The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1864-09-15
Henry Clay on AbOlitiOnisD, i.

| statesman, Henry Clay, on abolition Pc
, titions, are worthy the careful consideration
of all good citizens, and should be read by
every one.
SIR: | am not in the habit af speaking
lightly of the possibility of dissclving this
happy Union. The Senate knows that |
have deprecated allusions, Oh ordinary occa-
sions, to that direful event The corn.ry
will testify that, if there be any thing in
the history of my public career worthy of
recollection, it is the truth and sincerity of
my ardent devotion to it's lasting preserva-
ton. Bu. we should be false in our allie
glance to it, if we did not discriminate
between the imaginary and real dangers
by which it may be assailed. Abolition
should no longer be regarded as an imag-
mary danger. The abolitionists, let me
suppose, succeed in their present aim of
uniting the inhabitants of the free stetes
as one man against the inhabitants of the
slave states. Union on the one side will
beget union on the other. And this pro-
cess of reciprocal consolidation will be at
tended with all the violent prejudices,
embittered passions, and implacablc ami
mositics which ever degraded or deformed
human nature. A virtual dissolution of
the Union will have taken place, while the
forms of its existence remain. The most
valuable element Of Union, mutual kind
ness, the feelings of sympathy, the fratcr-
nal bonds, which now happily unite us,
will have been extinguished for ever. One
section will stand in menacing and hostile
array against the other. The collision of
opinion will be quickly followed by the
clash of arms. | will not attempt to de-
scribe scenes which now happily lie con-
cealed from our view Abolitionists
themselves would shrink back in disnay
and horror at the contemplation of desc
lated fields, conflagratcd cities. murdered |
inhabitants, and the overthrow of the fair
est fabric of hu nan government that ever
rose to animate the hopes of civilized man
Nor should these aboltionists latter them
selves that, if they succeed in their object
in uniting the people Of the free states,
they will enter the contest with numerical
superiority that must insure victory All
history and experience proves the hazard
and uncertainty Of war And we arc ad-
mOnished by holy writ that the race is
not to the swift, no, the battle to the
strong. But if they were to conquer,
whom would they conquer? A foreign
toe-onc who had insultcd our flag, inyad-
cd our shores, and laid our country waste
No. sir; no, sir. 1t would be conquest
without laurcls, without glory-a self a
suicidal conquest-a conquest of brothers
over brothers, achieved by one over anoth-
er portion of the descendants of common
ancestors, who, nobly pledgiDg their lives
their fortunes and their sacred hon0r, had
fought and bled. side BY side in many
hard battle on land and ocean, severed
our country from the British crown. and
our national independence.
The Inhabitants of the slave states are
accused by their northern breth-
rem with displaying too much rashness and !
sensbility to the operations and proceed ,
ings of abolitionists. But, before they
can be rightly judged, there should be
reversal of conditions. Let me suppose t
that the people of the slave states were to t
form socities, subsiIizc presses, make large t
pecuniary contributions, send for the nu- q
merous missionaries throughout all their
own borders, and enter into Vaccinations
to burn the beautiful capitols, destroy the S
productive manufactures. and sink in the q
ocean the gallant ships ef the Northern I
States. Would these incendiary proceed
ings by regarded as neighborly and !
friendly. and consistent with the fratcrnal /
sentiments which should ever be cherish
ed by one portion of the Union toward 7
Would they excite no emotion? S
Occasion no manifestations of dissatisfac- q
ton, nor lead to any acts of rctaliatory t
violence? But the supposed case falls far a
short of the actual one i'll a most essential 1
circumstance. In no contingency could
these capitals, manufactures, and ships t
rise in rebellion and massacre the inhabi- i
tants of the Northern States"
Mark the prophetic language! Who a
that looks about him and considers the
course of our history since these words of 6
eloquent warning were spoken, can doubt =
that 'the dcsolatcd fields, conflagrated r
cities, murdered inhabitants, and the over I
throw of the fairest fabric of human gov
crnment that ever rose to animate the
hones of civilized man" are the work of
the abolition zcalots Look upon your
hands, We fanatics they are red with the a
blood of your countrymen |