Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1859-10-28

Glk s-lnc feCtulo n hAIIT VT HIS v
called to my remembrance a document put into my hands
during a recent tour through the New England States,
and which | enclose for your perusal. In conversation
with the person who gave the "plsn' to me, he indicated
three points at which disturbances might occur-viz ::
Harpers Ferry, the neighborhood of the Mammoth Cave
of Kentucky, and on the Arkansas river. Why these
points were selected l could not tell; in fact l treated the
whole matter Ia Ia Secretary Floyd with derision. But
as one point has become the theatre OF an attempt at the
guerilla warfare recommended it may not be unneediul
caution in the jewellers in the other districts named to be
on their guard
L A FOR THE ABOLITION or SLAVERY.
Please consider this confidential until further notice,
as much will probably need to be done before the matter
is made public.
When a human being is set upon by a robber, ravish-
er, murderer, or tyrant of any kind, IL i the duty of the
by-standers to 20 to his or her rescue, b. force, If noed BE-.
In general nothing will excuse men in the non-per.
Torrance of this duty except the pressure of higher du-
tics, If such there be- inability TO afford relief, or too
great danger to themselves or others.
This duty being naturally inherent in human rcla.
tions and necessities, governments and laws are of no au-
thorty In opposition to it. If they iutcrpose themselves
they must be tampled under foot without ceremony,
as we would trample under foot laws that should forbid
rs to rescue men from wild beasts or from burning build
ingS.
on this principle, Il IS tie duty Of he non.slnr,Aolders
Of this country, IN their prirate capacity as indiridadis
without asking the permission or waiting the move
ments of the governmental 90 TO the Tcsctr OF The
shares from ne hands Of their opprcsSors.
This duty is a 80 SelEevident aud natural one, that he
who preteuds to doubt it should be regarded either as
seeking TO eNade II, or as being himself a Seryile and iE-
norant slave of corrupt institutions or customs.
Holding these opinions ~ propose 20 act upon than.
And we invite all other citizens Of the United States to
join us in the enterprise. To enable them to Judge of its
feasibility. welay before them the following programme
Of measures, which, we think, ought to be adopted, and
would be successful:
l. The formation of associations, throughout the coun.
try, OF all persons who are willing TO pledge themselves
publicly TO favor the enterprise, and render assistance and
support of any kind. 10 it.
. Establishing or sustaining papers to advocate the
enterprise.
3. Refusing to vote for any person for anv civil or
military office whatever, who is not publicly committed
TO the enterprise.
4. Raising mouey and military equipments.
>. Forming anddiseiplining such military eoapanis,
as may volunteer for actual serrics.
8. DctdehiHg the Hon-Sldrehodsrs Of the South from
az alliance Nth the shareholders, and inducing them to
cooperate with Us, by appeals to their safety, interest,
homer, Justice and humanity.
=. Informing the Si1Ucs (by 0nissdries 10 b. sent aBlopg
than, or through he uou-,idrekoli,rs Of Ur South Of M
plan Of emancipation, that they may be prepared r. CO.
operate Of the proper time.
s. To encourage emigration to the South of persons
favoring the movement.
Q. When the preceding preliminaIies shall have sufi-
GENTLY prepared the way, then 20 land miifary forces
(Gt different points al tie same tlHs ~ ne south. rho
shall RAISE he standard ef jrssfon, and call 10 Il the
SIrrSS, and such free persons as may Be iriRing to join 10.
10. II emancipation shall be accomplished only by &C.
tual hostilities, then, as all the laws of war, OF nature and
OF Justice, will require that the emancipated slaves shall
be compensated Tor their previous wrongs, zee drOf u orr
purpose 20 make such com pcgsn'ion, so far as tie Dropsr-
u Of he Shareholders and their aBeHoTs can eozaas,isaf,
them. And We ayow our intention to make known this
determination to the slaves beforehand, with a yiew TO
give them courage and selfrespect, to nerve them TO look
boldly into the eyes Of their tyranis, aud to give them
true ideas of the relations of justice eyisring hstuoan
IL. To remain Ia the South, after emancipation, until
We shall have established, or seen established, such gov
ernments as will secure the future freedom of the persons
emancipated.
