number of corresponding members, and they earnestly request the continuance of your labors in the great object of their institution; for, in this business, the friends of humanity in every country, are of one nation and religion, &c.
The excellent John Jay wrote as follows, from New-York, 1st Sept. 1788.
"The society established in this city for promoting the manumission of slaves, &c, did, at their last meeting, admit you an honorary member of it, and I have now the pleasure of transmitting to you, herewith enclosed, a certified extract from their minutes on that subject, &c.
In reply to Dr. Franklin, Leadenhall Street, London, 10th Jan. 1788, Sharp writes:
"I have read, with very particular satisfaction, their excellent remonstrance against slavery, addressed to the late convention.[1]
"When such solemn and unanswerable appeals to the consciences of men, in behalf of humanity and common justice, are disregarded, the crimes of slave dealing and slave holding become crying sins, which presumptuously invite the Divine retribution. So that it must be highly dangerous to the political existence of any state, thus duly warned against injustice, to afford the least sanction to such enormities by their legislative authority."
"Having always been zealous for the honor of free governments, I am the more sincerely grieved, to see the new Federal Constitution stained, by the insertion of two most exceptionable clauses of the kind above mentioned. The one, in direct opposition to a most humane article, ordained by the first American Congress, to be perpetually observed; and the other, in equal opposition to an express command
- ↑ The convention here spoken of, is the convention which adopted the Federal Constitution in 1787, (signed "Washington.") The remonstrance mentioned, is the remonstrance of " The Pennsylvania Society for promoting the Abolition of Slavery," against the security given by that Constitution to the African slave trade, by prohibiting its abolition prior to 1808, or for twenty-one years, Article 1, Section 9 ; and against the clause for restoring refugee slaves, Article 3, Section 2.
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