Cassius M. Clay

We were plermed when we heard that this gentleman wns obout to visit Michigan. We luid read various letters and speeches of Fris n behali of human liberiy, nbounding with eloquence and fervor. Besides. he nowsustained a doublé relation.in political matiers. On one side, hc was atiached to the Whig party, nnd was determined to vote for auoiher slaveliolder lor this once;& on the other hand.he had expressed at various times, the most friei.d'y imereit in vhc Liberty p.;r y,ihe higliest respect for ts principies, and th e strongest wishes for issuccess. At the 6ame time, it was also evident that the VVhigs of Michigan onticipated from his liigii reputniion among Liberty men. that he would e.ert mighty influence in brinsincr them over lot'-e support of the Whig elnveholding candidnte In tlris vicinity, exertions weie made to get out all the Liberty men possiblc; and a considerable number were preeent at Ana Arbor, on the 7th. We also attended, beca use we wished to know whcther Caesius wasreally for or against us, and we thought by hearing hiin talk a coupleof hours, we could obtain &ome data on which to base nn opinión. We took eome notee of the substance of his argumente, which we have thoughj might interest the reader. Mr. Clay commenced by referring to Slavery and Liberty as the two great principies which have been struggUng for supremacy since the origin of our governmeut. One or tl oiher must triumph. Both had arrayed their forces in the two great opposing pnrties. On the one side. Slaver}'. under the name of :Democrecy", wa6 contending lor the Annexation of Texas, thetensión of the nstitution, and the dissolution of the Union, and the formation of new elave States froni thë territory of Texas. To prove this, he quoted from Calhoun, Rhett, Bcnton. fee. On the other hand, to resist thís foul conspiracy for Annexntion, more Slavery, and Disiinion, and todefend thecauee of freedom, Henry Clay and the Whig party 8food" arrayed. Mr. Clay said that he Ind no doubt that Henry Clay was at. kuirt opposed to Southern Slavery; and Mr. WickJifi'e and others in Kentucky had objected to to hinï as being strongly northern in his feclings. and favorable to Abolition and noithern interesis. In 6time furilitr remarka, Mr. Clay argued ihfit the Democratie was the party through which the Slave Power now acted, and songlu toact, while he Whigs acted, and would coniinue to act as Libny party in defeating their nefarious deiuns.Mr. Clay spoke of the ronstituiional provisione on slavery, and contended that the e-lause declaiing that no "person" símil be depri ved o I liberty without due p.-ocees of law, applied to olí subjeets of the govemment. whether black or white, eïave or free: and yet the Democrats proposed practically to nuHífy this consimitionnl provisión in Texasr. But war would probnbly foüow the act of Annexatiorr, aiKÜhe Democrats. yes and the Liberty men too, jmrst shoulder iheir muskels. and fight under the black flig of elaveryforthe extensión of thie curse over a foreign land f There would be no "abstractum" about this! The orders to maren would be imperative. and must be obeyecf. And could we a sk the bles sing of God on such a cause? CjuIiI e ask l.-im to give sticcess to our arms in such an enterprize? He, cerwinly. coulcf not; nor conld he be induced to enlist in such an expedition, altbough he considered himself as brave as the generaüty of men. Now how was this calamiious stateof thingaf to be preventedí The only h'ay waste vote for Henry Clay! It could not be done by voting for Polk, who was tbe rooi of Calhuun through whom it was eflbctedï Nor could it be done by our votes for Mr. Birney, however estimable or welf qualified he migbt be; and Mr. C. said that he, certainly. was not the man who would wish to detract in the least rom tlie merits ascribed to that gentleman. But it was an acknowledged fact, that de could not bt deciel; and this was conclusivo. Henry Clay was the only man who could be elected who would prevent Annexation. and properly def end ihe interestsof Free L-iboranrl Northern Rights. Henry Clay had ever advocated a National Bank, TurifT, &c. against the proscriptive and exclusive policy of the'South.