The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-06-26
Casslus II. Clay in ENGLAND.


the London Times to Correct what he alleges to be
misunderstanding of the complications of the affairs
Of the United States
By way of enlightening Europe eli the nature of
our government he commences by assuring them that
this is consolidated governments like that Of Great
Britain, England and Ireland; that are cone peo-
pen and the idea of any State sovereignty is utterly
delusive" The States have been deprived" by the
constitution of ''an the rights of independent SOW
ereign and they can no more secede from the Union
than Scotlando or Ireland can secede from England"
With this basis of doctrine laid down to start upon,
he proceeds with corresponding accuracy of facts to
expound the actual condition of affairs between the
United States and the Confederate States. We here
are a set of malefactors, who have 'overthrOwn the
constitution of the United States" by illegal violence
and enormous crimes. In 50 doing we have violated
all the principles of liberty, and overthrow, in ad-
dtion, the constitutions Of the Confederate States
themselves one and al In every case" the seceders
have refused refer their usurpatons to the vote of
their people, ana by mob violence, standing armies
and the suppression of the liberty of speech and Of the
press have senced the voices Of the friends Of the
Union He tells the people Of England that the popu-
laton of the slave States lis nearly equally divided
for and against the Unon the loyal citizens being for
the time overawed by he organised conspiracy Of the
traitors and that the north is coming the Of
these loyalists-hc Unionoying people of the south
who will of themselves send back their representatives
to congress- and the Union will be reconstructed with
out the change of letter in the constitution of the
United States
When Mr.. Clay was writing there were but seven
Confcderated States and there were no Unionsts in
them all. Since then, four more by votes Of the peo-
pie all but unanimous have added themselves tothe Con
federacy and these four States contained the little all
which was remaining Of Unonism III the whole eleven
States This post facto illustration of Mr.. Cays
appreciation Of southern sentiment, his candor in
stating it, may not affect the confidence with which he
will reiterate his gross Justification Of notorious facts,
but it will supply commentary Of which English saga
city will not fail to make the proper application. Hay
ing in this manner nsreprcscnted the whole character
of American institutions, and lasfed the conduct and
cause Of the south, Mr.. Clay proceeds to appeal to
British aid on these grounds. They
Ist. That British honor calls upon Great Britain to
take ground for the nertb because the north is now
fighting England's old battle against slavery.
End That it is her interest to do 20, because the
north is the producer and manufacturer and has money
to spend is better customer than the south and that
British commerce with America is supported by the
north, and not By the south. This part of Mr. Cay's
proposition implies the continuance Of the Union by
force, and the engrossedment by the north Of all its
late power Of using and appfepiafng southern pro-
duets.
9rd. It is the interest OF England to strictly ad-
here to the north, for if divided, the north is
going to be the master empire.
This extraordinary production closes with something
ike a menace to England that if She is not wise, she
will plant the seeds of revenge against hern the minds
Of such people the north destined to be- and he
hints at revo at home and the pelils from 'foregn
ambition if she does not come to the side of the north
in ''time Of need"
We give space to summary Of the points of this
extraordinary production, not 50 much for any com
ment we desire to make upon it, as to draw attention
to the answer which it received from the London
Times, which we reproduce below. The 'Thundererf "
with perspcacity which were not yet prepared to
find exhbited-for in these affairs there is much which
British mind cannot embrace without great deal of
study-seos clear through the fimsiness of Mr. Clays
statements and prophecies, and responds in Of
dignity, tinged with indignation, to the ill-con-
ceaed insolence Of Mr. CIay's threats.
The subsequent outbreak Of the same functionary,
in his Paris demonstrations against England, shows
that the London journals thoroughly understood the
man it had to deal With.
The comments below are part Of a longer editorial
in the London Times Of the goth of May:
Turning from these spcculatons, call attention
to the letter Of Mr. Clay minister of the United States
to st. Petersburg This lively etter-wrter proposes
six qucstons-three relating to his country, three
relating to England The first question he is more sue
ccssfu in asking than answerng-"What we fight
ing for?" We are fighting, says Mr. Clay ''for nation
aty and liberty" We understand a fight for
nationality between different races but fight for
nationality between Of the same nationality is to
u.s. we candidly confess it, nexplCabe enigma
nor can we better understand how people fighting to
put down rebellion to force their feowctizens to re-
main in a Confedcracv which they detest and to sub
nit to institutions which they repudiae, be called
the champions of liberty If the south seriously threat
cncd to conquer the north to put down trial by jury
freedom Of the press and representative government,
the contest might belor liberty; but this is not So
the introduction of such topics rhetorical am
plifcation Can you subdue the rcvolted States?' -
''Of course we can, says Mr. Clay. So that point
there is no more to be said Can you reconstruct the
'sNothing eater" says Mr. Clay The victim of to-
day will become the Confederate of tomorrow the
traitors ,I be east cut and the Union frmcr than be-
fore-witncss the happy results Of the conquest Of
Ireland by England repeated over and over again and
always repeated in vain.
Having answered the questions which he upposcs to
be addressed to him by England Mr.. Clay becomes the
ducsoncr and asks where ourhonor would place Us
in this contest Clearly by the side Of the Union be-
cause he SAYS if slavery be extended in America it
must be restored in the West Indies. If any one doubts
the force Of this demonstration, are sorry for IT, for
Mr. Clay has no other to offer. Ourexaminernexta asks
US to consider our interest Clearly he says, it is to
stand by the Union because they best custom
ers and because though they have done all they cam
since the separation of the south gave them power
to ruin their trade with US, they will in spite Of their
own hostile tariff, remain our best customers.
Lastly comes the momentous question, "ean England
afford to offend the United States2" Certainly not
saws Mr. Clay for in half century they will
hundred millions of people, and will have railways
four thousand miles long But is Mr. Clay quite sure
that even if we should offend them now the people Of
America will bear malice for half century; and if they
do is he quite certain that his hundred millions will all
be members Of one confederacy, and that we may not
then as we might now secure either bafof the Union
as our ally in war against the other? Mr.. Clay must
really allow to give our version of the honor and
interest of England Our honorand interest stand
aoof from contests which in no way US to be