The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-06-10
PROPOSALS FOR THE FORMATION OF A NEW
ANTI SIAVERY ASSOCIATION.

that some new and general effort is needed in
order to give concentration, union and aim, TO
the existing convictions of the friends of Free
dom. During the last two years we have seen
vast conspiracy against the rights Of man
formed and carried forward by the union of
political parties aud leaders previously the
most hostile to each other The leaders Of the
Wing and Democratic parties at the North
have united with the Slave Power TO give to
Slavery new guarantees and securities We
have seen Clay and Cas-, Webster and
buchanan, Fillmore and Foote, working togeth-
er, and eulOgizing each other. We have seen
the patronage and power Of IA Northern Wing
President put forth to quell all opposition t.
these compromises with evil We have seen
the greatest intellect Of the land prOstituted to
the task OF making conscientious men despise
and reject their convictions of duty. We have
seen the respectable journals of the North
forgetting their ancient gentility in their rage
against the men who stood up for the law OF
God. And we have seen great mutitudes of
well-meaning but soft-minded people per
suaded that this effort was all necessary to
save the Union from some supposed danger.
The result has been that apOstacics from the
cause Of Freedom have been numerous But
STILL the worst has been done and great multi
tudes stand firm for the Law of God and the
rights Of man. Now the question comes, how
shall they take advantage of the coming reuc-
ton, and so organize their efforts as to do the
most service in the cause Of Freedom
Three movements have hitherto included
nearly all Of Anti-Slayery efOrt-the first ex-
clusyely moral the second partly moral and
partly political, the third mostly political The
first is the original Garrisonian movement,
which is still continued The second that of
the Liberty Party, which was absorbed into
the Free Soil Party in lS48, ut Buffalo The
third Is the Free Soil Party. This last is a
political party, with its regular nominations
and newspapers and with the machinery and
policy of II political party.
All these movements have done goOd--all
are doing gOOd--but all, we believe, are def
cient. To William Lloyd Garrison and his
friends will ever belong the merit Of awakening
the public mind to the guilt of slaveholdng
and the duty Of emancipation. They proclaim
ed the Law and the End-the way and means
they did not indicate. The Liberty Party
cndeavored to be at once a political party and
moral inhuence-they were too impracticahle
for the one too polite for the other The Free
Soil Party is in danger of becoming more and
more mere party--ntent on carrying the
next election, and losing It's high moral prestige
When 1t maintains this, il does not act 80 well as
aparty let both these agencies are needed
and it would be an evil if either should be
abandoned. have no idea of opposing single
Antl-Slayery influence. Let every man try his
plan. and have his way Thank God for CARR
son and for Horace Greeley, for Wendell
Phillips and for Horace Mann-ior the 1000
subscribers Of the National Era for the 10000
subscribers Of the Tribune, and the 100000
purchasers Of Uncle Tom. ! believe in Gerrit
Smith and in Fred Douglass in Anti Slavery
churches and in Anti-Slavery cOme-outers, But
do not believe in the attacks made on Horace
Mann by WendelrPhillips,O on Kossuth by CARR
son, ON the Era by the Tribune, and on the Tn
buae~by the Era, ON Free-Soers by Stephen
Foster, on the churches by Parker Pilsbury.
We want union among Anti Slavery people
OF all coors and stripes We want n basis Of
action whore all can stand together yet with
out losing thor individual preferences or Civ
ing up their layOrite methods We wish to
have an organization which will unite in II
practical action Anti-Slavery Wings and Anti
Slavery Democrats. and yet leave them, rs be-
fore Wings and Democrats We want way
Of acting on politics without making another
political party--pOliiicdl action which shall not
be party action. We wish to give practical
direction to moral effort and moral work to
II practical and efficient combination All
these ends, | think, will be attained in the
League the plan of which | now proceed to
state.
THE LEAGUE.
SEE l. The name Of this association shall De
The LEAGUE OF FREEDOM. Its object shall be
to dltfusc Anti-Slavery convictions by means
of lectures and publications and to organize
these convictions in practical and efficient
course Of action
SEC. 2 All persons shall become members
of this association by signing the pledge, and
by subscribing not less than - annually to its
nds
Src g.. The pledge should be as follows:
We, whose names are subscribed, agree NOT
TO VOTE for any person, for an office of trust
Vnder the State or Federal GoueTnment. who
does not, before the election, publicly avow
himself in favor of the.iollowing measures:
/. Repeal Of the Fugitive Slave Law of Il $50
, TRIAL by jury to every person claimed MS
a fugitive from slavery
3. Prohibition of slavery in the Territories
and abolition of slavery in the District of
Columbia
!. No more slave States to be admitted
s General Government to be relieved from
all connection with slavery
SEC 1 The League shall not nominate it's
own candidates but shall before every election
publish the names of those candidates. of either
party, who have publicly agreed to act accord
ing to It's principles
SEC. 8. There may bc Local Lodges of the
League OF Freedom, State Lodges, and Gen
eral Lodge. This last shall publish a newspa-
per- which shall be sent to every member who
desires it, in return for his annual subscription.
Lecturers may be appointed by the State Lodges,
and there shall be debates, social meetings.
public festivals, and whatever else shall tend
70 bind together aud increase the League
the WAY IT WILL WORK
]. II pnH place all The North on the SIDE OF
Freedom Suppose that in Congressional
district, where parties are nearly balanced,
1900 Wings and Democrats should belong
to the League Both parties are then certain
that to elect their candidate they must take
one who agrees with the Leaguers ON these
points Sooner or later they viii all do so.
10 OF Governor, soof State Legislators, 80 finally
of President
,. II rH furnish bond of union and
cooperation 10 genuine AHti-Sldpery men IF all
parties
The pledgc is a no.Uoting pledge, and there
lore detaches no man FROM his party. The
Wing is not asked to vote for a Democrat
nor the Democrat for a Wing. He is only
pledged to abstain from noting when his own
party candidate is an unfit one. Thus the
Anh-Slavery element is not taken out of the
Wing and Democratic parties. but il made
efficient TO bring both right
3. II wiH prevent political corruption among
Anti-SiGUeyy men.
As the League will nominate no candidates,
no ambitious Office seekers will have any motive
10 make themselves prominent in its movement
Nor can any charge of ofhce-seeking be brought
against lbs active members.
4. II riH giue a practical aim 10 moral effort
The object 10 be accomplished is 30 get new