- He had opposed, and tcould foreter covfvve (o '■. Oppoae tlds sekrme for tlie Anncxat'um of as He lmdgivenamplifipledgesto this effect n ! thrce Pstters. The third letter was juBt like the others, only it gave strong-er gunrantios against Annexatie. He -ehal lengen' .my one to find thp slighteat discrepancy between The 'ensons he had assigned were hart Texas wouM co,i too inucln, it could not be bod without war, nor withoutra viDlation of trewies. nor without the common consenfof the Union, which coukl nev er be obtained. last pre-requisite was an ; impnssablc barrier to-tlife scheme. Shotrid even '■ one State refuse consent, accord-ng to' the tenoi of these letters, Henry Clay vwuid aleo retusckis assent. [Tliis ia not so ] Finallyrhe concluded his review of the letters, by decliirkig thai Henry Clay had plerlges to as great an : tent and of as mach binding force, as any Y,in kee schoolmaster could' write on parchment in ten days! He asUed if ihe path of du;y, then. was not perfeedy plnin- to vote for Henry Clav? But some peuple. it seemed. were so very consciemiou8 that they could not vote for Mr. Clay .beca ase he was not psrfect- for the objection to liischaracter, when ully carried' out, mouiited to thisi B was this a valid objectiontf Where co 'j ld we finía perfect man? And: if we could find'one, w-as-ir certain that he could' bc ehcled; and if not elooted,. he could not defeat the projeei of Aivnexntiom That Mr. Clay was notsinless. jue autmuean)ut wasm true ihat he was; addicted to-vice had' been represen tedí' We had ampie tvidences-of thepurity of Mr. Clny's chnrncter. Of these he cited threc. The rírst was the certifícate o f Ilev. Mr. Bascomb, the subsianc-e oí which hestated, and asked whosc charncterlwdmood'higher. for 20 A second proot u-M-found in the fací üñt he waselecied ío pres.de at anheologia.1 discusión betvveen cerla.n Campballite and Presby terina Ministers - Would they have selec.ed a man of rnpare character? No! A thirdíevidenoe w thepopularttyof Mr. home: for in the county in wluch Flenry Clcy resides,, tho Wbig. majoriíy was 11 J greater at the recent e!ecion than wae HarrisOD'smajorityin '403 Wasit tbbe presun.eü that he would huve received ihis majority among his neinhborswho had known him intimately for many years.had he notbeen purein his character? Bmapaitfrom the evidence of ihe lalsiiy oi these charges ajainst Mr. Clay. considev further the nature of the oljjction itself. U no einfu! man must be sustained for office, all the offices must be left vacant. On this principie, thepuivs-i clergyuuin among us wotild not be good enough for any office wbnrever. The rciult wuiild be tbat all civil gover DTnht rmiSi come ti ui end; and over 17,0(0 000 of f'reemen would dc_enerate into J7.000.0DO ofiinft pem.'oi.t sr.vacs Uut furthcr: we liadnot only no warrant ironi Reason or Revelniion for exclufJing men froin office because they were not 6nless, but the Dety himseii discotiniennncccl il bynctingon aveiy different priiiciple. lic, einpluyed sinml men to accimipMsli bis holy purposes. As nn mstiince. he cited the ense of Cyrus, wbo was spccinlly selcciod and c;ill.?d of Goi! to efieei ibe rosioration of the Jews. YctCyms wns an i()n].uer,;iiid pouiedout libeinuons to (he heaiben deitíes. bcíuic Ik started on his worlike expediuons. The principie in questiun was opposed to reason and coiumonsense.iíut again;,Mr. C. snid thnt if'we cntild n t be restrained fro'm afifê$hg the chnriiuters Sf'óthers before the public with a ruthless ham!, a con.