St. Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1861-01-11
CasssUs NJ. Clay ON the Secession
Question,

\ letter rom Cassius NJ. Clay, dated a,
White Hail, Ky, Dec Is, 1850, was read
at Republican Union meeting in Indian.
apclls the other day Mr. Clay says:
| The threatened dissolution of the Gov.
ernmen. Of the United States Of America
| takes no rejecting man by sunrise.
| He says the cause Of this threat is Meth
er the personal liberty bills of the North.
| nor the refusal Of the Republican party to
permit slavery TO go INTO the territ cries,
nor the election of Abraham Lincoln to
the Presidency. He says:
The South knows that Mr.. Lincoln is a
kentuckian by birth, and has Kentucky
! born vile and numerous siaveholding re
latives--tbat he is an old Henry Clay
Whig-a conservative By temperament,
artecedents and avowals, and that all the
Constitutional rights of the South will be
by him thoroughly protected In fact, the
leading minds 10 the secession movement
now abaiidon This ground Of offence
What, then, IS the cause of The disunion
move Ii is simply desire to rule or ru-
in--the old passion III the hearts OF Our
humanity, which We are told is as old as
the race, and autecedent to it in the devils
of old
Now, what shal! the Republicans dos
They can have peace by acquiescing in
all the demands OF the slave power bu.
1t is peace at the expense Of their equality
n the government, and the loss Of their
Liberty There may be some who, like
Esop's fat dog. will accept the terms; but
|, who, like his wolf, have not only seen
the marks Of, out felt the collar, will part
company here We can have peace by
allowing the government to 90 into disso-
luton. Mr.. Lincoln can say in his inaugu
raj, whether issned from Washington or
New York: An those States which
stand by the Union, come NJ and take
the cath Of allegiance 10 the Const tuition
OF the United States of Amerisa, and the
laws made in pursuance ,hg7aoS, and
those States which choose may peaceabiy
file off to whatever new aitinities may at
tract them But look at cur plains, our
mountains, our rivers, our seas, ard say
how long would such peace last And
lastly, we can have peace by standing on
the constitution, (and the laws Of our
iathefsj As It was, rs, and shall be, and ma
king others do the same--a peace which
will secure lis safety at home, and respect
abroad-a peace which will continue the
grandest development OF civilization which
the world mas ever seen and winch, |
trust, the Providence of God designs shall
be engtheUed cut INTO the far centuries
when the sword shall be turned into the
pruning hook, and the Ion and the lamb
shall lie down together forever
But suppose TIE time has come wien
the justice Of God shall be 10 longer with
held, and toe madness OF slavery shall
seek out its owa destruction bv dissolu,
sloa Of the Union-peaceG1 Die or for cibie--
what then? Shall we cVe up a. as los;l Not
at 81. God rules still. If the Cotton
States so-they go to ruin SCORER or later ! |
The gfain-growing States may stand by us
give I'd their slaves-double at once
their whole property by the advance of
real estate-hy immigration and capital |
from the free States and foreign nations /, |
or, il they pre!er, keep their slaves with |
the same--or greater security in he future !
than in the past--subjecting their system /.
to our economical laws, ant advancing civ /
iaaLiOn, I'll such times a. we shall become /
. homogeneous nation and all wi. 5Lii! 0e !
well! But II double madness and folly |
shall send them Of with the Cotton States |
still would the Federal Union stand, |
With twenty millions Of tree hearts ana
hands to defend il at home and abroad
against world in arms
10 such case we would seek by friendly
with England, the Union of the
Janadas, which would more than compen-
ate US for the loss Of the South, and in
urn we would stand the ally of England
n her contests with foreign Despots,ns
md the two carry On the progress and civ
!ization OF the nations in that Uniou of
and race, and freedom, which
'nly TOW siavery forbids.
have thus hurriedly, my friends, given
yoa my thoughts as they arise, without
ear or conceaiment. Some have said that
ought to be silent
Having just recovered partly from a
ong period Of pecuniary embarrassment,
'rought On by my devotion to politics
yith a family which now especially de-
nands all my oare-aith prospects Of
lace perhaps, which for a quarter of cen
ury my principles have made Impossible
/ Am invoked in the language Of prudence
0 he silent. Standing in the Vanguard of
great and dangerous move,nent-I ana
old that leaders Of revolutions rarely 5 ur-
i've them. may ial. by the hands Of
'iolence-may be driven INTO e4ie-and
uffer poverty and die in oDscurity What
hall saye What shall l DO: listen
hear the voice Of conscience---the voice
t God-of the great dead 90 The man
lies but his memory lives" "Giye NE
liberty or give me DEATH
Well, then, think old Ben, Wade's
peech in the Senate, is the ,rue ground.
Let MS stand viii! and by him TO the end.
The Constitution--the Union and Laws
they must be preserved! p With old
Ohm Adams, living Or dying. stand by
be declaration"
Your friend, &. N. CLAY.