The "Irrepressible Conflict."

THE "IRREPRESSIBLE CONFLICT."

We showed, some two weeks ago, by an extended quotation, that Henry Clay was the true author of the doctrine that an "irrepressible conflict" exists between Freedom and Slavery. Mr. Everett, in his Boston eulogy upon Mr. Webster, attributes the same idea to the "Great Expounder," but without stating when he announced it. The speech of Mr. Clay was made in 1829; and until Mr. Everett can show, from the writings or speeches of Mr. Webster, that he announced the idea as long ago as January, 1829, we shall cling to our statement that the honor belongs to the great Kentuckian.

But whatever may be the result of the controversy as to the paternity of the doctrine, whether it was the "Great Embodiment of the Whig party," or the "Great Expounder of the Constitution," one thing is certain, that neither Mr. Seward, Mr. Lincoln, nor any other modern Republican, can pretend to set up a claim to its authorship. The following is Mr. Everett's statement:
"He (Mr. Webster) not only confidently anticipated what the lapse of seven years since his decease has witnessed, and is witnessing, that the newly-acquired and newly-organized Territories of the Union would grow up into free States; but, in common with all or nearly all the statesmen of the last generation, he believed that free labor would ultimately prevail throughout the country. He thought he saw that, in the operation of the same causes which have produced this result in the Middle and Eastern States, it was visibly taking place in the States north of the cotton-growing region; and he inclined to the opinion that there also, under the influence of physical and economical causes, free labor would eventually be found most productive, and would therefore be ultimately established."
We learn that, although this paragraph was in the oration of Mr. Everett as he delivered it, and as it was published in the Boston papers with his corrections, he has, in his subsequent delivery or repetition of the eulogy, omitted it. This omission is in consequence of the legitimate use which has been made of the statement by the Republican press, and is characteristic of the moral weakness of Mr. Everett. But his testimony is before the public, and he cannot retract it, however much he would like to do so. He is responsible for the statement that Daniel Webster believed and maintained that Slavery and Freedom must wage perpetual war, until the latter is triumphant.