,the year of jubilee2 but not to        
,africans3 a discourse1 delivered ,july 
#dth1 #ahbe1 being the #dith anniversary
 of ,american independence              
----------------------------------------
--------------------------------        
,,the                                   
,,year ,,of ,,jubilee2                  
,,but ,,not ,,to ,,africans3            
,a ,discourse1                          
,,delivered ,,july #d,,th1 #ahbe1       
,,being ,,the #di,,th ,,anniversary ,,of
 ,,american ,,independence4             
,,by ,,nathaniel ,s4 ,,prime1           
,pastor of the ,first ,presbyterian     
,church1 in ,cambridge1 ,n4 ,y4         
,,salem1 ,n4 ,y4                        
,,printed ,,by ,,dodd ,,and ,,stevenson4
                                        
#ahbe4                                  
----------------------------------------
--------------------------------        
,,to ,,the ,,reader4      ,though no    
apology for the present publication1 or 
for the form in which  it appears1 will 

be attempted1 yet it may not be improper
 or  uninteresting to state a few facts 
relating to its origin4    ,the author  
has been in the habit1 for a number of  
years past1 of  celebrating the         
anniversary of our ,independence with   
public worship in  his own congregation4
 ,previous to the last #dth of ,july1   
notice to that  effect was given1 and at
 the same time it was stated that the   
subject of  discourse would be--not     
,american ,liberty1 but--,american      
,slavery3 in  connexion with which1 the 
object and operations of 8,the ,american
  ,colonization ,society0 would be      
brought into view1 and its claims upon  
publick patronage defended and urged4 ,a
 similar notice was sent to the  other  
congregations in this place with an     
invitation to attend4    ,to a very     
respectable audience1 thus convened1 the
 following discourse  was delivered1 and
 a contribution taken up in aid of the  
,colonization  ,society4    ,at the     
close of the service1 a meeting was     

organized1 of which the  following are  
the minutes3    8,the ,hon4 ,john       
,m',lean was chosen ,chairman1 and      
,gerrit ,wendell1  ,secretary4    8,the 
following resolutions were then         
unanimously adopted4    8,resolved1     
,that it is expedient and proper1 in the
 view of this  meeting1 hereafter to    
celebrate the anniversary of our        
,national  ,independence with religious 
exercises4    8,resolved1 ,that ,messrs4
 ,john ,ashton1 ,sidney ,wells and ,dr4 
,matthew  ,stevenson be a committee to  
make arrangements for the next          
anniversary1  by designating the place  
of meeting1 and procuring a speaker for 
the  occasion40    8,on motion of ,mr4  
,ashton1 seconded by ,sidney            
,wells1--,resolved that  the ,rev4 ,mr4 
,prime be requested to furnish for the  
press1 a copy of  the ,address delivered
 by him this day1 and that the above    
mentioned  committee be authorized to   
adopt the necessary measures to procure 
its  publication40    ,although the     

proposal of the last resolution was     
totally unexpected to  the author1 yet  
he is willing frankly to acknowledge    
that its adoption  was extremely        
grateful to his feelings2 not only as an
 explicit approval  of the sentiments   
which had been delivered1 expressed by  
many of his own  congregation and       
others1 whose judgment he highly        
reveres2 but also as  affording the     
sanction of their authority in          
proclaiming them to the  world4 ,and1   
that it might have the full influence of
 that authority1 the  address is        
printed1 with the exception of a few    
verbal corrections1 and  the addition of
 two notes1 precisely as it was         
delivered4    ,the author cannot say    
that the views exhibited are the result 
of any new  convictions in his own mind4
 ,though he was familiar with slavery   
from  his birth1 yet from his earliest  
recollection1 it was revolting to his   
feelings2 and the first emotion of      
humanity that left an indelible         

impression on his memory1 was that of   
commisseration for the degraded         
condition of a negro child about two    
years younger than himself2 and  from   
that moment1 he never felt at rest on   
the subject1 till the last  vestige of  
the evil was removed from his parental  
dwelling4 ,the same  sentiments with    
respect to the universal guilt1 and     
consequent danger of  the ,american     
people1 he has entertained ever since he
 became acquainted  with the            
institutions of his country1 and has    
occasionally exhibited  them2 but he    
acknowledges himself highly censurable  
in not having more  frequently and      
pointedly urged them4 ,he therefore     
presents this address  to the publick1  
not only in compliance with the wishes  
of those whom he  cannot refuse1 but as 
a small atonement for having so often   
neglected to  employ his pen1 and raise 
his voice against an evil so extensive  
in its  operation1 and so alarming in   
its consequences4    ,cambridge1 ,july  

#eth1 #ahbe4                            
----------------------------------------
--------------------------------        
,a ,,discourse1 c4      ,,the words from
 which ,i propose to address you1 on    
this occasion1 you  will find recorded  
in 8,the ,,declaration of the           
,,independence of the ,,united  ,,states
 of ,,america20--the first clause after 
the preamble4    ,the words are these3  
8,we hold these truths to be            
self-evident2 that all men are          
created equal2 that they are endowed by 
their ,creator with      certain        
unalienable rights2 that among these are
 ,life1 ,liberty1      and the pursuit  
of ,happiness40    ,man1 considered as a
 rational and social being1 occupies a  
variety of  important relations in the  
universe of ,god4 ,in the first place he
 stands  related to that great and      
glorious ,being who gave him existence1 
and he  is under the most solemn and    
indissoluble obligations1 to the        
exercise  of eternal reverence1 love and

 gratitude4 ,however indifferent he may 
feel1 in his present fallen state1 to   
the demands of heaven1 and however      
negligent he may be of the duties which 
result from those demands1 it is  an    
incontrovertible truth1 that the service
 of ,god has the first and  highest     
claim4 ,hence1 the first and greatest   
commandment of the law is  declared1 by 
the divine ,saviour to be this2 8,thou  
shalt love the ,lord  thy ,god with all 
thy heart1 and with all thy soul1 and   
with all thy  mind1 and with all thy    
strength40 ,mark xii4 #cj4 ,an immediate
 and  constant compliance with this     
precept should be the first object of   
every human being4    ,but although this
 is the first1 it is not the only duty  
of man4 ,he  occupies other relations1  
and1 of course1 is subjected to the     
authority  of other duties4 ,passing    
over all the other subordinate          
connexions of  man1 as foreign from our 
present purpose1 ,i shall here notice   
only his  relation to his own species1  

and the obligations which result from   
that  relation4 ,all men are formed by  
the same hand1 born into the same world1
  under the same circumstances1 and are 
bound by considerations both of  duty   
and interest to respect each other's    
rights1 and to promote each  other's    
happiness4 ,these duties are next in    
importance to those which  relate to    
,god4 ,therefore1 our blessed ,lord1    
after declaring the precept  already    
quoted to be the first commandment of   
the law1 adds1 8,and the  second is     
like0 to it1 8,thou shall love thy      
neighbour as thyself40 ,he  then        
declares1 with respect to both1 8,there 
is no commandment greater  than these40 
,here then we have a concise1 but       
complete exposition of  man's duty in   
relation to his own species4 ,it is     
applicable to all the  possible         
circumstances of life2 and at the same  
time1 so plain1 that the  smallest share
 of intellect is sufficient to          
understand and apply it4 ,it  accords   

