The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-10-03

language, II used nov, would include all
mankind.
The opinions Of our fathers may be found
quite fully expressed in the American AR.
ohives published by Congress. and in the his
tory of the times. In the fret volume OF
the fourth series Am. Arch. will be found the
following proceedings OF a meeting held in
Fairfax Co., Virginia, July 18th, l774, Of
which GRoRoK WASHINGTON was chairman 49,
Among other resolutions adopted is the fol-
lowing:
Resolved, That it ia the opinion of this
meeting that during our present difficulties
and distress, no slaves ought to be imported
into any Of tho British Colonies on this Con.
tincnt: and We take this opportunity Of de-
claripg our most earnest wishes 10 see an
entire stop forever put to such a cruel and
wicked and unnatural trade.
At q meeting 10 Harrison county, Virginia,
which passed resolutions approving the
course of Patrick Henry, the following res
olution was adopted:
The African trade for slaves we consider
most dangerous to virtue and the welfare of
this country we therefore most earnestly
wish to see it totally discouraged.
This meeting was held on the Goth day Of
July, l774
Passing over many less important meet
ings, we come to the GEORGIA RESOLUTIONS,
which express, very clearly, sentiments which
were prevalent throughout the Colonies
These resolutions were adopted by the Con-
vention Of Georgia, held at Darien, on 10Th
of January, IT'S. We can only fnd space
for this extract:
TO show the world thatwe are not infu-
enced by any contracted or interested mo-
tives, bat by general philanthropy FOR ALL
MANKIND, OF WHATEVER CLIMATE, LANGUAGE Or
COMPLEXION, we hereby declare our disap-
probation and adherence of the unnatural
practice of Slavery in America 80 practice
founded in injustice and dangerous to our
liberties, as we'll as lives, -debasing part of
our fellow creatures below men, and cor
ruptlug the virtue and morals of the rest,
and is laying the basis of that liberty which
we contend for upon very wrong founda-
ton.
But now let US pass from the resolutions of
Counties and States and approach the deca-
rations Of the Congress Of the associated
Colonies. On tho 10th of October, l774,
the delegates to the CONTINENTAL CON
GRESS from twelve of the thirteen Colonies
entered into the folloaing agreement, or
pledge, on behalf of their respective Col
onies:
We will neither import, nor purchase any
slave imported, after the first day OF De-
cember next; after which time we will
wholly discontinue the slave trade, and will
be neither concerned in it ourselves, nor will
we hire our vessels. nor sell our commodities
or manufactures to those who are concerned
in it, American Archives, volume lst,
page 3l4.
Georgia was notrepresented in that pledge,
but her Legislature passed a resolution on
the 9th OF January, 1875, that
They will neither import, nor purchase any
after this day.
GIN. WARREN, in an Grafton commemora-
rative Of the Boston massacre, delivered
March 9th, l775, proclaimed that
Personal freedom lie the right of every
man, and that property, or an exclusive right
to dispose of what he has honestly &C.
CURED by bis own labor, necessarily arises
therefrom. are truths which common sense
has placed beyond the reach of any contra
diotiop.
And WARREN sealed bis faith in the rights
Of mankind by bis blood--a martyr 10 the
cause on the battle field of Bunker Hill.
Ton PAINE, whose writings entitled SOON
mon Sense" and tThe Crisisn had q most
general and extensive influence in sreusing
the people, was bold and ardent advocate
of the "rights of man." and based his theo-
ries on the apothegm that "manknd are
equal in the order of creation.''
PATRICK Henry, the eloquent orator of Vir-
GINA, who was the first to declare for ''lib.
erty or death,'' in letter dated l773, speak
ing OF Slavery, says:
Ia il not amazing that at time when the
rights Of humanity are defined and under
stood with precision, in a country above all
Others fond Of liberty, that in such an age
and such country, We find men protesting
. religion the most mild, humane, gentle and
gener Gus, adopting such q principle, as re-
pugnant TO humanity as il 10 inconsistent
with the Bible, and destructive to liberty
Every thinking honest man rejects it in
speculation, How free in practice from
conscientious motives! Would any one be.
leve that am master of slaves Of my ewn
purchase? ! am drawn along by the gener-
al inconvenience of living here without
them, will not, cannot justify it. Howev-
er cnlpabe my conduct, will SO far pay my
devoir to virtue as TO own the excellence OF
her preeepts and lament my want of con.
tormity to them. believe the time will
come when an opportunity will be afforded
/ to abolish this lamentable evil.
And again be says
ltwould rejoice my soul that every one Of