The Lansing state Republican., 1861-06-12
From the London Tines.
LETTER FROM HON. CASSIUS NJ. CLAY.

states of America, which, | am surprised TO
fnd. are so ii;te understood this side OF the |
Atlantic.
!. What are we fighting tor:" ave the |
people OF the United States of America" ito
b se the language 0. the Cousttutlon,) are fight |
ing To maintain our nationality, and the prinet- |
plies of liberty upon which il was founded-that
nationality which Great Britain has pledged her
self, both by past comfy and the sacred oblisa-
tons OF treaty, to respect; those great princi-
Piles Of liberty, tsat all power is derived from
the consent ct the governed; trial by jury
freedom OF speech and the press; that without
!l,c there is 20 lberty"-which we inherited
from Great jtaia herself, and which, having
been found 10 lie st the base O: al progress and
civilization, desire 10 peTpetaate for ourselves
agd the future OF a.. other generations. The
80 called Confederate States of America reJei
against Rs-a2 aims; cur nationality, and against
all the principle OF its structure. !tiZens %
the United Stajes--of the one government, mot
Of ConeGefated States they would have the
world believe-but of "us the people, they
propose not hy common legal consent. but 10y
arms, to sever our nation into separate mdepen
denci,s. Claiming :: be let alone" they con
-pire against " seize hy force forts stores,
and arms; appropriate 10 themselves our miats,
MONEYS and y, sSCis at sea ; capture our armies,
and threaten even the capital at Washington,
The word secession" is used 20 cover up
treason and Gtludc the nations. They stand To
u ia the relation OF one people, the idea of
estate sovereignty is utterly delusive. We
gave up the old Confederation" TO avoid just
such complications as have now occurred. The
States axe by our constitution deprived OF all the
rights Of independent soveregnties, and the liza
toual government acts not through State organ
| izations, but directly upon the citizens OF the
| States fhpmSplyps-fp that HIGHEST pf
the right OF iife ard death The States DO not
keep an army or even repel invasion except
when necessity will not allow time for national
action make TO treaty, nor coin money, nor
exercise any Of the first great essential powers
of " vereienty" In word, they can TO more
seccde" from the Union than Scotland or Ire
land can secede from England. .
| The proicSSed friends of the independence of
nations aud popular rights, they have not only
| overthrown the constitution Of the United States
but the constitutions of the Confederate
States" themselves, refusing in ever, to ie-
fer their usurpatons To- the votes OF the reo-
Pile, thus making themselves douby traitors to
both the States and the nation. The desporic
rulers over 10000 of ensaved Africans, they
| presume To extend over us, the white races OF
| all nations, the same despotism by ignoring the
political rights of all but their own class bv re.
strictions upon the popular franchise, 10y the
suppression oi the freedom OF speech and io
| the press, by the terrorism ot the Lynch law :"
! or i,ranncal cnactmeEtS backed bv standing ar
mics, To crush out independence of thought, the
| ineradcabl. instincts of our world wide humani-
ty-with the atIOciouS dogma that negroslayery
Is the 0ny basis OF real conservative civiliZ3 tiOn
and that tn. true solution OF the contest of all
time between labor aud capital is that capital
should own the liborer, whether white or blaca
TIa ,. ..b 4 L. "a L..
| tS!e OF baIbari>m not only over the millions OF
the New World and the isles OF the western
oceans, but roll it back over England and eman-
cipated Europe, and blot out from history this
the greatest glory OF times.
>. -" l5ut can Won subdue the revolted States :"
OF course can. The whole seven revoted
States e., ,l73 O0Ul have not as much white pop
ulation as the single State of New York (3, SOL
563) people II all the slave States were To
make common cause, they have only s..
gD1 ,Ggi whites, with 1 600, 900 slaves while
the Union has about 10000, 600 of homogeneous
people, powerful in peace and war as the
world has seen. Intelligent, hardy, and many
sided" their late apparent lethergy and weak
ness that seii-pnssessiou of conscious
strength. When they had made up their minds
that force was necessary, they moved upon
Washington with such speed, numbers, and
steadiness as Is not surpassed in history. We
have the money at lower rate of interest than
| ever before the men, and the command of the
seas and the internal waters. We can blockade
them by sea- aud invade them by land, and close
up the rebellion in a single year, If are 'let
| alone" For the population Of the slave States
Is divided perhaps equally for and against the
Union, the loyal citizens being for the time
overawed by the organized conspiracy Of the
traitors, while the North is united to a man, the
l.tn aili Of hn tl.,,
being now more earnest for the suhiugation OF
| the rebels than the republicans.
3. "But can you govern 'subjugated people
and reconstruct the CniOa :" We DO not pro-
pose to sui,jusate the revoled States we pro-
pose to put down simply the rebel citizens. We
go 10 the rescue of the lOyal Unionists of the
States. We carry safety, and peace, and liberty
TO the Union loving people OF the South, who
| will OF themselves (the tyranny overthrOwn)
! send back their representatives to Congress, and
! the Union will bc " recOnsiructed' without a
| change of a letter in the constitution of the
United States. Did England subjugate Ireland
and Scotland; Are the united kingdoms less
| homogeneous than of old, before the wars against
rebellion: 30 will the United States rise from
! the smoke OF battle with renewed stability and
power. In turn. row let US ask the British pub.
| lie some questions.
| /. Where should British honor place her in
this contestg We overthrow that political ee-
ment in America which has all through our his
tory been the studied denouncer and real
halcr Of the British nation, while we have been
always from the beginning the friends of Eng
land. Because, though under different forms OF
government, We had common sympaties, and a
common cause, and therefore a common inter
est. England was the cOnservator Of liberty in
| Europe--tne old world; We ia the new. II
the Confederate States" are right then is
England wrong. Ii slavery must be extended
| ia America then must England restore it in the
| West Indies, blot out the most glorious page OF
her history, and call back her freed men into
| chains Let her say 10 the martyrs OF freedom
from all the nations who have sought refuge aud
| a magnanimous defence on her shores return to
your scafiolds and your prison-house England
is no more England Let the Times cease 10
appeal longer To the enlightened opinion of the
world; nav, let the statues of the great dead
through which passed in reverence yesterday
10 the houses oi her political intelligence be
thrown from their pedestals, when England shall
forget the utterances of her Chathams and Viii
beriorces, and her Broughams - that natural
justice i the only safe diplomacy ard lasting
foundation Of the independence OF nations
=. W hat il the interest Of England now . ]:
We may descend TO such inferior appeals, it l.
clearly the interest of England to stand by the
Union OF the States. We are her best consu.
mer; no tariff will materially affect that fact.
We are the best customer 0f England not be-
cause We are cotton growers or cotton-spnners |
agricultuIasts or manufacturers, but because |