precisely with that golden rule which   
the ,saviour delivered1 in  his sermon  
on the mount2 8,all things whatsoever ye
 would that men  should do to you1 do ye
 even so to them2 for this is the law   
and the  prophets40 ,matthew vii4 #ab4  
,that is1 all the duties which ,god has 
ever  required of man in relation to his
 own species1 either in the law or the  
prophets1 are comprehended in this      
single precept1 ,do to others just as   
you would wish them to do to you4 ,did  
this principle regulate the  conduct of 
all men1 the earth would instantly      
resume the first bloom of  ,eden4 ,not  
only would war1 and murder and rapine   
cease to desolate the  earth1 but       
animosities and contention and          
oppression of every kind and  degree    
would instantly disappear4 ,adventitious
 circumstances might still  produce     
distinctions in the relative situations 
of men2 but pride1 that  fiend of hell  
and enemy of happiness1 would be        
banished from the human  breast2 and one

 more prospered of heaven than his      
fellows1 would look  down upon them1 not
 to despise their poverty1 nor to       
rejoice in their  misery1 nor to deprive
 them of their liberty2 7the last       
earthly  blessing that man can lose27   
but to compassionate their necessities1 
to  console them under adversity1 and to
 administer to their relief4 ,the  whole
 human family would be bound together by
 the sense of a common  nature1 and the 
bonds of sincere affection3 in a word1  
they would feel  that they were bone of 
each other's bone2 and flesh of each    
other's  flesh2 and in all cases1 and   
under all circumstances1 they would act 
like brethren4    ,from these remarks1  
you will perceive that the words of my  
text1  although they are not a part of  
the inspired volume1 contain sentiments 
in perfect accordance with the divine   
declarations4 ,this consideration       
therefore is sufficient to entitle them 
to the highest respect4 ,but1 in  this  
favoured land1 they do not need this    

argument to give them  authority4 ,they 
are the words of our fathers2 not spoken
 by the  fireside1 or in the closet1    
while they rested quietly in the midst  
of  their domestick circles1 without a  
witness of their declarations2 but      
proclaimed and published to the whole   
world1 while they stood in  jeopardy of 
their lives and all that they held dear 
on earth2 and with a  solemn appeal to  
the ,,supreme ,,judge of the world for  
the rectitude of  their intentions4     
,nay1 more2 some of them sealed this    
declaration  with their own blood1 and  
voluntarily laid down their lives1 to   
deliver  their posterity from tyranny   
and oppression1 and to procure for them 
the  blessings of liberty and           
self-government4 ,confining ourselves to
 this  view of the subject1 we should   
pronounce that native ,american unworthy
  of his parentage and the name which he
 bears1 who would not revere the  words 
of his father1 uttered under such       
circumstances4 ,nay1 that man1  let him 

be who he will1 and let his             
circumstances be what they may1 is      
unworthy to tread ,american soil and    
breathe ,american air1 who does not     
cheerfully and sincerely adopt the words
 of my text1 as containing the          
sentiments of his heart1 8,all men are  
created equal1 and are endowed by  their
 ,creator with certain unalienable      
rights1 among which are life1  liberty  
and the pursuit of happiness40    ,when 
this declaration1 particularly this     
clause of it1 was reported in  heaven1  
7and ,i presume to believe that the sun 
had not set on the fourth  of ,july1    
#aggf1 before the transactions of the   
,american ,congress were  published to  
the celestial hosts17 what think you    
were the expectations  of angels and the
 spirits of just men made perfect1 with 
respect to the  state of things which   
would succeed in this nation8           
,doubtless1 the  former1 in whose       
respective ranks liberty and equality   
are not only  professed but practised1  

expected1 upon their first mission to   
this  lower world1 to see the ,american 
people1 without distinction of          
complexion or circumstances1 enjoying   
the blessings of freedom4 ,and with     
equal probability may we imagine1 that  
those happy souls who had been  redeemed
 from the earth1 and who had here       
witnessed1 with their own  eyes1 the    
oppressions of man exercised upon his   
own species2 some of  whom had1 perhaps1
 themselves been personally guilty in   
this matter1 and  had found1 from their 
own experience1 that the last pollution1
 from  which a ,saviour's blood can wash
 the human soul1 is the sweat or blood  
of a black man's body2 ,i say1 we may   
safely imagine1 that1 among these1      
there was one universal shout of joy4   
,they rejoiced to hear1 that1 in  one   
nation at least of this fallen world1   
after the lapse of almost #fjjj  years1 
,,the ,,rights ,,of ,,man were at last  
understood1 and a solemn  resolution to 
respect them had been unanimously       

adopted3 that universal  emancipation   
had been proclaimed to three millions of
 the human family4    ,in view of these 
considerations1 could angels and        
redeemed souls have  reasonably expected
 or believed1 if there is any sincerity 
in man1  that from the benefits of this 
solemn declaration1 adopted under all   
the  solemn circumstances just          
mentioned1 and with the most solemn     
appeal to  heaven1 every sixth man was  
excluded1 and doomed to perpetual       
slavery2 and that1 for no other reason1 
than because the ,god of  nature had    
caused them to be born in a torrid      
clime1 where the sun had  burnt their   
skin and crisped their hair1 and they   
had been transported  against their     
will1 to a land inhabited by white men8 
,and if the celestial hosts were then   
restrained from an universal  clamour of
 disapprobation1 by the consideration   
that such an exception  was rendered    
necessary by the existing circumstances 
of the country1 and  the impossibility  

of emancipating #ejj1jjj slaves while   
our shores were  invaded by a foreign   
foe2 could they have been persuaded to  
believe1  that1 after heaven had        
espoused the cause of ,america1 and ,god
 himself  had fought her battles1 and   
victory had crowned her arms1 the       
,american  people would permit almost   
half a century to roll away in the      
enjoyment  of unexampled liberty1       
prosperity and happiness1 while slavery 
would be  permitted to increase with the
 increase of their wealth and           
population8  ,could they expect that    
this solemn declaration of ,independence
 would be  annually read the #ejth time1
 accompanied with the roar of cannon1   
the  display of banners1 and shouts of  
joy1 and that thousands and hundreds  of
 thousands of dollars would be expended 
on every return of this  anniversary in 
feasting and dissipation and tumult1 and
 yet no year of  ,jubilee be proclaimed 
to the oppressed sons of ,africa8       
,but such is the fact4 ,this day        

commences the #ejth year of freedom to  
,american white men1 and yet a million  
and a half of our fellow men1  within   
our own dwellings1 are this moment      
groaning under the chains of  bondage4  
,tell me not1 as it is often told by the
 advocates of slavery1  that they are   
incapable of providing for themselves2  
and are therefore  happier in their     
present dependent condition1 than if    
they were  immediately emancipated4 ,i  
cheerfully admit that the little        
feathered  songster that was hatched in 
a cage or incarcerated before his wings 
were fledged1 may be ignorant of most of
 the sweets of liberty2 and  after being
 long accustomed to have his food       
provided by his owner's  hand1 might be 
incapable of finding it1 in equal       
profusion1 in the  fields and forests2  
but does this prove that he has not a   
nature adapted  to the enjoyment of     
liberty1 and equally entitled to the    
privilege with  other birds8    ,but on 
this point reasoning is needless4 ,i    

