The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-06-20
Henry CIay's Son on KentaOky,s Neutral.
hH r
lProm the New York Post.

l4'Vh LH0 w" 0Ik EOhlt
We have been shown a private letter
from Thomas II. clay, the son of Henry
Clay, in which lie explains the position
oil himself and others in regard to our
national troubles. He says:
lst. | an for the Union, and opuosed
10 all its enemies without and within.
9d. dc not believe in the right. of one
or more States to secedo from the Union.
| recognize the right Of revolution under
grievous oppression; but no one can as
sert with truth that the present reyolu.
lion was brought abOu: by any such op,
preston.
Sd. The President of the United States
has constitutional iiglt to occupy and to
hold all the property Of the United States
and TO pass troops through any Of the
States or Territories of the Union.
41h. This is my Government as well ns
Mr.. Lincoln's. Fton all can learn. 1t
i5neither the wish nor the intention of this
Administration Of the General Govern
ment to subjugste the seeded States,
but that its object is TO purt down rebel
lion.
9th. With IhrGo others (Messrs. HOugh-
ton. Swi and Tye, J l voted in the House
of Representatives Of Kentucky. against
a resolution in approval Of Governor Ma.
goifn's answer TO the Secretary of War
on requisiIion by. the Secretary Cor four
: regiments OF Kentucky troops, because
| thought toe answer was couched in
such words as ought not to be used by
one occupying the high offiee be held to
: another high dig#itar; of the land; and
secondly, thought he transcribed the
powers conferred upon him as Governor
BY refusing 10 refer the mater to the pee
iple. Unqnestionably the President,
through his Secretary, had the constitu.
tional right TO make The requistioh.
9th. ] bold 10 tie supremacy of the
Constitution of the United Staes over al!
State constitutions.
i 7th.- Irecognize the Stars ana Stripes,
and no other flag, as that OF my country.
9th. l believe that strict neutrality is
now the ouly safe position for Kentucky
ANY other would be ruinous 10 her people.
This, with single exception. is the
. right ground; bu. We must say that We
cannot. with all tue logic we can muster,
reconcile The neutrality CLAUSE with its
otl.er points, If the Federal Constitu.
tion is OF pre-eminent authority. if no in
dividual State has the least right TO Sc.
cede; if the President of the United States
, is bouDd TO pass, through any State for the
purpose; then no State is justified when
called upon in withholding its aid from
the Federal power. H..
A strict neutrality may be the only safe
position for Kentucky; SO it NAV be the
only rafe position for New York; but if
Kentucky assu mes that position, so may.
New York, and so may dozen other
States; which would reduce the General
Government TO the most despicable i'm,
potence That Government must either
maintain an immense Btanding army aud
an immense nayy-liks the imperial Gov
ernments Of Europe-or it must rely for
its protection ard defense upon The States.
As a Government. it has a right to self
preservation; as the representative of the
Union, II must maintain its superior au-
thoritv; but how can it do this unless 1t
has troops, or unless it can call upon the
troops OF the States? The attitude OF the
neulralisls not only nullifss its functions
but virtually a5andons tie Union alto
gether. .. ....... ., ,
There may be something in the local
relations of the Kentucky Uniouis IS
which renders their position a pror or one
hut in our view it is theoretically as inde-
fensibls as that of the seccders, and prac
tically of the most disastrous operation.