History of Pennsylvania Hall, Which was destroyed by a mob, on the 17th of May, 1838

Page 72

132 or man anume the pl'erogati~·e of .Jchon'lh, a~d impiOl~sly seck to .plant hi.msclfupon the throne of the Almighl)'; these consulr:•·at~ons arc all !nvohl.'<i m t!1c questiOn of hb~rty ?!' sla,·cry.. , And is a sHbJCCl compt•el,cndtug mtcrests ol such m11gn•lUde, merely a ' poht•enl question, and one in which woman" can t:.k~ HO part without losiug something of the motlt.'Sl)' 1111d gcutle· neu wbich a1-e her· most appt'Ojwialc m·muncnts ?•' .!\Jay not the "Ol'llllment of a meek and quit:l apirit" exist with Rn upright mind and enl ightened iutcllect, and must wom:m ncccss:wily ht: le~s gentle becAuse he•· hc:u·t is open to the claims of humanitr, m·1css modest because she feels fo1' the dcg•·:Hhllion of he t· cnsht\·cd sistct•s, ami woultl sll~tch fo1·th her h:md for thci1· J'l'8Cuc? By the Constitution of the United States, the whok physical t)QWel' of the North is pltcl;;:ell for the 8upp1•ession of domestic in su iTCctilm8, :md shouh.l the 1Shtvea, m:uldeued by oppression, endea\'01' to shnke oft' the yoke of the tnsk·nHistcr, the mcu of the North are bound to mnke common c:mse with the tynmt, ancl put down, Ill the I)Qint uf the bnyonct, c\·ery effol't on the part or the slave fm· the 11tlainment of his f•·ccc.lom . And when tl1c l~'lthcl', husband, son, nnd brother shall have left thci•· homes to mingle in the unholy wnrfHre, "to become the c:teeutlon· e l'!l of their brethren, or to IRII thcn1se h·cs by thd1• h:nlfls," will the mother, wife, {laughh·•·, and sister feel that they ha,·e no inte1·est in thi~ subject! Will it be ct~s~· to con,·incc them that it is no concern of thei1-s, tlnll thei•· homes a1-c I'CIHie1·ed <lcsolate, :tml thci•· l•ahi1 11tions the ai.KKies of wretchedness? Surely this considcr:ction is of itself sufllcic•r.t to m"Ousc the slumbe1·ing e neq~ies of woman, t(w the ovc•·tiH"ow of R system which thus tlwcatens to luy in •·uius the f:cb1·ie of her domestic happiuess; and she will not be deterred f1·om the pcl"i"onmmce of hc1· duty to hcrsdf, he•· family, au• I her country, by the ct•y of " political <pu:stiou. '' But admitting it to be :1 politicnl q11estiou, ha~ e we 110 interest in tl1e wclliu·c of our counii'J!. :May we nf)t pe•·mit a thought to stray bcyoud the n:~rrow limits of om· own Eunily ci•·cle, and ol the preseut hour ! J\1ay we not b•·eathe a sigh O\'CI' the miseril·s ol om· count•·yn1en, nor utter a wm·d of remonsl1':u1cc :~:;uiust the uujust bws th:cl a1·c Cl"uslling them to the e:wth? Must we witness "the headlong I"Hl;C o1· heed less folly ,'' with which (lUI" nalion is rushing onwa1·d to <lc. et•·uction, and not seck to ar•·est its downwnnl com·se? Shall we silently l.whohl the l:m!l which we lo\'C wilh all the hcaL·t-w:wm aff.:etion of chillh·cn, rmHien!<l 11 hissing IIHfla l"t'JWOach tlH"ough­out the wm·hl by this system which is ah-e;uly " tolling tl1e r'e-,Hh-bell of he•· cleccase :1mong the nations?" !