-eious ness of our own impuríoc-tiuns oughi to be sufficient. Which one of us was e foei? Who had a cliaracier thnt wns entirejy l'auhlcss? He liaii heard that íhere were some wlio had said th:it tiiey would not vote lor Mr. Cl.iy ií'ihey knew ihai by h8 elnciion every slave would be imniediately set free. Ho hoped before the God 01 Heoven thaf ihere werc no such persons i n that asseiubly. and lie expressed the greatest horror ai the sentiment. Mr. Clay euid that he ever held himself readv to answer all inquiries ihat rnight be addresscd to him in courieous terms: and since he had arrived in Aun Albor, a note had been put ín his hands, signed by some of ihe Liberty men o. Washlenaw, thc purpon o f which he stated.- The rèading of the letter, was t-alled for. but Mr. v..v. .. , ,, vijwhvIV, mis auv;u Ivf. UU l iri I Clay replied thntit unr.ecessary, and he did not read it. As considerable curiosity has been expressud to kuow ihe precise contents of the letter, vvesubjoin a copy of tas follows: Aks Arbok. Sent. 6, 1844. Hon. C. M. rlU; The undersigned, members of the Liberty Party út Wnshtonnw Couniy. cniertiiin feelins oí iiigli respect and esieeni for y.xusf!1; as a PliiIiuihio[)i5i. nnd nfriend juk! ad voet te o( Hunmn Freedoiti. Bui iiis w iili deep rc-irrei ihat they have learncd fnni the public iiiirs. ihnt you hnvo used the influence you sd desecyedly possjes nmon; Liberty men. o persiiiuie ihem to suppüü Heury Clay for the Presidency. businc; your ar 2ument chiefiy on the ground of his opp'osition lo the Annexanon of Texas. But s tint gentleman is now avowedly favnrnble io AnneVation. on eertam conditions. irrespcciive of alavcry- anyinsr. 'ƒ tooulrl he, vnwise to 'rcfnst a j) er mat tent n'cqiïi' silvm, (Texas) lohicli icill cxst as long s Utglobe, rcmmr.s. on accovnt of temporary ns'itmiou," (Slnvery) dostinèd. ns he su[poses. to becoine exiinet only "nt souie distunt day," tltat. reason can no lonror èxist. We hnve uiuWetood thntyou are to address a large Whig meetitiL{ n tliis piace. Many mei))bersof the Liberty pnnv wilTbe present to lienr you; and you will gnlMV the It; as well as somr thousandf of the votéis of that party ia Michigan, if yoü will etntedisiincily, wheiher you still a(!here to the opinión that t would be wise anddtciovs in Liberty men v abandun iheír ovvn 01ramzation, and vote with the partïes'to wliiph ihey were formérly auncld- especially with tht Whi? party-and il so, will yuU jilease to siaie the reasons for sucli opinión? are awnre fhnt you men giiest of the Whici party.bm we {rust th nsyou havo herotufore epressed a hïili esteeni 'i.r'tlie principies and c!rn acicr of the Liheny party, you will nol dcein ii innpj)ropnnLe lo this occasion, frankly and freely ti) respond to their wishes. Rcspecrfullv. yoirr obedient servante, and coworkers for Libftfty, Theorfeire Foa;er, John Chandler, Geo Flill. Gen. W. Jeweit. Sabin Fp!?Ii,. C J. Giirl-ind, , James Gibson, Wm. Kinsley. Mr. Clay snid it would be presumption in him to ndvise any man, or associntion of men as to their politica! course. But he liad liia opinión? which h-e vmud freely e.tpreas. , He believed that the Anne.xation of Texas was a échemesignedby origina fors tur the prpetunrion ant nggrandizemerft of SÍaVery: he believcdifeuccess fu!, it would have this effi.-ct: he believed it w,? to be accompüshed throuüh the eiection of Mi. Polk. if at all: he believed it was the iluty of every goodcitizen to oppnsc thisscheme by the mosi effecrual means n hiá power. He dïd not Jtnovj : what was the nfínenceof lÜe Liberty party ín iiiV commanity, nor iïs i'efauve landing with othei ■ arties, nor the agencies which t miiriit brin-r lü bear through ts separate orirnnization ïjjiiinsi this project; and consequenily he Cfluld not advise Liberty men in this respect, it must be leli trt their own judgments. Uut this he woul i s ly 'hat he believed. asan honesi beforc God. thatihe higheat andbest imerestsof the seventeen mllions'of peoplc in the