The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-05-12
ANu-sLAvERY CONVENTION AT CINCINNATI

Your obedient servant C.M.C CLAY.
ANT1-sLAvERY CONVENTION AT CINCINNATI.
In answer to a call from the Ladies' Anti
Slavery Society of Cincinnati, a Convention Of
Anti-Slavery men and women met at Masonic
Hall, il. this city, on Tuesday of last week, and
continued its sttings until Thursday night.
1t was organized by the appointment of the
following officers:
Preadent--Samuel Lewis
Vice PreSidents-Wm. Lloyd Garrison, of
Indiana Mrs. Ernst and Mrs. Guild, of our
city and Judge Stevens, Of Madison.
Seeretdries--J w Chafhn, of Clinton county:
w. H. Day, of Cleveland J. w. Towner, of
Medina county and ]. McEldowny of Clese-
land
Business ommiitee--Wm. Lloyd Garrison
DR.. w. H. Brisbane w. II. Day; Nj. r. Rob
inson Judge Stevens; DR.. Brook, of Clinton
Mr. Julian Mrs HARDWOOD Mrs. Coleman {.
Donaldson, and Mrs. A. H. Ernst
The Hall was crowded during greater por-
ton of the time occupied in the deliberations of
the Convention, and the character of the
speeches made was such as to elicit consider
able interest throughout the city, and not a
little animated private discussion on the doc
trines advanced. The leading speakers were
Samuel Lewis; VIM. Lloyd Garrison c. L.
Remond, colored man of ability, from Salem,
Mass. Judge Stevens, of Indiana Rev. MIR.
Rankin of Ripley, o. G. w. Julian, Free Soil
candidate for the Vice Presidency; f. S Ham
lin, late President of the Ohio Board of Public
Works; and ]. H. Langston, a graduate Of
Oberlin College.
To show the spirit of the Convention, we
quote the following resolutions, which were
adopted:
Resolved, That the nearest duty is the first
duty to be faithfully and theoretically perform
ed by Abolitionists that, before expanding the
force of their denunciations upon the slavehold-
ing South, they are bound to grapple with
whatever, in legislation or public sentiment
manfests proscriptive and tyrannous spirit
against the colored man in the State where
they live, and make its suppression their con-
slant and immediate concern.
"Resolred, therefore, That the political dis
franchisement of the colored citizens of Ohio,
being most unjust and proscriptive act, and
dark stain upon the escutcheon of the State,
and furnishing, al it does, weapon to the
STAKEHOLDER to strike down the rising spirit of
emancipation, should be vigorously denounced
and held up to popular condemnation until it
ceases to exist.
"Resolued, That Anti-Slavery is not simply
an issue with the Fugitive Slave Law, or oppo-
sition to Slavery in the District of Columbia
and the Territories, or resistance to the further
extension of chattel servitude, or giving succor
and shelter to the fugitive slave, or contribu-
ting occasionally to the funds of our move
ment; but it is a life-giving and life-embra-
cling principle, demanding, infexibly and un-
compromisingly, the immediate and eternal
overthrow of the slave system, and full recog-
milton of the equal rights of all who dwell on
the American soil, without regard TO origin or
complexion.
"Resolued, That the claims Of the slave to
his freedom admit of no postponement for the
profit, safety, or success of any institution, sect,
party, or enterprise, whatever but are to be
enforced as paramount, in solemnity and i'm
portance to all other considerations
RESOLVED, That the party which is in ALI
ance with shareholders ought to be repudiated
as unworthy of any countenance or co-opera-
ton and the church or sect which gives the
right hand of Christian fellowship to those who
claim and hold property in human flesh, ought
to be abandoned as an anti Christian body, in
| order to be true to freedom"
On his own responsibility, and independent
of the Business Committee appointed by the
Convention, VIM. Lloyd Garrison set forth his
peculiar notions in the following resolutions
which were lost
Resolved, That the Government, which is
fashioned and moulded by the Slave Power
that the Constitution, which grants aid and
protection, and gives unusual prerOgatives tc
the holders and breeders of slapos tAsk tbs
Union which was formed and is maiptained
only by immolating one-sxth portion of the
people of the land on the altar Of Slavery
ought to be communicated, at whatever
hazard, cost, or opprobrium, bI, every on
claiming to be the friend, representative, an
advocate of the slave,
| "Resolved, That the vital and all-conquerin
motto of the Anti-Slavery movement is, N
union with Shareholders, religiously or politi
cally - and therefore, by a stern moral ne
cessity, every consistent Abolitionist is force,
| to disfranchise himself for conscience sake Il
take his position outside of the present Govern
| mont, and to call for the institution of new
| Government, wherein shall be recognised
| neither Shareholders nor slaves as among hu
man eXistences"
Mr.. Garrison proceeded to sustain the two
last resolutions at considerable length, and
with solemn earnestness, entering critioall,
into the historical facts pertaining to the adop
ton of the American Constitution and its Pro
Slavery compromises, and arguing that nothing
can be more fallacious than to attempt to give
an Anti-Slavery Interpretation to that instxu
mont under which, by common consent, for O
period of twenty years the foreign slave trade
was vigorously prosecuted under the national
flag and for more than sixty years fugitive
slaves have been hunted and caught, and O
slave representation has been permitted 10
shape and control the legislation OF the country
on the floor Of Congress. IL Pro-Slavery
church and Pro-Slavery party ought to be
abandoned, then, in his opinion, it was required
of Abolitonists, by stern logical and moral
necessity that they should cease to uphold a
Pro Slavery Government and to give their sup
port to Pro-Slavery compact. II, however,
the Free Soil party was prepared to adopt the
views of Lysander Spooner and Gerrit Smith,
let it do no, nor longer occupy an equivocal po-
sition and, between the upper and the neither
milestone, the slave system will be ground to
powder.
Henry Blackwell and f. s. Hamlin Esors.
defended the rightfulness of voting-the former,
on the ground that Slavery is unconstitutional
and the latter, that it was the best thing that
could be done under present circumstances.
On the second day Of the Convention, a dis
cussion arose between Rev. Mr.. Rankin and
Mr.. Garrison, on a rational and rel gious view
Of Anti.Slavery, which was reported or repre-
scnted in the Daily Times as follows.
"The ideas OF these gentlemen may perhaps
be consolidated into brief expositions, by saying
that Mr.. Rankin's primary Leading Thought, in
reference to the Anti-Slavcry movement, il,
that IL ia "a Script command raI;o;o,a
duty while MIR. Garrison takes it up on the
broad ground Of justice, and sustains il by
Scripture. Mr. Rankin makes the Bible the
Indictment, and brings his evidence from the
current history Of Slavery; but Mr.. Garrison
makes the current history the Indictment and
the Bible his evidence
LEGISLATIVE INVESTIGATION OF THE Nor