The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-08-17
1EIElA V0IUG OF 1lglEMDONIo
NATIONAL ANTI-SLAVERY CONVEN-
TON.
ALBANY, July 81, 1889.

Chaplin, chairman or the committee of arrange
ments, by reading the call.
Mr.. Chaplin then proceeded to nominate Al
VAN STEWART of N. Y for President otithe Con
venton, and he unanimously chosen.
The following persons We're chosen as Vic
Presidents, viz
William Jackson of Massachusetts; Davi
Root, of New Haven Nathan WinsIow, of Maine
Elias Manchester, of New Y orl1 Lindley Coates
of Pennsylvania; James G.. Brney, of N. York
James Paul, of Pennsy lvania Thomas Garrett
of Delaware dSrael Smith, of New York Mar
tin Pope, of New York; Jonathan P. Miller, O
Vermont; Willis Ames, of Rhode Island A. M
Collins, of Connectcut Amos Fansworth, o
Massachusetts Samuel Plumb, of Ohio Samu
ell Aaron, of New Jersey.
Joshua Leavitt, of New Jersey, Chauncey L.
Knapp, of Vermont, and Henry Gibbons, of Del
aware, were appointed Secretaries.
Opportunity being given by the President for
that purpose, prayer was offered by Joseph r.
Robinson, of New York.
William l.. Garrison moved that the word
" freeman be so construed as to embrace all
persons" present who adopt the principles of the
American A. S. Society.
Los! by large majority.
Lewis Tappan announced that John Scobe, Of
London was present, and moved that he be nvi-
ted to take seat on the platform, and TO act as
corresponding member of this Convention.
On motion of Joshua Leavitt, it was resolved
that Business Committee of nine members be
appointed. The Chair announced the following
as the committee:
Samuel Webb, of Pennsylvania H. B. STAN
ton, New York; Orange Scott, Massachusetts !;
Zephanlah Plat, Michigan John G. Whittier,
Pennsylvania VIM. L. Garrison, Massachusetts ;
David Root, New Hampshire c. p. Grosvenor,
cSochucottc. Toob Cool,,
William l.. Garrison and Joab Seely declined
serving on the committee and were excused. The
vacancies were filled with the names of Josiah
w. Hale of Vermont, and Austin F. Williams of
Connecticut.
James G. Birney stated a case of three coored
men who are now demanded by the Executive of
Virginia, on a charge of having enticed away
slave, as requiring immediate attention. He Of
fered the following preamble and resolutions on
the subject, which were adopted, and referred to
a committee of three members, with power to pre-
sent them to the Governor of New York, in such
way they deem proper.
Whereas, it is made known to the Anti Slave
ry Convention now assembled in the city of Alba
ny, by the public journals, that certain persons
named Peter Johnson, Edward Smith, and Isaac
Gary, citizens, it is presumed of this State, have
been arrested in the city of New Y ork, on the
charge of inducing man, who is claimed a
slave in the State of Virginia, to attempt his es-
cape from said state to another, where he might
recover and enjoy his liberty, and of peacefully
aiding him in doing so; and that said persons are
now confined in prison, awaiting the issue of de-
mand to be formally made by the Executive of
Virginia on the Executive of the State of New
York, requiring said persons to be delivered up
TO the agent of said Executive of Virginia, in or
der to their being transferred to the jurisdiction of
fhat eta to-thora to bo triod bu laws which hov
stripped more than one third of the population of
all their rights, civil, social, and politically laws
which regard as criminal, and punish as such, the
expression of the opinion that man cannot right
fully be held as property by his fellow, and that
slavery is an unrighteous condition Of things-by|
laws totally repugnant to the Declaration of indie
pendence and administered by those who do not
hesitate publicly to assert that the sentiments of
Liberty embodied in that fundamental document
are but C rhetorical flourish and whereas the
surrender of citizen of one rovereign State to be
tried by the laws Of another involves in it the ex
ercise of power of the most delicate and respon
sble nature-one, which it is believed, no Sove-
reignty ought ever to exercise, except in cases of
crime acknowledged to be such by all civilized
people, and under all forms of society and govern
ment ;--and whereas the peaceful liberation of the
victims of bondage has been considered by the hu-
name, the enlightened, the refined every where,
and at all times, as one of the noblest and most
winning achievements of generous spirit; There
fore,
Be it resolved, as the sentiment of this conven-
ton, that for the Executive of the State of New
York to deliver up the said persons to the author
tiles of Virginia would be virtual sanction Of the
laws which punish humanity and philanthropy as
crime, departure from the line of conduct here
tofore observed in such cases by equal sovereign
ties in their intercourse with each other-a cruel
abandonment of the citizens to the merces of
those who charge them with disturbing the peace
and permanency of an institution built on the ru-
ms Of all Right-a letting down of the dignity of
the State of New York-a subjugation of the spr-
il of liberty to the practice of oppression.
And be it further resolved, that, in the name of
our forefathers who stopped not to pledge their
lives their fortunes and their sacred honor to the
maintenance of the Declaration of Independence,
and in behalf of every friend of American liber-
ty now struggling for enlargement from the SER
pent folds of southern savery,--this convention
protests against the surrender OF the citizens afore
SAID, about to be demanded by the authorities
of Virginia.
Resolved, That James G. Birney, Lewis Tap