appeal to my text4 8,,all men  are      
created equal10 said our forefathers1   
8and are endowed by their  ,creator with
 certain unalienable rights2 among these
 are life1 ,,liberty  and the pursuit of
 happiness40 ,for the space of fifty    
years we have  been reiterating the same
 maxim and at the same time declaring   
that it  is 8a self-evident truth40     
,now1 ,i say1 let us aim at consistency 
of  character4 ,let us reduce the       
principle to practice1 and prove to the 
world that we believe what we say1 or   
blot it out from the declaration  of our
 rights and privileges4 ,we may abhor   
the tyranny of kings and  emperors1 and 
commiserate the degraded state of their 
oppressed  subjects1 but a greater      
incongruity cannot be found in any      
nation than  that which exists in our   
own4 ,in one hand we hold the           
protestation that  all men are equal1   
and entitled to the enjoyment of life   
and liberty2  and in the other1 we      
firmly grasp the chains of slavery and  

wield the  goads of correction4 ,we     
proclaim to the world that we are the   
only  nation of freemen on earth1 and   
yet daily practise the most absolute    
despotism4 ,it is frequently the case   
that the same publick newspaper  which  
unblushingly asserts the equality of our
 rights1 and the justice  of our        
institutions1 advertises a whole village
 of human beings for  sale4 ,again ,i   
say1 let us aim at ,,consistency3 either
 acknowledge to the  world that we are  
tyrants and despots1 or act according to
 our  professions4    ,that my text     
contains a correct assertion1 ,i am not 
disposed for a  moment to question3 and 
,i should surely be employed to no      
purpose in  attempting to prove to      
others1 what they have asserted for half
 a  century1 to be 8a self-evident      
truth40 ,if then1 all men are1 by their 
birth1 entitled to the same natural     
rights and privileges1 they can be      
divested of them only by the authority  
of ,him who has the power of life  and  

death in his hands4 ,the ,god of nature 
has a perfect right to  authorize one   
nation to subjugate another1 as he      
delivered the  ,canaanites into the     
hands of ,israel4 ,but surely this is no
 argument in  favour of ,american       
slavery4 ,when we have found a 8,thus   
saith the ,lord0  for the subjugation of
 ,africans1 then1 and not till then1    
shall we have  a right to make them our 
slaves4    ,a man may also forfeit his  
liberty1 and even his life1 by the      
commission  of crimes against the       
interests of society4 ,and in all such  
cases1 every  nation on the globe has a 
charter from the ,king of heaven to     
inflict  merited punishment4 ,but surely
 no man of common sense will pretend    
that  this authorizes any individual or 
commonwealth to reduce to perpetual     
bondage1 and entail the same on their   
posterity1 those who have never         
violated a single law of the land4      
,the time has been when the event of war
 has been supposed to confer on  the    

victorious party the right of enslaving 
the vanquished4 ,but this is  now       
universally acknowledged to be a        
principle of barbarism1 and is          
abandoned by the civilized world4 ,where
 then is our charter for the  oppression
 of our fellow men8    ,perhaps the most
 plausible argument in support of       
,american slavery1 7and  it is one that 
has been newly discovered1 for it was   
first introduced  into ,congress on the 
,missouri question17 is1 that the ,new  
,testament  distinctly recognises       
without any mark of disapprobation1 the 
relation  of masters and servants1 and  
,st4 ,paul in his ,epistles explicitly  
enjoins  on the latter the duty of      
respect1 obedience and fidelity4 ,this  
argument  has been triumphantly urged as
 presenting ,divine authority for       
slavery4  ,but pray tell me1 are there  
no servants but slaves8 ,is there no    
such  thing as the relation of master   
and servant unless where slavery exists8
  ,if so1 tell ,great ,britain to blot  

the word from her vocabulary1 that it   
has no meaning in the ,english language1
 and is exclusively of ,american  origin
 and use4    8,but10 says the advocate  
of slavery1 8this argument is not to be 
got rid  of in this way4 ,this is mere  
quibbling4 ,st4 ,paul speaks not only of
  servants1 but of bond-men2 and he     
actually enjoins it on every man to     
abide in the same calling1 or condition1
 wherein he is called4 ,and he          
specifies particularly that if any one  
is called being a servant1 he  is to    
rest contented with the assurance that  
he is the ,lord's free  man4 #a ,cor4   
vii4 #bj-bb4 ,nay1 in his ,epistle to   
,philemon1 he had a fair  opportunity to
 put this question at rest for ever2 but
 instead of  rebuking the master for    
holding slaves1 he returned the runaway 
to his  service40#a ,on this ground1 it 
has been asserted1 that those who hold  
slaves are more obedient to the         
,scriptures than those who do not4      
,footnote #a3      ,this whole argument1

 in all its parts1 was once urged with  
amazing    zeal1 on the floor of the    
,general ,assembly of the ,presbyterian 
,church4    ,if ,i am not greatly       
mistaken in regard to the nature of this
 argument1 ,i  could prove1 in the same 
way1 that tyranny and despotism are     
approved of  ,god2 and that those who   
submit to such a kind of government1    
live in  greater conformity to the      
,scriptures than the citizens of a      
republick4    ,the manner in which ,i   
would argue is this4 ,st4 ,paul1 in his 
,epistle to  the ,romans1 says1 8,let   
every soul be subject unto the higher   
powers2 for  there is no power but of   
,god1 the powers that be1 are ordained  
of ,god4  ,whosoever1 therefore1        
resisteth the power1 resisteth the      
ordinance of  ,god2 and they that resist
 shall receive to themselves            
damnation40--,rom4  xiii4 #a1 #b4 ,now  
this solemn injunction1 under this awful
 sanction1 was  imposed by inspiration  
upon the ,christians of ,rome1 at the   

time that the  crown of that empire was 
worn by ,nero1 one of the most cruel and
  blood-thirsty tyrants that ever       
disgraced a throne4 ,by his own         
direction  the city was set on fire1    
which raged for nine successive days1   
spreading desolation and ruin2 and then 
to furnish himself a pretext for        
persecuting the ,christians1 he laid the
 crime to their charge1 and  fiercely   
commenced the bloody work4 8,some were  
wrapped in the skins of  wild beasts1   
and torn in pieces by dogs2 some were   
crucified1 and  others1 clothed in      
garments covered with pitch1 were set on
 fire2 while  the cruel monster calmly  
sat in the window of his palace and     
enjoyed the  scene of his own           
barbarities40 ,and yet this is the man1 
whom the apostle  commands the          
,christians to revere as 8the minister  
of ,god20 the  resistance of whom is    
threatened with damnation4 ,was not     
,paul then the  advocate of tyranny and 
oppression8 ,just as clearly as he was  

the  advocate of slavery4    ,in the    
same manner ,i think it can be shown    
that polygamy is approved by  ,st4      
,paul1 at least among the ,gentiles4 ,he
 expressly ordained that 8a  bishop or  
deacon must be the husband of one wife40
 #a ,tim4 iii4 #b1 #ab4  ,now the       
inference is fair1 that all other men   
might have more than one4  ,private     
members of the church are not restricted
 in their inclinations  in this respect1
 only the officers of the church are not
 indulged4 ,i see  no way to avoid this 
conclusion4 ,how then shall we reconcile
 these  apparent inconsistencies8    ,in
 my view1 the solution is plain and     
easy4 ,upon the first introduction  of  
the gospel into any pagan land1 there   
always will be many evils  existing1    
which are so completely wrought into the
 customs1 interests  and institutions of
 society1 that it is impossible to      
correct them at  once4 ,nay1 if it were 
possible1 the sudden revolution would   
instantly  produce unspeakable misery4  

