William Whipper to Frederick Douglass, May 3, 1852
Letter from William Whipper.
Frederick Douglass:—
The telegraphic reports furnished you with the account of an alleged "Slave Case at Columbia," and its consequences under the Fugitive Slave Law. It was probably one of the best illustrations of that law, the constitutionality of which is regarded by the great expounder, as being "unquestionable." It was a decision given by Officer Ridgley, of Baltimore, in favor of the alleged slave, and against the interest of the master. In favor of the slave, because it was better to deprive him of his life, than his liberty. Let no one be intimidated by the example! It is heroic, and should command the highest admiration.—Let others do likewise. Let them say to the slaveholder, the pound of flesh is yours; by the claims of your constitutional laws, take it; but the living spirit then animates it, is mine, by all laws—natural and divine. You cannot either possess or control it—it shall return to the God who gave it.
It was against the interest of the claimant, because it was an act of emancipation without compensation. All the former theories of freeing the slaves, has met with but little favor from the North; I wonder if "bullet emancipation" will be less objectionable.—The whole drama was performed in a true spirit of loyalty to the Constitution; no one interfered, to prevent the arrest. The alleged slave, with an officer at each side, holding his arms, formed a trinity that would have warmed the hearts of many Rev. Divines, so that they would have exclaimed, O Lord, Thy will be done. The alleged slave moved but slow, and the officer shot him in the head, to quicken his step. He fell lifeless, and the officers walked away coolly, and pursued their course to the homes, unmolested. This was done at about 3 o'clock, P.M.
Thus the Constitution and Compromise measures" have been vindicated and made a finality.["] Let not the South hereafter doubt the loyalty of Pennsylvania to the perpetuity of the Union, or assert that she is unwilling to stand by the pacificatory measures as a final adjustment of the slave question.
I am desirous to know whether it is constitutional for slaveholders and their officers, when they shoot down their slaves on the soil of a free State, to leave them to be food for vermin or rot on the soil, and produce a stench in the nostrils of the physical and moral world, without making the necessary arrangements for their interment. Will you have the goodness to ask Daniel Webster, or some one whose qualifications are adequate to the task—who is in the possession of a human soul.
If he was guided by the dictates of humanity in his choice of evils, I honor his sagacity, and hope that if he is ever arrainged before a jury of his countrymen, they will not regard him as having committed the highest outrages against suffering humanity.
I have delayed this to await the publication of the testimony which you will find in the Columbia Spy, which I will send to-morrow. I felt anxious to give a true representation, and I find that I have nothing to alter, or take back.
William Whipper.
Columbia, May 3, 1852.