Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-09-14
TO THE PUBLIC.

to use, TO disseminate them:
TO TIE PUBLIC.
" In behalf of the American Anti-S S..
ETY. we solci, the candid attention off the m,iI;c =,
the following declaration of our principlr, and
objects. Were the charges which are brouul.
against Us, made only by individuals who are h.
luenced solely by unworthy motives. this addrc.,
would be unnecessary but there are those vl
merit ana possess our esteem, who would not 81,
unfairly do us injustice, and who have been led l.,
gross misrepresentation, to believe that We are
pursuing measures at variance not only with In.
constitutional rights of the South, but with the pr
ccpts OF humanity and religion. To such We Of
ter the following explanation and assurances.
lst. we hold that Congress has no more ripbt
to abolish Slavery in the Southern States than in
the French West India Islands OF course We de-.
sire no national legislation on the subject.
I'd. We hold that Slavery can ONLY h, auf,l,
abolished by the Legislatures of the several SAFES
IN which it prevails, and that the exercise Of any
other than moral Influence to induce such aboI,
ton is unconstitutional.
3D. We believe that Congress has the same riyIt
to abolish Slavery in the Distrc, of Columbia.
that the State governments have within their re-.
Specti'c Jurisdictions, and that ii is their duty 10
cllacc 50 foul blot from the national cscutchcos
fth. we believe that American Citizens have
the right to express and publish their opinion, If
the Constitutions, Laws, and institutions of any
and every State and Nation under Heaven. and
we mean never to surrender the liberty of speech
OF the press, or of conscicncc-blessinqs We have
inherited from our fathers, and which vo ;ntcrd
as lara we are able, to transmit unmpared to our
children.
9th. We have uniformly deprecated all forci1b.
attempts OF the part OF Slaves 10 recover ,bcirIt
betty. And were 1t i'll our power to addres, Them
we would exhort them to observe quiet and pcacr
iul demcanor, and would assure them that ma ii.
surrectlohary movement on their part would r.
ccl'e from us the slightest aid or conntcnancc.
9th We would dcplorc any scrvile insurrcctiol
pom on account OF the calamties which would at.
tehd IL ana on account of the occasion which Il
m'ght furnish OF increased severity and opprcsso..
ltl. we are charged with sending inccndiaA
pubhcatIons to the south. by the term inco-
dtHY Is meant publications containing arguments
ana iac's TO prove slavery to be IA moral and pc
ilcal evil, and that duty and policy require its I'M.
mediate abolition, the charge is true But if IN,
term Is used to imply publications cncouragnc IN
surrection, and designed to excite the Slaves 10
break their 1etters the charge is utterly and urc.
quivocally false. We beg our fellow citizen, To
notice, tlt this charge is made without proof asl
by many who confess that they have never read
our publications, and that those who make it. Offer
10 inc pubic no evidence from our writings IN
support oft.
oh' We are accused of sending our publication
10 llc slaves, and 1t is asserted that their tender
cy is 10 excite instructions. Both the charges ar.
iaise' hesc publications are not intended for the
slaves, ana were they able to read them they
"o''o ma IN them no encouragement to nsurrcf1
ton.
81 'h' we are accused of employing Agents inte
"'' ''''cs TO distribute our publications. We
''''>1 never ilad one such Agent. We have sent no
S S.sr VI our papers to any person in those
w u's'riputlon, except to five respeca'1
resident citizens, at their own rcoucst But We
have sent, by mall single papers addressed to pub.
lic officers, editors of newspapers clerovmen, and
others. If, therefore, our object is TO excite the
slaves to lnsnrrcction, the Masters are our Agents
ION. We believe Slavery TO he sinful. injurious
TO ,li's and to every other country in which it pre-
VaiiS we believe immediate emancipation 10 be
inc duty OF every Shareholder and that the INN
"'d'e apoiit'on OF slavery, by those who have Inc
's"' 10 Abolish 1t, would be safe and wise. TIc%
pl',''ohs we nave freely expressed, and we CERTAIN
"',e no intention TO refrain from expreSSd=
'''' ~ 'u'nrc' and urging them upon the conscle,
ccS and hearts of our fellow citizens who held
saves s or apologize for Slavery.
I'm. we believe that the education Of the pee
Is required by duty, and by regard for the per
li"ehcy OF our republican institutions 1hc'
are . thousands and tens Of thousands Of our fellow
o'zehs' even IN the FREQ States sunk in abect p0'
cry ana VINO, on account of their compcMoP'
arc virtually hfpf IN ignorance. and whose instrU'
W. IN certain cases Is actually prohibited by IA"
" { are ANXIOUS TO protect the rights. and to pre-