,take1 for instance1 the last mentioned 
case3  ,suppose1 in a nation where      
polygamy is extensively practised1 every
 man  could be induced to repudiate all 
his wives but one2 how many thousands   
of helpless women and children would be 
turned on the wide world1  without the  
means of support1 exposed to inevitable 
wretchedness and  want6 ,the sudden     
adoption of the true ,christian         
principle1 under these  circumstances1  
would be productive of vastly greater   
misery than is now  experienced from    
this horrid pagan practice2 and the     
,christian religion  would be execrated 
as a system of cruelty4    ,what then is
 to be done8 ,must ,christianity        
sacrifice its holy principles  at the   
shrine of pagan impurity8 ,must we be   
satisfied to have men  embrace the faith
 of the gospel1 while they retain their 
own ungodly  practices8 ,no6 ,but wisdom
 is profitable to direct4--,some method 
must be  adopted by which these         
deeply-rooted evils may be branded with 

disgrace1  and thus gradually but       
effectually eradicated4 ,for this       
purpose ,st4  ,paul1 or rather the ,holy
 ,spirit1 ordained in those countries   
where  polygamy was common1 that 8a     
bishop or deacon must be the husband of 
one  wife40 ,a man that sincerely       
embraced the gospel1 might be admitted  
to  the privileges of the church without
 first turning half a dozen women  out  
of doors2 but he never could arise to   
any dignity1 or be capable of  holding  
any office in the church4 ,now you      
plainly perceive that the  necessary    
operation of this simple regulation1 was
 to abolish gradually1  but effectually1
 this vile practice2 not however1 by    
sovereign authority  or absolute force1 
but by the voluntary consent of the     
party concerned4    ,thus it appears to 
be the genius of the gospel to tolerate 
an evil for a  while1 where the         
immediate and total abolition would be  
productive of  greater miseries and     
crimes2 while1 at the same time1 it     

requires the  use of all prudent and    
effectual measures for its ultimate     
extirpation4    ,i humbly conceive that 
it is on this ground alone1 that the    
,scriptures1  in certain cases1 allude  
to despotism1 slavery and many other    
evils  without a distinct expression of 
disapprobation4 ,had the evangelists and
  apostles explicitly denounced the     
tyranny of ,rome1 and declared that     
slavery was contrary to the law of      
nature1 and the law of ,god1 they  would
 have been instantly slain1 or driven1  
at the point of the sword1  from every  
province of the ,roman empire4    ,on   
this account every argument founded on  
such texts of ,scripture in  support of 
slavery1 is of no more weight than the  
dust of the balance4    ,that slavery is
 an evil is generally acknowledged in   
those parts of our  country where the   
least of it exists2 and of course1 where
 the most of  its horrors are unknown4  
,and there are undoubtedly many in the  
slave-holding states who deplore the    

evil1 and would gladly remove it1  if   
there was no obstacle in the way4 ,but  
it is a matter of deep regret  that     
there are thousands of our countrymen1  
claiming the style of  republicans1 who 
are the unblushing advocates of slavery4
 ,and what is  worse than all1 and what 
renders the extirpation of this evil the
 more  hopeless1 is1 that when our      
northern citizens remove to the south1  
many  of them become not only the owners
 of slaves1 but in many instances1 the  
warmest advocates of the principle of   
slavery4 ,this amazing change in        
sentiment and feeling1 ,i am unwilling  
to ascribe so much to what is  often    
alleged1 that they find the evils of    
slavery far less than they  expected1   
and the subjects of it contented and    
happy2 as to the fact1  that familiarity
 with any vice blinds the human mind to 
its enormity4 ,i  doubt not that the    
most enthusiastick republican of our    
country1 if he  found it for his        
interest to reside under the most       

despotick government  of ,europe1 would1
 after a number of years1 return with   
the report1 that  the subjects of that  
country were much better contented1 and 
vastly more  happy than he had          
anticipated2 and it would not be strange
 if his zeal  for democracy1 and hatred 
of monarchy were equally diminished4    
,but this  would never prove to me1 that
 the subjects of a despotism are as     
happy  as they would be1 if they were   
placed in a situation1 and prepared1 to 
enjoy the blessings of a free           
government4    ,that this is the true   
reason of this change1 ,i think is      
evident from the  fact1 that our        
northern men1 after they become familiar
 with slavery1  can calmly indulge      
themselves in that kind of treatment of 
slaves1 which  would previously have    
made them shudder4 ,in this connexion ,i
 will  mention a fact1 which for the    
credit of ,new-,england1 and the honour 
of  religion1 ,i would gladly conceal to
 the judgment day1 if the  circumstances

 of the case had not been publicly      
displayed through this  region of       
country4 ,two years ago a native of     
,vermont1 and a minister of  the gospel 
too1 who has resided some years at the  
,south1 passed with his  family1 through
 this town and put up for the night     
within the sound of  my voice where ,i  
now stand4 ,they were attended by a     
servant-girl1 who  was not permitted to 
eat at a table or sleep on a bed1 though
 in the  true spirit of northern        
feeling1 both were kindly proffered by  
the  landlady4 ,she spent her night on  
the naked floor1 with no other pillow   
than her bundle of clothes2 and set out 
in the morning in an open  waggon1 to   
endure the heat of a summer's sun1 with 
no other covering for  her head than the
 woolly fleece which nature gave4 ,such 
kind of  treatment1 for aught ,i know1  
may be deemed necessary at the south1 as
 ,i  understood1 it was then alleged1 to
 keep the blacks from being 8exalted    
above measure20 yet surely it cannot be 

witnessed1 without sentiments  of       
indignation1 in a northern clime4 ,and  
for the honour of humanity1 to  say     
nothing of the gospel ministry1 ,i pray 
,god1 that my own eyes may  never again 
witness a similar scene4    ,but let the
 plea be reiterated as often as it may1 
that the slavery  which exists in our   
country is not so appalling as northern 
men suppose2  it is still an evil1 that 
exists contrary to the law of nature and
  nature's ,god1 and in the face too1 of
 ,american rights and privileges4  ,and 
beyond this1 it stands necessarily      
connected with other evils1 which  are  
more shocking to the feelings of        
humanity1 than slavery itself4 ,take    
for example1 these simple facts4 ,by the
 laws of some of the  slave-holding     
states1 no man can emancipate his own   
slaves2 and any  person is liable to the
 barbarous and disgraceful punishment of
 being  whipped on the naked back1 if   
convicted of teaching a slave to read4  
,thus the poor ,africans are not only   

