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2.7-
DECLARATION OF SENTIMENTS
AND
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
C*
PHILADELPHIA:
PUBLISHED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY.
1861.
:
DECLARATION OF SENTIMENTS
AND
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
s
dvm
PHILADELPHIA
THE PENNSYLVANIA ANTI-SLAVERY
18G1.
SOCIETY.
DECLARATION OF SENTIMENTS
AMERICAN ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY.
ADOPTED AT THE FORMATION OF SAID SOCIETY,
PHILADELPHIA, ON
IN
THE 4TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 1833.
The Convention, assembled
in the city of
Philadelphia, to organize a National Anti-Sla-
very Society, promptly
seize the opportunity
promulgate the following Declaration of
to
Sentiments, as cherished by them, in relation
to the
enslavement of one sixth portion of the
American
people.
More than
since a
fifty-seven
band of
to devise
patriots
years have elapsed
convened in
this place
measures for the deliverance of this
The
country from a foreign yoke.
corner-stone
upon which they founded the Temple of Freedom was broadly
ted
this
—" that
equal; that they are
all
men
are crea-
endowed by
Creator with certain inalienable rights
their
;
that
[
among
I
]
pursuit
Liberty, and the
these ai^ife,
their tromprtAi the sound of
harness."
f
rose up as from
millions of people
stnfe of
and rushed to the
the 8leep of death,
glorious to die mstant-
1,^
blood; deeming
U
as
desirable to
than
freemen,
hour as
more
it
They were few
slaves.
in
l.v
one
number-
conviction
but the honest
poor in resources;
their
and Eight were on
that Tint.., Jusitk.
made them invincible.
We have met together for
side,
of an
the achievement
of our
without which that
and which, for its magrn-
enterprise
fathers is incomplete,
tude, solemnity,
upon the
and probable results
theirs
as far transcends
destiny of the world,
troth docs physical force.
as moral
of zeal,
ot motive, in earnestness
p lir i ty
in intrepidity of action,
indecision of purpose,
of spirit,
of faith, in sincerity
in steadfastness
,„
uv would
Th ir
n..t
be inferior to them.
principles led
their oppressors,
them
and to
spill
free.
„ater, in order to be
in „
f evil that
g
to
wage war against
human
blood like
Ours forbid the do-
Imaj come, and lead us to
—
[
reject,
and
the use of
5
]
to entreat the oppressed to reject,
all
from bondage
carnal weapons lor deliverance
;
relying solely upon those which
are spiritual and mighty through
pulling
down
God
to the
of strongholds.
Their measures were physical resistance-—
the marshalling in arms
the mortal encounter.
as the opposition of
— the
hostile array
Ours shall be such only
moral purity to moral cor-
ruption—the destruction of error by the potency-
of truth
— the overthrow of prejudice by the
power of love
—and the
abolition of slavery
by
the spirit of repentance.
Their grievances, great
trilling in
ferings
as they were,
were
comparison with the wrongs and
of those
for
whom we
fathers were never slaves
sold like cattle
— never
—never
plead.
suf-
Our
bought and
shut out from the light
of knowledge and religion
— never subjected
to
the lash of brutal taskmasters.
But those
striving
least
for
whose emancipation we are
— constituting,
at the
present time, at
one sixth part of our countrymen
— are
6
[
|
by the law, and treated by their
•gtiized
marketable commodities, as
fellow-beings, aa
goods and chattels, as brute beasts; are plundered daily of the fruits of their toil, without
redress
—
outrages
of
upon
their
persons; are ruthlessly
the
arms
mother— the heart-broken
wife
asunder— the tender babe from
frantic
its
from her weeping
husband—at
For the
tyrants.
irresponsible
of
crime
bavin- a dark complexion, they
<»t'
fer the
and the ignominy of brutal servitude.
in
suf-
infliction of stripes,
pangs of hunger, the
kept
or
the caprice
pleasure
are
nor
protection from licentious and murderous
I
torn
really enjoying no constitutional
They
heathenish darkness by laws ex-
pressly enacted
to
make
instruction
their
a
criminal offence.
