On 6 April 1846, Douglass lectured at an antislavery meeting at the Secession Church, Abbey Close, in Paisley, Scotland. Among the topics he addressed was the diplomatic controversy between Great Britain and the United States over the Creole case. Like Joshua Giddings, William Ellery Channing, and William Jay, he feared that slave interests were driving U.S. politics. The speech was reported in the 11 April 1846 issue of the Renfrewshire Advertiser; the selection below, like the previous one, is taken from volume 1 of The Frederick Douglass Papers, which draws on the printing in the Advertiser.
The Northern States are but the tools of slaveholders; a man belonging to the Free States cannot go into the Southern or Slaveholding States, although the law says he shall enjoy equal rights in all states, he cannot go into these states with the Declaration in one hand and the word of God in the other to declare the rights of all men, but he makes himself liable to be hung at the first lamp post. People talk here of the political rights enjoyed by the Americans, suffrage, &c. I admit that they enjoy the suffrage to a considerable extent. Who are the voters of America? The slaves of slaves. Our history shows the entire power of government to have been under the domination of slavery. It has elected our President, our senators, &c., and one of the first duties of our minister was to negotiate with Britain for the return to bondage of Maddison Washington,1 who braved the dangers of the deep; who, with one mighty effort, burst asunder the chains of one hundred and thirty-five fellow men, and after much fatigue and many severe struggles, steered them into a British port, and there found shelter under the British lion. Our whole country was thrown into confusion by the fact of him liberating himself and so many of his brethren, and Britain thus aiding them in their emancipation. I can well remember the speeches of Messrs. Clay, Calhoun,2 Webster, and others, on that occasion. Mr. Clay called attention to a most appalling occurrence on the high seas, and a breach of that law between nation and nation, &c.; but now Maddison Washington and his compeers are treading upon British soil, they have fled from a republican government and have chosen a monarchical, and are basking under the free sun amid the free hills and valleys of a free monarchical country.