The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1875-09-23
PERSONAL RECoLLEcT1oNs.
BY THE EDITOR.

| do not claim that the Whig party
was much better than the Demo
cratic party on the slavery question:
There was some choice. Mexico never
acknowledged the independence of Tex
as, and the shareholders of that new Re-
public inaugurated measures to secure
the protection of the United States An
attempt at annexation was made which
led to the question of annexation becom-
| ing the principal question in the Presi-
dental campaign of 1874 James K
Polk was the Democratic candidate, and
the party promised the immediate an
nexation of Texas. Henry Clay was the
! Whig candidate, and was as mean pro-
the greatest moral coward who ever fig
ured in public affairs He claimed to be
in favor of annexation, but not of imme-
diate annexation. He wrote four letters
on the subject, to be used in different
parts of the country, and they were all
contradictory. 1t was in this campaign
that the great slave party began to as
sert itself. And this was the period
when the anti-slavery power of the coun-
try, although exceedingly weak in nu-
merical strength, began to organize for
the impending conflict between right
and wrong James G. Binney was nomi-
mated for President by the anti-slavery
men. In order to show how the Whig
party stood on the slavery question IN
1874, l will relate an incident of their
candidate, Henry Clay. 1 was in Rich
mond, Indiana, in July, 1874. and found
a good deal of excitement. Henry Clay
had made speech in Richmond a few
weeks before, and a large number OF
Quakers, or Friends, who resided in
| Wayne county, presented a very respect
full petition to him to free his slaves. A
Mr.. Mendenhall, u most worthy and
wealthy citizen, was selected to present
the petition. Mr.. Clay read the petition
and then with all the insolence of the
old slave lords, he told Mr.. Mendenhall
that he did own fifty slaves, who were as
fat, and sleek, and as honest as Mr.. Men
$4,000; that if Mr.. Mendenhall and his
friends would raise the amount of SIS,
600, the value of the slaves, and give il
to them, that he, (Clay) would set them
free. Only think of the sublime impu
dence of this proposition. He had hao
the unpaid services of these fifty human
beings all their lives, and instead of him
self paying them what he justly owed
them, he modestly asked the good mer
of Indiana to pay his debts.
Clay was most gloriously defeated. and
if my recollection is not at fault, the
joint resolution for the annexation O
Texas passed both Houses of Congress
and was signed by John Tyler on the Sd
day of Marcel, 1645, being the last day o
Office of this political traitor
Every man who understood the frs
principles of the law of nations, or com
mon honesty and common justice, knew
that a war with Mexico was inevitable
But the administration of Preslden
Polk could not wait for declaration o
war in a constitutional mode, so the Pres
dent ordered the army of the Unitet
States into Mexico Of course the Mex
leans attacked the hostile troops, an,
this war was actually commenced by tn
President. The constitution expressl
. declares that Congress alone has tn
power to declare war. But what did tn
Democratic party ever care for the con
stitution when working in the interest Q
slavery?
When Congress met resolution wa
, passed declaring that war existed by a
! act of Mexico. An honest Congress
, would have at once impeache,
President Polk for his undisguised viz
lation of the constitution of the Unite
States.
In my next, 1 will briefly sketch tn
Mexican war, and note the momentou
results.