American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-04-06
Of Hon. G. Clay Smith.

speech OIL HOn. u. Clay smith.
This distinguished Kentuckian, who is
a warm advocate of the leading measures
adopted by the Administration to subdue
the rebellion, delivered at Lexington on
the evening of the 2Sth ult., mastery ad-
dress defending the justice and policy of
enrolling slaves for military service. The
speech was in answer to the harangue Of
Col. FRANK WOLFoRD, for which that
officer was dismissed the service, and was
enthusiastically received by the large
crowd which listenedto it. The following
passage will give the reader an idea of its
scope and patriotic tone -
"When Invent to Congress to represent
my constituents, did so with the prom
Use to vote men and money, for the pros
ecution of this war, for the suppression of
this most infamous rebellion, and did so
without one thought to the contrary
GCheersl The enrolment bill came up
the bill for the enrolment of every white
male citizen in the country, which waste
precede a draft for the strengthening of
our armies, and ] determined to vote for
it and did so. The amendment was Of
fered to enroll every able bodied negse
between the ages of eighteen and forty five.
There was no question as to the right OF
the Government to enroll them. All Ad-
mtted the right; the. most able lawyers adj
mitted it as proposition no man could
deny. The proposition was made to pay
to loyal owners $500 for every slave sent
into the armies. | sustained the entire
measure and voted for it, [greatapplause,
and now comes the reason tormy doing.
Already have the States Of Maryland,
Missouri and Kentucky given their slaves
by the hundreds and thousands to the ar
my. The Government has the right and
the power to take them, and the great
loss we have already incurred in slaves is
warning to us to take now what we will
never again be able to get for them. They
are NOT worth, to-day, more than $3.50
apiece, and yet every loyal man will obtain
the $500 from the Government. Some
men will say that this act enforced would
be violation of the Constitution of the
Commonwealth. But | defy any man to
point out clause in the Constitution OF
the State or a single scratch of the pen
prohibiting it. What. do you tell me
that it is right to tear the boy from his
mother, the father from his family, the
laborer from his employer, the farmer from
his field and throw them into the jaws OF
death, and yetthat tits unconstitutional
to use the negro in the same manner? Is
it right, say. that this should be done,
simply that you may lie back in 7uxury
and ease with twenty or thirty negroes &c
do your bidding? [Cries of "No, Nc" y
say that this country is for white people
as well as for the negro. Laughter.
And | would just as soon see negro fac
ing death with a musket in his hand, oI
digging in the trenches, as to sec white
man in the. same position. Great ap.
plause.]
There can be no doubt that the cause
of unconditional Unionism is gaining
ground in Kentucky every day. 1t wa:
but recently that Kentucky was on the
threshold of rebellion inauguratcd by
her State executive against the Govern
ment of the United States. Governor
Bramlette had prepared a proclamation in
voking resistance to the enrolment of the
blacks, and plcdging the support of the
whole power of the State. Now We learn
from Washington that the Governor has
practically Withdrawn his objections to the
enrolment in question, while the speecl
of Green Clay Smith shows that ths true
men of Kentucky have at last found ;
brave and able leader. They have also {
sound newspaper organ in the old Frank
fort Commonwealth. We are now hope
full ofthe political future of Kentucky
The Guthries andPrentices will not be al
lowed to have things their own way dur
ing the coming summer. Green Clay
Smith and others who think as he doe
will attend the Baltimore Convention anC
do all they can to carry Kentucky for th'
Union nominee.