Proceedings Of The New England Anti Slavery Convention Held In Boston On The 27th 28th And 29th Of May 1834 PDF Download

Excerpt from Proceedings of the New-England Anti-Slavery Convention, Held in Boston on the 27th, 28th and 29th of May, 1834 I duly received your very kind nnd welcome louer, of the olst iik., and fully acknowledge tlie propriety o!an apolorry for this delay of any reply, but at present will only suggest, that it did not cuianatc from an absence of grateful respect to yourself and the Society, wiiicli is so happy in the selection of a Ilecording Secretary. Permit me to express a regret, that tlie same sagacity had not influenced the election of a President, which, however flattering and gratifying to rne, would by near locality of situation, have rendered the choice more auspicious to the Society. As far as respects zeal, in this truly (christian cause, I feel tenacious of some favorable notice of its friends, and thank them and yourself, for the kind invitation of a visit to Boston, which, if my life is continued, I hope to enjoy; hut during the ensuing month, I have business to transact in this town and Provid -ncc, which admits of no prccrastination. In addition to tliis, my very venerable friend, Moses Brow.v, of Providence, (personally known to our friend Mr. Garrison, ) has signified his wish that I should, some time in May, attend to revive a Society, instituted many years since, to aid in the abolition of tlie Slave Trade and Slavery: in order that the recently instituted Abolition Society in that city, should unite with the proposed renovated Society. It will rherfforc be very inconvenient, if not impracticable, to attfnd the propos dmeeting of your Socioty in Boston. I perfectly accord in opinion with you on the imi ortance of a dying testimony to the religiously correct faith in ihe prompt nnd immediate abolition of Slavery. During tlie discussion of the Slave Trade (iu stion, in tlie British Parliament, I observed that the argnmr-nts oppospd to that nefarious traflic. would in general npoly with equal force and propriety to the no less moral turpitude of existing Sjnvery. On the introduction of a motion fir the grndnal nliolition of Slavery, the celebritod Mr. Pitt rejoicrd that tlie debnt ! iind takon a turn whicli contracted the nuostion into narrow limits the matter then in dispute was mfrejy the time at which the AI)oliti()n should taki place. Why ought it to be abolished at nil? because it is an incurable injustice a moral evil bow mucii stronger then, is tlie argument forimmi diate than gradual nbolilioii if, on the ground of Rmoral evil, it is to be abolished at last, why ou riif it. nf, t i, f)w? Why ! injii tice to be Huirered to roinain for a sin?hliour Pie. Mr. nnrko declared that all men who desire liberty dpservn it it Ih not the reward of oiir merit, or tli - acrpiisition of our industry, it is our inheritance, it is the birth right of our specief. Slavery is a state so improper, so degrading and so ruinous to the feelings and capacities of human nature, that it ought not to be suffered to exist. To the hcmor of the British Prelates, they exhibited the most decisive testimony against the detestable practice. Bishop Porteus said The Christian Religion is opposed to Slavery in its spirit and in its principles: it classes men-stcalers among murderers of fiithers and mothers, and among the most profane criminals upon earth. Bishop Ilorseley declared that Slavery is injustice vhich no consideration of policy could extenuate. The Bishop of St. David said, Slavery ought to be abolished, because it is inconsistent with tiie will of God. Bishop Peekard pronounced the trade a dreadful pre-eminence in guilt. Dr. Price, who was a distinguisiied friend to the American Revolution, says in reference to that event The negro trade cannot bo censured in language too severe; it is a traffic shocking to humanity, cruel, wicked, and diabolical. I am happy that the United States are entering into measures for discountenancing it, and for abolishing the odious Slavery (mistake) which it has introduced: till they have .