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Edwin W. Clarke to Gerrit Smith Oswego, April 11, 1840 Gerrit Smith Papers, Syracuse University Oswego Apl [sic] 11, 1840 Dear Br. Smith Your letter to Mr. Brown & myself was rec'd [sic] in Mr. B's absence by his Clerk and did not come to my hand till the second day after that on Wednesday evening. On Thursday afternoon I went to Schroeppel and got the affidavit of James Watkins Seward's mother & uncle, and gained from his family some needful information, which will much assist in identifying him. I obtained an affidavit of Widow [?] Tibbitts late keeper of the Welland house who has known James from his birth. Also another from Mr. Robinson and one from Mr. [Mrs.?] Newkirk of this village who knew him in infancy and testified to the credibility of his mother. I also made affidavit of my acquaintance with James &c. Mrs. Mason his mother described marks by which he cannot fail to be identified. I procured and appended to the affidavits a letter of James to his mother which shows that the postscript to Mr. Robinson's letter is his hand writing. I then drew up a short memorial to Governor Seward requesting him to demand the release of James & provented [?] to it the signatures of about 50 of the most respectable citizens of Fulton and this village of all parties, among whom were Mr. Fitzhugh[.], James Platt[,] G.H. McWhorter[,] Alvin Bronson[,] J.B. Crocker[,] S.B. Ludlow[,][,] L. Babcock[,] Judge Hugunin[,] Jno. G. Stower[,] Eric [?] Poor &c. T. Beekman declined requesting the Governor to demand the release of James. He would be willing to ask him "to open a correspondence with the Governor of Louisiana in relation to the imprisonment of James," but don't [sic] like irritating language. T.S. Morgan thinks that if James went there for the purpose of influencing the slaves, he ought to take the consequencesand suffer for it. The distress of Amos Mason's family, upon learning of the arrest of James, could not have been more poignant if he had been dead. His sisters particularly refused to be comforted. His mother and aged Grandmother exhibited most sweetly the heavenly resignation of those who have long been accustomed to lay all their cares and afflictions on the arm of a present comforting Saviour. They requested brother Gilbert (who accompanied me to their house) and myself to go with them to the Mercy Seat. The distress created much sensation at Fulton where Jas [sic] was well known and respectedand more than one man expressed his determination for the future not only to pray against slavery but to vote also. I wrote a long letter to Governor Seward agreeably to your suggestions referring him to the several [calum?] names [?] of which you speak. Mr. Lewis Falley is going to be in Albany on Tuesday next and will have an interview with the Governor. A cousin of James is a female servant in the family of Governor Seward and James himself has been at his house several times. There are some men who think that the Governor has no authority to do that which we ask him to do, that Louisiana has a right to pass such municipal regulations as she pleases, to which all strangers must submit. I trust however the Governor will not have such scruples. Some men's scruples are all strangely on the side of the oppressor. I have mailed the package to Gov. Seward this day. Could not get the papers all ready for last night's mail. It will reach Albany on Monday evening. I have thus detailed to you the manner in which I have executed the commission of humanity which you assigned me. I know you will be anxious to learn the result. I have requested Mr. Seward to inform me early of the course he determines to pursue. I have copies of all the affidavitsthe Memorial letters &c from which I design to make a statement for publication. Whatever may be the event [?] of this affair I trust it may be made to subserve [?] the cause of Liberty. Yours for the bounden Edwin W. Clarke Sunday 4 P.M. I have just recd a letter from Amos Mason step father of James, who says that he has recd a letter from T.S. Wright of NY requesting affidavits like those we have made to be used on an application to be made by the vigilance committee of NY to Gov Seward. James details other circumstances of deep interest, to wit, that he was arrested just as he was going on board his Steamboat for Cincinnati, that his white friends from the North have testified to his freedom but without avail, and that he is employed in labour on the public streets in Chains!!! The cold indifference with which most of our great men hear the recital of such wrongs tells how widely the spirit of oppression pervades the bosom of men who imagine and call themselves free. E.W.C. |