could he now traverse this land, and mark the people who commit, or excuse, all tyrannical, and proud, incestuous, and adulterous, and libidinous intercourse with them, through a system which leaves them no choice and makes them the wretched sufferers of all their oppressor's horrible pleasures and at the same time, cry out, with horror, against immediately setting them free. "Yes—he is a black man"—or "he has one drop of African blood in his veins"—or "his poor mother was violated and enslaved before him" is confirmation, "strong as proof of holy writ," in this land now, against all virtuous brotherhood for Naimbana's color; and the man, who will not join the general lie, is deemed a madman—Oh, the glorious madness—the land is leavening with it—and the leaven is working. Yea, blessed be God—the heart of the United States is not dead forever—its prejudices, though in this respect the most brutal on earth, are vincible. Its religion, and liberty, and manhood are reviving and are going to be vindicated in peace, by God's all conquering weapons of truth and love; and from the Gulph of Mexico to Canada; and from the Atlantic to the western prairies, one universal shout is preparing to ascend, without respect of persons, or of colors, of "Glory to God in the highest—and of peace, good will, to men;" to men, because they are men and Americans—and not because they are not of a color, which above all others, in modern times, has disgraced itself before God and the world;—to men, because they are the guiltless sufferers of wrong; no longer limiting its respect and its brotherhood, to the guilty!
During the course of these events, an important effort was organizing against the African slave trade—and could a tree be destroyed by lopping off a branch; or, a fountain be dried up by separating one of its streams, slavery would ere this have received its death blow, and the friends of man obtained this sacred desire of their hearts.
In the spring of 1787, a meeting was held in London, at the house of Bennet Langton, Esq.; present, Sir Charles Middleton, Mr. Wilberforce, Mr. Hawkins Brown, Sir
