The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-02-06
ANTI.SLAyERY MOVEMENT IN ILLINOIS


ton. J. III. Bryant, of Bureau presided, assisted
NV several Vice Presidents. To test the sense Of
the meeting Mr. st. Clair offered the following
resolution
q Resolgsd That we deem it expedient at this
time to organize a society which shall take meas
ures forthwith for the spread of our sentiments
thoroughly over the State; and that the business
committee be instructed to report to this Conven-
ton at its next meeting, constitution, based on
religious, moral, and political principles, against
slavery
This was supported by Messrs st. Clair, Far
mum, Eastman, and others, who held that an or
ganization should be formed on high moral aud
political grounds At last, the resolution was
adopted unanimously, the whole Convention RI
sing
The next day the 9TH was occupied in the
formation of the Illinois State Anti-Slavery Soci-
ETY., by the adoption of Constitution and Decla-
ration of Sentiment, and by the election Of OIL
GERS. James H. Collins was chosen President, II.
Eastman, Corresponding Secretary, l.. p. c.
Freer, Recording Secretary, Philo Carpenter,
Treasurer. Twenty-four Vice Presidents were
elected. and an Executive Committee was consti-
| tutS1, composer Oh INC lOllONluk eth0Achob' w .
r. Dodge, J F. Farnsworth, o. II. Hunen, c. v.
Dyer, s. Lind, II. Raymond, A. w. Stewart o.
Lunt
The Constitution adopted is in the usual form.
The Declaration of Sentiment, after affirming
that Slavery is a crime against the laws of God
and man, proceeds to set forth the following po-
litical principles
/ A: a
ocratic destructive of all the sacred rights Of
humanity named in our Declaration of Independ-
ence-therefore, the first duty of our citizens, as
politicians, is the abolition of slavery.
! o. That anti-savery is an essential element of
Democracy; and no party destitute of this ele-
ment is worthy of the support of any true patriot
"3. That no true friends of Liberty or opponents
of Slavery, can remain in political fellowship or
vote with either the Wing or Democratic parties,
while these parties are in political ccn2sct;on
with Slavery, or do not make it the leading object
of their organization to abolish it
"a. That the object Of this organization is the
entire abolition of slavery throughout our land,
and the world.
as That our efforts are not limited TO the re.
striction of slavery, or its exclusion from Terrific
ries now free we labor for the abolition Of sla-
very wherever it exists, by legal power wherever
it can be legally reached and where it cannot thus
be legally reached, we would array against it the
moral sense of the world.
&C. That slavery, like piracy or robbery has
no 1egal existence in the United States.
ct. That it is derogatory to the character Of
law. and an imputation, which, as law-abiding
and lawloving citizens we cannot tolerate, by adj
hitting that an institution of this odious, anti
christian, and anti-republican character, can be
legalzed
ss. That slavery in the United States has no
constitutional existence-that our National Con-
stitution is an ant-slavery institution, giving no
support or countenance to slavery.
"9. That as we love the Constitution, and
would protect it from the contempt Of the civilized
warld, would clothe it with respect and author
ity, and as we cherish the good name of its found
ers, we would save it from the odious reputation
given to it by it's false friends who represent it
| to be a slavery fostering document.
"IO. That the basis of the organization of our
Government, as laid down in our Declaration Of
Independence, and also the Preamble, defining
the objects of its formation, clearly declare our
Constitution to be liberty -preservng, and there
fore cannot be a slavery-supporting instrument.
al. That, therefore, as the summing up OF
these conclusions, we have no hesitation in de-
claring this Constitution to be an anti-slavery
Constitution; that in it are many provisions
through which slavery can be directly and iud-
rectly reached and that faithful administration
Of the, vGoyernnent on this Constitution would
sPeediiy ~vfa INC s~V'.-.- -, ''A-~ssa-
out the land
"l2 That an oath to support the Constitution
or any other document never implies an obliga-
ton to support any immortality it might contain,
or any particular provision which might violate
its general tenor, public policy, or general object
and design but on the other hand, to regard any
such contradictory or immoral provisions as null
and void.
"l3. That we love the Union, and cherish it
as the bond of peace and freedom, and believe
that it was formed for the support of liberty not
as the bulwsrk of slavery-and as the bulwark
of freedom and our free institutions alone it is
valuable, and should be preserved
"l4. That no stakeholder ought to be elected
to Office in free government and however fra
ternaly inclined we may be, we cannot cooperate
with any party which supports for Office slave
holders or pro-slavery men, because by such
course our labor would be wasted, and our efforts
to abolish slavery would be fruitless.
"l5 That this Convention is not restricted in
its efforts and sympathies to the emancipation of
the slaves, but aims at the creation of righteous
government that will protect the rights of all
men, and foster all political reforms for the good
of all the people, and the elevation of the human
race; therefore we are in favor of cheap post
age for the People, the exemption of the home
stead from attachment and sale on execution, for
the distribution Of the public lands in limited
quantities to actual settlers, and all such other
measures as are truly for the interest of the
mon people consistent with justice natural rights
and the stability Of good society.
1t were well for the opponents of Slavery, while
forming organizations against it, to avoid every
thing sectarian proscriptive, or Of doubtful ten
dency mo true friend of Liberty or opponent
of Slavery" it is asserted, "can remain in po-
litcal fellowship or vote with either the Wing or
Democratic parties" as at present constituted
This cannot be true. We can name many mem
bers of this Congress, still Wings or Democrats
who are true friends of Liberty. They remain
in their respective organic ATOMS sustaining what
is good in them, protesting and acting against
what they deem evil. Some believe that they can
act more efficiently and consistently in new or
gam zatiou, or as ndicidadls Very well-let them
act out their own convictions. Totheir own mas
ter they stand or fall-and so do such men as
Governor Seward and Preston King, who believe
that they can do more for Freedom acting with
their old organizations. The snt-slavery move.
ment has always been injured by sectarian spirit.
We are sorry TO the association In
Illinois adopting sentiments which cannot, in our
Judgment, be maintained which can lead to no
practical result, and which must prevent many
good men from acting with it. For example
Slavery has no legal existence in the United
States D." The Federal Constitution is q pure
anti-slavery document ~" An oath TO support
the Constitution or any other document never
imposes an obligation to support any immortality
it might contain" &C. a legal relation is ono
which the law allows creates, or protects. The
law in the slave States allows the relation Of mas