ndeed,
considering Jefferson's ardent friendship for him and his admiration
and approval of his early anti-slavery labors in Virginia, which
antedated the Ordinance of 1787 by several years, there is but little
doubt but that your father's labors were a factor of influence which
quickened if it did not suggest to Jefferson the original purpose
which finally resulted in putting the original clause in the
Ordinance.

This matter assumes a phase of personal interest with me, and I find
myself, politically, in the good company of Jefferson and your father.
With them, everything turned on whether the people of the territory
wanted slavery or not. Harrison and his council had informed Congress
that the people desired it; but Jefferson and Lemen doubted it, and
when the latter assisted in sending in great anti-slavery petitions,
Jefferson's friends in Congress granted the people their wish, and
denied Harrison's pro-slavery demands. That is, the voice and wishes
of the people in the territory were heard and respected, and that
appears to me to be the correct doctrine.

Should you or your family approve it, I would suggest that the facts
of the "Jefferson-Lemen Anti-Slavery Pact" be fully written up and
arranged for publication, since they embrace some exceedingly
important state and national history, and, in fact, will necessitate a
new or larger personal history of Jefferson, as these facts will add
another splendid chapter to the great story of his marvellous career.
If you think the publication of Jefferson's letters and suggestions to
your father would rather tend to dwarf the legitimate importance of
his great religious movement in the formation of our early churches,
on account of the wonderful political results of the "anti-slavery
pact" it would be sufficient to command belief everywhere just to
simply state that in his anti-slavery mission and contest he acted
under Jefferson's advice {p.48} and help; because the consequences
were so important and far reaching that it is self-evident he must
have had some great and all-prevailing power behind him.

I was greatly pained to learn of your illness, in your last letter,
but hope this will find you comfortable.

Yours in confidence,
S. A. DOUGLAS.

I wrote this letter in Springfield, but by an over-sight neglected to
mail it there. But if you write me in a fortnight, direct to
Springfield, as I expect t