deprived of their liberty1 but are      
completely cut off from almost the only 
means of information1 with  respect to  
their duty to ,god and their fellow men1
 and of preparation  for the eternal    
world2 of the only means that can       
alleviate their  sorrows and enliven    
their solitude4 ,by these laws1 a pious 
and  benevolent master1 who has         
inherited a hundred slaves1 and who     
would  gladly deliver them from bondage1
 or1 at least1 alleviate1 by every      
means in his power1 the miseries of     
their condition1 is compelled1  against 
every feeling of his heart1 not only to 
hold them in servitude1  but to keep    
them in absolute ignorance4    ,although
 these laws are founded neither in      
humanity1 nor ,christianity1  yet       
evidently in good policy2 and they are  
necessarily connected with  slavery1 in 
the extent to which it exists4 ,the     
physical power of the  black population1
 in many districts of our country1 bears
 such an  alarming proportion to that of

 the whites1 that nothing is wanting on 
their part but information1 to enable   
them to assert and maintain their       
rights4 ,only let them know what they   
are1 and of what they are capable1  and 
in one month's time the ,tragedy of ,st4
 ,domingo would be re-acted on  this    
side of the ,gulf-,stream4    ,by this  
time1 my hearers1 ,i presume you have   
begun to inquire for the  remedy of this
 8legion of evils30 and some of you may 
have drawn the  conclusion1 that nothing
 short of the immediate and absolute    
emancipation of all the slaves of our   
country would satisfy my mind4 ,but     
this is not the fact4 ,however highly my
 feelings may be wrought on this        
subject1 they have not got the better of
 my understanding4 ,i am  perfectly     
satisfied that it is one of those evils 
which cannot be  removed by a single    
stroke4 ,the immediate emancipation of  
all the  slaves1 would doubtless be     
attended with consequences1 both upon   
themselves and the whites1 vastly more  

terrible and distressing1 than  all the 
horrours of slavery4 ,and if ,st4 ,paul 
himself were now on earth1  and         
consulted on the subject1 ,i doubt not  
he would disapprove of such a  measure4 
,it has been already shown that there   
are evils existing in the  pagan world1 
which are directly opposed to           
,christianity2 and yet the  genius of   
the gospel1 upon its first introduction1
 does not demand their  immediate and   
entire abolition4 ,and although this    
country is not  strictly speaking a     
pagan country1 yet the practice in      
question is a  pagan practice2 and so   
effectually wrought into the habits and 
feelings  and institutions of our land1 
that its complete extirpation must      
necessarily be the work of time4--,but  
here let it be particularly  observed1  
that1 in all such cases1 we have no     
licence for the toleration  of any      
sinful custom1 a single moment1 without 
the adoption of wise and  prudent       
measures calculated ultimately to       

abolish it4    ,this1 it appears to me1 
is the only course that can be adopted  
in this  country for the annihilation of
 slavery2 and in this point of view1 ,i 
introduce to your notice1 the object and
 operations of the 8,american           
,colonization ,society40    ,this       
association was formed1 at the city of  
,washington1 in the beginning  of the   
year #ahag2 and is patronized by many of
 the most distinguished  officers of the
 general government4 ,the ,chief        
,justice of the ,united  ,states has    
been1 from its first formation1 the     
president of the ,society4  ,its object 
is the transportation to ,africa of the 
free people of colour1  who are willing 
to go1 and the establishment of them in 
a colony1 or  colonies1 under all the   
advantages of civil and religious       
privileges4  ,though its incipient      
measures were attended with some adverse
  providences1 yet it has progressed    
with as much success1 and with as       
flattering prospects as could possibly  

have been anticipated4 ,a district  of  
fertile territory on the ,western ,coast
 of ,africa has been purchased  of the  
natives1 and a flourishing colony       
planted there1 under the  direction and 
control of resident agents4 ,schools are
 organized1 and the  means of grace     
established among them4 ,the plan has   
been countenanced1  though not          
explicitly approved1 by the government  
of our country2 and it  has been        
distinctly recommended by the supreme   
judicatories of several  of the most    
numerous and respectable denominations  
of ,christians to the  patronage of     
their members1 especially on this       
interesting occasion4    ,as this       
,society1 since its organization1 has   
met with considerable  opposition1 ,i   
feel it to be my duty to present a few  
considerations in  support of its       
claims4    ,if the slaves of our country
 are ever to enjoy all the blessings of 
freedom1 it must evidently be1 in a     
state of total separation from the      

white population4 ,such are the present 
feelings of our citizens1 and so  firmly
 are they fixed in their breasts1 that  
we need never expect to see  the blacks 
amalgamated with the whites in all the  
social connexions of  life4 ,in what    
district of our country will the latter 
become willing to  connect themselves   
with the former in the relations of the 
domestick  circle8 ,what legislature    
will be willing to admit the negro to   
equal  privileges and powers with the   
white man1 on the floor of the senate   
chamber8 ,what ,university will hold    
forth the same advantages and honours   
to our own children and the descendants 
of ,africans8 ,but until all these      
things are realized1 if they must live  
together in the same territory1  the    
negro's mind will forever be depressed  
to the dust with a sense of  conscious  
inferiority1 and can never aspire to    
those elevated  distinctions of which it
 is capable4 ,and this is the grand     
reason of all  that present dulness and 

stupidity1 which are frequently adduced1
 as  evidence that negroes are a race of
 beings but little elevated above the   
brutal creation4 ,if therefore universal
 liberty should be proclaimed  through  
our land1 and the ,african race still be
 permitted to live in the  midst of us1 
disfranchised by our feelings and       
customs1 if not by our  laws1#b of the  
rights of freemen1 we have no reason to 
suppose that  they would be essentially 
improved or benefited by their freedom4 
,it is  therefore most palpably         
manifest1 that if our slaves are ever to
 enjoy  all the blessings of liberty1   
they must not only be liberated from the
  chains of bondage1 but at the same    
time1 be placed in a situation in  which
 they may aspire to all the advantages  
and distinctions of  civilized life4    
,footnote #b3      ,in some of the      
states1 even where slavery is abolished1
 the blacks are    disfranchised of the 
rights of citizens4 ,to the eternal     
disgrace of    our own state1 the       

