Year: 1860

Henry clay.


We confess to a partiality for the Ian
guage of Mr.. Clay, when he referred to the
permanency of this great Republic. His
ideas on the Tariff and Internal Improve
ments, or National Bank, were never pala
table to the Democracy, nor are they now
The Ashland Sage lived long enough to see
his own party abandon them as impracti.
cable, and we may add that he, himself
was abandoned by the controlling ''anti
slavery" element that got possession of the
wires which moved the old Whig organi-
zation, leaving the national men of that
party no alternative but to unite with the
Democracy or keep up separate organiza'
ton. Our fanciful Republican acquaintan-
ces often amuse the older voters and at
tempt to mislead the younger ones, by stat
ing that Mr.. Clay, if living, would be iden-
tilted with them in the irrepressible conflict
which they are waging; but the language OF
the Great Commoner does not authorize an
inference so eXtravagant. Let any man
who is not thoroughly dyed in the WOOL
of hatred to the South, read the extrac,
found below and then inquire how Henry
Clay of Kentucky, would look, to-day, adj
dressing Republican Club with the bust
of SUMNER on one side of him and full
length portrait of LOVEJOY on the other.
If this language does not advise the AmerI-
can people to vote against the Republican
party, we have forgotten the meaning Of
words.


Please read what Mr.. Clay said to the
Senate in 1S4S:


"There are three classes of persons op-
posed, or apparently opposed, to the con,
tinued existence of slavery in the United
States. The first are those who, from SEN
timents of philanthropy and humanity, and
are conscientiously opposed to the existence
of slavery, but who are no less opposed, at
the same time, to any disturbance of the
peace and ira" guilty of the Union. In
this class may be comprchended that peace.
ful and exemplary society of Friends, "
one of whose established maXims is an alb
horrence of war in all its forms, and the
cultivation of peace and good vii. among
mankind. The next class consists of ap-
parent AbolitiOnsts-tha is, those who,
having been persuaded that the right of pc.
titlon had been violated by Congress, to
cooperate with the Abolitionists, for the
sole purpose of asserting and vindicatine
that right. And the third class are the
real ultra -Abolitionists, who are resolved tc
persevere in the pursuit of their object a,
all hazards, and without regard to any con
sequences, however calamitous they may
be. With them the rights of property arc
nothing; the deficiency of the powers of
the general government are nothing: civil
war, dissolution of the Union, and the
overthrow of a government in which are
concentrated the fondest hopes of the civil
lied world, are nothing. A single idea has
taken possession of their minds; and on
ward they pursue it, overlooking all barri-
ers, reckless and regardless of all conse.
quences. With this class the immediate
abolition of slavery in the District of Co.
lumbia and in the territory of Florida, the
prohibition Of the removal of slaves from
State to State, and the refusal to admit any
new State, comprising within its limits the
institution Of domestic slavery, are but SC
many means conducting to the accomplish
ment of the ultimate but perilous end at
which they avowedly and boldly aimed; are
but so many short stages in the long and
bloody road to the distant goal at which
they would finally arrive. Their purpose
is abolition, universal abolition-peaceabl
if it can, fOrcibly if it must.


Their object is aolonger concealed by the
thinnest veil. Utterly destitute of consti
tutional or rightful power, living in totally
distinct communities, as alien to the com
munties in which the subject on which
they would operate resides, so far as con
Germs political power over that subject, as
if they lived in Africa or Asia, they never
theless promulgate to the world their pur-
pose to be to manumit forthwith, and with
out compensation, three millions of negro
slaves under jurisdiction altogether scpara.
ted from those under which they live.


II have said that the immediate abolition
of slavery in the District of Columbia and
in the territory of Florida, and the exclu-
sion o. new States, were only means to-
wards the attainment Of much more i'm
portant end. Unfortunately, they are not
the only means. Another, and much more
lamentable one, is that which this class is
cndeavoring to 'mploy, of arraying one
portion against another portion of the
Union.


with that view, in all their leading
prints and publications, the alleged horrors
of slavery arc depicted in the most glowing
and exaggerated colors, to excite the imagi-
nations and stimulate the rage of the peo-
pie IN the free States against the people in
slave States. The STAKEHOLDER is held up
and represented as the most atrocious OF
human beings. Advertisements of fugitive
slaves to be sold are carefully collected and
blazoned forth, to infuse spirit of detesta.
tod and hatred against one entire section
of the Union. And like notorious agta-
tor upon another theatre, thcr would hunt
down and prescribe form the pale of civil
lied society the inhabitants of that entire
section. y *


"But the means to which l have already
adverted, are not the only ones which this
third class Of ultra -Abolitionists are EN-.
ployingto effect their end. They began
their operations by protesting to employ





humanity, and enlightening the understand
ings Of the slaveholding portions of the
Union. If there were some kindness in
this avowed motive, it must be acknowl-
edged that there was rather presumptous
display also of an assumed superiority in
intelligence and knowledge.


"For some time they continued to make
these appeals to our duty and to our inter
est; but, impatient with the slow influence
of their logic upon our stupid minds they
recently resolved to change their system OF
action. For the agency o. their power OF
persuasion, they now propose to substitute
the powers of the ballot-box; and he must
be blind to what is passing before us, who
does not perceive that the inevitable tenden.
cy Of their proceedings is, if these should
be found insufficient, to invoke, finally, the