E449 .A5246 KliJOnnQiHt: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS D0DD173fil.4fi m vV V .•.L:nl% <^^ <9' r. '^ ♦ ,0 -^ * 0" '^'x. *;:^^o- ^v ^o^*^' ^ *••»' <^ n AIMERZCAN SI.AVSRY 3. protest AGAINST AMERICAN SLAVERY, BV ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-THREE UNITARIAN MINISTERS. BOSTON: B . H . GREENE. 1845. ^aa^ ^^r^^ «« c} PROTEST -hi- ^ AGAINST ^^ ^ in c r i r a u 1 a t) c r 11 , BY ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-THREE UNITARIAN MINISTERS. We, the undersigned, disciples of Christ and Ministers of his Gospel, in bearing our solemn testimony against the system of American Slavery, deem it proper in the first place to de- clare the grounds of our action. We owe it to tiu'ee millions of Slaves, our fellow men and brethren, to do what we right- fully can to undo their bunlens. The wrongs of the Slave, however distant he may be, arc our wrongs; for Jesus has taught us that every sufferer whom we can relieve is our neighbor, thougl) a stranger, of another race and in a distant land. We owe it to Slavelioltlers, our fellow-men and brethren, vvlioni we believe to be in a posi- tion hostile to the influences of Christianity, to speak a word of warning concerning the moral evil and inhumanity of the system with which they are connected. We are the more obliged to bear this testi- mony because the Gospel of Christ cannot now be fully preached in the Slaveholding States. If it could, it might be less necessary to ex- press our views in the present form. But vio- lent and lawless men, as is well known, and as recent instances in our own experience show, have made it impossible for the Southern min- ister to declare the whole counsel of God by speaking freely of that particular sin with which the community he addresses is specially concerned. Consequently Southern men of better character, who would not> perhaps, them- selves sanction such constraint, are neverthe- less left without instruction as to their duty in relation to slavery. And if neither religion nor the instincts of humanity, nor the first principles of American liberty have taught them that the system is wrong, their ignorance may not be wholly their fault, but it would be our's were we to suffer it to remain. That they have been educated to believe that Slavehold- ing- is right, may be a reason why we should not severely blame them, but it is also a reason why we should show them the truth ; since the truth on this sui)ject must cojiie to them, it" at all, from the free States, through books, writ- ings, and public opinion. These reasons would induce us to speak even if the North were doing notliing to uphold Slavery. But by our political, commercial and social relations with the South, by the long si- lence of Northern Christians and Churches, by the fact that Northern men, going to the South, often become Slaveholders and apologists for Slavery, we have given the Slaveholders rea- son to believe that it is only the accident of our position which prevents us from engaging in this system as fully as themselves. Our silence therefore is upholding Slavery, and we must speak against it in order not to speak in its support. Es|)ecially do we feel that the denomination which takes for its motto "Liberty, Holiness and Love," should be foremost in opposing this system. More than others we have contended 6 for three great ])rinci|)les, — individual liberty, perfect righteousness, and Ininian brotherhood. All of these are grossly violated by the system of Slavery.' We contend for mental freedom ; shall we not denounce the system which fetters both mind and body? We have declared right- eousness to be the essence of Christianity; shall we not op])ose that system which is the sum of al! wrong ? We claim for all men the right of brotherhood before a universal Father; ought we not to testify against that which tram- ples so many of our brethren under foot? These reasons vvould lead us to speak indi- vidually and separately. But our combined voices