despotick principles of our             
,constitution have been    multiplied   
instead of being diminished by the late 
,convention4 ,by the    old             
,constitution1 only one class of        
citizens were divested of certain       
natural rights without having committed 
any crime to forfeit them4 ,but    by   
the present ,constitution there are two4
 ,and the reasons in both    cases are  
very similar2 in the one1 wearing a     
black coat1 and in the    other1 a black
 skin4 ,but the operation of these      
regulations is much    more oppressive  
in the latter1 than in the former case4 
,the colour of    a man's dress depends 
on his own will2 but1 8the ,ethiopian   
,,cannot    change his skin10 if he     
would4    ,this is the immediate object 
of the ,colonization ,society4 ,nor is  
it a  mere matter of doubtful           
experiment4 ,a similar attempt has long 
since  been made by the ,british nation1
 at ,sierra ,leone1 and the result has  
fully proven to the world1 that the     

minds of black men are as capable as    
the whites1 when placed under equal     
circumstances of improvement4 ,the  same
 results are beginning to be realized in
 the infant colony planted  by our own  
countrymen at ,cape ,mesurado4 ,and     
nothing is wanting1 but the  patronage  
of our own citizens1 to extend the same 
advantages to hundreds  and thousands of
 the degraded and oppressed sons of     
,africa1 who are  still in our land4    
,in further confirmation of the same    
views1 it may be observed1 that in  the 
slave-holding states there are many     
owners of slaves who would  gladly      
emancipate them1 but are expressly      
prohibited4 ,it is impossible1          
therefore1 for them to proclaim 8liberty
 to the captives10 unless they  can     
transport them without the limits of the
 state4 ,what then can such  benevolent 
masters do with their slaves8 ,to turn  
them out into our  western wilds1 would 
be to expose them to certain starvation2
 or if any  survived1 they would be     

hunted down as wild beasts1 by a herd of
 brutal  kidnappers1 and carried back   
and sold to less merciful masters than  
they  served before4 ,to transport them 
to a foreign shore1 if any individual   
were able to incur the expense1 without 
any concert of action1 would be  to     
expose them to immediate death by       
barbarous hands4 ,it is therefore       
impossible to afford those who are      
disposed1 an opportunity to  emancipate 
their slaves1 without such a concert of 
action as shall  protect the colony in  
its infantile state1 till it shall      
acquire  strength and ability to defend 
itself4 ,such is the object of the      
,colonization ,society4    ,let not this
 effort of beneficence be paralized by  
the plea1 that it is  an insignificant  
undertaking compared with the magnitude 
of the evil  intended to be removed4    
,did you never see a cloud1 no bigger   
than a  man's hand1 at its first        
appearance1 finally overspread the whole
  horizon and pour a copious blessing on

 the thirsty earth8 ,what plan of       
benevolence1 in this fallen world1 was  
not small at its commencement8  ,even   
the kingdom of ,god was once like a     
grain of mustard seed2 but it  has      
gradually increased and will continue to
 grow till it fills the  world4 ,the    
,herculean labour of abolishing the     
slave-trade1 with all its  bloody       
horrours1 was commenced1 within our     
recollection1 by a single  individual1  
in the legislature of a single nation1  
amidst the clamours  of a host of       
opposition2 and yet that individual has 
lived1 and we have  lived1 to see the   
horrid traffick proscribed1 not only by 
that nation1  but by the civilized      
world1 and the practice declared piracy 
by  several nations4 ,what influence    
then can a consideration of the         
smallness of the means1 compared with   
the end1 have upon the benevolent  mind 
in relation to this subject8 ,it may    
indeed stimulate to increased  exertion1
 but it surely can produce no           

discouraging effect4    ,but even       
admitting that the efforts of this      
,society should never  ultimately       
accomplish the object of its aim1 the   
entire abolition of  ,american slavery1 
there is one important result which it  
cannot fail to  produce4 ,besides       
securing the blessings of freedom and   
self-government  to some of those who   
had previously groaned under the chains 
of bitter  servitude1 it will afford a  
ready introduction of the blessings of  
civilization and the gospel to the      
benighted tribes of ,africa4 ,it is     
recorded in ,god's sure word of         
prophecy1 that 8,ethiopia shall stretch 
forth her hands to ,god10 while 8the    
isles of the sea shall wait for his     
law40 ,in view of the numerous and      
simultaneous efforts of the ,christian  
world to extend the blessings of the    
gospel to the ends of the earth1 we  may
 justly consider the exertions of the   
,american ,colonization ,society  as    
ultimately1 though not directly1 aiming 

at the same object2 and we  may with    
propriety regard the ,institution as one
 important wheel in that  vast system of
 moral machinery which1 under the       
blessing of heaven1 is  destined to     
regenerate a fallen world4    ,in this  
view of the subject1 ,i cannot but      
indulge in what some may call  the      
flights of fancy1 but what ,i fondly    
persuade myself is the reality  of      
vision4 ,o ,africa1 long oppressed and  
degraded ,africa6 ,heaven has  witnessed
 thy bitter sufferings1 and the long    
black catalogue of thy  wrongs is hid up
 in store against the day of            
retribution4 ,but ,i see the  ,sun of   
righteousness arising upon thee1 with   
healing in his wings4 ,i see  the shades
 of more than ,egyptian darkness        
dispelled by his resplendent  rays4 ,i  
see thy wounds1 which have been bleeding
 for ages1 instantly  staunched and     
healed4 ,i see the ferocity of the tyger
 exchanged for the  meekness of the     
lamb4 ,i hear thy groves and plains     

resounding with the  shouts of joy and  
gladness1 and the still sweeter song of 
redeeming  grace and love4 ,i see 8thy  
wildernesses and solitary places made   
glad1  and thy desert rejoicing and     
blossoming as the rose4 ,thy parched    
ground  has become a pool1 and thy      
thirsty land springs of water4 ,in the  
habitation of dragons1 where each lay1  
there is grass with reeds and  rushes4  
,and a high way is there1 and a way that
 is called the ,way of  ,holiness3 the  
unclean shall not pass over it3 but it  
shall be for thee2  the way-faring men1 
though fools1 shall not err therein4 ,no
 lion shall  be there1 nor any ravenous 
beast shall go up thereon1 it shall not 
be  found there2 but the redeemed shall 
walk there4 ,and the ransomed of the    
,lord shall return and come to ,zion    
with songs and everlasting joy upon     
their heads3 they shall obtain joy and  
gladness2 and sorrow and  sighing shall 
flee away40 ,isaiah xxxv4 #a-aj4 ,these 
blessed results ,i  see effected by the 

instrumentality of ,america1 the author 
of all thy  wrongs4 ,and though thy     
sweat and tears and blood have1 for     
ages1 been  crying to heaven from the   
ground1 for vengeance on her devoted    
head2 yet  now ,i hear thy voice1 in the
 true spirit of gospel forgiveness1     
intreating pardon for thy guilty        
murderers4 8,o remember not against them
  their former iniquities40 ,i see a    
tide of pious joy and gratitude1        
flowing from thy streaming eyes1        
sufficient1 if aught but a ,saviour's   
blood were sufficient1 to wash away     
their crimson stains4 ,o happy1 happy   
land1 once wretched and forlorn6 ,thy   
mother's children shall no longer  be   
angry with thee1 because thou art black1
 because the sun hath looked  upon      
thee--they shall no longer make thee    
keeper of their vineyards1  while thine 
own vineyard lies waste4 ,thy complexion
 is indeed black1 but  comely2 and thy  
soul has been washed in the fountain of 
redeeming grace1  as white and as pure  

