Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-05-03


army of subjugation. In choosing such an
instrument, DR.. 81. certainly permitted hi:
zeal to outstrip his wisdom. The memo
randum'' is as follows:
Memorandum
WASHINGTON, April 20; 1861
The undersigned, on all the responsibilities
of Kentuckian, patriot. and a man desir-
ing the perpetuation of the Union and the
liberties of the people-opposed always to
aggressive war, believing that civilization
cannot be advanced by arms, but that only
pre-existing ideas can be so fixed-in favor
of peaceful emancipation by the will of the
sovereignties and against servile war and in
surrections- asserts upon his own response
bility the policy of the Administration to be
peace, if consistent with honor.
l. He reasserts the avowals of President
Lincoln in his inaugural address and late
proclamation to make war upon no State,
much less upon Virginia or the Border States,
whose Union men he would conciliate and
save as friends. For this reason he retires
from Harper's Ferry as ne did from Sumter.
acting clearly on the defensive, that he might
stand before mankind guiitless of this great
fraternal suicide. For the same reason he
refuses to ayenge the blood of American citi-
Zens shed in Baltimore in the peaceful pas
sage to the seat of the common Government
2. But the President will not, when pressed
to the wall, fail to assert to his full ability
the power and safety of the National Govern
ment, ulLess the people, lriose seTrant he as shall
otleTlrise decres.
3. Any attack on the National forces or
property in the District of Columbia viii be
regarded as declaration of war and fatal
blow at all hope of peace.
4. He viii not deceive MARYLAND or Vfr-
ginia, or any State, by false professions; he
will continue to strengthen his position in
this place of National exclusive Jurisdiction,
at all hazards, and by all the defensive means
in his power, and this he feels abundantly
able to do.
5. Virginia and Maryland may keep the
peace and give tune for the passions Of man to
cool by avoiding invasion of the District or
Obstructing our movements. Fugnia must
contfne herself to her oscn soil.
GSigned,l G. VI. CLAY.
The italics belong to Mr.. CLAY. Under
the circumstances, this is an extraordinary
" document" But it is incomparably more
extraordinary that it should be put forth as
either Union or peace document In
the outset he asserts that the object for which
he aims is the emancipation of slavery by
peaceful means. He knows md everybody
knows that it is impossible. He evidently
thinks the institution of slavery may stand
the shock of war, in which event the leaders
of the nellish crusade against it, would be
banked in their own enterprise. He also
knows that if the South, under professions of
peace, can be lulled into repose, the war can
be insidiously and silently prosecuted with
much greater effect. Iu reply we have only
to say that if the South is expected to pur-
chase peace by emancipating her slaves, it is
an entire miscalculation. We cannot get
down into the dust, give up our property
rights and beg mercy at the hands of avowed
despoilers- If peace is to come in that shape
it is but stability disguised war in itself
Or if that is the mask which Union is to
wear to gain our affection, we cast it off with
disdain and horror.
Upon this revolving basis, this apostle of
anti-slavery proceeds to PROFOUND certain pro-
positions to DR.. Fl. and to the South. He first
reiterates the assertions of the President in
his inaugural address, which are equivocal
and may be construed abstractly to mean
peace or war, and upon which war has been
nalgurated and is to be prosecuted. In en-
forcing the peace aspect of the inaugural he
refers to the retiring from Fort Sumter and
Harper's Ferry. as exhibitions of peaceful in
tentions. Was there ever SO much brass
turned out from so little ore and SO little al
10y! They were driUn from Sumter, and
Harper's Ferry at the mouth of the cannon
and at the point of the bayouet, and this :-re-
firing" is held up as a signal manifestation
of pacific disposition The President re-
trains from avenging the blood of his soldiers
in Baltimore, yet levels his shotted guns from
the ramparts of Fort McHenry on that city,
and takes military possession of the State of
Maryland, all in the name of peace.
Secondly, Mr.. CLAY, with an air of con-
scious power and assumed magnanimity. as
sures US that the President will not fail to
assert the power and safety of an anti-slavery
government, when pressed to the wall, unless
the people shall otherwise decree This is
peace proposition, when he knows the North
is rushing to srms, and when, the Day after
the date of this impudent memorandum"
an actual invasion of the South was made,
and the capital of a slave-holding State taken
pOccCccAOA VS. onN - " INC
extent of two miles in every direction.
Thirdly, if Maryland or any other power
should seek to reclaim from the hands of
hostile and aggressive power the slavehoiding
District OF Columbia, which is Southern soil, |
and given to the Government of the Constitu- |
ton by shareholders, then all hopes of peace
is at an end. This is another ''peace" propo- |
sition, with the alternative of abject submIs- |
sion.
Fourthly. be does not desire to deceive |
Virginia or Maryland or any State. and to |
avoid all appearance Of deception, be defiant
" tells the world that he will continue TO /
draw troops to Washington, TO desecrate the
name of peace and destroy, deface and con-
sumo the property which once belonged to
the Republic.
Filthy and lastly, Mr.. CLAY, with disgust |
ing arrogance, tells two Of our sister States |
they must open the way TO every warlike
that may be set on foot by these |
iconoclasts of the Union, and violators of the |
and that the people of Virginia |