Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1822-11-30
MISCEAAlAAS EOUS.
AN ADDRESS

Of the Eighth AnnNal Convention of the Ma
numission Society Of Tennessee, to the re-
spective branches.
Friends and FeNozv Laborers,
This convention of the Manumission
Society now in session, deem their du-
~ once more to address YOU Oh the all
Important and interesting subject Of slave
ry. We believe man to be rational
and Intelligent bling, bound by the Laws
Of tie Supreme Being, to regard each
other as members of one great family,
and &C, toward one another by plain
system of justice, which we find imp he'd
III the capacities man possesses. lfintcl-
llgence TO know, and capacities 70 enjoy
this right, impl, a design ef the Supreme
Being TO forbid brother TO invade the
right OF brother, this Law must extend
10 all beings Of the same species and ca
pacities Therefore, as all the human
race possess lie same Kind of affections,
passions, appeti.es aad other capacities,
which go to constitute their subjects and
secure the protection Of the same system
Of government; VIC feel impelled BY our
conceptions d! right aud wrong, 70 view
slavery as daring aitelnp: to celhrone
that justice w.,ich guards against the
right to pres'rate every claim ihut gives
security 20 man, to arrest ire sceptre
from the moral governor of the world,
and Eury ali laws hreaan and divine, in
| the desouring vortex Of ambitious power.
Under this view VI the subject, we
wonld eyhor. yea by all the advantages
wnieh resa,t from MAINTAINING cish So
leiety among Intelligent heings, that you
go on firmly to viadioage those rights of
man which bis Creator les designed to
mark the dignity 81 his nature, and IN the
enjoyr ent, olwi,ich alone, he is capable
Pot pcrtornilng tbe duties, and atiaiping
the happiness Of moral agent. Eeer
cnlis hlenetl Ameucan looks up wiz, sa-
cred venera,ion u that guardian OF his
happiness which declares that all men
are equally free, he believes II 10 stand
On The broad baNs OF justice, supported
| by the laws OF nature, and OF NATURES
| God. Every c9nsls'ent christian re-
| oeises with comp AGENCY aad delight,
that declaration which will slaad forever
good, that it is the duty OF all men to do
| unto others, rs s,ey woaid lhat others
should do unio them. Shall then the
Cohabian patri1i and the christian
! stand uhmoyed and behold slavery, Ilk t
some iafuriatcd demon invading the
garden OF human happiness, 10 hew down
his choicest tees, and destroy his whole
some fruits. A@
Shall they NOT rather use every exer-
ton in their power to oppose this mighty
invasion which is tranpling down the
prospects, and importing the character
of the most iliustrlous nation on the
| globe /; which, though il may have grown
to an enormous size; and presents itself
in fearful forms, and has surrounded its
tents with formidable works; We, we be-
iieve that he who frs, ordained the rights
of man, is able to guard them still, and
to roll back the boIdcsi flood of eppres-
sion to its native oblivion. We believe
that this same Omnipotent arm has be-
gun to move his deep designs, and is
calling forth these agents by which he
means to effect his purpose. From the
view Of these important events to be ac-
complished by Divine energy, attached
TO human agency, the aspect, the bcnevo-
lent cause it appears to wear, and the
probable means by whichit viii be effect
ed. This convention recommend the
Branches engaged in this all-important
work, to keep their ensign hoisted on
which it j. written that slavery is wrong
and to shew that it is in the power oil
every Branch, and every individual, TO
aid inmovins on this mighty work; they
offer the following reasons
First. In government like ours,
where the Supreme power is vested in
the sovereign people, TO obtain legisla-
live measure, the FIRST great object IS TO
gain the consent Of the people; bu, born
as we are, where slavery shades the first
ray that meets our opening eyes, and
from thence attends the path TO our tomb /,
its CHASTITY features are yelled in fa-
miliar l,arb, and we are likelynevcr to
examine whether it De right or wrong !;
in this state Of things, the bare existence