promised forgiveness to his slave.

"Having a great desire to see the imported cattle on Henry
Clay's plantation, I went thither. On approaching the house I
saw a colored man, to whom I said, 'Where wert thou raised?' 'In
Washington.' 'Did Henry Clay buy thee there?' 'Wilt thou shew me
his improved cattle?' He pointed to the orchard, and said the
man who had charge of them was there. As I followed his
direction, I encountered a very intelligent-looking boy,
apparently eight or nine years old. I said to him, 'Canst thou
read?' 'No.' 'Is there a school for colored people on Henry
Clay's plantation?' 'No.' 'How old art thou?' 'Don't know.' In
the orchard I found a woman at work with her needle. I asked
'How old art thou?' 'A big fifty.' 'How old is that?' 'Near
sixty.' 'How many children hast thou?' 'Fifteen or sixteen.'
'Where are they?' 'Colored folks don't know where their children
is; they are sent all over the country.' 'Where wert thou
raised?' 'Washington.' 'Did Henry Clay buy thee there?' 'Yes.'
'How many children hadst thou then?' 'Four.' 'Where are they?'
'I don't know. They tell me they are dead.' The hut, in which
this '_source of wealth_' lives, was neither as good, nor as
well floored as my stable. Several slaves were picking fruit in
the orchard. I asked one of the young men whether they were
taught to read on this plantation, and he answered, 'No.' I
found the overseer of the cattle with a short handled stout
whip, which had been broken. He said it answered both for a
riding whip, and occasionally 'to whip off the slaves.'

"What, my friend, is to be learned from these gleanings at
Ashland?--from the doings of our mutual friend, Joseph John
Gurney's 'dear friend,' Henry Clay: the man who boasts that
'every pulsation of his heart beats high for liberty,' yet is
not ashamed to buy men and women at the Capitol!--that place
which, above all others, ought not to be cursed by the footsteps
of a slave. Yet I fear there are not wanting in the abolition
ranks men so wedded to political party, that they may be tempted
to vote for Henry Clay; serving their party and themselves
thereby, and perchance thinking they serve their country.

"Do not think Clay a sinner above all other men. His slaves
appeared to be well fed and well clothed. Indeed, the general
superiorit