These are
tli."
the prominent circumstances in
condition of more than two millions of our
pc.plc. the
proof of which
thousands of indisputable
may
be found in
and
in the
laws
view of the
civil
facts,
of the slaveholding States.
Hence we maintain, that
in
7
[
and
of
]
religious privileges of this nation, the guilt
its
oppression
is
unequalled by any other on
the face of the earth
That
bound
it is
;
and, therefore,
to repent instantly, to
undo
the heavy burdens, to break every yoke, and
to let the oppressed
We
right
go
free.
man
further maintain, that no
has*
enslave or imbrute his brother
to
a
— to
hold or acknowledge him, for one moment, as
a piece of merchandize
by fraud
— to
keep back his hire
— or to brutalize his
him the means of
mind by denying
intellectual, social,
and moral
improvement.
The
right to enjoy liberty
invade
vah.
—to
it is
to
is
the products of his
labor
own body
— to the pro-
common advantages
It is piracy to
buy or steal a native
and
African, and subject
is
own
to his
to the
tection of law,
the sin
To
usurp the prerogative of Jeho-
Every man has a right
of society.
inalienable.
as great
him
to servitude.
to enslave
Surely
an American as
an African.
Therefore,
wo
believe and affirm,
That there
L
8
1
.;„/,
between the AfriDew
mprmtufU,
no
„ difference,
is
and American
riavery.
can slave-trade
a
citizen who retams
That every American
as to
involuntary bondage
hnman
being in
pro perty )
a
is,accnrdingtoScriptnre(E X
.
X x1 .16)
MAN-STEALER.
be set
ought instantly to
Tha1 the 8lavea
protection of law.
brought under the
free and
from the time of PhaThat if they lived
and had been
the present period,
raoh
down
to
their
successive generations,
entailed through
ribt
never
to be free could
but
tedj
vi>ru
iii
Thai
their claims
have been
aliena-
would have constantly
solemnity.
all
those Laws which arc
Emitting the
right
in force
of slavery, are therefore
utterly null
1m ,
now
and void; Wing an au-
the Divine prerogative,
daciou8 usurpation of
on the law of nature, a
a daring infringement
very foundations of the
base overthrow of the
the
compact, a complete extinction of all
ial
relations,
endearments, and obligations of man-
transgression of
kind, and u presumptuous
all
—
9
[
the holy
]
commandments; and
that, therefore,
they ought instantly to be abrogated.
We
sons
further believe and affirm
who
of color
—That
all per-
possess the qualifications
which are demanded of
others,
ought
to be ad-
mitted forthwith to the enjoyment of the same
privileges,
and the exercise of the same
rogatives, as
preferment,
others
;
and that the paths of
wealth,
of
pre-
and of
intelligence,
should be opened as widely to them as to persons of a white complexion.
We
maintain that no compensation should
be given
to the
planters
emancipating the
slaves
Because
it
would be a surrender of the great
man
fundamental principle that
property in
man
;
Because slavery
IS
cannot hold
is
a crime, and therefore
NOT AN ARTICLE TO BE SOLD
;
Because the holders of slaves are not the
just proprietors of what they
the slaves
is
but restoring
claim; freeing
not depriving them of property,
it
to its rightful
owners;
it is
not
10
]
I
wronging the master, but righting the slaverestoring
him
to himself;
Because immediate and general emancipation
would only destroy nominal, not real property ;
it
would not amputate a limb or break a bone
of the slaves
:
but,
by infusing motives into
would make them doubly valuaand
the masters as free laborers
their breasts,
ble to
;
Because,
all, it
if
compensation
is
to be given at
should be given to the outraged and
guiltless slaves,
and not
to those
who have
plundered and abused them.
We regard
as delusive, cruel,
and dangerous,
any scheme of expatriation which pretends to
aid. either directly or indirectly, in the emancipation of the slaves, or to be a substitute for
the immediate and
We
-
ly
fully
total abolition of slavery.
and unanimously recognize the
>vereignty of each State to legislate exclusive-
on the subjecl of the slavery which
ated within
gress,
under
its
//"
limits;
we concede
is
toler-
that Con-
present national compact, has no
right to interfere with
in relation to this
any of the Slave States
momentous
subject.