><l'o ; the events of the last two yca1-s htwe " cast their !lal·k sloa1lows befo1·c," O\.CI"· clouding the b1·ight prospects of the futu1·c, flll(l shl"OlHliug the destinit's of ou1' coun try in more than mi1lnight gloom, and we cannot r em11in inncti\"C. Our count1·y is a8 den•· to us as to tl1e proud­Cit statesmau, und the m01-e closely 0111' hearts cling to" our 11ltNI'S and our homes," tl1e more fer,·cut at'C OUI' 11spi1·:1tions that every inhabitaut of om· lan1l may be fli"Utecte(\ in his fireside en· joyments by just ami (!qual laws; thllt the lOot of the t~Tant may no lonACI' im•ade the domestic s::wctual·y, HOI" his hand tear asunder those whom God himself has united by the most holy ties. Let our course, then, still be cmward! Justice, humanity, ~tl'iotism , C\"cr:r high and C\"ery holy moti,·e u•·ge liS fot·~· a1·d, and we clare not refuse to obey. l'hc way of duty lies oren bcfcwe ua, ami though oo Jlillar of fire be visible to the outw:ml sense, yet nn tlnCITing light. sh~ll illu­mine our pathv. ay, guitling us tlwough the sea of l.e1·secution fl!l(i tl1c wilclcrncu ('f J11"(•judlce J.~ntl e••t"OI', to the pmmi&ed land of ti·ectlom, whc·•·c" C\"et·y man shall sit untk·r his own ' 'ine and uncle\' his own fi:;-t•·ce,llml none shall make him 11fraid," The numci"Ous srnnll societies, scattcn':d o\·er the \'IH'ious tlistl"icls of our extended country, we wouhl gt·ect with Hft'cctiouate interest, with llSSUI"CII hope. Though you arc now only as glimmcrillg lighu on the hill tops, few ami f::u· between , yet if with all (liligcnce these fi1·es be kept burning, the &UITOunding country shall catch the flame- ~~·~n~ •:i~~~;~~l ~;~~O~I:o~il~l~~:~:~·~~~ 'm~~~~ilo~~~~f' ~~~~~ tho;%t~: ~.: i~~~~~ ~~ btil~~i~<~~~1n o~~~;~:~~~:\~~i~l:~n?;~ sviri~; thcl"t: must be the p:1tient continuance in well doing of tl.oae whn hll''e Lecn buttliug fm· the wol"ld'e f•·eedom, and wh() have counted noticing too llCIII' or too deiU' to sacJ·ifict: for their b1•ethrcn in bonds; the1'C must be an increase of energy ami zeal in the many wl1o have enlisted in the l"d.llks of the f!"iends or freedom. Jn joining an Anti· Slavery Society, we ha\"C set our ~~U:~~at;!it~: ~~~~gs~;-en~~. ;~\ ~~~~s ~~.~~~~b:;;· ~~e~;:<~cb~c<~~~flmi::~;:!.i~'~,~~~-1 a~;.;~~~ ;d:~~~~~~ hom· calla imr,erlltiv<'ly fot• " doing with all OUI' miAht" what om· hands fiud to do; the mt•ans arc va.rious. To some among us may be gi\·en the head to (le,•isc, to otben the hnnd to execute; one may luwe time to dC\'Otc, anotl•e•· money; let cnch gh·e lilJCI-ally of that which he or she possesses. Time, talents, influence, wcnlth , allllrC re9uired, :~II will aid in the great enteqll"iSC. Let each one se•·iously inquh·e how he o•· she can a''lilling-ly pmmotc the CMuse, and in that de· partment f~tithfully wm·k. Let the aged eounsel, the young execute: plt:ad not ina~ility ; we much fear that many among U9 •·est satisfi ed witl1 •• the name to lh•c nnd yet IH'C {lend." \Ve give in our names as membcJ'!I of a society, pay 11 small annual snbsc1·iption, and Attend the mcet­i11gs of the society. So l iu· is well, but much mm-c is necdt..-d fm· the accomplishment of our ;h%~n ; ~~~:~td'::~, )~~~::~~~:.~~~ ~~l~~.~:~~~:i:1:~~;:'~ff~~~o t~x~~t ~~~0s~~~~~t'!\i:~0itbecs~~c~·; availingly applied; ami in •:wder to do this, keep yourselves iHIOrmcd of every Anti· Slavery mo,·ement. The edito•· of ll1e Enmneipatm· says : "0\her \hi11g1 bo:ing t'q1:11l, thUit' art' tbe uwlt cfficientiiDOiitionisll who 11re the most intclligt•nt; 11nd commonly, the mol\ guutl. i1 dum• in those place• where our bookl 11nd }tulllic:atim" arc neon circuhtll"d :~.ndn•ad." Al\TI·SLA\'EI~Y CUl\VJ::NTION Of.' AJ\oiJ,;RI <.:AN WQ,ltf:N. 133 tluc:nee 011 th t- enmmunity in which it is located, its Jlrmpcc:h arc most lluteriu!'