The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-05-26

lEltuuS Nl Huulu1lJy. tudl, III pIOScOutlhe bbo
design Of our association, our endeavors have
proved successful, far beyond our most SAN
guine expectations.
Encouraged by this success, and by the daily
progress Of that luminous and benign spirit Of
liberty which is difFusing itself throughout the
world, and humbly hoping for the continuance
of the divine blessing on our labOrs, we have
yentured TO make an important addition to our
original plan, and do therefore earnestly solicit
the support and assistance Of all who can feel
the tender emotions Of sympathy and compass
sion or relish the exalted pleasure of benef-
cence.
Slavery is such an atrOcious debasement of
human nature that its very extrpatiOn, if not
performed with solicitous care, may sometimes
open a source serious evils
The unhappy man, who has long been treat
ed Us brute animal too FREQ uently sinks be-
meath the common standard of the human
FpeJioI The CALLING chains that bind his
body, do also fctter his intellectual faculties
and impair the SOCIAL affections of his heart
Accustomed to move like a mere machine, by
the will of a MASTER reflection is suspended he
has not the power of choice, and reason and
conscience have but little influence over his
conduct because he is chiefly governed by the
passion of fear He is poor and friendless, per-
haps worn out by extreme labor age, and dis
ease.
Under such circumstances, freedom NAV Of
ten prove misfortune to himself and prejudi-
cial to society.
Attention to emancipated black people, it is
therefore to be hoped will become branch of
our national police; but, as far as we contrib
ute to promote this emancipation SO far that
attention Is evidently a serious duty ineum bent
on us, and which We mean TO discharge to the
best Of our judgment and abilities
To instruct to advise to qualify those who
have been restored to freedom, for the exercise |
and enjoyment of civil liberty to promote in |
them habits Of industry, to furnish them with |
emplOyments suited to their age, sex, talents,
aud other circumstances and to procure their
children an education calculated for their fu-
ture situation in ife-these are the great out
lines Of the annexed plan, which we have adopt
ed, and which VIC conceive will essentially
promote the public good and the happiness Of
these our hitherto too much neglected fellow
creatures
plan 30 extensive cannot be carried into
execution without considerable pecunary re-
sources beyond the present ordinary funds of
the society. We hope much from the generos.
ity Of enlightened aud benevolent freemen, and |
will gratefully receive any donations or sub
scrlptlGns for this purpose, which may be made |
80 our Treasurer, James Starr, or to James
PembertOn, Chairman Of our Committee of
Correspondence.
Signed by order Of the Society
b. FRANKLIN, President
philadelphia, November 9, 1889.
On The Slauc TRADE.
DR.. Frankln's name, as President of the
Abolition Society, was signed to the memorial
- ID 49, 4
the United States, on the 18th Of February,
1889, praying them to exert the full extent OF
power vested in them by tho Constitution, in
Oiscouraging the traii; Of the human species
This was his last public act. In the debates to
which this memorial gave rise, several sttcmpts
were made to Justify the trade. In the Fsdsr-
al Gazette of March 255h, $780, there appear
cd al essay, signed i1istoricus," written by DR..
Franklin, In which he communicated a speech,
said to have been delivered in the Diyan Of
Alg.ers in 1857 in opposition to the prayer of
the petition OF a sect called Erika or Purists,
for the abolition of piracy and slavery. This
pretended African speech was an excellent
parody Of one delivered by Mr. Jackson, of
Georgia. All the arguments, urged in favor OF
negro slavery are applied with equal force to
justify the plundering and epslaving of Euro
peans 1t affords, at the same time a demon
stration of the iutility Of the arguments in de-
fence Of tho slave trade, aud Of the strength OF
mind and ingenuity of the author, ut his ad
vanced period of life. 1t furnishes, too, no less
convincing proof Of his power of initiating the
style Of other times and nations, than his cello
brated Parable 0gaina Persecution. And as
she latter led many persons to search the
Scriptures with Il view to find it, so the former
caused muny pers ms to search tho bookstores
nd | l,par i,r tha xph
said to be extracted DR. Stuber.
MARCH %, 1909
To The Editor of The Federal Gazette.
SIR: Reading last night in your excellent
paper the speech of MIR. Jackson in Congress
against their meddling with the affair of fla
very or attempting to mend the condition of
the slaves, it put me in mind Of q similar one
inade about one hundred years since, by Sid
Mehemet lbrahim, n member of the Dlvan of
Algiers, which may be seen in Martins ac-
count of his cOnsulshp ammo 1857. 1t was
against granting the petition of the sect called
Ertkd, or Purists, who prayed for the abolition
Of piracy and slavery, AS being Unjust Mr.. Jack
ron does not quote 1t perhaps he has not seen
It, II, therefore, some OF its reas0nings are to
be found in his eloquent speech, it may only
show that mems interests and intellects operate
aud are operated on with surprising similarity
an all countries and climates whenever they
are under similar circumstance. The Africans
speech, as translated, is Gs follows:
AHdh B,sm'ilah &C., God is great, and Ma
homo is his Prophet
Have these Erikd considered tho conse-
quenccs Of granting their petitioni If we cease
our cruises against the Christians, how shall
we be furnished with the commodities their
countries produce and which are 80 necessary
tor us II We forbear to make slaves Of their
people, who, in this hot climate, are to cultivate
our lands Who are to perform the common
Iabors OF our city and in our familest Must
we not, then, bo our own slaves! And is there
not more compassion and more favor due to us,
as usSulmcD, than to these Christian dogs
We have now above fifty thousand slaves in
and near Algiers This number if not kept u
10y fresh supplies, will soon diminish, and be
gradually annhilated. five then cease taking
and plundering tho lniidc ships, and making
plaNes of the seamen and passengers our lands
will become ofno value, for want Of cultivation
tho rents Of houses 10 the city will sink one
half; aud the revenue If Government, arising
from ia share OF prizes, DO totally destroyed
And for WHAT To crafty the whims of n
Whimsical sect, who would have us not only for
Dear making moro slaves but even manumit
those we have
But who Is to indemnify their masters for
the loss VIII the State DO ia l. our Treas
ury sulicenti WIN the Er,kl do il? Can
they do II Or would they, to do what they
think justice 10 the slaves, do greater nius
tioe to the ownorsi And il We set our slaves
free, what is to be done with them Few of
them viii return % their countries they know
too well the greater han dehips they must there
be subject 10; they will not embrace our holy
religion they will not adopt our manners our
people will not pollute themselves by intermar-
rying with them. Must we maintain them as
This paper is dated oHly twenty four DAYS befo re