The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-06-12
JOHN WHITE,
To Messrs. GALES d SEAToN.
WASHINGTON. Nav 6, IOe44.

A>HlNOlON, nay ", lOCft
My DEAR SIR have received your
note, bringing 10 my notice a certificate
subscribed by five gentlemen, members of
the present House of Representatives. all
of them my political opponents. which
you inform me is going the grounds of the
Loco Foco papers. The object of that
certificate seems TO be 10 verify the cor
RICHNESS of an extrac. taken from the Ma.
tional fbtelligencer of the LIST OF July,
1920. In that extract am stated by a
former member of the House of Repre-.
seniatives q believe not now living TO
have remarked, in debate which occur.
red year before, TO the following effect ::
"lf gentlemen will not allow us to have
black slaves they must LET us have whiie
ones, for we cannot cut our firewood, 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 ex
tract from the files of the lntelligencer.
under date nearly twenty-four years ago,
not from any speech of mine, but from a
speech Of another member of Congress.
He does not undertake to give my scords,
but merely states his impression of the
effect Of certain words used by me year
before.
Durisg the long and arduous discuss
ions of what was called the Missouri ques-
ton, was so engrossed with their impor.
lance of the subject, and so deeply appre.
hensive Of the awful consequences which
it involved, that never wrote out or cor.
recied any speech Of mine made during
the progress of the debate. On the lasl
and most important occasion of The agita-
tation of that question, made an elabo-
rate speech ofseveral hours duration, no
part of which believe, was ever reported
by any of the stenographers, as il certain
" never was by me.
certainly will not undertake to recite
what were the precise words used by me
on the occasion of the numerous speeches
short or long, which | made in Congress
ON the Missouri question but this | will
undertake 10 assert, with the most per.
feet confidence, that never used the
words, or any words which would bear the
import, of the extract to which have al.
luded. | am confident of il, because
never entertained such sentiment in
my life. l never Conceived a contingent
cy in which would favor or countenance
reducing white men TO slavery. TO such
an imputation may oppose the tenor of
a whole life, during which my humble ex'
ertions have been constantly directed to
the preservation of liberty at home and
the encouragement of its establishment
in foreign Countries. If have not been
able TO extend these exertions to the black
race held in bondage in this country. il
has been because of considerations and
convictions, sincerely and honestly en-.
ter,ained, embracing the peace and hap.
piness of both the white and black races,
which have been often presented TO the
public.
1t is quite possible that, in arguing up
on the existence Of the institution of
Slavery in this country, may have con-
tended that the black race supplied those
domestic officers, which under the names
of help 'menial servants,' and 'domes-