The mountain Democrat., 1863-04-25
ConditIonal UniOnists,

Conditional UniOniSts'
Cassius NJ. Clay, Lincoln's Minister to
Russia, published, simultaneously, the
following card in the Times and Tribune
of New York:
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. "a, '6S.
To the Editors of the New York Times:
In the Times Of yesterday you have an
article STYLED "Russia Made Happy" to
which desire to say but word IN reply.
have nothing to say about the spirit OF
that editorial toward met is the same,
with all the rest you have written IN rel
erence to INC, while at home aud abroad.
do not hold myself above just or even
unfriendly criticism, as public servant.
In that shall endeavor to defend myself
by my life.acts, not by words. But when
YOU venture the inSinuatlOn that W ne
can serve the government consistently
with his private sentiments" only in a for
eisn mission, YOU misrepresen; my "sentl'
mertS," and injure the cause OF the coun.
try. told President Lincoln that could
not ard would not enter the field, except
the policy was adopted Of libcrating the
slaves oGyebel;~ So soon as the President
issued his proclamation OF the 22d Sep
tcmbcr, offered my services at once to
Gen. lIalleck. was received in such
manner that Secretary Chase, who vas
present, and who had d-urged mc to take
command by the most pressing argu
mrnts. was satisfied, as well as myself,
that | could not serve the country or my
own reputation by entering the service
Justice to the country and my own char
actcr for irankness demand of me TO say
that regard Cen IIalcck as too intensely
pro slavery to do justice to any man ot my
views of the great political issues pending.
have done what | could, and | shall d.
what can, to induce the President 10 put
Gen. Benz. F. Butter in his Place. be-
| Ii We t ,at >uch change wol!d save the
republic millions of men aud money
( Nothing short Of that can give the vig"r
1 and effect to Unr arms which the crisis and
/ the public sentiment demand.
How far "Russia shall be made happy,
will appear when your friend W. II. Sew
ard shall place more Of my correspond
vncu and less Of his own before the public.
| am your obedicnt servant,
{. NJ. CLAY.
Prentice, Of the Louisville Journal, thus
replies to this Infamous Abolition traitor
- this favorite of Secretary Chase and the
Administration This card i, somewhat
interesting on several accounts. 1t shows,
AMONGST other things, that Mr.. Clay is a
conditional UnioniSt that General Hal
lcck is not Abolitionist enough to see an
ablc chief in Mr.. Clay; and that owing to
ke deficiency the Secretary of State
does not recognize in Mr.. Clay great
statesman ami diplomati>t. This is all
very hard on Mr. Clay himself, but, so
far as it goes, it is creditahle to the off,
cial gentlemen Concerned and to the Ad-
ministration of which they form part !;
nay, it almost amounts to a glcam of
light amidst the thick Abolition darkness
that envelopes the President and his
Cabinet. 1t so happens that the wrath
Of Mr.. Clay praises the men he would de-
grade and, if the Administration is but
governed in the case by ordinary feelings
ofrropriety and sclf-re>pect, his wrath,
whilst prai,ing his enemies, Will degrade
himself Certainly we do not see how
the Administration can drccutly continue
him in office after this. Mr. Seward il
he has a proper respect for his own char
actcr, will ,ither Kick out Mr.. Clay or
walk out himself.
"But the most remarkable as the most
unworthy portion Of ,Eii card is that il
whie!, Mr. Gay bareGacedIy ayows his
conditional Unionism. IL told President
Lincoln" he said, " that could not and
would not enter the field, except the pol
| icy was adopted Of lbcrating the slaves
1 Of rebels. So soon as the President is
sued his proclamation Of the 22i Septcm
Der, offered my services at once to Gen.
Hallcck." Is not this beautiful exhibi-
ton for leading member Of the set that
claims a monopoly of the patriotism of
the land! Here is a model patriot for
you!! Suppose the conservative people
! at home should display the same kind
and degree Of patriotism that Mr. Clay
has displayed, where would the army be,
and what would become Of the country !!
/ The army would he vanishing like an
eXhaltalion, and the country wonld
quickly become the unrcsisting prey Of
the rebels. This is a plain case. If the
| conservatives were actuated by no higher
patriotism than Mr.. Clay here acknowl-
edges ON his own behalf, the republic
could not exist day. If the example Of
patriotism he sets before the public We're
followed by the men at whose patriotism
he is ever sneering, the nation would per
iSh as if by the dread fiat Of Omnipotencc.
II the majority of the people were no
more patriotic than he is, the country
would be already lost and damned. And
undoubtedly Mr.. Clay's patriotism is
quite as lofty as that of the Abolitioui>ts
in general. They are conditional Union
lists ALL
Yet these are the men who arrOgate
exclusively to themselves the name of pa
triotS, and who denouncc as rebel Sympa-
thizcrs all that do not support the aboli,
ton policy of the Administration as well
as the war for the Union and the Consti-
tuition. The guilty hypocritcs The in.