The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-07-14
UNDERGROUND
RAILROAD
A CONTINUED STORY IN THE
MUNCIE STAR.
HENRY CLAY, RICHMOND
Written by Philip Kable Member
Of the American Historical AS
sociation.
HENRY CLAY, RICHMOND

The following portion of the con-
tinued article on the underground
railway, being published in the Mum
Gle Star, is particularly interesting
here. It tells Of Henry Clay's visit
to this city:
Clay at Richmond
In the autumn Of 1912, Heny Clay,
of Kentucky, an aspirant to the pres
idency, in the course of an election
eering tour, came to Richmond, Ind,
and on Saturday, October /, the day
preceding the great Sunday of the
Indiana yearly meeting of the Quak-
ers, spoke to large concourse Of peo-
pie. While on the platform and in
the presence of the audience, Hiram
endenhall, of Union Post, Randolph
county, presented to Clay petition
asking him to liberate his slaves.
The petition originated in the In
diana State Anti-Slavery society, an
organization wholly undenomination-
al but numbering perhaps more
Friends or Quakers than any other de-
nomination.
An annual meeting Of this society
was held at Newport (now Fountain
City,, beginning September 5, 1912,
and continuing four days.
The attendance was too large for
the Friends meeting house, and they
adjourned to a grove fitted up for the
occasion. On the first day of the con-
vention it was, "On motion, resolv-
ed that committee of three be ap-
pointed to prepare petition to be
presented to Henry Clay, of Ken
lucky, when he shall arrive at Rich
mond, in his visit to this State, as
contemplated the present season, call
ing on him to liberate his slaves. aud
that H. H. Way. Daniel Worth, Peter
Crocker and Israel French consti-
tute committee to present it.
"Resolved That Matthew r. Hull,
benjamin Stanton and Ziba Caster
line constitute a committee tc draft
! Sftltl l'tlIil loll
At the afternoon session there is
this record:
"The committee to prepare a peti-
ton to Henry Clay presented one.
which was adopted, and is as follows:
'To Henry Clay:
I'VE, the undersigned citizens Of
Indiana, in view of the declarations
Of right contained in the charter of
American Independence, in view of
that justice is due from man to his
fellowman; in view of all those noble
principles which should characterize
the patriot, the philanthropist and the
Christian, ask you most respectfully
to 'unloose the heavy burdens,' and
that you let the oppressed under your
control who call you master 90 free.
BY doing so you would give liberty
to whom liberty is due, and do no
more than justice to those under your
charge, who have long been deprived
by you of the sacred boon Of freedom;
and set an example that would resul:
in much good to suffering and de-
based humanity and do an act alto
gether worthy great and good man."
Immediately following the petition
is this resolution:
"Resolved, That should Henry
Clay refuse to emancipate his slaves,
the committee to present the petition
be instructed to request hi INTO give
his reasons for so refusing.''
That the petition might be present
ed publicly, and that violence had
been threatened to the committee of
presentation, is evident from an edi-
torial in the Free Labor Advocate
and Anti-Slavery Chronicle, of New
port, under date of September "a,
1912, in answer to the Richmond Pal
ladium $ statement that it would be
wrong and an insult to Clay to pre-
sent such petition on his visit to
Indiana, the Advocate and Chronicle
says:
We hear there are great threats
of violence if the committee should
attempt to present the petition; and
tbo palladium p1aiply ;pt;p,a4,s ~,