Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-06-11
Letter from Hon. Cassius M. Clay.

To the Editor of the London Times:
Sir-Allow me your journal to make few re-
marks upon the complications of the United
States of America, which am surprised to find,
are SO little understood this side of the Atlantic
/. "What are we fighting for 90 ave, the
people of the United States of Amerca," TO use
the language of our constitution are fighting /,
maintain our nationality, and the principles Of
liberty upon which it was fouuded-that nation
ality which Great britain has pledged herself,
both by past comfy and the sacred obligations
of treaty, to respect those great principles Of
liberty, that all power is derived from the con-
sent of the governed trial by jury, freedom of
speech and the press; that without law there
il no liberty"-which we inherited from Great
Britain herself, aad which, having bean found to
lie at the base os all progress and civilization,
| we desire to perpetunte for ourselves aud the
future Of all other nations. Tho SO chilled ''con-
federate States Of America" rebel against US
against our nationality, and against all the prin-
| ciples of its structure Citizens of the United
States-of the one government mot of CON
federated States, as they would have the world
belisye--but of "us the pevple'') they propose,
not by common legal consent but by arms, to
sever our nation into separate independencies.
Claiming 10 "be let alone, they conspire against
u.s. seize by force our forts, stores, and arms /;
appropriate to themselves our minls, moneys,
and vessels at sea capture our armies, and
threaten even the capital at Washington
The word secession, is used to cover up
| treason and delude the nations. They stand 10
US in the relation of one "people," the idea of
Estate Sovereignty is utterly delusive. We
gave up the old 'ConiedeIati6n TO avoid just such
complications as have now occurred. The States
| are by our Constitution deprived Of all the rights
OF independent sovereignties, and the national
government acts not through State organizations,
but directly upon the citizens of the States them
selves-to that highest of power, the right Of
life and death. The States cannot keep an army
or navy, or even repel invasion, except wheH
necessity will not allow time for national action
con make no treaty, nor coin money, nor exer-
else any Of the first great essential powers oi
'tsoyeregHty." In word, they can no more
"secede" from the Union than Scotland or Ire
land can secede from England.
The prOfessed friends of the independence o.
nations and popular rights, they have not only
4 overthrow the Constitution of the United Statei
but the constitutions of the "COniederRte States
themselves, refusing in every case to refer thei
new usnrpations to the votes Of the people, thu
making themselves doubly traitors to both th'
4 States and the nation. The despOtic rulers owe
| 100000 of enslaved Africans, they presume Il
extend over US, the white races Of all nations, th
same despotism, by ignoring the political right
| of all but their own cnss, by restrictions upol
the popular franchise, by the suppression Of th'
freedom of speech and of the press. by the ter
rorisn of Lynch law, " or tyrannienl enactment
backed by standing armies, to crush cut the in.
dependence of thought the ineradicabe instinct
of our world wide humanity, with the ntrocios
dogma that negro slavery is the only basis O
real conservatism aud progressive civilization
and that the true solution of the contest Of a
tine between labor and capital ia that capltl
should own the labOrer, whether white or blacl
The success of such demands would send ii
tide of barbarsm not only over the millions
the New World and the isles of the wesier
oceans, but roll il back over England and einanc
pated Europe, aud blot out from history this, tn
greatest glory Of our times.
9 ." Bit can yoH subGNe tho rfp0ifed States =
OF course we can. The whole seven reyolte
States q, liza, ,000) have not rs much white popu
aton as the single State OF New York q, SOL ,5b3
by 100000 people. II all the slave State
were to make common cause, they have onl
s 1907 ,994 whites, with 400O,00O slaves, Will
the Union has about 20 1000 600 of homogeneou
people, US powerful in peace and war as th
world has seen. Intelligent, hardy and 'man
> sided" their late apparent lethnrgy and veal
ness was the self possession oil conscious strength
When they had made up their minds that fore
was necessary they moved upon Washington wit
such speed, numbers and stcadlness as Is NJ
surpassed ia history. We have the money tat
lower rate of interest than ever bptorel, the me
waters. We can blockade them by seq and il
wade them by land, aud clcse up the rebellion
) single year, if we are "let alone !" for I'll
population of the slave States is divided, pc
{ haps, equally for md against the Union, the 10y
citizens being for the time overaWed by the O
aanized conspiracy Of the traitors while u
north is united to man-thc late allies of tt
south, the democratic party, being now mo
on, nest for the subjugation of the rebels tina
the republicans
8 ,9ut can you govern 'suhiugated poop
and recop ,truet the union." We do not PIT
nnse IN s,snt 'iugate" tile reyOlei Staes-we pr
+ nose to nut down simply the retd citizens.
8 20 to the rescue of the loyal unonsts Of all Il
States. We carr V safety, and peace, and libe
d ty 10 the Union.io, ing people of the south, wi
E win of themselves (the tyranny oVertluown) SCI
back their representa- yes to Congress- ana
IS Unionswill be "reconstrL e,el without Gnau Il,
of letter in the Consu. 'uuon Oh the ghi'
States. Did England sub, agate lrelaha
Scotland? Are the united kin Sdoms less nom
geneoua than of old, before the wars against
m bellion So will the United States rise from
E smoke of battle with renewed stabilitN ana pow
le In turn, now let us ask the British pTphe so
questions -,
l. Where should British honor place her
- this contest' We overthrow that POLITICAL