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Communications: For The Signal Of Liberty: Lenawee County Co...

Communications: For The Signal Of Liberty: Lenawee County Co... image
Parent Issue
Day
12
Month
September
Year
1842
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Masara. Editors:- Jïotwithstanding the dlffi culties and enibarrassmeni3 under which we la bored in getting up a Convention of the fricnds of liberry in this county. and the wantofspeak ers to arouse the people to a just senee of their duty, wehnd many, if not most of the lownships quiie fully represented. It was truly graiiiying to see so many of ihe good people of old Lenawee coming togeiher to declare to the world what they considered to bc justicc - what they considered to be their duty to their fcllow man. Every ihing appearcd to move in a spirit of uni ty and n the bohds oflove. The true spirit of freedom appeared to sparkle in every bosom. - Every cye seemed ro beam forth with intelligence with regard to the cause which they had so heartily cspoused. Some ofthemhad but 'ecently declared off all albgiance with either of the old parties, but seemed perfecily wilüng to be actuated by principies which they considered would secure' eo_ual rights to all men.Aftcr the Convention was organizcd, the Hon. Asa B. Smith, of New York, was introduced and admitted as a membcr of the Convention. After sonie preliminary rcmarks by tliis worthy gentleman in congratulating the convention, we proceeded to make nominations. A3 soon as the business of the convention was through, it was moved that as many as could shouhl stay to the discussion to be liad that evening at the Baptis Church upon the expediency of political abolitionism. A goodly number of the ftiends from a 'listance tarried to hear the dlscüssiod. Aniong them was a colored man by the name of Fitzgcrald from the township of Raisin. Hon. H. B. Smith led in debate, assumed the attitude that political action wns theonly alternative - that moral suasion had been tried for years and had not terminated in any ihing like theabolition ofslavery. A!so he contended that Oongress has an undoubted riglu to doawsy slavery in the District of Columbia and territories of the United States. Ader Friend Smith got through with his remarks, there was some time in which the house remained in profbund silence. It seemed almost impossible to find apro-slavery man in the whole assembly who dared to follow this son of the Empire State; tven ihose very gentlemen who had given che challenge at a previous meeting scarcely dared to follow. Final ly, afier some considerable urging and puiling, one of the Inading loco iuco lawyersof this town an6wered with a tone of black guardism - undertook to refúteseme of the argumente adduced by friend Smith, but all in vain. Remarks were made by other gentlemen, aniong whom was Mr. Fiizgcrald who in his deep and solemn appeals caused universal silence ihrough the entire assemby. Said he, -I am a cnizen of the township of Raisin - hold property the same as my neighbors - pay taxes for the support of governmem, use every effort in my power to build up every institution which pertains to the happiness of man, but after all because my skin is diñjrent from my neighbors, I cannot have the right of suflrage." Oh bleeding humanity! how much longcr must men be deprived of those righis wh ch the God of nature has bestowed upon them. Yours wilh respect,

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News