The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-02-23
MEMORIAL OF THE RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF
FRIENDS,

EhlENUS,
In Pennsylvania Nep Jersey, Delaware, &C.,
AGAINST THE INTRODUCTION OF SLAVERY
INTO NEBRASKA
To the Senate and House of Representatives O
the United States of america, IL, Congress as
SenrbLed.
The Memorial of the Representatives of the Religion
Society of Friends. in Pennsylvania, New Jersey
Delaware, and parts adjacent,
RESPECTFULLY SHowETH:
4 That the religious Society of Friends hal
long held, and openly professed to the world
an unwavering conviction that the holding O
our fellow.mcn in bondage, as now practicet
in many parts Of the United States, is totally
irrecOncilable with the just and benign prin
ciples of the Christian religion. 1t requires nj
argument to show, that where the injunction
of our blessed Redeemer, "All things whatso
ever we would that men should do to you, DE-
ye also even so unto then" is duly regarded
there Slavery must cease.
To us it appears clear, that system which
had it's origin in violence, and is alone main
tanned by arbitrary power, which subjects mer
and women to the irresponsible control and
disposal of persons with like passions as them
selves, must inevitably tend to the injury both
of the master and the slaves, be inimical tc
the social and political welfare of our beloved
country, and prevent the maintenance of that
high standard of moral and religious obliga-
tiOn which tho Gospel enjoins.
We are also fully persuaded, that hereditary
and involuntary servitude is wholly repugnant
to the just and liberal principles upon which
the people of these United States assumed their
station among the nations of the earth. The
declaration that all men are created equal
and endowed by their Creator with an unaien.
able right to life, liberty, and the pursuit OF
happiness and that Governments were inst.
tuted to secure those rights, must if carried out
1t was for the support of the Declaration in
which this doctrine is conspicuously set forth
that the Congress of 1875 pledged themselves
to each other; ard the people of the United
States in the Constitution from which Con-
gress derives its authority, declare that, among
the objects they had in view in framing the
Government, were "to establish ju,tice,D to
"promotc the general welfare" and " to Sc
cure the blessings of liberty
Neither in the preamble, nor in the Consti-
tuition itself, do we find an intimation Of any
power or authority being conferred upon Con-
gress to promote the system, or to extend the
area, of Slavery On the contrary, it was we'll
understood at the time that Constitution was
adopted and for many years theSeafter, that
Slavery was expected to run its course and ex-
pire in the States where it then existed, with.
out spreading its blighting influences over any
others The history of the times confirms this
statement, and we have striking illustration
of its truth in the Ordinance Of 1897 enacted
by the Congress Of the Confederation and rati.
fed by the first Congress under the present
Union. By this law, hereditary Slavery is for
ever excluded from the Territory on the north
west of the Ohio, the only one then held by
the United States. The wisdom Of this meas
ure has been conclusively demonstrated, by the
unparalleled prosperity, and growth in popula.
ton and wealth, of the States which have been
formed out of that region.
Ia the gradual diffusion of light and knowl.
edge, the manifold evils Of Slavery have com.
manded the attention of the professors of the
Christian religion, and so far been condemned
that nearly all those Governments of the civil.
lied world, which at one time sanctioned the
iniquitous system, have passed laws prohibit
ing it within their jurisdiction and the fe q
which still tolerate its existence with the ex.
ception OF our own, are now entertaining OF
maturing plans for its gradual or more speedy
extinction.
Impressed with these considerations we have
seen, with feelings of deep concern and sorrow
that Bill is now before Congress for the es
tablishment of two Territorial Governments, IL
that section of country called Nebraska. legal
izing the existence of Slavery there, and pro
vidng that when any portion of it shall here
| after be admitted into the Union as State OF
States, it shall be received with or without
Slavery, as the people applying for admission
may elect.
We feel lively interest in the fair fame ant
well-being of our beloved country, and in tn,
Christian character and stability of its Gov
eminent, which claims to be pre-eminent i,
recognising the rights of man, and securin,
the enjoyment of those rights to all; and ",
feel ourselves called upon, by an imperative
sense of duty, as Christians and as citizens, re
spectfully but earnestly to demonstrate agains
the passage of the Bill in question, with tn
provisions alluded to; or to any other legisla
tive enactment by which Slavery, now so gen
orally recognised as a crying evil, and one O
the darkest blots upon protesting Christendom
may be introduced into any part of the Unite
States from which it is now legally excltded.
Instead of opening new Territory to the par
alyzing and deeply injurious influences of thi
system, and thus multiplying the wrongs an