The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-05-31
HsnFy CIay'S NstAoA ~ Treating the
tSAAo6esssSaa4ARiIntsFStSinG
DaaHRanG 6ar the CKtaia.

4 AS8RY Cloy'e Aeeho4 81 Treating the
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Document fer the Crisis.
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At this time, when il is gravely pro-
posed tosaboliSh slavery throughout the
length and breadth Of the land, and when
the most formidable attempts are bdng
made to carry this measure in Congress,
the following letter from Henry Clay will
be read with interest. Ii was writ n to
the Rev. Mr.. Cotton, one OF MIR. Clay's
warmest political aud personal friends,
aud may be found in Colton's Life OF
Henry Clay. The letter speaks for itself {:
" ASHLAND, September 3, 1913.
my DBAR SIR: Allow me to select
subject for one of your tracts, which,
treated in your popular and condensed
way, think would be attended with great
and good effect. mean Abolition.
II is manifest that the utras Of that
party are extremely mischievous. and are
hurrying on the country to fearful consc-
quences. They are not to be cOnciialrd
by the Wings. EngroSsed with single
ider, they care for nothing else.
And yet they would see the Admin.
iStratiOn vi the Government pre.ipitate
the nation into absolute ruin before they
would lend helping hand to arrest its
career. They treat worse, denOunce most,
those who treat them best, who 80 far
agree with them as to admit slavery to be
an evil. Witness their conduct toward
Mr.. Briggs and Mr.. Adams, in MasSachu-
sets, aud toward me.
~ will give you an outline Of the man.
ner in which | would handle it. Show
she origin 81 slavery. Trace It's iaIrodnc-
ton TO the British Government. Show
how it is disposed OF by the Federal Con
Stitution; thatN is le4 exclusively to the
States, except In .regAsT 50. fhgItiSes, d.
rect taxes and representation. Show that
the agitation OF the question in the free
States will first destroy all harmony, and
finally lead TO di>union, poverty, and per.
pelual war, the determination of the Af.
rican race ultimate military despotsm.
But the great aim and object Of your
tract should be to arouse the laboIinS
classes Of the free States against Abolition!
Depict the consequences to them Of i'm
mediate Abolition. The slaves, being
free, would be dispersed throughout the
Union; they would enter into competi.
ton with the free laborer-with the
American, the'Irish, the Gcrman--reduce
his wages. he confounded with him, and
affect his moral aud social standing. And
As the ultras 60 both for Abolition and
AmalgamatiOn, show that their object is
tU unite in marriage the laboring white
man and black woman, to reduce the
white laboring man to the despiSed and
degraded condition Of the black man.
" would show their opposition to Col.
onizatiOn. Show its humane, religious
aud patriotic aim. That they are those
whom God has separated. Why do AbO-
litionists oppose Colonization? To keep
and amalgama,e together these two races
in violation Of Gods will, and keep the
blacks here, that they may interfere with,
degrade and debaSe the laboling whites
Show that the British Government is co
Operating with the AbolitioniSts for the
purpose OF dissolving the Union. | am
perfectly satisfied it will do great good
Let me hear from you on this subject.
HENRY CLAY"
Five years earlier than this (lS3S) the
United States Senate adopted the follow.
lug resolutions offered by Mr.. Clay:
Z" Res0tred, That when the District Of
Columbia was ceded by the States of Vir.
gina and Maryland to the United States,
domestic slavery existed in both those
States, including the ccdcd territory, and
that, as it still continues in both Of them,
it could not be abolished within the Dis
trict without a violation Of that good faith
which was implied in the cession, and in
the acceptance of the territory, nor, unless
compensation were made to the proprie-
tors Of slaves, without a manifest infringe.
meat Of an amendment to the C<sHStitu.
unn Of the United States, nor without ex
citing a degree Of just alarm and appre-
hcn>ion il the States recognizing slavery,
far tranSceuding in miscellaneous tendency
any possible benefit which could be ac.
cOmpiishrd by the abolition.
ResOLced therefore, That it is the de
lihrrate Judgment Of the Senate, that the
institution domestic slavery ought not
to he abolished within the District Of Co.
lumbia; and it earnestly hopes that all
sincere friends of the Union and of har.
mony and general tranquility. will cease
to agitate this disturbing question"
A bill is already pending in the United
States Senate to abolish slavery in the
District. How Mr.. Clay wouI4 dsHeNnce
that and all the radical Abolition meas
-nreS, if he was alive and in the Senate.
His arguments against Abolitionism are
unanSwerable.
The above referred to bill has since
passed. L. Gin. Eng.