The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1872-04-26
.CASSIUS M. CLAY.
HIS SPEECH HERE on THE 18TH.
An Original Radical as Liberal Reformer
The Administration Arraigned and the
Cincinnati Convention Indor-ed.



IRON the Cincinnati Enquirer
FEuow-clrrzESs: appear before yo,
as one Of the people, not as partisan
! am not in the habit of speaking of my
self, as you all know; but on this occa
sion when men who pursue their oonscien
tious convictions are accused of being in
fluenced by improper motives, it will no
be inappropriate, perhaps, for me to re
fer to some Of the incidents of my politi
cal life.
Originally Wing, ! took the liberty
always, Of thinking and acting.indepcnd
emily and according to my own convic
tions, 50 that when the Wing party di
vergcd from its original principles int,
-Nothingism-a policy which
consider not only impolitic but unjust
| did not hesitate TO avow my convictions
as opposed to the whole movement. AnC
later in life, when the anti-slavery ques
tion became prominent, and the Viii,
organization was found to he unwillin,
or incompetent to recognize the Libcra
movement, | separated from the Wing
and joincd-and if may be allowed t,
say so-assistcd in forming the Republi
can party. Later still, when the schem,
Of territorialiking the States-"the caus,
Of all our woc"-was entered upon, OF
posed il rs "outside of the Constitution.
~ now, once more. later in life, whel
all the great principles of the Republi
can party have been vindicated and Is
tablished, and it is attempted To commi
me To new principles aud new issues
which | cannot conscicntiously approve
again separate myself and assume tn
designation and aims of the Liberal Re
publicans. can no longer act with tn
Radical Republican leaders for man,
reasons, some Of them personal, but mos
of them political.
coNsrirrIIYSAL MAN.
You know very well, men of Ken
tueky, that all my life have been a consti
tutional man holding that constitutions
liberty was the only possible liberty. 1
the Discussion Of the subjectof slavery
wns always my purpose to persuade th
people Of Kentucky to change their in
stitutions, and 10 that end used sue
arguments as my ability and conscienc
dictated But during all these times q
political discussion and excitement, | a
ways ohcved and advocated obcdienc
to law. differed in this respect fror
my Abolition friends, who were for tn
overthrow of slavery, without regard /
State or National Constitutions. diff
cred from them because, in country liz
ours, based upon the principle that tn
majority should rule, | held that it wa
the duty of the people to obey the con
stitutional laws until they were legiti
mately changed.
In complex government like our
where all the power belong to the pee
| pie, composed of sovereign States an,
National unity, felt it the highest dut.
of the citizen to subordinate his opinion
and actions 10 the Constitution. Hence
held that so long as slaves were held II
property by the States, there was n
power in the National Government t
disturb them, except in places of Natona
exclusive jurisdiction.
/ And | therefore commended the con
scientious action of the Garrison Aboli
tion party, not intending to obey tn
Fugitive Slave Laws, and thereby fulfil
their obligations to the Constitution il
calling for the dissolution of the Uniol
itself!
Once more, fellow-citizens, in 1862
while, as a war measure, advocated uni
versal emancipation, ! held that in tn
loyal States, the States alone had powe
to abolish it, or the Federal Government
by a change of the Constitution.
ms MISSION UNDER LINCOLN.
Iurged emancipation policy rs a wa
measure upon President Lincoln at
time when | stood almost alone in tn
Republican party, ! aattered mysel
that | brought conviction to his min,
that it was necessary to the success OF tn
Union cause that slaves should be treate'
as any other property-as mules, as grail
or any other article of consumption, o
of oiiense or of defense, and, if lawful
captured, subject to all the rules of war
that without that our cause would fail
] anil o,,,,bt IN c,il A flor thoughthIll III