
nounce him as a traitor, AN OLD BLACK HEART
ED TRAITOR, the first American statesman who
ever attempted 60 sell his country TOR Brit
ish gold.'" You also say that you "see
substa ntially the same charge against Mr..
Douglas as taken from his speech on the
same occasion, in these words Henry Clay
is black hearted villain, the first American
that has ever been bought with British
gold.'" Yon desire me, il these statements,
or either of them, were made by Judge
Douglas to my knowledge, during the can
vass alluded to, that would inform you
"when and whore they were made"
a. g. o.. AL
have received on the subject, and as much as
regret to be mixed up any way with the
political excitement OF the day, my respect
for You us personal friends and neighbors,
and the fact that you address me as the
friends and supporters OF Judge Douglas,
leave me no excuse for not replying to it.
have no such distinct recollection Of the Ian
guage used by Judge Douglas on the COCA
sion referred to, in the speech made by him
in Carrollton, ct tho close Of the canvass be-
tween him and myself, as would justify me
in giving it to you. As you do not, howcv-
or, oon6ne your inquiry to that particular
time, but direct il TO any other during the
canvass, mast III candor say that | 30
RECOLLECT THAT JUDGE DOUGLAS
USED on that or some other occasion or
occasions, during the canvass, SuBSTAN-
TALLY THE LANGUAGE ATTRIBUTED
TO HIM in the first part Of the paragraph
first referred to. DO not recoleot, howev-
err, that be said that 'Mr. Clay was the first
American statesman who ever attempted to
sell his country for British gold" nor do
recollect his using the language attributed
to him 10 the charge referred to by you, that
"Iienry Clay is black hearted villain, - DC.
1t is proper for me to advert to the circum-
stances under which Mr.. Douglas denounced
Mr.. Clay, in the manner then so common
with the political opponents of that illustri.
Gus statesman. In the year 1874 was NOM
insted by the Wings OF this district as can
didate for Congress in opposition to Judge
Douglas. Mr.. Clay and Mr.. Polk were rival
candidates the same year for the Presidency
Judge Douglas and myself commenced the
canvass together in Peoria, and we addressed
the people in every county in the District
esosng the discussion in Carrolton, on Sat
urday tif mistake not) before the election.
During that canvass, one OF the leading
topics OF discussion was tho Oregon ques-
hon. The whole OF Oregon, up TO the line
OF 54 deg 40 min., was insisted upon by
many Of the leaders Of the Democratic par
ty, among whom was Judge Douglas, and in
discussing the question II WAS HIS HAB-
IL TO DEN0UNCE MIR. CLAY for the
part that he took a. Secretary of State un-
der Adams, in the effort made during that
Admi nistration to settle the disputed bound.
airy between the United States and Great
Britain. MIR. Clay, whilst Secretary Of State,
in the attempted adjustment Of the difficulty
had proposed to settle abe disputed bounda-
ry Of Oregon on the parallel of 40 deg. ~
lat, as had been previously proposed under
the Administration of Monroe In reference
TO Mr.. Olay'sscourse, and his instructions to
the American Minister in London, proposing
as an ulitmatitn., to settle the boundary on
the line OF 40 deg, (which was subsequ ontly
adopted under Folks Administration, in
sfead Of insisting upon the whole Of Oregon
up to So deg. 40 min.) lie DENOUNCED
CLAY AS A TRAITOR TO HIS COUNTRY,
and rs the only American statesman that had
ever qeen willing to yield up any of our ter
ritory on the Pacific, to which he insisted we
had as perfect right as Great Britain. In my
feeble manner attempted to vindicase the
Wing IaIty, and upset the aspersiony then
so freely used by their opponents against
them, and particularly their great chief and
loader, Mr.. Clay. | WAS DEELY I'M
PRESSED AT THE TIME WITH THE BIT
TERNESS or THE ASSAULT UPON Mr..
CLAY, for having been born and reared al
most IN sight of Ashlandi and taught from
my earliest youth to revere the character of
that great man, it panied me TO hear him so
unjust,y assailed. The lapse of time, how
eAer, has been so great, and my entire remo-
val (since my first election to the bench in
lo451 from the arena Of politics, will not al
low mo to repeat the precise language en-
ployed by Douglas towards Clay on the sug-
Jeet, than above stated. Whatever Douglas
said in my hearing on that subject, was in
the heat Of political discussion, and in refer
ence to the Oregon question.
Very respectfully,
ID. Nj. WOODSON.
Tom CorWtn on The III ON en- a Law.
Tom Corwin has been ro-nominated for
Akul L., L. -