The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1863-03-05
Extracts from the Speech Of Henry
Clay i'm the U. s. Senate, i'm Februa.
ry, 1880, on the Dangers OF POliti-
cal AbOlftiOnism.

ry, 1880, on the Dangers OF POliti-
cal lAbOlftiOnism.
= For some time they continued
to make these appeals to our duty and our
interest; but impatient with the slow in
fluence of their logic in our stupid minds.
they recently resolved to change their
system of action. To the agency Of their
power of persuasion, they now propose TO
substitute the powers of the ballot box;
and he must be blind to wha. is passing
before us. who does not perceive that the
inevitable tendency Of their proceedings is,
if they should be found insufficient, to in
woke. finally, the more potent powers Of
the bay
Mr.. President, it is at this alarming
stage of the proceedings of the ultra Abo-
litionists. that would seriously invite eve
ry considerate man in the country solemnly
to pause. and deliberately to reflect. no,
merely on our existing posture, bnt upon
that dreadful precipice down which they
would harry us. 1t is because these ultra
Abolitionists have ceased to employ the
instruments of reason and persuasion.
hav, made their cause political, and have
appealed to the ballot box, that am in.
duced, upon this occasion, to address
you.
\
will not detain the Senate
longer on the subject Of slavery within
this District and in Florida (thcn Terri
tory) or of the right of Congress to pro-
hibit tho removal Of slaves from one State
to another. These, as have already in
timated, are SO many masked batteries,
concealng the real ard ultimate point to
attack. The point Of attack is the nsli
tuition Of domestic slavery, as it exists in
these States. 1t is to lberate three mill
ions Of slaves held in bondage within
them.
1t was this 0he subject oI
slavery which created the greatest obsta
Gle and the most anxious solicitude, in
adopted the general Constitution. And il
is this subj ct that has ever been regarded
with the deepest anxiety by all who are Sc
riously desrous of the permansncy of our
Union The father of his country. in his
I,s, ,tf., ot;,,,, anJ aolccnn annual IN bie al
low citizens. deprec tied, as most calam
tous event. the geographical divisions
which il might produce. The convention
wisely left to the several States the power
over the institution of slavery, as a power
not necessary to the plan of union which
it devised, and as one with which the Gen
eral Government could not he invested,
without planting the seeds of certain des-
truction There let it remain unds!urbcd
by any unhslowed hand.
Sir am not in the habit of speaking
lightly of the possibility of dissolving this
happy Union. The Senate knows that
have deprecated illusions, on ordinary oc-
ca>ions, to that direful event. The coun-
try will testify that, if there be anything in
the history of my public career worthy
Of recollection, it is the truth and sincerity
of my ardent devotion to its lasting pres
ervatIon. But we should be false in our
allegiance To it, if we did not discriminate
between the real and imaginary dangers by
which it may be- assailed. Abolition should
no longer be regarded as ali imaginary dan
ger. The Abulitionists, let me suppose
succeed in their present aim OF uniting the
inhabitants Of the free States, ne one man
against the inhabitants of the slave States
Union on the one side will bege. union on
the other. And this process of reciproca
consolidation will be attained with all the
violent prejudices. embi,tered passions and
implacable animosilies which ever degra
ded or deformsd human nature. A vio
liant dissolution Of the Union will have Ia
ken place, while the forms of it's existence
remain. The most valuable element Of un
ion. mutual kindness, the feelings of sym
paIhy, he fraternal bonds which now hap
PLY unite US, will have been exlingushec
forever.
One section will stand in menacing and
hostile array against the other. The col
Iision Of opinion will he quickly followed
by the clash of arms. will not attemp
to describe scenes which now happily hs
concealed from our view. Abolitionist,
themselves would shrink back in dsma,
and horror at the contemplation of desola',
f-lts, confagrsted cities, murdered inhab,
tants. and the overthro~ OF the iairest fab
ric of human government that ever rose Il
animate The hopes of civilized man.
Nor should these Abolitionists fatte
: themselves that, if they can srcceed il
their object of uniting the people Of the fire.
States, they will enter the contest with
numerical superiority that must insur
victory. All history aud experience prove