Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-05-19
From the Louisville Journal.
Henry Clay's Last Speech--WOrd of
WISDOM.

Henry Clay's Last Speech-.WOr of
wisdom.
We have never known time more appropri-
ate than the present for the republication of at
least portion OF Mr. CLAY's great speech upon
which was almost, il not quite, the last effort OF
his glorious life, and in the delivery of which he
cheeriully and gladly sacrificed on the altar of
bis country the little physical strength that re
manned 10 him. He struck for the Union, throw
Inc the remnant of his life. energies into the
blow
We give the close of that speech. Let all who
love the words of wisdom, all who cherish with
feelings of veneration the name of HENRY CLAY
all whose hearts still throb for the country to
which they owe their allegiance. read it carefully
and ponder it we'll Every thoughtful reader will
rise from It's perusal wiser man. II HENRY
CLAY we're now alive, gazing with fearful eyes
and agonized hes upon the terrible and most
deplorable events OF our day, he could not dis
cuss the present great interests of our nation
more ably aud wisely than they are in effect dis
cussed in what we republsh from his eloquent
lips and fiery heart to day.
Mr.. CLAY-Mr. President, hope the Senate
will only have the gOOdneSs-f ! don't tire out
their patlence-tO permit me To 20 on. ] would
prefer concluding to day / begin to see Land.
shall pretty soon arrive at the end. | had much
rather occupy half an hour now than leave what
| have to say for to morrow-tO tre,pass upon
the patience of the Senate another day.
Such is the Union, aud such are its glorious
. are Tn an II rtrp h
out this entire country. that the Union is threat
ened with subversiOn and destru, ton. Well, the
first question which naturally arises is, surprising
the Union to be MISUNDERSTANDING all the causes
Ot grievances which are complained Of-how tar
will dissolution furnish remedy for those
grievances Ii the Union is t. be dissolved tor
any existing causes. il will be dissolved because
slavery is inierdcted or not allowed tC be intro
dUced into the cede Territories; because slavery
is threatened To be abolished III the District of
Columbia, and because fugitive slaves are not
returned, in my opinion they ought to be. or
restored To their master. These. | believe. will
be the causes. II there be any causes. which can
lead 10 the direful event To which | have re-
ferred
Well now, let Us suppose that the Union has
been dissolved What remedy does it furnish
for the evils complained OF IN its united cundi
tiong Will YOU be able to push slavery into the
posing the North-all the States north of the
Potomac. ana which are opposed to tin pos
session OF the navy and army OF the United
States. Can YOU expect. If there is dissolution
OF the Union, that you carry slavery into
California aud New Mexc0g You cannot dream
Oi such a purpose. Ii it were abolished in the
District OF Columbia aud the Union dis
solved, would the dissolution OF the Union re
store slavery in the District of Coluinbnr Are
IN Il state OF dissolution or OF sever nee of the
Union, thtn YOU in the Union it>eit2 Why,
what Is the state of the tact IN the Union? You
lose some slaves, recover some others Let me
advert to fact which ought to have introduced
before, because II Is hight crei!t1Ole 10 the
courts and juries of the tree States.
Ia every case 80 iar my information extends,
where AN appeal has been made 10 courts ct Jus
tce fOr,the recovery Of fugiti, e.. tor the
cO,ery OF penalties inflicted upon persons who
have assisted in decOying slaves from their mas
tiers and aiming hem IA escaping from their -
tiers, as tar a> | am informed, the courts have as
serted the rights Ot the owner. and the juries
have promptly returned adequate yerdict> III ia
NOr OF the owner. Well tins Is some remedy
W hat would yea have If the Union were dlS
seNeredE Why, sir then the sc, e. ell parts would
be lhdepende, of each Other-lOregn countries,
Slaves t'ken from the Que INTO the other would
be theu like slaves nov escaping from the United
States into Canada. There would be no right OF
extraditon-uo right to demand your slaves-no
right appeal To the courts OF Justice To demand
YOUR slaves which escaped, or the penalties for
decoyiug them Where one slave escapes now
10y running away from his owner. hundreds and
thousands would escape it the Union severed
IN parts care not how or where YOU run t1e
line. ii independent sovereigns were established.
Well. hutily, will YOU in a State OF dissolution
of the Union be safer with your slaves within the
bosom OF the States shan YOU are nowZ Mr.
President that they will escape much more ire
quentiy from the border States no one will doubt.
tut must take occasion 10 say that IN ny opin-
on there is no right Oh the part of one or more
ct tie States to secede from the Union War
and the dissolution OF the Union identical
aud iuSeparable. There can be no dissolution OF
the Union except by consent or by war. No one
can expect, IN the existing state OF things, that
that consent would be given. and war Is the Oaly
alternative by which dissolution could be &C
compliShed Aud Mr President, ii consent we're
siVen-lf possible We we're to separate by mutual
agreement and Toy a gwen line. iu less then sky
days after such al agreement had been executed,
would break out bet~ the free and slave
holding portions OF the Cuiou-between the two
independent portions into which 10 would be erect
ei IN virtue OF the act OF separation. Yes, sir,
sixty days-in less than Sky DAYS. believe our
slaves from Kentucky would be fleeing over in
numbers To the other side OF the nNer. would DE
pursued bv their owners, and the excitable and
ardent spirits who would engage in the pursuit
would be restrained by no sense OF the rights
which appertan TO the independence of the other
side OF the river. suppOsing it then 10 be line OF
separation. They would pursue their slaves;
they would be repealed ana war would break out
In esS than sixty DAYS war would be blazing
forth IN every part OF this nov happy and peace
able land
But how sre YOU going 10 separate themf In
nav humble opinion, Mr. President, We should
begin Al lie 1T nth three Confeieracies-the Con
ieleFacy ct the North. the COniederacy of the
Ainnuc Southern States. (the slaVeho!dng
Stte>) aud tie COnlele ,cy OF the Valley OF the
Mississippi NJ lie upon Il, sir. that vast pOpu-
laiion that has already concentrated and viii con