Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-01-01
Gclcttro articles.
address Of The Women Of England

ency OF n memorial from the Women of
England to the Women of the United States
on the suject of slavery. The ladies' being
assembled, the Duchess Of Southerland read
the following paper:
"Perhaps | may be allowed to state the
object for which this meeting has been call
ed together; but very few words will he
required, ms all, nm sure, assembled hero
must have heard or read much of The moral
and physical suffering inflicted on the race Of
negroes and their descendants 10y the eys,cm
of slavery prevalent in many of the United
States of America. Founded on such in
formation, a proposition appeared short
time ago in several of the newspapers that
the women of England would express to
the women Of America the strong feeling
they entertained on the question, aud earn
esily request their aid to abolish or, at least
TO mitigate, so enormous an evil The draft
OF an address accompanied the proposition,
and, as il is intended TO offer that address
for your adoption, | will now read it TO
you:
"THE AFFEcTIosATE AND CnRisrIAN An
DRESS of many Thousands of the Wo-
men of England to their Sisters tho
Women Of the United States of Amerca;
"a common origin, common faith, and
we sincerely believe, n common cause, urges
us at the present moment to address you on
the subject of that system of negro slavery
which still prevails so extensively, aud even
under kindly disposed masters, with such
frightiul results, in many of the vast regions
of the Western World.
awe will not dwell on the ordinary topics
on the progress of civilization, OF the adj
vance of freedom everywhere, on the rights
and requirements of the 18Th ceutury-hut
al
and to ask counsel of God, how far such n
state of things is in accordance with His
Holy Word, the inaliennblc rights of immor-
tai souls and the pure aud merciGIl spirit of
the Christian religion.
I" We do not shut our eyes 10 the difficult
ties, nay, the dangers that might beset the
immediate abolition Of that long established
system; we see and admit the necessity of
preparation for so prent an event: hui, in
speaking of indispensable prelinnaries. we
cannot be silent on those laws of your coun-
try which, in direct conirayention To Gods
own law, instituted in the time OF mans |
innocency,' deny, in effect TO the slave
the sanc,lty of marriage, with all its Joys, |
rights, and obligations, which separate, AT
the will OF the master, the wife from the (
husband, and the children from the parents. !
Nor eau we bc silent on that awful system
WHICH, tNiNl ny cluttltt w Euetutll, llllti-
diets to any race of man, or any portion of
the human family, educated in The truth of
the Gospel and the ordinances Of CIrstiai- !
~.
"a remedy applied TO these two evils alono
would commence the ameioralion of their
sad condition. We appeal, to you as sisters,
MS wives, and MS mothers, to raise your yoic-
cs TO your fellow citizens and your prayers
TO God for the removal of this aillction from
the Christian world. We do not say these
things in spirit Of srlEcompluccnry, MS
though our nation were free from the guilt
il prcccivcs in others. We acknowledge
with griefund shame our heavy share in this
great sin. We acknowledge TINT our fore /
fathers introduced, nay, compelled the adop- /
ton of Slavery in those mighty colonies, we
hunbly confess il before Almighty God and
it is because we so deeply feel aud so unieign-
cd!y avow our oW completely, that we now
venture TO implOre your nil TO wipe
away our common crime, and our common
dishonor."
There are many reasons why this address
shonld be presented rather 10y the women
than by the men Of England. We shall not
he suspected of amy political motives; all
will readily admit that the state of things 10
which we allude is one peculiarly distressing
10 our sex, and that our friendly aud earnest
interposition will be ascribcd altogether TO
domestic, and in no respect 10 national feel
ings. We shall propose to form q committee
for the purpose Of collecting signatures TO
the address, and of transmitting il, when
complete, 10 the United States. As gen
cral committee would he to large for the
transaction Of the daily business, we shall
propose n subcommittee, to report from
time 10 lime 10 the general cOminitlce; but |
there is every reason to hope that the whole !
matter n.ny be terminated in short space
of time. 1t only remains for inc TO ncknow- ,
ledge the kindness with which you have
ucceded to my request in attending here
this day. hope and believe that our cflbri,
under Gods blessing, will not he without
some happy results hut whether ii succeed, =
or whether it fail, no one will deny that we
shall have made an Htlcuipt which had, both
for its beginning and It's end, "Glory To God
in the Highest on earth peace; good will.
toward men,
The memorial was then agreed to, and
appointed.
The ladies' present were, tie DHtchcsscs
of Souihcrland, Bedford, and Argyll; the
Countess Of Shniteshury, Lady Constance
Grosvenor, Vis-counless Palmcrston, Lady
Dover, Lady Cowlcy, Lpdy Ruthycn, Luhy
Belinven, Hon. Mrs Momtngua Villers, Hon.
Mrs. kinnaird, the Lpdy Mayores', Lndy
Irevelyan, Indy Parke, Miss Pake, Mrs.
Owen, Mrs. Carpenter, Mrs. Buxton, Miss
Buxton, Mrs. John Simon, Mrs.Proclor Mrs.
Holland, Mrs. Steane, Mrs. John Butler, Mrs.
ID. Grainer, Mrs. Sulherlaud. Mrs. Mary
Howiu, Mrs. laws, Mrs, Dizzy, Mrs Trcvei- .
yam, Mrs. Mi'man, Mrs. Taylor, Mrs. Mac
cnulay, Mrs. Robson, Sc. sc.
fI'la loJine .,yInen nop,os L. tt,,, s.,t,;c...l
their concurrence The Duchess lDownger)
of Beaufort, Marchioness Of Stafford Coun-
tess of Derby, Countess Of Carlisle, Lady
John Russell, Countess of Litchfeld, and
others.