The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1882-06-10
POLITICS OF FORMER DiYS.
Unpublished Letter of Henry Clay,
Private and Confidential.

AShialluf august 10, 1913.
My Dear Sir: Absence from
home, and other causes, have de-
layed my transmission of an an
swer to your friendly letter of the
4th ult.
| am very thankful for the ex-
preston of your desire that may
be instrumental in the amicable ad.
justment of the slave question,
which has risen out of our acqui-
sition of New Mexico and Califor.
mia. If | could have foreseen that
l could have accomplished such a
most desirable object, | would not
have hesitated to overcome my
repugnance to entering again the
public councils; but | do not see
clearly how / could effect any
good. | think that the passions of
both parties have greatly magni.
fed the Importance of the question
in controversy. Whether slavery
be prohibited or be allowed to be
introduced, by law, into these
countries, in point of fact, no Afri-
can slaves will be ever transported
there. The North, therefore,
ought not to indulge the appre-
tensions which it entertains, nor
ought the South to contend for an
Improbable privilege, which if OBJ
tanned it would never exercise.
Without expressing, at this time,
any opinion of my own on the con-
troverted question, even if the
South had the right on it's side, l
think it ought to yield the point,
not only for the reason already
stated, but for other reasons. The
South has had the executive Gov
ernment in its hands during the
most part of the time since the
Constitution was adopted. tspub-
lie policy has generally prevailed.
The annexation of Texas, and the
consequent war with Mexico, were
results of Southern counsels. The
very exccptionable mode of that
annexation was exclusively South
ern. From the commencement OF
the Government we had, prior to
the last acquisition, obtained Lou
isiana, Florida and Texas, and all
these with the exception of the
least valuable part of Louisiana
were theatres of slavery, and aug
menting the political power arising
out of the existence of slavery.
Whether the motive of incrcas'
ing the slave power did or did not
enter into these territorial acqui'
sitions, they did in point of fact
exercise it, and there was enough
in the appearance and the effect
of the transactions to give counte'
nance to the Northern belief that
that motive did exercise all mfu
ence. Large portions of the North
ern population also feel and believe
that their manufacturing interests
have been sacrificed by Southern
domination.
Taking all circumstances into
view, and especially seeing that
the South would yield no available
privilege, | think, in a spirit o.
harmony and union, that it ought
magnanimously to consent to the
proposed intcrdiction of slavery il
New Mexico and California. If i
continue to oppose it, it will, in my
opinion, nevertheless finally pre-
vail and the conflict, exasperatet
by bitter contention and mutua
passions, will either lead to a dis
solution of the Union or deprive
it of that harmony which can alon'
make the Union desirable. 1t vii
lead to the formation of a section
B. al and Northern party, which will
sooner OF later, take permanen
and exclusive possession OF tn
Government. The South, impa
tient under such a prescription
would ultimately be tempted T.
break off from a Union in the GOV
ernment of which it had no share
wish / could see more clearl
: than | do how these disastrou
consequences can be averted. Pal
ties are becoming more and NOR
pitted against each other. The
will hereafter be marked by grea'
er violence. The Southern men
bers of Congress, anxious to retail
and conciliate the good opinion {
. their constituents by contendln
: for those apparent rights, will nc
yield. They will even, some G
them, suppress their private opll
If ions that they ought to yield, |
!, difference to their constituents, 9
5, from desire to preserve the
popularity. lament that | cannt
see among them any who are dl
posed to rise to the magnitude