• and no society has r;~;::~~F;5~~i':i.if.~il:~?.:iii.;~:f.::fi::·:J{;:;:~:~:~f~·~:!~:.i~):~:~~~:~·:~~;;./~F~:~::(~~f\~f:~~::;~r;~;J or thrt.'t! numbe r~ ofuur l'"ll"'r •ho•• hl !)., tak• n ? Jl:~y, wt· I111Vc bt·t·u wid of on t• l11 rgt;' soci .. ,y, 1hu1 11nt k',: 1J~ •;:~, ~~~ ~ ~ ~.~:;~ ~;~~;;? ~~~.~~~r,~· 11~11:,~ .• ~~~;.' e~11~1 ~1~~~~·~·::~,.~: 1~.1~1::~~:~·•<1,~• o~;c: ~:~~~~:~~~;~k:;,.~~~:: n10f~11c:~: COIII !Iliah ? A h;rht uruh·r a buah\·1 Ullg"ht :u "'ell be put out. Orguuiz~IIO II .,.ithout dfnrt, is all a ~::joi~.~~~~~r~:~~~.~~ ,.~1~J'~C:'::~r~~~~:ra!":~'c:o::~·~il::~., ~~~j:~.,J:u0j:l"J";f~~~.~,w the •a me bone• hnd before tht;"y The taunting question heard sc) long, and go untirin gly rcpelltcd," \Vhnt has the North to do with 1hu·ery 1" i::~ most triumphantly an~wcred by the pracL!ce uf any one ncth·e, consistent member of an Anti-Slavery !::iociety. As" we remember them in bonds as bound with them," we find wo ~~v~~:~ct!!,~~sd~f ~~~~~~~c~n :h~~:~~~i~~v~s~ h!~~w~~~~w~~:~~~\ h~0wws~~~~·~:r:·~~c~! ~~:~~~~~=et~~~~ thnt all men are indeed "born free and e_qunl?" How much do we find to do in acting up to th11 doctrine, in our closets, in our f.·unilies , 111 our intercourse with the world, and by the way side! 'fhe attentive t·onstdcration nf what we owe to our cu lored brelhren, will dispose us to manifest our sympathy with th~m; and to shnw them by our conduct that we do not consider them a11 stran~ertl and aliena; th:lt we nppreciate their manly struggles for the ad1•anccment of their race; and when IJvorable eireumst:1.11ce~ permit the escape of an>: beyond the prescnbcd length of the chain which has bound them, we cmnot, we dare not,jnin m the rude ridicule of the vulgar, 1he succring contempt of the supercilious, or the mistaken kindneu of the bcuc\·olcnt, whu ny tlmt to awaken. their s~ns1bditics to their ~ricvances would be cruelty in the extreme; that" where ignorance 18 bliSS 't.IS_ folly to l>c wise." We sec the fallacy or this hackneyed sentimenl. l~rnornn cc is not bl •s~-inacnSibthty is not enjoyment. The objector linle knows huw tiglotly theac fetters of caste have been drawn around, how deeply they have scarred their victin1! hnw binerly the in· justice has l>cen felt; ami the more intensely, ns it has been borne in silence, without ctther the aolace ofsympatuy or the hope of relief. The edttcation of colored children recommends itself to abolitionists, as the most efficient meana ofra1~ing them from their present despised condition. J\Tany societies have cstabhl!lu::d ~choo!s , (ought nut all to do it 7) wloercin their younger m e mber~~ cheerfully devote a poninn oftlocu leisure ume to the instruction, not only of the ch1ld rcn, but of adult~t. ' l"hc ea~erncss for learning manifested by most escaped from !he house of bondage, their anxiety to improve the intervals of labor in acquinng knowle~ge, is tou touching to be ~nnoticed or d1srega rded ; it prove11 that their ignornnce is om natural stup1d1ty, that t!1ctr degradatiOn is the work of the o ppreijsor, that the darkncu in wh1eh they have been shrouded is a dnrkncss