[
11
J
But we maintain that Congress has a
and
is
right,
solemnly bound, to suppress the domes-
tie slave-trade
between the several
States,
and
to abolish slavery in those portions of our ter-
ritory
its
which the Constitution has placed under
exclusive jurisdiction.
We
also
maintain that there
are, at the pres-
ent time, the highest obligations resting upon
the people of the free States to remove slavery
by moral and
political action, as prescribed in
the Constitution of the United States.
are
now
They
living under a pledge of their tremen-
dous physical
force, to fasten
the galling fetters
of tyranny upon the limbs of millions in the
Southern States
at
any moment
they are liable to be called
;
to suppress a general insurrec-
tion of the slaves
owner
to vote
on
;
they authorize the slave-
three-fifths of his
property, and thus enable
his oppression
at the
South
the slave
;
him
slaves
as
to perpetuate
they support a standing army
for its protection
who has
;
and they
seize
escaped into their territories,
and send him back
to
be tortured by an en.
raged master or a brutal driver.
This relation
12
[
to slavery
is
criminal
MUST BE BROKEN
j
and
full
of danger
it
UP,
These are our views and principles
With
our designs and measures.
dence in
:
— these
entire confi-
the overruling justice of God,
we
plant ourselves upon the Declaration of our
Independence and the truths of Divine Revelation, as
We
upon the Everlasting Rock.
shall organize Anti-Slavery Societies, if
3ible, in
every city, town, and village
in
our
land.
We
shall send forth agents to
lift
up the
voice of remonstrance, of warning, of entreaty,
and rebuke.
We
shall circulate, unsparingly
sively, anti-.slavery tracts
We
shall enlist
and
the pulpit
and exten-
periodicals.
and the press in
the cause of the suffering and the
dumb.
We shall aim at a purification of the churches
from
all
We
participation
shall
in the guilt of slavery.
encourage the labor of freemen
rather than that of
.slaves,
by giving a
prefer-
ence to their productions; and
We
shall spare
no exertions nor means to
—
18
[
J
bring the whole nation to speedy repentance.
Our
may
trust for victory
solely in God.
Wt
be personally defeated, but our principles,
never.
Truth, Justice, Reason, Humanity,
must and
host
is
is
will gloriously triumph.
coming up
to
the
Already a
help of the Lord
against the mighty, and the prospect before us
is full
of encouragement.
Submitting this Declaration to the candid
examination of the people of
this country,
and
of the friends of liberty throughout the world,
we hereby
affix
our signatures to
it
;
pledging
ourselves that, under the guidance and by the
help of Almighty God,
us
lies,
we
consistently with
will
this
do
all
that in
Declaration of
our principles, to overthrow the most execrable system of slavery that has ever been wit-
—
curse —
nessed upon earth
its
deadliest
which
and
rests
deliver our land from
to
to
wipe out the foulest stain
upon our national escutcheon
to secure to the colored population
United States
which belong
to
all
the
them
rights
as
of the
and privileges
men and
as
Amen-
[
cans
w
— come what may
terests, or
j
to our persons,
our reputation
—whether we
our
in-
live to
witness the triumph of liberty, justice, and
HUMANITY, or perish untimely as martyrs in
this great, benevolent,
Done
1833.
I).
Maine.
DAVID TI1URST0N,
NATHAN WINSLOW,
JOSEPH SOUTHWICK,
JAMES FREDERIC OTIS,
IS VAC WINSLOW.
Hampshire.
« \\
DAVID CAME-BELL.
MURRAY.
8.
Massac h u setts.
DAKIEL S. 80UTI1MAYD,
EFFINGHAM
CAPRON,
1.
In-Ill
\
AMOS
A.
.JOHN
G.
\'ew .Jersey.
JONATHAN PARKHURST,
CHALKLEY GILLINGHAM
JOHN M'CULLOUGH,
JAMES WHITE.
