Portland gazette., 1805-07-02
IN ADDRESS

- hs Ilblbitant5 Of CbGrLSf2a, S2lfbcdr2!ina
SINGULAR as it may appear to many
Of you to be addrefied by an unknown fe-
male from dihant land after this manner /;
truit am actuatcd therein by no other
motives than the influence of that golpel
love, fled abroad III my heart, which indu-
ces me, at times, with carnet folicitude, to
crave the preferIt and everlaiting well
being Of all my fellow creatures I'M
prehcd with tha1e feelings, and an apprc
henGon of duty, have been engaged to
leave divers Of the ncarch and tendcrelt
connexions IN life, for a ieaion TO viGt ma
ny of my friends, in religious profe(iisn and
others on this continent, as my way open
ed. But net apprehending that | am re-
Quired to pay you 4 personal viht (though
have felt my mind engaged OIL your behalf,
n a very peculiar manner) believe IL right
thus to call your attention to iome conhd-
crations which have appeared to me awful
ly important, as they regard your real inter
eAs both in time and eternity. In pafiing
along through fome of the iouthern fates,
my mind has been painfully affected at the
fight Of numbers Of my fellow creatures, Of
the African race, deprived OF their natural
liberty and Of almot every means OF Improv-
ment of thoic faculties betowed upon THEM
as we'll as ourfcvcs for the noblef Of pur-
pofes, by thar all wife and bountiful Crea
tor, in whom e we live and move and have
our being !" and who, We are told by the
great apoftle Of the Gcntiles, :" hath made
of one blood al nations of men TO dwell on
(. all the face of the earth, and hath determin-
ed the times before appointed and the
bounds Of their habitaion."t For any of us,
his dependant creatures, to force them from
the place thus appointed BY gracious and
fuperinrending Providence, appears TO be
an infringeneut on the order and Gsono-
my of this part of his rational creation, fer
which The aggrcf'ors mut be accountable At
his awful tribunal, who is infinite in jlitice
as well as in mercy misunderstanding
ly lament, thar a culfom, 10 barbarous as
well as 70 repugnant 10 every principle Of
humanity and juitice, as the African Slave
trade, ihould be continued in this or any
ether nation, and by involving them in the
greateit Of national crimes, lay them open
70 thoie national punilhments, which
mult be expected, as juit retributioa for
people, which has long cried for vengeance,
and wholc CRY has reached the ears Of the
Lord Of Sabbaoth. Whar then nluf BE the
expectation of thole who fuppogt this hor-
rid traffic, BY purrhaiing and continuing in
lavery tholc who have never forfeited that
right of liberty they derive, with ourielves.
from the oHe UniverjA P.irrnt? What,
but " certain fearful looking FOR of ddg-
ment and fiery indignation" 7" [ when he tan
deth up TO plead who hath declared that
"for the oIprelhoD Of the poor,for The fgh-
ing of the needy he will arle, Il who IS un.
doubtedy able to deliver the oppreftd from
the harA of him that is mightier than he |!
While fuch alio continue the protection Of
chriltianity, and are in the performance Of
what are deemed religious duties and cere-
monies. may not thele cone under the
fame deicription as thofc lpoken Of By the
prophet, when he iays, " ye faf for itrifc
and debate, and to finite with the fit Of
uickednels."S
May all fuch, therefore, have their fpirt
pal eyes 10 anointed, as clearly to difcovey
that The fal which the Lord " hath chotcn,
il to oofe the bands Of wickednefs, to TN
20 the heavy burdens, and to let the op-
Il preAcd 60 free, and that ye break every
Il yoke when thou leef the naked that thou
cover him, and hide not thyielf from thine
Il own aeih and il thou draw cut thy foul tc
n the hungry, and fatisfy the afflicted foul,
then lhall thy light rie Ia oblcurity, and thy
darkReis be as the noon day."T
Thar this may become the engagement
and con equcnt eNPcr&nce Of all thoi5
cArcc.a d u his Aalu. traffic, and 0 { IL