may be heard more widely and be more regarded; and we therefore speak in company. As we do not, as a denomination, combine in subscribing creeds and fixing systems of the- ology, the more should we be ready to unite in jiractical endeavor to remove moral evils. As oui' princif)les of religious liberty do not permit us to exclude our brethren who are Slavehold- ers from our Christian fellowship, the more slioidd we testify against the Slave System it- self. Some individuals may think they hold Slaves for the good of their bondmen, in order to give llicni their liberty under more favorable circumstances. We cannot regard such Slave- lioiders as we do those who hold their fellow beings as property for the sake of gain or personal convenience. Leaving to God to de- cide on the comparative guilt or innocence of individual Slaveholders, we pronounce the sys- tem unchristian and inhuman. And more especially do we feel bound to lift up our voices at the present time, when the South has succeeded in compromising the na- tion to the support of Slavery; when it has been made a great national interest, defended in our national diplomacy, and to be upheld by our national arms ; when the nation has, by a new measure, solemnly assumed the guilt and responsibility of its continuance; when free Northern citizens, without any alleged crime, are thro^vn into Southern prisons and sold to perpetual bondajre ; when our attempts to ap- peal respectfully to the Federal Courts are treated with contumely, so that the question is no longer whether Slavery shall continue in the Soutliern States, but whether Freedom shall continue in any of the States. Now, therefore, when our reliance on political meas- 8 nres lias faded, it is the time to trust more fully in the power of Truth. To the schemes of party leaders, to political majorities, to the united treasures, arms, domains and interests of the nation, j)]edged to the extension and perpetuation of the system, let us now oppose the simple majesty and omnipotence of Truth. "For who knows not that Truth is strong, — next the Almighty?" We, therefore, ministers of the Gospel of Truth and Love, in the name of God the uni- versal Father, in the name of Christ the Re- deemer, in the name of Humanity and Human Brotherhood, do solemnly protest against the system of Slavery as unchristian and inhu- man, — Because it is a violation of the law of Right, being the sum of all unrighteousness which man can do to man, depriving him not only of ]iis possessions but of himself. And, as in the possession of one's self are included all other possessions, and in the right to one's self are included all other ri^-hts, he who makes a man a slave commits the greatest possible robbery and the greatest possible wrong. Because it violates the law of Love, which says, " Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them." Because it degrades man, the image of God, into a thing; changes persons into })roperly; and, by violating the dignity of the human soul, is a constant sacrilege against that soul which the Scriptures declare to be the "Temple of the Holy Ghost." Because it necessarily tends to pollute the soul of the Slave, — prodiicing all vices, and fostering habits of indolence, sensuality, false- hood, treachery, theft, moral stupor and peipet- ual childhood, — by taking away ii/o;?e, which God has ap[)ointed as the lightener of toil, the spur to exertion, and the seed of progress, and by destroying the sense of responsibility, which is the bond that connects the soul with God. Because it tends to defile the soul of the master, as unlimited power must generally pro- duce self-indulgence, licentiousness, cruelty, arrogance and a domineering spirit, — qualities utterly opposed to the humility, meekness and self-denial of Christ. We cheerfully admit that some, both of the Slaveholders and Slaves, 10 have nobly resisted these influences and shown ys virtues which we shoidd be proud to imitate. But we know that the ])revuiling tendency of