Henry Clay On Slavery: Extract From A Speech By Henry Clay O...

"I know that there ís a mstonary dogna, which holds that negro slaves cannot m? the subjects of property. I shall not hvell long with this speculative abstrae ion. That is property which the law delares to be property. Two hundred f ears of legislation have sanctioned and .anctified negro slaves as property. Uner all the forms of government which ïavO existcd upon this continent during hat long space of time - under the Brhish jovernment - under the colonial goveranent - under the constitutions and go-ernments, and under the federal governnent itself - they have been deliberately md solemnly recognized as the legitímate ubjects of property. To the wild speculaions of theorists and innovators stands opxsed the fact,that in an uninterrupted peri?d of two hundred yearsduration,underevsry form of human legislation, and by all the departments ofhuman government, African negro slaves have been held and res[ected, have descended and been transferred, as property; in the very British cxample which is so triumphantly appealed to, asworthy ofour imitation. Although the West India planters had no voice in the united parliament of the British isles, an irresistible sense of justice extorted from that legislature the grant of twenty millions of pounds sterling, to compénsate the colonists for thoir loss of property. If I had been a cítizen of Pennsylvania when Frankin's plan (of gradual emancipation) was adopted, I should have voted for it; beceuse, by no possibility could the black race evergain the ascendency in that State. But if I had been then, or were now a citizen of any of the planting States - the southern, or southwestern States - I should Jtave opposed and would continue to oppose any scheme whatexcr of emancipation, gradual or immediate; because of thedanger of an immediate ascendency of the blaGk race, or of a civil contest, which might terminate in the extinction of one race or the other. ♦ # Mr. President, it is NOT TRUE, and I REJOICE that it is NOT TRÜE that EITHER of the TWO GREAT PARTIES in this country has ANY DESIGNS or AIM at ABOLITION. I should DEEPLY LAMENT it, if it were true." This is the latest from Mr. Clay on the subject, except his reply to Mr. Mendenhall, of Ia, last fall, when he presented the request of many thousand ciüzens of that State, that Mr. Clay would emancípate his slaves. Mr. Clay told him to ugo home and mind his own business." His slaves were ' fat and sleek." (tWhig papers please publish!