Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-06-14
THE WHITE SLAVE sIANnrn


Among the many charges ard SANDER.
Clay, uttered by the opposition presses !, &
trumped up by the editor Of the Emsnc;D.,a' nsg
bore its face the impress Of untro,b sns 49, whG
unhesitatingy and fatty denied by Mr., C,,v "ntAh
She following letter, just published. We ;,a
ter in full, as II contains the nature Of tho uek
forgery itSelf-the circumstances with ub;,a lo'
ated and was published, and complete ,1c'. "sA
the base falsehood. Nuon d
WASHINGTON, May G 1871
MY DEAN Sin Il have rp,e;,o1 'S'A
note, bringing to my notice a cer,i6c,, !oG'
scribed by five gentlemen, members :, '" W
present House Of Representative =, we
them my political opponents, which ,S ~, o.
form me is going the rounds of tba } W. ~
co papers The object of that co., veO'o-
seems TO be to verify the correc,Da s."uca'e
extract taken from the National IO,sp; NJ ."
Ger Of LIST Of July, 1920. In tina, s,,'t,
am stated by former member of Tho IT."
of Representatives Il believe not now l HUE
to have remarked, in debate which ""g
red year before, TO the FOLLOWING Off,, u''
F" If gentlemen will not allow ne ,Ot.
black slaves, they must let us have v" "a'e
ONES, for we cannot cut our 6re.wood -,
black our shoes, and have our wirs, W.. WV
daughters work in the Kitchen" SUI
/ think you attach an importance 70 H..
miserable attempt to prejudice me which:
does not merit Here is an ex,r,c, c'
the files of the InteIIigencer, under d ,a
nearly twenty-four years ago. not from ,"'
speech OF mine, but from another memL..
OF Congress. He does not undert,Lo y
give my words, but merely states his imN,.'
sion of the effect Of certain words uspd 4.
me year before
During the long and arduous diseus,;oD.
OF what was called the Missouri Question I
was so engrossed with the importancs ~
the subject, and so deeply apprehensive Of
the awful consequences which il inroIvsd
that l never wrote out or corrected ans
speech Of mine made during the proore:s
of the debate. On the las, and most i'm.
portant occasion of the agitation Of ina,
question, made an elaborate speech. orsey.
eral hours duration, no part Of which. | BE-.
lieve, was ever reported by any of the seD.
ographers, as IT certainly never was BY me.
| certainly will not undertake TO recite
what were the precise words used by me on
that occasion Of the numerous speeches
short or long, which | made in Congress on
the Missouri question but this | will IN.
dertake TO assert. with the most perfect con.
fidence, that | never used the words, or sny
words which would bear the import Of The
NV In .sh.,k \ ka,o Ill, II I
dent of it, because / never entertained such
a sentiment in my life. never conceived
a contingency in which would favor or
countenance reducing white men to slave.
ry. To such an imputation may oppose
the tenor Of a whole life, during which my
humble exer,ions have been constantly d.
rected 10 the preservation of liberty at home,
and the encouragement Of its establishment
in foreign countries. If | have not been
able to extend these exertions 10 the black
race, held in bondage in this country " has
been because of considerations and conyic.
tions, sincerely and honestly entertained,
embracing the peace and happiness Of bOlh
the white and black races, which have been
so often presented to the public.
1t is quite possible that, in arguing upon
the existence of the institution of SaveUn
this country, may have commended that The
black race supplied those domestic Offices,
which under the names of "help," "msDiil
servants" and "domestics," are to be found
in every state Of civilized society, and COR
sequently relieved the white race from these
performances. If have ever employed
such an argument, (of which have no re.
collection,) it is apparent how erroneous in'
ierences may have been drawn from il which
1t did not authorize.
/ have no desire 10 disparage the industry
Of the wives of any of the certiiers to the eI'
tract nor TO boast of that in my own family;
but venture to say that no one of them per-
forms more domestic industry with her own
hands than my wife does at Ashland.
| am, with great respect, your friend and
ob't sery't, II. CLAY.
Hon. JouN WHITE.