üimed States, both lilnck and whiie,imperiously denianded thnt FIi.n tsy C'É-T should be elec-ted President of the United Stntea, Thia annoancement watf received with tntidi appl'ause. Mr Clay spoke nearly two hoors. He wriios hetter than he speaks: but we.were more disappofnted in the matter of Fits discourse. V. ihink we cnn appreciate higf)-nreHecfnal arid moril excelence in any maní, wiihout referenee tb hi. political or social relations to u. But we mus s-iy that, ahhougii pre-poasessed'in bis favor, tlns speech of Mr. Clay lowered him in our e6timntion xenj rn.7i.ch The utter absence oí enlarge! ■md comprehensive views of ilie poiniá dn wliicl. he treaied- his ffiinay and sophonnn'lc nttemp'ti-to defend, or rather ■ keep out of ight. the oh jectionable traits-of ilcry Clay ''s clruracter- hig efibrtsto malean iasne in whicli the hí' Pry sliould appear asa Lilierty party, carefulty pnssuigoverall iheir instaures of servüity nnd euijiction tt the Slave Power, find ttífe vitrclyparli zan characttfr of tRe whole tliscourse, the Leiinning. middle, and end of which-seemed to bc 'iie g4o ilióation-of H'enty Glny- a!l conspiren1 to lessen our estimatiori' of tlie' man. That frank and rnarlly way of tneeimg the oljjectioris of opponents we liad nn'ieipalcd'from his letters, was notdisplöyed on this occaüfior. Somé poirfts in his argirnent were j perfectly absufd end puerile, that we werc astonrehed he ehould presen' ihem as of sober reasoning. For instance, he argned that' befcause the whig candiíiates in Mr. Clay's county recelvcd 1 1 1 greatc najority than Gen. Hnrrisnn, fJicrcfóre the char ges ag.-iinst Mi. Clay's moral character' were ali t;lse! The votes given for or Counn Whig enndi dates were evidences of tHe excellence of Mr. Cldy's characler! What could bemore absurd h s wonhy.of remark that Cassi lis did' not himsdf vouch (or the excellence o Henry Clay'sr moráis from hi own pefsoriol knmvledge. hut elipse to arrrue it from o.fbc soorces. As Cassins is a near neighbur ot' IlenryClay, a. frank stutem. nt of ,wbat he Icnewói hm personnlly víiuld linve'haj'great weight with ihe a .(henee. But none mich made.' Cassius iè but tl distanr connfcciibff of í'Ion ry ,Clny. He isti good'lookirtg innn, about 35, ev uk-ntly po9veasod of considerable abilities; wiili u good opinión of Himself, and withal quite ambitious, and perlecily fcarle3S, We belieVe he i.not connecred with nrty religiotisdenamínation We trust that he will be eminently uaeful in the ;nnti-slavery career which he has so honorabJy commenced. As he isa co-worker wiih Abolitionisis, they should, howevcr be careful to sel 'heriuht esiimate upon hitn. Tbey should noi faney because they ihemsefves nre guided in thoii political acts only by principies of etern moralluaiiuile. duit these me t he motives th;ii opera i e wili liim. He m:ty he honorable ín hiMntercouise with men, pbïlamliropTcra lus sentiment, and useful ín his lite; buf, if we might jadee Irom wh'nt we have soen nnd lierml of liis cónrsp in iMichigan and elsesvhere. we shoukl th:ii tliose whowotilJ count opon his devotion to ihe eauseJrom the impulse of strict moral principie only. would fo.ni an nnccuraie esiimáte of his i:h;iiicicr. Tlie moral heioism eviru ed ly stich men ns Birncy, Lovejoy ítnd Dr. Nelson, caí. -piíng only fiotn rigid Clinstian piínciple. h is pol iln result of' pojiticaí expedieney, or oía looieconfin-iViiiy to popular opinión, nor will ii nllow those who are Bwnyéd ly it to mr.ke artin and lahored apologías for Tee or error. The vísit of Mi'. Clny to A oh Arbor hns not injuied the Liberiy party in (he least." The impression made upon the mii.d of every Libcny man with wbom we haye conversed, was similni to our own: and this general coíncidcnce pfjfúdgment has indneedusto expresa our coiíviciinns concerní' ng Mr. Clay. wi'h ni(;re confídence iban we could have derived Trom our individua? opinión.