The weekly Anglo-African., 1860-02-04
AN APPEAL
TO CHRISTIANS THROUGHOUT THE woaI

free colored people either to leave the
State or be enslaved, we, number of
exiles, driven cut by this unhuman statute,
who reached Ohio on the Sd of January,
1860, feeling deep sense of the wrong
done to US, make this appeal, to the Chris
tian world.
We appeal to you, as children of a COM
mon Father, and believers in crucifed
Redeemer. 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 are exiles; 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 pray
ers, is, that in our veins flows the blood of
an outcast race; race oppressed by pow
er; and prescribed by prejudice; race
cradled in wrong, and nurtured in oppres-
sion.
In the very depth of the winter, we
have left genial climate of sunny skies,
to be homeless strangers in the regions of
the icy North. Some of the exiles have
left children, who were very dear to them;
but, to stay with them, was to involve our
selves in lifetime of slavery. Some left
dear companions: they were enslaved, and
we had no other alternative than slavery,
or exile. We were weak; our oppressors
were strong. We were feeble, scattered,
peeled; they, being powerful, placed before
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 appeal to
the moral sentiment of the world. We
turn to the free North: but even here op-
preston tracks our steps. Indiana shuts
her doors upon us. Illinois denies us ad-
mission to her prairie homes. Oregon re-
fuses us an abiding place for the soles of
our weary feet. And even Minnesota has
our exclusion under consideration 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
defend and bless them.
And now, Christians, we appeal to you,
as heirs of the same heritage, and children
of the same Father, to protest against this
gross and inhuman outrage, which has
been committed beneath the wing of the
American eagle, and in the shadow of the
American Church. We ask you, by the
love, the pity, and the mercy, in the
religion Of Jesus Christ, that you will raise
your voices and protest against this sin.
Editors of newspapers, formers of public
opinion, conductors of intelligence and
thought; we entreat you to insert tnis ap-
peal in your papers; and unite your voices
against this outrage which disgraces 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 plundered
cradles and child bereft hearts, we appeal
to you, and ask your protest.
Christian fathers, by all the sacred asso-
Citations that cluster around the name, faith
er, we appeal to you to swell the tide of
Indignation against our shameful wrongs.
We appeal to the Church of Christ
among all nations, kindreds, tongues and
people, to protest against the inhumanity
that has driven us from our homes and our
kindred
Members of all political parties, we ask
your protest, in the name of common hu-
manity, against this cruel act of despot-
ism.
Christian ministers, we 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 to
them that are bound,' to lay before your
congregations the injustice done us, and
the wickedness of system that tramples
on the feeble, and crushes out the rights of
the helpless.
And we appeal to the God of the father
less, and the Judge of the widow, that He
will remember His word, "Inasmuch as ye
have done it unto one of the least of these,
ye have done it unto me-" that He will
move the hearts of his children everywhere
to ANTE their testimony against this un-
equalifed iniquity that writes property"
on man; that chattelizes the immortal mind,
and makes merchandise of the deathless
soul. We appeal to Him who does not
permit sparrow to fall to the ground un-
noticed, to plead the cause of the poor and
needy and set him at rest from him that
puffeth at him.
ELIZA ANN WEST, Redfork Ark.
ANN ELIZA WEST,
ELKABETA t. West,
AGNES WEST,