Samuel Warren to Frederick Douglass, April 19, 1852
Henry Clay and Slavery.
Friend Douglass:—Being a contemporary of Henry Clay, like him born at the close of the revolution, and my father being a soldier in the struggle for independence, I was early taught the principles of the Declaration of Independence; it became a part and parcel of my very nature. I believed it to be the truth of God, and the only base of a just government. Although born in humble sphere of life, I thought I had a right to be a looker-on in Venice. Soon I saw Henry Clay elevated to a seat in the council of the nation. I had not then identified myself with either of the parties, or at least not formed my political creed; but this one thing I know, that I loved liberty and hated slavery. Being born in the State of Vermont—a state that never held slaves, and a descendant from the old puritan stock, the principle of equality was interwoven with my very nature; and when that decision came from the lips of Judge Harrington, that no evidence was sufficient for him to surrender his fellow-man to be a slave without a bill of sale from God Almighty, that set me thinking, and then and there I formed my creed. The eyes of the people in the New England states were opened on the subject. But how was it South. They made it the great paramount question. Henry Clay entered the army.—He was the champion of slavery. He then professed to be a democrat, adn under this leader, the battle of the Missouri Compromise was fought, the victory was won, humanity mourned, and virtue wept, whilst the boasted democracy, slavery, and hell itself, rejoiced in the triumph.
The federalists fought manfully, but were overpowered by numbers; for, remember there were no federalists South, as far as slavery was concerned, and bear in mind that it was slavery and democracy that did the hellish deed. I then became a federalist—a small, but a determined opponent of Henry Clay. We have both grown old, each remained unchanged. When it became necessary to save the ascendancy in the South, he then became a Whig, and was regularly installed the head of the Whig party. Calhoun became the head of the Democratic party, both heads being South. Slavery had everything its own way, and has finally crowned the climax in the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law. Is there any remedy for the slave or colored Americans? I see but one, and that is revolution. Sad and awful as it is, the thing will come. Would to God it might be a peaceable one. I have sometimes thought that the slaveholder, impelled by a sense of justice and fear of the judgment of an offended God, would undo their heavy burdens, and let the oppressed go free.
But there is little hope; and now let this question be asked every Northern man, and every man South who is not a slaveholder, Should the slaves of the United States strike for equality of rights, would you aid the oppressor or the oppressed? I have asked the question, and the universal response is, I will help the oppressed. The time will soon come when the slave need not fear the Northern bayonets. Then the tyrants of the South will fear and tremble. Arouse, then, from your lethargy, my colored friends. If you would be free, you must strike the blow. I close with an acrostic on Henry Clay.
Had you been true to freedom's cause,
E're this, you'd reached the height of fame;
No voice could hush the loud applause,
Resound it would through the domain,
Yes every voice would cry Amen.
Call not on fame to sing your praise,
Let [illegible] tell their tale,
A nation now in slavery lies,
Yet, [illegible], freedom must prevail.
Samuel Warren.
Crown [Point], April 19th, 1852.