the system is nevertheless evil, and that it must always offer manifold temptations and inevita- ble occasions to sin. Because this system, as the indispensable condition of its continuance, must restrict edu- cation, keep the Bible from the Slave, make life insecure in the hands of irresponsible power, deprive female innocence of protection, sanction adultery, tear children from parents and husbands from wives, violate the divine in- stitution of families, and by hard and hopeless toil make existence a burden. Because Slavery, as all history testifies, eats out the heart of nations, and tends every year more and more to sear the popular conscience and impair the virtue of the people. It neu- tralizes the influence which we ought to exert on the world as a nation whose mission it is to extend the principles of political freedom. It degrades our national character, making us ap- pear before mankind as solemn hypocrites who declare " that all men are equal," and yet per- sist in holding a portion of them as Slaves, — who n tieclare that "a// are endowed vvilh certain in- alienable rights, among which are life, liberty, and the {jursjiiit of ha])piness," and yet take these rights from a sixth part of their own com- inunity. Constantly to profess one thing and constantly to practice another must destroy the sinews of national virtue. In pure obedience to these principles which no circumstances can obscure and no time can change, we protest against any attempt to de- fend this system on the ground that the Slaves are often treated kindly. It is not a question of treatment, but of right; and the greatest kindness would be no compensaiion for the rights which are withheld. We protest against any attempt to defend the system from the letter of the Scriptures or d'oni practices recorded in the Old Testament, as a libel on God and Christ, which would tend, so far as the attemt)t succeeded, to destroy our confidence in the Bible. If this system was not [}rohibited among ancient nations by posi- tive law, it was not for the reason that it was riglit, but that, like ])olygamy and other evil practices, "it was suffered for a time because of the hardness of their hearts." And if, Cvom 12 tlie imperfect knowledge under the old dispen- sation, " the time of this ignorance God winked at," yet now in the light of the Gospel, "he commands all men everywhere to repent." Final)}', while we prescribe no man's course of action, we earnestly implore all to put forth their full energy, and in the most efficient modes, to show decidedly their sympathy with the Slave, and their abhorrence of the system of oppression of which he is made the victim. We implore our brethren at the South, es- pecially those who hold the same faith as our- selves, to show their faith by their works; to come out from all participation in this sin, and, in the way they deem best, "to undo the heavy biM'dcn and let the opjnessed go free." We implore our brethren at the North, who may go to reside in Slaveholding regions, to go determined to make every sacrifice of profit or convenience rather than become abettors of this inhuman institution. We implore all Christians and Christian preachers to unite in unceasing prayer to God for aid against this system, to lose no opportu- iiit)' of speaking the truth and spreading light 13 on tills subject, in faith that the trutli is strong cnoiiglj to break every yoke. We pray them to remember those wliose hearts were in tills cause, who have ascended on high. l( Channlng, Follen, Worcester and Ware are still mindful of what is passing below, they must be looking to us to take their places and do their work. Wherefore seeing we are com- passed by such witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and do the work of him who sent us while it is day. And we, on our part, do hereby pledge our- selves before God and our brethren, never to be weary of laboring in the cause of human rights and freedom till Slavery be abolished and every Slave made free. JOSEPH ALLEN. J. H. ALLEN. WM. ADAM. S. ALDEN. H. ALGER. S. G. BULFINCH. L. BAILEY. C. F. BARNARD. S. A. BARNARD. Massachusetts. ?» Canada. Massachusetts. 