And We anticipate that the public avOwal of these mea-
sures, and our open and Jealous preparation for them will
have the effect, within some reasonable time-we trust
within n few years at farthest-tod etach the government
and the country at large from the interests OF the slave.
holders; 10 destroy the security and gulus Of Stare DroD-
ertg: TO a%nnihiate the commercial credit of the slave
holders, aud finally 10 accomplish the extinction AT sia-
rcry. We hope it may he without blood.
lit be objected that this scheme proposes wal, we con-
fess the fact. II DOES propose rar-prirdfs car. ipdssi
but, Hsrertheisss trTr, II that should Drore us~sssarH
And our answer to the objection is, thar in revolutions
Of this nature, il is necessary that private individuals
should take the first steps. The tea must be thrown over
board, the Bastile must be torn down, the first gun must
be bred, by private persons, before a new government
can be organized, or the old one be forced Tor nothing
but danger TO itself viii force IL to adopt the measures
which the insurgents have in view.
Ii the American governments, State or national. would
abolish slavery, we would leave the work in their hands
But A. they DO NOT and apparently will not. we propose
TO force them to 10 it, or to do it ourselves in defiance
Of them.
II any considerable number Of the American people
will join us, the work will be an easy and bloodlrss one /:
for slavery can live only in quiet, and in the zvmpathv or
su5jection Of all around 10.
W. Ae hAD-tItotT0t residents OF the tONu Ot-Iu
the county Of, in the State Of, believing in
the principle, and approving generally Of the measures.
set forth in the foregoing &" Plan for the Abolition OF
Slavery, and in the accompanying address TO the Non.
Shareholders Of the South hereby unite ourselves in an
association 70 be called the League Of Freedom. in the
Town Oh, Tor the purpose Of aiding 70 carry said
plan into effect: And we hereby severaily declare il TO
De our sincere intention to cooperate with each other.
and with all other associations within the United States
having the same purpose in view aud adopting the same
platform OF principles and measures.
To TTF gpN-lr
We present TO you herewith "a Plan for the AboE.
ton Of Slavery and solicit your aid to carry it into exc.
cution.
Your numbers, combined with those of the slave. will
give you all power. You have hut to use il and the work
l. done.
The following selfeyident principles Of Justice and I'm.
manity Will serve ~ guides to the measures proper TO be
adopted. These principles are
l. Tat slaves have a natural right TO their liberty.
2 mat ilay nave a natural right to compensation (so
far a. the property Sf the shareholders and their abot
fered. INV "
3. That 20 long az the governments under which the,
I've !elu-e 20 give them liberty or compensation, they
have the right 70 take il by stratagem or force.
4 That it Is the duty Of oil who can to assist them in
such an enterprise.
In rendering this assistance, you will naturally adop
these measures -
/. To ignore aud spuu the authority Of al the cor
rupt and tyraunical political institutions which the slave
holders have established for the security Of their crimes
:, soon AZ may be, 70 take the political power Of YOU
state into your own hands. and establish government
chat shall punish saveholding a. a crime, and also civ,
% the slaves civil actions for damages for the wrong
that have already been committed against them.
.. Jntl such new governments shall be instituted. I,
recognize the slaves a. free men, and AZ being the right
iul owners OF the property which is now held by the.
masters, but which would pass 20 hem II justice wer
done toJ1stiy and assist hem in every effort 20 acquir
their liberty aud obtain possession Of such property. b,
'trliagem or force 10 hire them as laborers. pav then
their wages. and defend them meanwhile against their Nv
rants 70 sell them firearms, and teach them the use o
,'rm, ~ trait riM Them, buVjHg NE property DSv ma
nae tahfa Prom heir 0yprsssors, and payiHg them ~
10 encourage and assist them 20 take possession q
The lands they cultivate aud the crops they produce. an,
appropriate them 10 their own use and IN every wa
possible to recognize them a. being now the nghtGi
owners OF The property, which justice, II administered
"ouh give them, boz compensation for the injuries the
have received
= TO form vigilance committees or leagues Of free
DON, in every ucigbborhood OF township. whose duty
haH be 20 stand in The stead Of the government. and 4
That justice for the slaves which government reftses 4
90 and especially 10 arrest, ty and chaatiso with tboi
own whiY7) AZ Shareholders who shall beat their slavc,
or restrain them Of their liberty and compel them 4
Rl'r deeds Of emancipation, and convcvances Of tbai
property N their slaves.
3 %. To treat, aud teach the negroes 10 treat. An setiv
abcttor Of The shareholders a. you and they troat ii,
layeholders themselves, both Va person and property.