East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-02-14
A Powerful Rcbukc.
LErrER FRoN cAssIus NJ. cLAY


26th inst, before the Republican Associ.
alton, YOU used these words:
"But we regret exceedingly that the
reliance Which we have been wont 20
place on tue courage aud irmness of the
kentuckiail WAS not well founded, aud
that in this greatest aud last Of the strug-
giles between Freedom and Slavery he
yields, and gives way aud iuclines to
compromise. Compro,pisel Meare sick
of the word I Il means neither more nor
less than cowaydy Submission to rebels
aud traitors. If concessions ave 20 be
made let them be made by the South,
which is wholly and utterly in the wrong,
and not by the North, which stands as il
has always stood, upon the firm platform
of the Union, the Constitution and the
laws"
If these allegations were intended to
lie only against me, relying upon the
whole history of my life, could afford to
he silent, trusting to Just men for my
successful vindicaton. But when, through
me, all the friends Of the Union are at.
tempted to be stricken down, I shall
not be silent. ] acknowledge the power
OF the press-I have made some sacrifices
in It's defence; but great as is that power,
truth is greater still. / have been a
subscriber for and reader of the Tribune
l believe from the beginning, and al
though have often differed and widely
differed from its editors, to whom | am
under many personal Obligations, l never
questioned its fidelity to the great prin-
ciples which have united US in a common
cause.
Without going any further back than
the present canvas, when the Tribune
proposed as our leader Mr.. Bates, who
had never avowed himself Republican,
nor stood upon any Of orr principles, l
thought it was Generalization of our
party to overlook such men as Seward
Chase, and Banks, and others who had
helped to make it, by putin. eleventh.
hour men in the place of veterans And,
although I had the highest respect for
Mr.. Bates, could not but regard the
course of the Tribune as compromise,
aud an approach TO "cowardly submis-
sion ~ But still did not feel like de-
uouncing it as faIthlesS to the common
cause.
When tho seeding States were en-
couraged to 90 on under the belief that
in consequence Of the vastness of the
treason it would be too powerful for sup
preston by armed force, they were might
lily encouraged thereto by the y \. Trl-
bune, which they quoted az being the
leader of the .central forces Of the kepub.
lican party. felt that you were doing
more to encourage treason and the dis
solution of the Union than all the Cotton
States together; that you were more than
compromises, AMI nigh on to 'cowsrd-
" submission to rebels and traitors"-
Yet | did not deuounce You as iaithless
to the common cause; yet L felt 1t my
duty to write two letters to my Repub-
lican friends in the North to imp lore
them not to follow your lead, but stand
by the "Union, the Consultation, and the
laws.
Now, eentlmen, when very much, III
consequence Of your false moves, the bat
tie has gone partially aeainSt-us, and j
am attempting to gather once more our
shattered columns, to strengthen us for
the final-"this greatest and last of the
STRUGGLES between Freedom and Slavery
Il think that Just liifidcnce in youl
own infalibity, If not magnanimou'
remembrance of my past services, and
generous trust in my humble leadership
should induce YOU TO be silent What
ever shall be the issue OF all this, 1 shat
not fear to trust my course TO the candid
Judgment of posterity. Iremember tina
when war was threatened between Great
Britain and the United States, we gave
up five and forty Tooth degrees of lati
tudc of our most magnificent country
rather than fight Shall we go to wal
with our brothers, rather than yield {
territory which is not worth one-hun
drcth part as much as we gave to a for
eign foe, for peace? j will do nothing
as "compromise!n-b u. all things, shor
of denial Of principle, for concilidtioa!-
We are told that again and again hav'
we been disturbed in our persons am
property by the slave power, aud 1T !
now the policy to test, by arms, whethe
we naNt u yUCeIN HteNt, W HV' W 's'
other government has stood tho wear o
change so long and So well? That W
have settled our troubles by war o
words instead Of cannon balls, is tn
highest proof Of our advanced civiliza
ton.
After eighty years, we have advance
from one free State to eighteen FIRE
States; aud whereas, in 1873 there wa
one free State and twelve slave States
now there are eighteen free States an
but fifteen slave States! We have wrest
ed for the first time the government frcr
the rule Of the oligarcfy, and placed !,
in its home and foreign relations, upo
the side of liberty. We have secure
the liberty Of speech and the press in a
the South and in all the bordct slav
States-and the left wing Of the greO
liberal party rests upon the border slav
States. All we want is time, and sui
lection Of the slave States to the gents
influence Of religion and progressive ht
mainly and civilization, to solve pcac,
ably the great problem Of the conjunctio
of the African and white races on chi
continent. You are not content wit
these substantial advantagcs---revers I'll