C. M. Clay's Position Defined

The Frankfort Commonwealth contains the following, as the exposé of position of Mr.C. M. Clay. T. B. Stevenson, Esq. Sir: - I ask the Liberty to make through your columns a summary state ment of my views upon the subject o slavery. By a portion of the people othis State I never expect to be tairly represented. To the great mass of th people, who have no interest in suppressing truth, I would appeal against the calumnies of unscrupulous partizans. Slavery is a municipal institution. It exists by no other right and tenure than the Constitution of Kentucky. I am opposed to depriving slaveholders of their slaves by any other than constitutional and legal means. Of course, then, I have no sympathy for thosc who would libérate the slaves of Kentucky in other ways. I have no connection with any man, or set of men, who wouldtion.or undertake the illegal liberaüon of slaves; and I fecl böund, by my allegiance to the State of Kentucky, to resist (by force, if necessary) all sucb efforts. Whilst I hold that the United States Constitution has no power to establishslavery in the District of Columbia, or in the Territories, or in any place of its exclusive supremacy; so 1 contend, that in the States, once admitted into the Union and thereby become sovereigii and independant, Congrcss lias no power or righ to interfere with or touch slavery, with out the legitímate consent of the States. I believe that the addition of ncw Slave Staies, or slave territory, to tb is Union, is icnconstüutional and impossiblc.I am the avowed and imcompromising enemy of slavery and símil never cease to use all Constituüonal, nnd honorable, and just means, to cause its extinction in Kentucky, and its reduction to its constitutional limils in the United States. Born a Kentuokian and a Slaveholder, I have no prejudices nor enmilies to gratify; but ímpelled by a sense of selfrespect, love and iustice, and the higheslexpedzency, Í shnll ever maintain that liherty is our only safety. För the freedom of speech and of the press, I-never shall cease to battle while Hfe lasls. If there is any Kenluckian so bose as to yield these Cunstitutional and glorieus privileges, without which it is the veriest mocker}' talk of being a (Vee people, I envy liirnnot: A slave toslaves; Iet him sodden in Iris infamy. - Wilh siich ï hold no fellowship - from such I ask no quarter. All f ask is an open field and a fair fight. Your obedicnt scrvnnt,