St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1860-02-23

THURSDAY, 1
IAN Appeal to all Christians,
Everywhere.
It is known that the State of Arkansas
last year passed an act that all the free
blacks within its bounds shonld, on the
first day Of January, 1860, either givc
themselves up to the aohites to be sold into
slavery or leave the State. Many doubt
less have been sold into bondage, but
many also fed, leaving behind them their
all. We find in the Cincinnati papers
from one of these poor exilcs, an appeal
directed to Christians, written by a young
colored girl named Frances Ellen Wat
kins, which We submit without comment {:
"ln consequence of law passed by the
Legislature of Arkansas, compelling
the free colored people to leave
the State or to be cnslaved, we,
a number of exiles driven out by this
inhuman statute, who reached Ohio on the
Sd of January, 1860, feeling deep sense
of the wrong done us, make this appeal to
the Christian world.
"We appeal to you as children of COM
mon Father and believers in a cruciGed
Redcemer. To-day we are exiles, driven
from the homes Of our childhood, the
scenes Of our youth, and the burial places
OF our friends. We arc cxilcs; not that
our hands have been stained with guilt, or
our lives accused of crime. Our fault, in
land of Bibles and Churches, of baptisms
and prayers, is that in our veins flows the
blood Of an outcast race race oppressed
by power, and prescribed by prejudide !;
race cradled in wrong and nurtured in
oppression.
''ln the very depth of winter, we have
left genial climate of sunny skies, to be
homeless strangers in the regions of the
icy North. Some Of the cxiles have left
children who are very dear; but to stay
with them, was to involve ourselves in a
lifetime Of slave;y. Some left dear COM
panions they were ens!aved and we had
no other alternative than slavery or exile.
Were were weak; our opprcssors we're
strong. We were feeble and scattered
people they being powerful, placed be-
fore us slavery or banishment. We chose
the latter. Poverty, trials and all the
cares incident to life of freedom, are
better, far better than slavery.
"From this terrible injustice, We ap-
peal to the moral sentiment of the world.
We turn to the free North but even
here oppression tracks our steps. Indiana
shuts he door upon us. Illinois denies
us admission to her prairie homes. Orc
gon refuses us an abiding place for the
soles of our weary feet. And even
Minnesota has our exclusion under con-
sideration. In Ohio We found kind hearts;
hospitality opened her doors; generous
hands reached out warm and hearty
welcome. For this, may the God of the
fatherless ever bless and defend them.
"And now, Christians, VIC appeal to you
as heirs of the same heritage, and children
Of the same Father, to protest against
this inhuman outrage, which has been
committed beneath the wing of the Amer
lean Eagle, and in the shadow Of the
American Church. We ask you by the
love, the pity and the mercy, in the re-
ligion of Jesus Christ, that you will
raise your voices and protest against this
sin.
"Editors of newspapers, formers ofpublic
opinion, conductors of intelligence and
thought, we entreat you to insert this ap-
peal in your papers and unite your voices
against this outrage which dis sgraces our
land, and holds it up to shame before the
nations Of the earth. We entreat you
to move wave Of influence, which will
widen and spread through all the earth,
and roll back and wash away this STAIN
"Christian mothers, by our plundcrcd
cradles and child bereft hearts, we appeal
to you, and ask you to protest.
We appeal to the church of Christ
among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and
people, to protest against the inhumanity
which has driven us from our homes and
our kindred.
Members Of all political parties, we ask
your protest, in the name Of common hui
manity, against this cruel act of dcspot-
ism.
Chistian Ministers, VIC appeal to you,
in the name of Him, who came "to preach
good tidings to the meek to bind up the
broken-hearted to proclaim liberty to the
captive, and the opening of the prison te
them that are bound" to lay before you,
congregations the injustice done us, and
the wickedness of system that trample<
on the feeble, and crushes out the rig ghts
Of the helpless.
And we appeal to the God of the faith
erless, and the Judge of the wild w
that He will remember His word, "Inas
much as ye have done it unto the least o.