LV
WAKEFIELD,
BARB I DOES,
DAVID T KIMBALL, JR.,
DANIEL E. JEW ITT.
JOHN K CAMIiLI.L.
M LTH VNIKI. SOUTHARD,
kRNOLD Bl III V.
WILLIAM
GARRISON.
P.
1..
Rhode
Island.
JOHN PRENTICE,
GEORGE W. BENSON,
.i
-
,1
AS
M'CRl MMILL.
THOMAS SHIPLEY,
BARTH'W FUSSELL,
DAVID JONES,
ENOCH MACK.
M. M KIM,
.1.
AARON VICKERS,
JAMES l.ol GHEAD,
EDWIN
ATLEE,
•io||\
M\V.
KINGSLEY,
IDW IN A. STII.LM \->
SIMEON g JOCELYN,
ROBERT B. M ML.
LEWIS,
EDWIN A. ATLEE,
ROBERT PURVIS,
1'.
Connecticut.
SAMUEL
\.\
tiiom \< wnrrsoN,
\Y r .Till;,
i
IN FROST.
.!( II
Pennsylvania.
PHELPS,
WIMTTIKR,
i
ai rill
RANKIN,
WILLIAM GREEN, JR.
A lilt AM L. COX,
WILLIAM GOODELL,
EL1ZUR WRIGHT, .1R.
.KiIIX
COFFIN,
IIOR ICE
\Ml- Q
i:
New York.
BERIAH GREEN, JR.
LEWIS TAP PAN,
CHARLES W. DENISON,
Vermont,
ORSON
6th day
at Philadelphia, the
cember, A.
\
and holy cause.
.
u.
SLEEPER,
JOHN SHARP, JR.
JAMES MOTT,
Ohio.
JOHN M. STERLING,
MILTON SUTLTI
LEVI 8UTLIFF.
F,
of De-
kiOTIHIW
nuriuui ^nfi-.Slnbtf!) Societg
.i
FORMED
IN
Whereas
one blood
PHILADELPHIA, DECEMBER 4TH, 1833.
the
all
Most High God
hath made of
nations of men to dwell on
face of the earth/'
to
"
all
the
and hath commanded them
love their neighbors
as themselves;
whereas, our National existence
is
and
based upon
the Declaration
this principle, as recognized in
" that
of Independence,
all
ted equal, and that they are
mankind
are crea-
endowed by
Creator with certain inalienable rights,
which are
life,
liberty,
their
among
and the pursuit of hap-
of nearly
piness;" and whereas, after the lapse
of the
sixty years, since the faith and honor
American people were pledged
to this
avowal.
i6
r
i
Almighty God and the World, nearly
before
one-sixth part of the nation are held in bond-
age
by
their
fellow-citizens
;
and
whereas,
is
contrary to the principles of natural
justice, of
our republican form of government,
Slavery
and of the Christian
religion,
and
destructive
is
of the prosperity of the country, while
en-
it is
dangering the peace, union, and liberties of the
States
and
;
and whereas, we believe
interest of the
masters
the duty
it
immediately to
emancipate their slaves, and that no scheme of
by compul-
expatriation, either voluntary or
sion,
can remove this great and increasing evil
and whereas, we believe that
by appeals
ests of the
practicable,
it is
to the consciences, hearts,
people, to
awaken a
and
inter-
public senti-
ment throughout the nation that
will be op-
posed to the continuance of Slavery
in
of the Republic, and
any part
by effecting the speedy
abolition of Slavery, prevent a general convulsion;
and whereas, we believe we owe
the oppressed, to our fellow-citizens
slaves, to our
whole country,
who
to posterity,
it
to
hold
and
—
[
to
God, to do
all
that
17
is
]
lawfully in our power
about the extinction of Slavery, we
to bring
on
do hereby agree, with a prayerful reliance
Society,
the Divine aid, to form ourselves into a
be governed by the following Constitution
:
to
Article
I.
American
This Society shall be called the
Anti-Slavery Society.
