Selections: Legal Property

Henry Clay once said: "What the law declares to be property is pronerty." - This sentiment was lately reiterated by C. M. (Jlay, which occasioncd the following remiirks by the Albany Patriot. Mr. Clay will see and abandon his error withn twelve mónths: ó IVhat law? Thnt of God, or that of a legislalure! If the former, the rernark is truc; and it's converse is equally true ihat what God'slaw does nol make property is not property - and thus uuder this inlcrpretation is slavery made divine, or the slnves are not praperty. And if they are divinely ordained "chattels personal," then is C. M. Clay warring against Ileaven, in altempting to emancipate them. On the other hand, if that is property which legislalurcs say, then the principies of riglit are the will of the people. Whatever a body of men caüed a legislature declare is property is to be considered, is to be respected ns such, and nothilig is to "be said to warrant any to doubt the validity of thetitle. ' Now just for the settlement of the question, I shouldke to put Mr. Clay and bis second-h'nnd ïtailers of ihis absurdity to the tesl. I liould like to have the Whigs invite 'Icssrs. Clay - Henry and Cassius - into ur State to a public dinner. Aftcr feasig thern well, and hearing them cxpaiate on Freedom and ils blessings, I liould like to hrtve the sheriff of llie coany in which thoy were, infoim them that he democrats considered Mr. Henry Clay irelty much afler the sort that the Alied Powers of Europe looked on BonaKirte afterthe battle of Waterloo, asone vho liad infinite disLurhivg forcé in hirn uid that he must. wih hisallyaid frienc Cassius, bo put whero he would leaveór 'ir, future the United States in repose. - Fhe only stire way todo tliis was toinako lim a save, by au act of tlieirs in leg slature assembled. So the sheriff shoulc read the lati as folio ws: lBe it cnacted, and it is hereby enact 3d,that wliatcver the law says is property is property. That there is nolhivg ex émpt neitlier man or beast. That thors nodisfinction botwcen them, but such ns 'Jis liuo in its good picasure confers. - That i f il stxys man is property,and bcasts are not, then man is a beast, and á beast is a man. That the difforence generally alicged to exist is absurd, bolli holding the same natural leve!, and only to f nd a different level by fhe fiatofa legislaturc. That this sentiment being uttered by iïenry Clny and his kinsmari Cassius, this body does now enact, (and it is hereby enacted, that fhc said Hcnry Clay and Cassius M. Clay be henceforth regarded as properly, to be disposed of as such to the highest bidder, forthe good of the State, and that this acttake effect immediately." "Would nol he be in a triangular fight then, harder than the onc in which he fbught valiantly, and to no purpose, last fall? There" stands the sheriff and his posse comitatus. He lays liis hand upon the shoulder of Cassius, and rcads Jtim tuk law. Cassius's eyes glare, his hand tiembles and it grasps the lult o( the Bowie-kni(e, and he quotes his poetry- "ThinTt tliroiigh ichovi Thy lifo-blood tiacks ii3 parent lakc, And tben blrikt; llftñjeli1and lic draws lus knifo against Ihe lav; in the pcrson of the sheriH', and consequently against bis own principies. Bul the sheriiF is loo quick lor him. Tlic deraocrats know how to makc slaves of white men, and how to keep them after th?y are mnde; and - cunning chaps - they mean to test Mr. Cassius?s pi-inciples. So the lato strips him, mounts him on a blpok, and sells him to the highest bidder, who is a democrat. Think you he would run away? Oí would he sink down likea gclley-slavc, and when honor,- and manhood, and self respect, and social regard demanded of him tkat he should assert his rights, would he willingly utter that the Inw made Itim property, and he should stay so?"