The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-06-13
To Messrs. GALES g. sEAroN.
WASHINGTON. May 6, 1914.

HASd1NOION, h1dy v, 10Th.
My DEAR SIR:-Ihave received your note
bringing to my notice a certificate subscrib-
ed by five gentlemen, members of the pres
ent House of Representatives, all of them
my political opponents, which you inform me
is going the rounds of the Locofoco papers.
The object Of that certificate seems to be to
verify the correctness of an extract taken
from the National In.elligencer ofthe LIST of
July, 1920. In that extract | am stated by
a former member of the House ofRepresen-
%tatives Il believe not now living) to have re-
marked, in debate which occurred a year be-
fore, to the following effect:-HIf gentlemen
will not allow us to have black slaves they
must let US have White ones; for we cannot
cut our frewood, and black our shoes, and
have our wives and daughters work in the
kitchen"
| think you attach an Importance to this
miserable attempt to prejudice me which it
does not merit. Here is an extract from the
files of the Intelligencer, under date near
twenty-four years ago, not from any speech
of mine, but from a speech ofanother mem
Der of Congress. He does not undertake to
give my a0ords, but merely states his impress
sion of the effect of certain words used by me
a year before.
During the long and arduous discussions
of what was called the Missouri question, ]
was SO engrossed with the Importance of the
subject, and SO deeply ~apprehensive of the
awful consequences which it involved, thai
never wrote out or corrected any speech
of mine made during the progress of the de.
bate. On the last and most important &C
casionlofthe agitation Of that question, Imade
an elaborate speech ofseveral hours duration
no part of which, | believe, was ever reported
by any of the st~enographers, as it ce rtainly
never was by me.
/ certainly will not undertake to recite
what were the precise words used by me OF
the occasion Of any of the numerous speech
es, short or long, which | made in Congress.
on the Missouri question; butthis | will un
Idertake TO assert, with the most perfect con
idence, that | never used the words, or an
words which would bear the import of the
extract, to which [ have alluded. am con
hdent of il because | never entertained sucl
a sentiment in my life. / never conceived
a contingency in which | would favor o
countenance reducing white men to slavery
To such an imputation | may oppose tn
tenor of a whole life, during which my hum
BILE exertions have been constantly directed
to the preservation Of liberty at home anC
the encouragement of its establishment il
foreign countries. If have not been abb,
to extend these exertions to the black rae,
held in bondage in this country, it has beel
because OF considerations and convictions
sincerely and honestly entertained, embracing
the peace and happiness of both the white an
black races, which have been often presente
to the public.
1t is quite possible that, in arguing the ez
~istence of the institution of slavery in thi
country, | may have contended that the blac
race supplied those domestic offices which
q under the names ofshelp,' smenial servants
and sdomestics," are to be found in ever
state of civilized society, and consequent
relieved the white race from the p~erformanc
e of those Offices. If have ever employe
n such an argument, (of which have no reco
a ~lectionn it is apparent how erroneous inferer
ces may have been drawn from it which it di
not authorize.
| have no desire TO disparage the industr
tof the wives of any ofthe certitiers to the ez
tract, nor to boast of that in my own family
e but | venture TO say that no one of them pc
n forms more domestic industry with her ow
hands than my wife does at Ashland.
y | am, with great respect,
Your friend and obedient sev't,
H. CLAY.
y Hon. J~aN WHITE.