Article
II.
object of this Society
The
is
the
entire
States.
abolition of Slavery in the United
shall
aim
to
convince
arguments addressed
all
It
our fellow citizens, by
to their understandings
is a heinous
and consciences, that Slaveholding
the duty,
crime in the sight of God, and that
safety,
quire
and best
its
interests of all concerned, re-
immediate abandonment, without exThe Society will also endeavor, in
patriation.
influence Congress to
a constitutional way, to
trade, and to
put an end to the domestic Slave
portions of our
abolish Slavery in all those
common
country which come under
its
control,
18
[
especially in
]
the District of Columbia,
likewise to prevent the extension of
State that
may
it
— and
to
any
be hereafter admitted to the
Union,
Article
This Society shall aim
III.
to
elevate the char-
of the people of color,
acter and condition
encouraging their intellectual, moral, and
gious
by
reli-
improvement, and by removing public
they may, according to
thus
prejudice, that
and moral worth, share an
their intellectual
equality with the whites, of civil and religious
privileges; but this Society will never, in
any
way, countenance the oppressed in vindicating their rights
by resorting to physical
force.
Article IV.
Any
person
who
this Constitution,
consents to the principles of
who
of this Society, and
be
a
member
is
contributes to the funds
not a Slaveholder,
may
of this Society, and shall be en-
titled to vote at the
meetings.
C
19
]
Article
The
officers
V.
of this Society shall be a Presi-
Recording Secretary,
dent, Vice-Presidents, a
Corresponding Secretaries, a Treasurer, and an
Executive Committee of not
less
than
five
nor
more than twelve members.
Article VI.
The Executive Committee
to enact their
their
own by-laws,
body and
shall
fill
have power
any vacancy
in the offices of Secretary
Treasurer, employ
agents,
compensation shall be paid
and
what
determine
to agents,
in
and
to
the Corresponding Secretaries, direct the Treas-
urer in the application of
special meetings
moneys, and
of the Society.
make arrangements
ciety,
all
for all
make an annual
They
shall
meetings of the So-
written report of their
doings, the expenditures and funds of the
ciety,
and
call
shall hold stated meetings,
So-
and adopt
the most energetic measures in their power to
advance the objects of the Society.
They
20
[
may,
if
they shall see
Assistant Managers,
]
appoint a Board of
fit,
composed of not
less
than
three nor more than seven persons residing in
New York
City or
its
vicinity,
whose duty
be to render such assistance to the
.shall
it
Com-
mittee in conducting the affairs of the Society
as the exigencies of the cause
this
may from
Board they
own powers
such of their
may
require.
To
time to time confide
as they
may deem
necessary to the efficient conduct of the Soci"
The Board
ety's business.
of
keep a record
proceedings, and furnish a copy of the
its
same
shall
for the
often as
information of the Committee, as
may
be required.
Article Vll.
The
President shall preside at all meetings
of the Society, or, in his absence, one
of the
Vice-Presidents, or, in their absence, a Presi-
dent
/j/^
tern.
The Corresponding
shall conducl the
The Recording
Secretaries
correspondence of the Society.
Secretary shall notify all meet-
ings of the Society, and of the
Executive Com-
[
mittee,
21
]
and shall keep records of the same
in
separate books.
The Treasurer
shall collect
the subscriptions,
make payments
at the direc-
tion of the
Executive Committee, and present
a written and audited account to accompany
the annual report.
Article VIII.
The Annual Meeting
of the Society shall be
held each year at such time and place as the
Executive Committee
may
direct,
when
the
accounts of the Treasurer shall be presented,
the annual report read, appropriate addresses
delivered, the officers chosen,
and such other
business transacted as shall be
deemed expedi-
ent.
Article IX.
Any
Anti-Slavery Society or Association,
founded on the same principles,
auxiliary to this Society.
The
Auxiliary Society shall be ex
may become
officers
officio
of each
members
of the Parent Institution, and shall be entitled
I
to deliberate
its
22
and vote
1
the transactions of
in
concerns.
Article X.
This Constitution
may
be amended, at any
annual meeting of the Society, by a vote of
two-thirds of the
the
members
present, provided
amend inents proposed have been previously
submitted, in writing, to the Executive
mittee.
Com-
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