Show ABOLITION OF SLAVERY BENJAMIN LUNDY NOT THE FIRST I IN INTHE INTHE P THE THE UNITED STATES TO ADVOCATE ADVOCATE- IT In n the communication columns of of- issue issue- of April 3rd of THE CHRONICLE is a awell awell well written article on William Lloyd Garrison and Early Abolitionists The writer of the article has no doubt spent pent some time in collecting the facts and arranging them so as to form a trustworthy trustworthy trustworthy trust trust- worthy account of the subject of her sketch but there is one sentence that should be somewhat modified lest some readers of THE CHRONICLE get an opinion which history will hardly warrant In speaking of Benjamin Lundy she says he was advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States The italics are ours The first document in Massachusetts against slavery was written by Judge Samuel Sewell and came out of the press in June une i 1700 It was a tract of about seventeen hundred words and was entitled The of Mem Mem- Selling Joseph a Joseph a orial It is one of the most forcible arguments of the kind we have ever seen and eloquently and ably did it plead the cause cause of the black Some of the arguments arguments arguments ments were scriptural and a number there were on which the Bible remained silent The first sentence reads Forasmuch as Liberty is in real value next unto Life N None one ought to part with it themselves or deprive others of it but upon most mature consideration He then throughout brings quite a number of arguments against slavery as a social evil and quotes passages among which we find He that a man and him or if he be found in his hand he shall surely be put putto putto putto to death Therefore all things whatsoever whatsoever whatsoever what what- ye would that men should do unto you do you even so to them for this is the law and the prophets 21 Matt The last 7 two paragraphs are in Latin of which the following is a translation translation translation trans trans- lation Perfectly voluntary servitude among Christians and on the part of those who willingly serve Christians is often permitted because it is necessary but on the part of a master for his own gain and the exercise of f his own authority it can scarcely be permitted because it does not agree with that tha general rule whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do ye also to them Complete servitude can almost never rightfully exist except for a grave crime which in some way deserves final punishment punishment punishment punish punish- ment because liberty naturally and on the deliberation approaches in value life itself and by many is wont to be preferred pre pre- even to life This was answered by Judge the next year but the reply was not equal to to Judge Sewells Sewell's article This was years before Mr Lundy promulgated the doctrine and md i zo years previous to his publishing his slavery anti-slavery paper Just after she American merican Revolution Revolution- nearly every state in the Union had its slavery anti-slavery society although the membership membership membership mem mem- was not then so great as it afterwards afterwards afterwards after after- wards became That noble philanthropist and learned philosopher Benjamin Franklin Frank Frank- lin was president of the Pennsylvania Society for the Pi Promotion emotion of the Abolition Abolition Abolition tion of Slavery and his last public act was to sign a memorial memori l to Congress urging urging urging ing its attention to the doing away with slavery in the States This was N November November Novem Novem- ber 9 1790 In 1780 Massachusetts formed a state constitution under which slavery soon died out and by 1800 most of the Northern North North- ern States had followed her example The constitution of the United States permitted the importation of slaves until 1808 but during the session of Congress of 1806 07 President Jefferson efferson in his message recommended the abolition of the African slave trade consequently such a bill was passed prohibiting the importation of slaves into the United States or the territory territory territory terri terri- tory thereof after December 31 1807 By the way but few ever pleaded the cause of the black bondsmen more eloquently eloquently eloquently elo elo- than did Thomas Jefferson In his writings may be found the following The hour of emancipation is advancing in the march of time It will come Itis It Itis Itis is a practice in parts of Virginia to rear slaves for the market How can an honorable honorable honorable hon hon- of his 4 mind a patriot and a lover country bear to see this ancient dominion rendered illustrious by the noble devotion and the patriotism of her sons in the r F cause ause of liberty converted rt d into one grand grand menagerie where men are to be raised for forthe forthe forthe the market like oxen for the shambles Is ls this better is it not worse than the slave trade that trade which enlisted the labor of the good and the wise of every creed and every clime to abolish it Indeed Indeed In lIi- deed I tremble for my country when I reflect reflect re re- fleet that God is just that his justice cannot cannot cannot can can- not sleep forever The Almighty has ha no attribute which can take sides with us in such a contest You MUST ADOPT SOME PLAN OF EMANCIPATION OR WORSE WILL FOLLOW When the convention that framed the constitution of the United States met in Philadelphia May 25 1787 there were quite a number of delegates who opposed slavery Among them were were James Madison Madi Madi- son of Virginia Governor Morris J of Pennsylvania Rufus King of Massachusetts Roger Williams of Connecticut Luther Martin of Maryland Washington and Patrick Henry are said to io have intro introduced bills against the inhuman practice In the legislature of Virginia but public opinion was not on the side of mercy and nothing tangible came of their efforts at that time All these and many others ma made e antislavery antislavery antislavery anti- anti slavery efforts before the time of Mr Lundy He established the first antislavery antislavery antislavery anti- anti slavery newspaper in the United States but he was n not not t the first in the country to agitate nor to advocate the abolition of off r f slavery |