Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-11-06
SLAVERY IN PENNSYLVANIA.

a fresh interest, the history of the American
Revolution; when we are now engaged in the
second war, for the principles embodied in the
Declaration of Independence. it may not be
out OF place to answer the question at the
head of this article. This is all the more im
portant from the fact that ignorant or design
ing demagogues have been in the habit of
misrepresenting the facts in the case. No
greater SANDER can be uttered against the
good people OF Pennsylvania than to say that
they abolished Slavery because it was protlta-
BILE. The act of emancipation was one of prin-
cple, not promoted by mercenary motive.
The conscience of the Commonwealth, not the
pocket, originated and carried through the
measure. OF this the following statements
furnish ample evidence.
The first suggestions of Legis lative abolition
was made to the Legislature in the session of
l777. in the heads of a bill furnished by the
Executive Council. Hon. George Bryan, the
Vice President of the Council, in a Message
to the Assembly, November 8, 1878, thus re-
State of slaves you will equally serve the
cause of humanity and policy, and offer to
God one of the most proper and best returns
of gratitude for his great deliverance of US
and our posperity from thraldom; you will
also set your character for justice and benevo-
lence in the true point of view to all Europe,
who are astonished to see people struggling
for liberty, holding negroes in bondage.''
Subsequently, Hon. Joseph Reed, President
of the Council, in Message to the Assembly,
used the following language:
ssWe would also bring into your view,
plan for the gradual abolition of slavery, SO
disgracetuE TO any people, and more especially 10
those who hare been conteading IN the great
Of liberty themselves, and upon lghom Providence
has besfoJced such ensinent MARKS Of lis taror
and protection. w think we are loudly call
ed on to evince our gratitude, an making our
teLloc-men joint heirs lcitf US of the same ines
lin,abie blessings, under such restrictions and
regulations as will not injare the community.
and will imperceptibly enable them to improve
the station to which they will be advanced.
''Honored will that State be in the annals of
history, which shall first abolish this violation
of the rights of mankind, and the memories
of those will be held in grateful and everast-
ing remembrance, who shall pass the law to
restore and establish the rights of human ma
ture.''
The Assembly having failed to adopt the a.
bove suggestion, the propriety of the measure
was again urged by President Reed, in Mes
sage, Sept. 9, 1879, in which he says :-ssWe
wish to see you give the complete sanction of
law to this noble and generous purpose, and a.
dorm the annals of Pennsylvania with their
bright display Of justice and public virtue.''
This agitation had the desired effect. Mr.
Bryan, now a member of the Legislature, pre-
abolition of Slavery" which was adopted,
March 1st, 1850. The preamble is as follows
'When we contemplate our abhorance of
the condition to which the arms and tyranny
of Great Britain were exerted to reduce us;
when we look back the variety of dangers
70 which we have been exposed, and how mi
raculously our wants, in many instances, have
been supplied, and our deliverances wrought,
when even hope and human fortitude have be-
come unequal to the conflict, we are unayoid-
ably led to serious and grateful sense of the
manifold blessings which We have undesery-
edly received from the hands of that Being
from whom every good and perfect gift cometh.
Impressed with these ideas, We conceive that
1t Is our duty, and we rejoice that 1t is in our
power, to extend portion of that freedom to
others which hath been extended to US, and
release from that state of thraldom to which
we ourselves We're tyrannically doomed, and
from which we have now every prospect of
being delivered. 1t is not for US to inquire
who, in the creation of mankind, the inhabi-
tantS of the earth were distinguished by diff
erence in feature or complexion. 1t is suffi-
cient to know that all are the work of the AL
mighty hand. We find, in all the distribution
OF the human species, that the most fertile as
well as the most barren parts of the earth are
inhabited by men of complcXions different
from ours and from each other; from whicn
we may reasonably, as well as religiously infer,
ations hath extended equally his care and pro-
lection to all, and it becometh not Us to coun-
teract bis mercies. We esteem it a peculiar
blessings granted to us, that We are enabled
this day to add one more step to universal
civilization, by removing the sorrows of those
who have lived in undeServed bondage, aud
from which, by the assumed authority of the I
King of Great Britain, no effectual legal relief
could be obtained. Weaued by a long course +
Of experience from those narrow prejHdices
md partialities we had imbibed, we find our +
hearts enlarged with kindness and beneYoIeDce 4
oward men OF ali conditions and nations aud I
We conceive ourselves at this particular peri /
ID, extraordinarily called upon, by the bless /
ngs which we have received, to manifest the /
sincerity of our profession, and to give sub /
'tancial proof of our gratitude.
''And whereas, the condition OF those negro +
md mulatto slaves, has been attended with +
which not only deprive them of /
he common blessings that they were by ma
ure entitled to, but has cast them into the I
deepest affections, by an unnatural sale of /
husband and wife from each other, and from
heir children; an injury, the greatness of /
which can only be conceived by supposing I
hat we were in the same unhappy case. In
ustlce, therefore, to persons so unhappily /
and who, having no prospect /
before them whefeon they may rest their sor
ows and hopes, having no reasonable induce-
nent to render their service to society, which /
hey otherwise might and in commemoration
'f our own happy condition from the state of
submission to which We were
loomed by the tyranny Of Great Britain BE
t, and it is hereby enacted &c.
Here our Commonwealth, through her Leg
stature declare Slavery unjust, barbarous and
lncivilized, and impolitic; and that sense
# gratitude to God, consistency in those who
vere struggling for thor liberties, and
for the wronged slaves, all required