New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-06-20
Letter frcm Horace Greeley to the ANU
slavery Convention at Cincinnati.
att Morning Herald

srwYoRK. June 81, 1915
Ueor Sir received. weeks since your letter
;n,,rino me TO BE- present at q General Convention
of onponent- OF Human Slavery. irrespective OF pas
differences and party organizations nave deiayea
in the Last moment my answer hoping n sh' lhi-
season indulge a long cherished desire ana purpoS,
bv visiting yorr section and city. IN which case
should certainly have ATTENDED yonr Convention
Being DOW reluctantly compelled 20 ioreso OF III
definitely postpone that visit have no recourse oui
10 ackn0v iedg c your courtesy IN a letter
In saving that should have attended yonr Con
veniion had ! been able 10 VISIT Cincinnau uh-
month ! would bv no means be- understood is liH
Diving that I would have claimed 10 shar. 10 IT, oe
bera,ions: stiil esa that ! should have been Ike!
10 unite in tie course of action 20 nich ihese &c
;bers,ions will probably tend Whether there
can true reconcaencnt grow between those op
poneu.s Of slavery whom tue .laic fe7'de"''a-
Election arrayed against each other IN desperate
conflict 7 do not venture TO predict Most surely
,bs, lar~e norton Of them with whom acted anc
.ti act have been confirmed IL our previous con
.icfiOus OF duty py the result ~ una, tf't"h' al'
bv the nlornenious consequences which II las Draw
amer II. 40, merely with regard 20 this question o.
slavery but 10 all questions, ! have by that result
been warned against pedging myself TO any Spec'a
and isolated Reform ia such manner o. TO mterier'
with and letier my freedom and ability TO act de
.ieiyelv and effectively upon more general ana lm
-nediafelv practical considerations oi National 3D.
tcre-t and Human wellbeins ! on and yo'r-,
understand. have been confirmed ia AN OPPOSITE
conviction. Time must decide on which side J.
the right
nm while | cannot hope that should have beer
able 10 une with YOU upon any dciiniiivc course
action 10 be hcncc.orth pursued by aH opponents o.
Slavery irrespective Of past or present dIitrehc's
I should have Gladly met yOu. conferred WIN you.
eompareG opinions. and agreed 10 act t"scuici 30
s.n..sHH
lar A. ioint action Is not forbidden by cohni''iH-
,n;nions Animated by this spirit. ! shall venture
20 sci before YOU, and ask the Convention 10 con
slider some views which deem essential a. bear
ing ON the prcsen, condition and ultimate success o.
the Anti Slavery movement.
nm, /, Slgrcrvl You viii probably answer
The legal subsection Of Que human beng 10 "t
viii and power Of another But this definition ap
bears to me inaccurate on both sides-ioo broad
md N the same time too narrow. IL Is TOO broad
in that II includes the subsection founded IN iin
parental and similar relations TOO narrow, In that u
excludes the subsection founded in other necessiics
lot less stringent than those imposed by statute
" must seek some truer definition.
understand by Slavery, that condition IN which
one human being exists mainly as convenience
lor other human bcngs-in which the time the cN
.rfion> the faculties OF part OF the Human amiiN
are made 10 subscrvc. not their own Development
oIy steal intellectual and moral but the comfort ad
argcc is rendered from Oue human being 10 another
Oh a footing oil one sided and moi Of mutual obnsa-
Iiop-..hen the relation between the servant ana TN
.crved l. one not Of aiitc,l0n ana reciprocal gooo
,gccs but of authority social asccndency and power
over subsistence on the one hand. and OF necessity
-ervity and degradation on the oiher-there la my
view Is Slavery ,
You will readily understand. therefore i..t Il
regard your enterprise with less absorbing Interest
interest," dian you d. it j. moi that deem Slavefy
less but a greater evil. II am less troubled
concerning the slavery prevalent IA Charleston or
New Orleans. il is because | see 30 much slavery
IN Ncw-Y FORK which appears 10 clam my first ell
.orts rejoice IN believing that there : less oil D.