14 JOHN BARTLETT. Mass. CHARLES BRIGGS, G. W. BRiGe;s. W. G. BABCOCK. Rhode Island. A. BROWN. Vcnnoiit. J. S. BROWN. N. H. C. BROOKS. Mass. C. T. BROOKS, Rhode Ishind. C. BRADFORD. Mass. W. BURTON. C. H. BRIGHAM. " A. M. BRIDGE. " E. BUCKINGHAM. New York. N. BUTLER. Kentucky. W. H. CHANNING. New York. JAMES F. CLARKE. Mass. S. CLARKE. AMOS CLARKE. » S. B. CRUFT. » W. GUSHING. " J. L T. COOLIDGE. " J. COLE. Maine. WM. COE. Mass. E. P. CRAFTS. « A. H. CONANT. Jllinois. S. CHANDLER. Mass. 15 EDWARD CAPEN. Massa chusetts. C. CUTLER. N. H. J. CALDWELL. »> C. IL A. DALL. Mass. THOMAS DAWES. THEODORE DORR. JOHN Q. DAY. O. C. EVERETT. H. F. EDES. R. S. EDES. RUFUS ELLIS. n J. ELLIS. 5) H. EMMONS. New York. CONVERS FRANCIS. Mass. JAMES FLINT. n WM. H. FURNESS. Pennsylvania. B. FROST. Mass. N. S. FOLSOM. N. H. J. FIELD, (Charlemont.) Mass. FREDERICK A. FARLEY, New York. CHARLES A. FARLEY. JMass. S. FARLEY. 11 WM. FARMER. Vermont. FREDERICK T. GRAY. Mass. WASHINGTON GILBERT 11 N. GAGE. 11 16 ti. GILES. Mass. E. J. GERRY. rt AMORY GALE. n AAROX GREEX. n F. D. HI^XrsGTOX. n E. B. HALL- Rhode JsIaDd, X. HALL. 3Ia5s. F. H. HEDGE. 3JaiDe. F. mXCKLEY. Mass. A. HARDIXG. » H. HERSEY'. i» G. W. HOSMEE. New York- F. W. HOT.T.AXD. r? THO>L\S HILL. Penn. GEORGE G. LXGEJLS OLE. Mass. A. D. JOXES. r SY'L\'ESTER JUDD. Maine. JA\]ES KEXDALL. Mass. J. KEXDALL, Ja. ?•? D. KLMBAT.L n WM. H. KXAPP. rt J.\-MES KAY. Peno. W. H. KJXSLEY. Mass. L. W. LEOXARD. N. H. G. LEOXAPvD. Mass. A. A. LIVER.MORE. N. IL i: H. LA \V. iL ^ .._ s. J. M_\r. S. MAY. L- M-\Y:> ARP. 3*L L MOTTE. A B. vr zzF v J. F. MC • iRS. J- MCmjFJ:! GEORGE MOORE. W. C. M«>SELEY. J. M. MERRICK. HENTIY A. MILES. WM. XEWELI- JACOB XORTOX. C. XIGHTESGALE. J. fe fc:.iaL ANDREW P. PE.\EODY. X. H. O. W. a PE-\BODY. Y'riiiMT JOHX PARKMAS. X^w ll^av>sUreL JOHX PIERPOXT. Xew York. J. PIERPi3XT. Jl A R. PC^PE. T. H. PC»XS. THEODORE PAKKEJL ' 18 C. PIERCE. Massachusetts. ISAAC B. PIERCE. New York. J. H. PERKINS. Ohio. CAZENEAU PALFREY. Mass. R. PIKE. " SAMUEL RIPLEY. " CHANDLER ROBBINS. S. D. ROBBINS. JOHN LEWIS RUSSELL. " G. M. RICE. CHARLES ROBINSON. C. STETSON. OLIVER STEARNS. " WM. STEARNS. " RALPH SANGER. " PRESERVED SMITH. AMOS SMITH. " L S. SiVIITH.* " J. C. SMITH. " RUFUS P. STEBBINS. Pennsylvania. L. H. SHAW. Mass. EDMUND Q. SEWALL. CHARLES SEWALL. " * Mr. I, S. Smith, and a few others whose signatures are atBxed to this paper, are occasional preachers, and candidates for the ministry, liaving at present no pas- toral charge. 19 R. C. STONE. Mass. EDWARD STONE. " J. L. STONE. " JOHN T. SARGENT. " GEO. F. SIMMONS. " J. D. SWEET. " WM. SILSBEE. " HERMAN SNOW. Connecticut. DANIEL M. STEARNS. WM. P. TILDEN. New Hampshire. JAMES THOMPSON. Mass. J. W. THOMPSON. " J. THURSTON. " M. G. THOMAS. " EDWARD TURNER. " ZEPHANIAH WILLIS. " M. W. WILLIS. N. IL JOHN WEISS. Mass. R. C. WATERSTON. " WitLIAM WARE. " J. F. W. WARE. " L. WISWALL. R. F. WALLCUT. " J. K. WAITE. " WM. H. WHITE. JOHN WHITE. " 20 O. W. WOODWARD. Mass. E. B. WILLSON. " L. WILSON. " O. H. WELLINGTON. SAMUEL WJLLARD. WM. A. WHITWELL. N. H. H. WITHINGTON. Mass. FREDERICK A. WHITNEY. " JASON WHITMAN. " JOHN B. WIGHT. " H. WOOD. At a session of the Rhode Island and Massa- chusets Christian Conference in New Bedford, the 9th, 10th and 11th inst,, the " Protest of Unitarian Ministers against American Slavery" was referred to the Business Committee, and by them reported entire to the meeting. On the question of its adoption, the members of the Conference all rose and voted undliiniously as follows: — Resolved, That tliis body cordially approve of the sentiments of the above Protest, and wish that this ■aetion of the Conference should be forwarded forpub- lication by brother William Coc. Signed, HExXRY SELLINGS, Pres't. Joseph Blackhian, Clerk. ' §4 If • ^^ .-Js.^ .6' •^^o« 'bv ./%, 'oK ^0' ^ ^^?fel\ \,9^^ /W^X '^^ »-