to be felt. Let us, then, encou rage and aid their earnest effortt and though ir1 many instances little can l>c done 10wards repairing their deep wrong in their own pcraons, yet we can incite them to provide, by im.luslry, frugality, and enterprise, all the bleuings of freedom for their children. While we thuil tabor to restore to our colored brethren the rights of which they have been 10 long and ao unjustly depriYcd, let U8 endeavor to come to the work with pure hearts aud clean ~vaa~~~. n!:tg~:e~~fhi! t~!taf~~~:t!~~k~!!e l\~~~c~~::·~:· ~~~0 :~~~fe~~~~Q~e~~~~r;~r~i~~;~~~o~~~~:~ we continue to purch!l,ie and use the producl!J of unrequ1tcd toil, becomC8 a quesuon of serious import, and one wh1ch we recommend In your uuentivc consideration. Jt is not necessary to enter into a labored argument to prove that one of the main props of the sy~ttcm of ~t lavery i~ the price paid by tho inhalnt(lnts uf non-slavchnlding slates and countries for th? product1nnsofthc_statcs in which slavery prevails. 'J'hia is so c,·jdcm that we presume none will dh1pute II· Con~•dcring tho ll•ct, then, as aclmitted, we would 11sk, what is the slaveholder but our a;;cnt, holding aud using his human chaucls for our benefit? and irit be true that •• what a man does by another, t1c docs himself," are we not partners with him in gui lt '! \Vith what consistency, then! can we demand that he •· undo the heavy burdenH, and !et the oppressed go free," while we contmu_o to pay him for retaining them in IJOndagc 1 Our mconsJ:>tcncy, in this rt~SJlCCt, does not escape the vigilant eyes of our opponents. Said a 11hn•oholdcr to an aUoLitionist, "we make the sugar, and you buy it," tl~us plainly mtimating that if thuy were cul pable, we were far from blameless. We ICe! that on lhJit point we have been venly gmlty, and though the scales are f . .dlinrc from the eye~ of many, yet much rcmaina to be <lone amoug uurselvea. And whataro the motives t~at restrain us from aNmg consistently on this sub­ject 1 Arc W6 unwilling to fore !.(O a /Ow 11ensual graulicauons m such a cause'! \Viii we not consent to be somewhat more coariJoly c lothed, and to ~coy the palalc l'"'me of its wnuted gratlli- ~r~Jtll~~~~:~~~=r ~~1aar~s et~n~h~~f~~~~~c1 ~tl.~i~~e.,U~~doe~x~::~~: ~;~lCg~~:~~=s::~dhju~~~~:~itnf~: :,~c~~~n~ are oppressed 1" Jn presenting to your consideration a few remarks on the subject of peace, we would not be understood as wishina: to idcl!lify the anti-slavery cause with that of peace. \Ve no murc desire that the Anti·Siavcry Society should l>ccome a Peace Society, than we wish it to be a Temper­llllCe, Uiblc, or t\liu1onary Society. We believe that each of these objects m11y be beat prnmnted :~e:t~~~~i~~1tl~:,:~1f:l11~~~a 0:r i~a:~i~~~h~ r~~; :t~~~n w:ioi~~~~11i~1~~~,;j~f~,~~~~sai\Je \:~.~~~~~ suggest to you, the importance of carefully examining \ow far abolitionists are restrained from the u~ e of such methods of defence, by their declaration ofRcntimcnts, iuued at the time of the fonna· tion of the American Anti-Slave ry :Society; and what the influence of ita use would prob:~blJ btl upon our cau::~e. f'rom those two positions only, do we feel at liberty to present the 11ullject• 'J'he declaration of ijtmtimcnts of the 1\nti·Riavery Con1•ention, ;ciJicmUJ .. d iu l' l1ilaUelphia in