IN Nour several communities and nciehborhoods .
out that it does exist there am compelled 10 be
icye I'm csicemine il my duty 10 prcach heloim
irs, 20 nv own ne glbOrs and kindred would %!
M means a,'sn rt 10 censurc those whose conscien
.,s pre scribe a different course. Sill. less would ]
undertake. io say thar the slavery Of the south g.
not more hidcous IN kind and degree Than thai
which prevails al the North The Tact that u ,'
more fragrant and papable renders opposition 10 II
comparaiivcly easy and it, speedy downfall Ger
tain. But how can ! devote myself 10 o crusad,
against distant -crviiude, when ! discern rs es
.ence pcryadng my immediate community and
,aiolherheod nav. when have not Yet succeeded
IN bani.hing il even from my own humble house
hold Wherever may lie the sphere OF duty oi
others, il not NINE ObNiou>i! nero
lie, me res,aic what | conceive 10 be essential
characteristics OF Human Slavery;
l. Wherever certain human beings devote their
Zine and thoughts mainly 10 oboying and seryin-
1ibar human beings aud this not because they
choose to do 50 bat because they must, there !
think isSl.ecg.
> Wherever human beings exist in such rela-
lions that part because of the position they occu-
pv and the functions they perform. are generally
considered an interior class 20 those Who perform
o:her functions or none there u think j. slavery.
g. Wherever the ownership OF the soil Is 80 en-
crossed by a small par OF the community. that the
Jar larger number are compelled 10 pay whatever
The few may see tit 10 exact Tor the privilege OF DC
rnpyinr and culiivaiing the earth, there J. some
hing very like Slavery. i rejoice that tins STATE
Of things does not. a. yet exist IA oar country
g. Wherever opportunity 10 Labor l. obtained
with difficulty. and i 20 deficient thai the employ
nr class may virtually prescribe their own terms
and paw the Laborcr only such share A. they choo-
of the product there Is very strong tendency 10
Slavery.
s. Wherever il is deemed more reputable to live
without Labor than by Labor, 80 that a gentle
man would be- rather ashamed OF nls descent IRON
a blacksmith than from an idler or mere pleasure
seeker there il q community not very Tar from
slavery. And
o. Wherever one human being decas il honora.
1lc and rl-tt 20 nave uiAcf human ttlh-- ulAi-il
devoted 70 his or her convenience or comfort and
mus 10 live. divcr,in- the labor OF these persons
rom al productive general usefulness 90 his o.,
her own special uses while he or size : rendering
Ut has rendered no corresponding service 90 the
cause OF human weil-beins. there exists the splri
which originated aad still sus;ains Human Slavery.
might multiply these Illustrations indefinitely
bat dare not 20 10 trcspass on your patience. IL
Their allow me 10 apply the principles here evolved
IN illustration of what deem tie duties ana policy
Of Aboliiionisis in reference 10 their cause And
mere | would advise:
]. Oppose Si0rery ia ALL as forms BE al
east a. careful 10 ie STAKEHOLDER as not 20 -0,
for one. BE as tenacious that your own wives, cli
ircn hired men and women. tenants &c, ENJOY the
blessings OF rational Liberty, the slaves OF SOUL
Carolina.
>. Be al least as ardent ia opposing me MAR a.
he DISTANT forms Of Oppression. IL was by be
Ginning al home that Charity was enabled 10 per
.orm such long journeys even before the consiruc
Ion of railroads And il does seem clear 20 ny
mind that il the advocates OF Emancipation would
ante in wcdirectcd persistent efforts 10 improv,
the condition OF the blacks IN their Owl states enc
-cichhorhoods respectively, they could hardly ii-
20 advance iheir caus, more rapidly and surely thar
Dv any other course. suppose. Tor example, the.
were 10 resolve in each state 20 devote their poica
energies la the first place 20 removal OF the shame
ful a.rocous civil disabilities and dc-radatOns un