as the redeemed of any other clime2 and 
thou canst  now chaunt as high a note of
 praise to the ,god of thy salvation2   
and  though here thou hast been excluded
 from the rights of freemen1 and the    
society of white men1 yet in heaven thou
 shalt mingle1 without  discrimination1 
among the blood-bought throng1 and there
 occupy as high  a throne1 and wear as  
bright a crown4    ,in urging the claims
 of this subject1 it is necessary that  
,i should  obviate an objection which is
 frequently made in this section of the 
country4 ,it is said that 8this is a    
matter in which we have no concern  at  
all--that it belongs exclusively to the 
southern states40 ,if this plea  were   
founded in fact1 are we willing to      
admit1 that the citizens of the         
northern states are so selfish1 that    
they have no sympathy for the           
sufferings of humanity1 if they are only
 out of sight8 ,but ,i am bold to       
assert that this objection is utterly   
groundless2 and that there is not  a    

single native or naturalized citizen in 
the ,united ,states but is  verily      
guilty in this matter4 ,it is a well    
known fact1 that in every  original     
state in the union1 excepting one1      
slavery has been sanctioned2  and that  
it still exists1 to a greater or less   
extent1 in all the states  and          
territories with the exception of five4 
,now it is useless for a man  to plead  
not guilty to the charge of murder1     
because he has taken the  life of only  
one individual1 while others may have   
slain their  thousands4 ,it is the      
principle we are concerned with1 and the
  principle of slavery has been as      
firmly sanctioned in most of the        
northern states1 as in any part of the  
union2 though our citizens have  never  
found it for their interest to carry it 
as far4 ,but for this  single           
circumstance1 ,i presume every farm in  
this region would now be  cultivated by 
the labour1 and watered by the sweat of 
negroes4 ,with what  an ill grace then  

can any1 who have implicitly or         
explicitly sworn  allegiance to the     
institutions of their respective states 
and the  general government1 especially 
those who have been1 or still are the   
owners of human flesh and blood1 hold up
 their heads and say1 8,we are  pure    
from the blood of ,africans80    ,but1  
my hearers1 ,i have not yet presented   
this subject in the light of  its most  
appalling darkness2 nor applied the     
sharpest point of its  universal        
bearing4 ,the union of these ,states was
 originally purchased  at the price of  
the blood and groans of ,africa2 and all
 our citizens  from the north and the   
south1 from the east and the west1 gave 
their  consent to the bargain4 ,one     
section of the constitution of the      
,united  ,states was written1 like the  
laws of ,draco1 in lines of blood2 the  
blood  of ,africans4#c ,by it1 all the  
horrours of the slave-trade1 the whole  
root and stock and branch of which      
slavery is the bitter fruit1 were       

firmly sanctioned for thirty tedious    
years4 ,during this gloomy period1      
under the sanction of the charter of    
freemen1 and of freemen too1 who1  in   
the days of their emancipation from the 
chains of despotism1 appealed  to heaven
 for the sincerity of their intentions1 
while they declared to  the world 8that 
all men are created equal1 and endowed  
by their ,creator  with an unalienable  
right to life1 liberty and the pursuit  
of  happiness20 under the sanction of   
such a charter1 adopted by such men1    
and under such circumstances1 thousands 
and tens of thousands of  harmless      
,africans1 who were born free as the air
 of heaven1 or the  streams of the      
fountain1 were forcibly dragged from    
their native shores1  bound with massy  
chains1 crowded into the filthy hold of 
a floating  dungeon1 without power to   
rise or room to stand2 and when         
multitudes had  been swept off by       
wasting pestilence1 and found a watery  
grave1 the  wretched remnant1 emaciated 

with famine and worn down with disease1 
were  sold under the hammer into        
perpetual bondage4 ,without the sanction
 of  all these horrours1 the union of   
these states would never have been      
effected4 ,and in consenting to this    
measure1 the northern states became     
voluntarily partakers with those of the 
south1 in all the guilt of the          
barbarous slave-trade and all its horrid
 consequences4    ,footnote #c3         
,article ,i4 ,sec4 #i4    ,o my country6
 what atonement canst thou make for such
 bloody crimes8  ,what fountain1 but    
that which flows from ,calvary1 can wash
 away thy  crimson stains8 ,in vain     
wouldst thou offer 8many thousands of   
rams1 or  ten thousands of rivers of    
oil4 ,the blood of thy firstborn would  
not  expiate thy transgression1 nor the 
fruit of thy body1 the sin of thy       
soul40 ,mic4 vi4 #g4 8,though thou wash 
thee with nitre1 and take thee much     
soap1 yet thine iniquity is marked      
before me1 saith the ,lord ,god40 ,jer4 

ii4 #bb4 ,i beseech thee1 do not        
aggravate thy guilt1 and provoke anew   
the  wrath of heaven1 by justifying thy 
deeds or pleading innocent of the       
charge4 8,for thy sin is written with a 
pen of iron1 and with the point  of a   
diamond2 it is graven on the table of   
thy heart1 and0 if not 8upon  the horns 
of thy altars10 it is inscribed in the  
archives of thy  cabinet1 and whilst thy
 children shall read the legacies of    
their  fathers they shall remember and  
bear witness of thy crimes1 to the      
latest posterity4 ,fly1 ,o fly1 in the  
first place1 to the fountain of a       
,saviour's bleeding veins1 and there be 
washed from all thy pollution3  and     
then1 as a testimony of thy gratitude1  
that much1 very much is  forgiven thee1 
summon all thy energies to repair the   
injuries thou hast  done4 8,proclaim    
liberty to thy captives2 say to the     
prisoners1 go forth2  and to them that  
are in darkness1 show yourselves40 ,isa4
 xlix4 #i4  ,restore them to 8the land  

of their fathers' sepulchres10 and let  
them  once more peacefully enjoy the    
inheritance of their ancestors4         
,wherever  they may have been born1     
,africa is their home4 ,though          
transported to the  most distant        
countries1 and situated in the most     
temperate regions of  the globe1 and    
transmitted through a series of         
generations1 they still  retain in the  
constitution of their frames1 and on the
 whole surface of  their bodies1 the    
title of heaven to those torrid climes4 
,the ,god of  nature has evidently      
determined1 that they shall never be    
divested of  their original inheritance4
 ,though 8the descendants of ,cush can  
never  change their skin10 yet the time 
will come when their souls shall be     
made white in the blood of the ,lamb2   
and then1 in their own land1 which  ,god
 allotted to their progenitor1 they     
shall stretch forth their hands  to     
,god1 and under their own vine and      
fig-tree enjoy the fruit of their       

