Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-04-03
Letter from Casslus NJ clay.


Letter from Casslus NJ Clay.
GRNTLEMEN:-Your favor of the 10th is re-
ceiyed too late 70 accept it on my part. deep
ly sympRthise with you In your movement
against the advances of slavery and despOt-
ism" The scenes which are now being enact
ed in Cleveland, where men are fined and i'm
prisoned for the exercise of the highest instincts
of Heather Philanthropy and Christian Moral
ity in violation of the sacred principles Of our
government and the utter overthrow of our
much vaunted Constitution, are well calculated
to arouse sluggish people to action, and awake
the sleepiest from their fatal slumbers! always
hated and denounced the Fugitive Slave Law
not only because it violated the U. 8. COnsti~
tution-the return Of fugitiVes from labor being
a duty imposed upon the States only according
TO the unbought dcta of the "Expounder of
the Constitution" Daniel Webster, and denied
to Congress-but because it violated all the
safeguards Of ffreedom-jeoparded the life, lib
erty, and happiness, not only Of the humble
and hated African, but Of every proud Saxon in
the land, and made justice a mockery in all its
forms, but because it hlIRiiiGted and degraded
our faaRhoOd, and fitted US to be ourselves
slaves, which our masters long since designed
Gentlemen, allow me to be little egotisti-
cal In letter to the members of the New
York Legislature dated Jan. 9, 1916, more that
thirteen years ago, used these words: "This
is no longer question about Africans-Ehether
they be beasts or men-a debate about maudlin
philanthropy! but tcksthsr we, the eighteen
millions of white men Of these States, shall be
free men or slaVesp
These sentiments and utterances were de.
nounced as the most atrocions and fanatical all
over the North; and what little reputation I
had for common sense was for long years lost !
What say you now, men Of Ohio ? What think
you of the expulsion of the Representatives of
Massachusetts seeking legal redress of wrongs
in the courts Of the United States from Charles
ton and New Orleans What think you of the
army and navy present in Boston 10 enforce
an unconstitutional law What think you of
the trials of American citizens for their lives
for Constructive trsason% What think you of
the selling Northern citizens into Southern
slavery? What think you Of the Governmental
murders in Kansas What think you of the
military dictatorship there? What think you
of the armed overthrow of the ballot by the ma
ioual bayonets? What think you of the DO.
itical attempts to vote a minority constitution
over the heads of the frsemen of Kansas, and
TO drive it down their throats with sword and
ball ? What think you of the decision of the
Supreme Court that the black man has no
rights which the white man is bound to respect ?
What think you of their dicta that citizens of
the free States are not citizens of the United
Statesg What think you of the Dred Scott de-
cision in its real PHTp JSs-that slavery is tho
only sovereignty in these States-iR the langu-
age of the Kentucky and Kansas laws-a mans
right to his slave, ''is higher than all laws and
constitutions ~ What think you of that sort of
''Higher Law ?" What think you of the en-
bryo political movement under "Democratic"ll
auspices which will in 1860 call upon you to in.
vest Congress with the power to put it into
practice in all the Territories, and then in all
the States You can't see speculative opinions
you know nothing Of the logic of principles
you ignore cause and effect by induction, mak>
ing the past, future history But you see your
good and true men now lying in prison You
begin to understand that thing You call
convention on the gath inst. You invoke the
countenance and of ''every true patriot and
friend of freedoml" Very good You intend
to ''resolve," to ''protest," to 'denouce' Is
that all ? Then go home and wear your chains!
say, are you ready to fight? Not to fight the
poor Judge at CleYeland-not to fight the Mar
shal-not to fight the miserable packed Jury
not to fight the tools of the Despots-but the
Despots themselves not TO violate the laws
not to make emeutes-nOt to produce anarchy
but to maintain constitutional liberty
peaceably IF SSs ean-fOTeibLy If ice must Are
you ready for that? If not give it up noW!-
Don't go into National Convention to select a
standard bearer who is "submissionist !"-
Don't put up "compromiser !" Don't look out
for conservative I" They'll all betray YOU.
as they have doneg They all do that which
you expected and desired them TODD They'll
all sell US out as we have been willing to be
sold ! ''The Union will be again in danger !"
played prophet Thirteen years agO-Pu play the
same part again.
Men do not lay down their power voluntarily;
our masters, the slaVeOcracy are not going "to
90 out ike q snuff" The democracy" intend
to rule the Union, or ruin the Union! don't
intend, SO far as l can preVsnt-so far as l can
control or influence the Republican party, that
they shall be allowed to do either. want a
man at the head of party, who will be the plat
form Of the party. want now no eorn-stalk
general, but real general. l want man whose
banners bear no uncertain sign. When see
slaUe pT0paRGndIsR on the banners of the De.
mocracy, want to see, In legible colors, kbsrty.
propagation on the flag of the Republicans
When read "Slsvery is higher than all laws
and all constitutions, / want a scribe who will
write under it, and on it, in letters like those
of John Hancock, that Is lie! When the slave
holders say if you elect Republican President,
we will dissolve the Union, l don't want any
one to put off the evil day which would follow
such event by saying "let it slide !" but some
one who would stand by the tomb of Andrew
Jackson, and become infused to such extent
with the spirit of that old patriot and
HerO-that he would be ready to CRY
out in the iulness of inspiration "By the
EteTnal-the Union shall be preserved" l
would have no man to be preeipitate-baudy
no hard WoFds-be by no means ''fussy''-but
standing upon the great of State SOUsrsign-
ty and National Supremacy, / would defy the
canting traitors to Liberty, Law, Civilization,
and Humanity That's what mean by ask
ing you, are you ready fight! If you have
got your sentiments up to that manly pitch,
am with you all through to the end But if
not, I'll have none Of your conventions-no
more farcical campaigns no mere humbugs :;
no more 4th VI July OratiOns-no more Deciar-
ationS of Independenee-no more platitudes
mo more glittering generalties-no more
rights of mln-nO more liberty, equality, and
fraternity In obscure places-in silence, and
humility, I will crush out the aspirations of
earlier and better days-and attempt the duti.
ful but hard task of forgetting that / was born
free
Your obedient servant,
G. II. CLAY.
Messrs. S. O. GRIswoLD, ETC., Com, DC,
Cleveland, Ohio
HuntsmRn's Ball in PARIS.