Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1867-06-14
[ From the Cincinnati Enquirer, May 81. +
HeRery Clay'S Predictions. ,..

The people of Kentucky yesterday dedica-
ted statue to the memory Of Henry Clay,
the great Commoner, the briiliancy of whose
genius has reflected so much honor and lus-
tire upon the State, and who, for thirty
years, was one Of the most distinguished of
all our public men. We quote, as appropri-
ate to the times, the memorable warning of
Mr.. Clay as to the injurious effects Of the
Abolition agitation in the North, delivered
in the Senate of the United States, in 1859,
which prophecy has had 50 painful and mel
ancholy realization. Looking down the vsl-
ia of the future with the glance of the seer,
the statesman Of Kentucky predicted what
would be the consequences if Abolitionism
organized into sectional Northern parity
How truly it has come to pass, and how I'M
fortunate that his warning was not regarded,
we can perceive at glance. Hele it is, in
his speech upon Abolition question. made,
as we have before stated, in 1889 We quote
from Colton's Life of Henry Clay, page f57
volume s. He said; ,a..-. -....ts.Ft
"Ssr-I am not in the habit Of speaking
lightly of the possibility of dissolying this
happy Union The Senate knows that | have
deprecated illusions, on ordinary occasions,
to that direful event The country will testi-
fly that if there be anything in the history of
my public career worthy of recollection, it is
the truth and sincerity of my ardent devo-
ton to it's lasting preservation. But we
should be false to our allegiance to it if we
do not discriminate between the imaginary
and real danger. The Abolitionists, let me
suppose, succeed in their present aim Of uni
ting the inhabitants of the free States as one
man against the inhabitants of the slave
States; union on the one side will beget
union on the other, and the process of recip-
rocal consolidation will be attended with all
the violent prejudices, embittered passions,
and inlplacabIe animosities which ever de-
graded or dcformed human nature. A vir-
tual dissolution of the Union will have taken
place while the forms of its existence remain
The most valuable element of Union, mutu-
al kindness, the feelings of sympathy, the
fraternal bonds which now happily unite u.s.
will have been extinguished forever-one
section will stand in menacing and hostile ar
ray against the other. The collision of opin-
ion will be quickly followed by the clash of
arms. will not now attempt to describe
scenes which now happily lie concealed from
our view. Abololitionists themselves would
shrink back in dismay and horror at the con-
temptation of desolated fields, confagrated
cities, murdered inhabitants, and the over
throw of the fairest fabric of human govern
ment that ever rose to animate the hopes of
civilized man. Nor should these Abolltlonists
hatter themselves that, if they succeed in
their object of uniting their people of the
States, they will enter the contest with nu-
merical superiority that must ensure victory.
All history and experience proves the hazard
and uncertainty Of war. And we are admon-
ished by Holy writ that the race is not to the
swift nor the battle to the strong. But if
they were to conquer, whom would they con-
quer A foreign foe one who has insnlted
our flag, invaded our shores and laid our
country waste? No. sir no, sir! 1t would
be conquest without laurels, without glory;
self suicidal conquest a conquest OF broth
ers over brothers, achieved by one over
another portion of the descendants of COM
mon ancestors, who nobly pledged their lives,
their fortunes and their sacred honor, and
fought and bled, side by side, in many
hard battle on land and ocean-severed our
country from the British Grown and estab-
lished our independence" ir,. iaam