Frederick Douglass, the Orator - Monroe County Library System

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection
42 LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS.
made a demand upon the governor of that state
for his detention and surrender to the Virginia
authorities. The following letter, which was
sent to Mr. Douglass by the historian, B. J. Lossing,
after the war, shows that he acted wisely at
the time in taking the advice of friends and thus
putting himself beyond the danger of apprehension
:—
(Confidential.)
To His Excellency, James Buchanan, President of the United
States, and to the Honorable Postmaster-General of the United
States :—
GENTLEMEN,—I have information such as has caused me,
upon proper affidavit, to make requisition upon the executive
of Michigan for the delivery up of the person of Frederick
Douglass, a negro man, supposed now to be in Michigan,
charged with murder, robbery, and inciting servile insurrection
in the state of Virginia. My agents for the arrest and reclamation
of the person so charged are Benjamin M. Morris and William
N. Kelly. The latter has the requisition, and will wait on
you to the end of obtaining nominal authority as post office
agent. They need be very secretive in this matter, and some
pretext for traveling through the dangerous section for the execution
of the law in this behalf, and some protection against
obtrusive, unruly, or lawless violence. If it be proper so to do,
will the postmaster-general be pleased to give to Mr. Kelly, for
each of these men, a permit and authority to act as detectives
for the post office department, without pay, but to pass and repass
without question, delay, or hindrance ?
Respectfully submitted by
Your obedient servant,
HENRY A. WISE.
It was evident that Mr. Douglass could not
hope for a fair trial before a Virginia jury. He