The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-06-25

PROPOSALS FOR THE FORMATION OF NEW ANT
, SLAVERY ASSOCIATION.
, The present condition in the anti-slayer
cause in the United States seems to indicat
that soEae new and general effort is needed i
order to give concentration, union, and aim, t
the existing convictions of the friends of free
DOM During the last two years we have see
vast conspiracy against the rights Of man
formed and carried forward by the union of pc
lticaI parties and leaders previously the mos
hostile to each other. The leaders of the Whil
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 Cass, Webster and Buchanan, Fillmore anc
Footq, working together, and eulogizng eacf
other. We have seen the patronage and power
of Northern Wing President put forth to quel
eil opposition to these compromises with evil
We have all seen the greatest intellect of the
land prostituted to the task of making consui
entious 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 null
titudes of well-meaning but sott-minded peo-
| pie persuaded that this effort was all necessary
to save the Union from some supposed danger
The result has been that apostacies 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 re-ac-
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-slavery effort-tie first excu.
siyely 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 Freeso
party in l84S, at Buffalo. The third is the
Freesoil party. This last is political party,
with it's regular nominations and newspapers,
and with the machinery and policy of political
party.
All these movements have done good--al
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 saveho ding, and
the duty of emancipation. They proclaimed the
law and the end-the way and means they did
not indicate. The liberty party endeavored to
be at once a political party and moral inhu-
ence--they were too impracticable for the one
too polite for the other. The Freesoil party is
in danger of becoming more and more mere
party, intent on carrying the next election, and
losing it's high moral prestige. When it main
tains this, it does not act so well as a party.
Yet both these agencies are needed, and it would
be an evil if either should be abandoned. |
have no idea of opposing single anti-slavery
influence. Let every man try his plan, and have
his way. Thank God for Garrison and for
Horace Greedy, for Wendell Phillips and for
Horace Mann-for the 1900 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-savery churches and in
anti.slavery comeouters. But do not believe
in the attack made on Horace Mann by Wendell
Phillips, on Kossuth by Garrison, on the Era
by the Tribune, and on the Tribune by the Era,
on Freesoilers by Stephen Foster, or the
churches by Parker Pillsbury
| We want union among anti-slavery people of
all colors and stripes. We want basis of &C.
ton where all can stand together, yet without
losing their individual preferences or giving up
their favorite methods We wish to have an
organization which will unite in practical ac-
ton anti slavery Wings and antislavery Dem
ocrats, and yet leave them, as before, Wings
and Democrats. We want a way of acting on
politics without making another political party
political action which shall not be party ac-
ton. We wish to give practical direction to
moral effort, and moral work to practical and
efficient combination. All these ends, think
will be attained in the league, the plan of which
now proceed to state:
THE LEAGUE.
Sec. |. The name of this association shall be
| The League of Freedom. Its object shall be
to diffuse antislavery convictions by means of
| o,,J I'd tn
convictions in practical and efficient course of
action.
Sec. 9. All persons shall become members of
this association by signing the pledge, and by
subscribing not less than ---- annually to its
funds
Sec. 3. The pledge should be as follows
We, whose names are subscribed, agree not
to vote for any person for al office of trust un-
der the State or federal government who does
not, before the election, publicly avow himself
in favor of the following measures:
! |. Repeal of the fugitive slave law of 1850.
2. Trial by jury to every person claimed as
a fugitive from slavery.
g. Prohibition of slavery in the territories,
and abolition of slavery in the District of CO.
lumbia.
A. No more slave States to be admitted
5. General government to be relieved from
all connection with slavery
SEC d. The league shall not nominate its own
candidates, but shall, before every election, pub
lish the names of those candidates, of either
party, who have publicly agreed to act according
TO it's principles
Sec g. There may be local lodges of the
League of Freedom, State lodges, and general
lodge This last shall publish newspaper
which shall be sent to every member who de-
sires it, in return for his annual subscription
Lecturers may be appointed by the State lodges
and there shall be debates, social meetings, pub
lie festivals, and whatever else shall tend to
bind together and increase the league.
THE WAY 1T WILL WORK
II will place all the North on the side of free
dom. Suppose that in a Congressional district
where parties are nearly balanced, 500 Wings
and Democrats should belong to the league
Both parties are then certain that to elect the
candidate they must take one who agrees will
the leagues on these points. Sooner or late
tl,oy ,,,;ll oil do on Sn of oovarpor On of Stat