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- GLC#
- GLC00509
- Type
- Letters
- Date
- August 28, 1823
- Author/Creator
- Clay, Henry, 1777-1852
- Title
- to Thomas I. Wharton
- Place Written
- Ashland, Kentucky
- Pagination
- 4 p. : Height: 26 cm, Width: 20 cm
- Language
- English
- Primary time period
- National Expansion and Reform, 1815-1860
- Sub-Era
- Slavery & Anti-slavery
Henry Clay discusses his position in favoring emancipation 25 years earlier and how his continuing feelings defeated him at the polls several times due to the interest and demand of continuing to enslave people. He writes, "My opinion is unchanged...the African portion of the community is not so large as to make any hazard to the purity & safety of Society by a gradual and prepared emancipation of the offspring." Also discusses the political situation especially as it was affecting his first candidacy for president in the 1824 presidential election. He assesses the support he might have and mentions his opponents Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams. He writes that some of Jackson's supporters are coming over to him.
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