labours1 without any to molest or make  
them afraid4    ,there is one           
consideration more1 by which ,i would   
urge the claims of  this subject4 ,if   
the people of the ,united ,states cannot
 be extensively  aroused to undertake   
the redress of ,african wrongs1 from    
motives of  humanity1 and a sense of    
duty1 the apprehension of personal      
danger may  with propriety be awakened  
in their minds4 ,god deals with nations1
 in  this world1 on a different         
principle from what he deals with       
individuals4--,the wicked man is often  
permitted to prosper in his sins1  and  
to die without pain2 because the        
righteous retributions of justice  await
 him in the eternal world4--,but wicked 
nations exist1 in their  national       
capacity1 only in this life4 ,therefore1
 if national sins are  ever visited with
 the indignation of heaven1 it must be  
in the present  world4 ,hence1 we may   
draw the conclusion1 that if ,american  
slavery is  offensive to ,god1 the      

judgments of heaven are now impending   
over this  guilty nation4 ,and in what  
form they will descend1 we need not the 
spirit of prophecy to prognosticate4 ,in
 several of the slave-holding  states1  
the black population is already nearly  
equal to the white2 and  the ratio of   
increase is so much in their favour1    
that1 in the course of  a few years1    
they will be far the most numerous4     
,during the period of  ten years        
intervening between the last ,united    
,states' census and the  preceding1 the 
following was the ratio of increase in  
several states3          ,in ,kentucky1 
the blacks increased #eg per cent1      
whites only #cg per         cent4       
,tennessee1 the blacks increased #hj per
 cent1 whites only #eg per              
cent4         ,georgia1 the blacks      
increased #dj per cent1 whites only #cj 
per            cent4                    
,north-,carolina1 the blacks increased  
#bb per cent1 whites only #aa           
per cent4         ,south-,carolina1 the 

blacks increased #bf per cent1 whites   
only #h            per cent4      ,and  
in ,louisiana as early as #ahaj there   
were #e blacks to every four            
white men4    ,it is obvious1 that1 at  
this rate1 in the course of a few years1
 those  districts of our country will be
 covered with a black population2 in    
comparison with which1 the whites will  
appear as grasshoppers before  them4    
,now ,i ask1 in such a state of things1 
what can hinder the blacks  from        
arising1 and after avenging all their   
wrongs1 by slaying their  opposers1     
taking possession of those very lands as
 the reward of their  own and their     
fathers' labours8 ,do you say1 their    
minds are incapable of  such an         
enterprize8 ,look at ,st4 ,domingo2 what
 has been effected there by  the        
,african race1 in as ignorant and       
degraded a state as is any where        
witnessed in our own country6 ,and what 
will our blacks need1 but a few         
resolute spirits to concentrate their   

efforts and direct their energies8  ,and
 if the genius of negroes is so far     
debased in our own country1 that  nature
 cannot produce them here1 they can     
easily be furnished from the  kingdom of
 ,hayti4 ,though that little empire is  
now at peace with us and  the world1 yet
 black men have always a peculiar       
sympathy for their own  colour4 ,besides
 this1 many of our own free blacks have 
already gone1 and  many more will still 
go to that island1 to enjoy all the     
blessings of  liberty1 civilization and 
science2 leaving many of their brothers 
and  children and connexions in bondage 
among us4--,and do you think that a     
black man's memory is so treacherous1 or
 his heart so callous1 that he  can     
forget1 or not feel for the wrongs of   
his own flesh and blood8  ,depend upon  
it1 my hearers1 on the shore of that    
sea-beaten isle1 many a  champion will  
stand1 and while he looks to the north  
and rejoices in the  privileges which he
 is permitted to enjoy1 he will long to 

impart them  to those he has left       
behind2 and if nothing is done1 on your 
part1 to  redress the wrongs of ,africa1
 before you are aware1 the alarm of war1
  the din of arms1 and the rage of      
conflagration will have laid in ruins   
the fairest portions of our land4#d     
,footnote #d3      ,if any are disposed 
to style this mere conjecture1 be it so3
 but it is    no more than what has     
already occurred1 and may occur again4  
,the    revolution in ,st4 ,domingo     
originated in ,france1 and was planned  
by a    ,society called ,amis de ,noirs1
 or ,friends of the ,blacks1 organized  
in    ,paris for the express purpose of 
aiding the negroes in recovering        
their liberty2 of which ,la ,fayette and
 other distinguished citizens    were   
the patrons4 ,and the first individual  
that drew his sword1 was a    mulatto   
who had been educated in ,paris1 and    
sent to his native isle to    deliver   
his coloured brethren from bondage4     
,do ,i hear the inhabitants of the north

 say1 8,if such events should be        
realized1 the desolation will not come  
nigh us2 and we will not  interfere to  
avenge the slaughter of slave-holders60 
,and are you then  prepared to perjure  
yourselves8 ,you have sworn to maintain 
the union of  these states1 at the price
 of your treasures and your lives2 and  
are you  now meditating treason and     
rebellion in your hearts8 ,you have     
become a  party to the guilt of slavery1
 and will you desert your friends when  
the  contract on the part of heaven is  
to be fulfilled8    ,but if you are     
verily guilty in this matter1 do not    
imagine that you can  evade the         
punishment of such a crime4 ,it is the  
righteous ,god of heaven  that pleads   
the cause of the oppressed3 and1 though 
the scene of battle  may not be laid at 
your doors2 though the fiercest wrath   
may be poured  out upon those portions  
of our country where slavery has existed
 in its  most extensive and cruel forms2
 yet the hand of justice will1 in some  

way or other1 mete out to every district
 the full tale of its desert4  ,let us  
hear no more then of local jealousies   
and feelings1 but as the  sin has       
involved us in a common guilt1 let us   
aim at a common and  timely expiation4  
,the path of present duty lies open     
before us1 and it  is only by diligent  
and faithful perseverance therein1 that 
we can  expect to escape the indignation
 of heaven4    ,this is a concern in    
which every citizen of the country is   
interested2  whether he is now or ever  
has been a slave-holder or not3 and     
there is  something for every one to do4
 ,the sympathies of every heart must be 
aroused2 the patronage of every purse   
must be secured in favour of these      
incipient measures to remedy the evil2  
publick attention must not only  be     
aroused by an occasional effusion1 but  
be kept awake by frequent               
communications2 the general government  
must be convinced that it is not  enough
 to countenance1 they must approve and  

aid this humane  undertaking--that the  
fountain of guilt springs from the      
foundation of  our ,capitol1 and that   
the principal remedy must be applied    
there2 our  state legislatures must be  
made to feel that they also have imbrued
  their hands in ,african blood1 and    
that not a moment is to be lost in      
washing away the stain4 ,every motive   
that can interest the  philanthropist1  
the patriot1 the ,christian and the     
,christian ,missionary  is presented in 
this subject1 and he that can be        
insensible of its  influence is unworthy
 to occupy a place in human society1    
unless in the  capacity of 8a servant of
 servants40    ,may the voice of timely 
warning arouse us1 before the sword of  
sleepless  justice smite our souls4     
----------------------------------------
--------------------------------        
,transcriber's ,notes3       ,missing or
 obscured punctuation was silently      
corrected4       ,typographical errors  
were silently corrected4                

,inconsistent spelling and hyphenation  
were made consistent only        when a 
predominant form was found in this book4
       ,text that was in italics is     
enclosed by underscores 7italics74