Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1844-08-01


of Friends thus busy itself with the affairs
Of others. and interfere with their domes-
tic arrangements We would respect
fully reply, that. in time past the menu
bers Of this Society participated in COM
mon with others in the practice of holding
slaves. Their fields we're titled, Land their
harvests were reaped by them. Nor
wereihey wholly free from that execra-
Bile foreign traffic in the person OF men
which is now by the laws Of our country,
declared 20 be piracy. In looking back
upon past time, il seems wonderful TO US
that this could have been-and we regard
il as striking exemplifcation ofthe force
Of general custom, combined with the bias
of education. BY the faithful labors OF
few pious and enlightened men, who
were deeply impressed With the unrigh.
teousness of the system, and its evil Ten
dency the society was induced to enter
into serious consideration Of the subject,
and to bring it TO the test of those high
principles of justice which are inculca.
ted by the Gospel. The result, was a
full conviction that slavery was entirely
incompatible with the benign nature of
our holy religion. That it was, indeed,
a very fragrant violation of those inaliena-
BILE rights which a benifcent Creator had
bestowed alike upon ali. And so sol.
emn did the conviction become, that the
violation ofthose rights could not be con-
tInued without indeed mourning the wrath
of the Giver, that they dare no longer
continue in the practice. la yielding 10
this conviction, they were not Indifferent
to the sacrifice of property which was
apparently connected with it. And it
cost them many struggle before the
love of property was brought to yield TO
the conviction of duty. But il did yield.
The work of emancipation commenced
under solemn feeling that it was q reli-
gious requirement, and 1t progressed until
II became general. And instead of the
pecuniary embarrassments which had
oeen expected, il proved that their tempo
raj interests were promoted.
The Society having thus been strength
ened TO disengage itself from this system
of oppression and fruitful source of domes-
tic difficulty, we believe it to be our re-
lIgious duty. as advocates in behalf of
those who have long .abored under load
of oppression, which if resting upon our
serves we s1ouTd ueem 10 ne TDsuPporraUie
thus to call the attention of the public
to the serious examination of the merits,
or rather the dement's Of this oppressive
system. We are prompted to do it, be-
cause we believe that as respected our
selves it was system involving leareful
responsibilities, and We cannot divest
ourselves of this impression with respect
to others--.and because we regard it as
a solemn truth, that the idea Of retributye
Justice is consistent with the character of
the Deity.
We therefore affectionately invite our
fellow citizens, to take this great subject
Of human suffering and human wrong.
into their very deliberate consideration.
And especially do we entreat those who
are most deeply interested in it to lay it
to heart. And as they prize the respec-
liability of our national character abroad
--as they value the prosperity aud happi-
ness Of our own country-as they desire
the enjoyment of uninterrupted peace and
domestic security. and wish to transmit
this blessed inheritance TO posterity, to
lose no time in devsing such means as
may seem best adapted to the purpose Of
removing this opprobrious burden, and
raising from their present degraded condi.
| ton, that numerous classes Of our fellow
creatures whose rights have been too
long neglected. That thus The signs Of
the poor end the cries of the oppressed
may no longer ascend to Heaven from ouI
. land.
Signed on behalf and by direction of a
meeting OF the Representatives Of the Re.
Iiigious Society of Friends of the Yearly
: Meeting of New York held in that city
The LIST Of 4th month, 1874.
RICHARD CARPENTER, Clerk.