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D E C L A R A T I O N O F S E N T I M E N T S

O F T H E A M E R I C A N

A N T I - S L A V E R Y S O C I E T Y

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–––––––––––––––– American Anti-Slavery Society ––––––––––––––––

ADOPTED AT THE FORMATION OF SAID SOCIETY, IN PHILADELPHIA,

OF THE 4TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 1833.

THE Convention, assembled in the city of Philadelphia, to organize a

National Anti-Slavery Society, promptly seize the opportunity to promulgate the

following DECLARATION OF SENTIMENTS, as cherished by them, in

relation to the enslavement of one sixth portion of the American people.

More than fifty-seven years have elapsed since a band of patriots convened in

this place to devise measures for the deliverance of this country from a foreign

yoke. The corner-stone upon which they founded the TEMPLE OF FREEDOM

was broadly this—“that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by

their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life,

LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness.” At the sound of their trumpet-call,

three millions of people rose up as from the sleep of death, and rushed to the

strife of blood; deeming it more glorious to die instantly as freemen, than

desirable to live one hour as slaves. They were few in number—poor in

resources; but the honest conviction that TRUTH, JUSTICE, and RIGHT were on

their side, made them invincible.

We have met together for the achievement of an enterprise without which

that of our fathers is incomplete, and which, for its magnitude, solemnity, and

probable results upon the destiny of the world, as far transcends theirs as moral

truth does physical force.

In purity of motive, in earnestness of zeal, in decision of purpose, in

intrepidity of action, in steadfastness of faith, in sincerity of spirit, we would not

be inferior to them.

Their principles led them to wage war against their oppressors, and to spill

human blood like water, in order to be free. Ours forbid the doing of evil that

good may come, and lead us to reject, and to entreat the oppressed to reject,

the use of all carnal weapons for deliverance from bondage; relying solely upon

those which are spiritual and mighty through God to the pulling down of

strongholds.

Their measures were physical resistance—the marshaling in arms—the

hostile array—the mortal encounter. Ours shall be such only as the opposition

of moral purity to moral corruption—the destruction of error by the potency of

truth—the overthrow of prejudice by the power of love—and the abolition of

slavery by the spirit of repentance.

Their grievances, great as they were, were trifling in comparison with the

wrongs and sufferings of those for whom we plead. Our fathers were never

slaves—never bought and sold like cattle—never shut out from the light of

knowledge and religion—never subjected to the lash of brutal taskmasters.

But those for whose emancipation we are striving—constituting, at the

present time, at least one sixth part of our countrymen—are recognized by the

law, and treated by their fellow-beings, as marketable commodities, as goods

and chattels, as brute beasts; are plundered daily of the fruits of their toil,

without redress—really enjoying no constitutional nor legal protection from

licentious and murderous outrages upon their persons; are ruthlessly torn

asunder—the tender babe from the arms of its frantic mother—the heartbroken

wife from her weeping husband—at the caprice or pleasure of

irresponsible tyrants. For the crime of having a dark complexion, they suffer the

pangs of hunger, the infliction of stripes, and the ignominy of brutal servitude.

They are kept in heathenish darkness by laws expressly enacted to make their

instruction a criminal offense.

These are the prominent circumstances in the condition of more than two

millions of our people, the proof of which may be found in thousands of

indisputable facts, and in the laws of the slaveholding States.

Hence we maintain, that in view of the civil and religious privileges of this

nation, the guilt of its oppression is unequaled by any other on the face of the

earth; and, therefore,

That it is bound to repent instantly, to undo the heavy burdens, to break

every yoke, and to let the oppressed go free.

We further maintain, that no man has a right to enslave or imbrute his

brother—to hold or acknowledge him, for one moment, as a piece of

merchandise—to keep back his hire by fraud—or to brutalize his mind by

denying him the means of intellectual, social, and moral improvement.…

We fully and unanimously recognize the sovereignty of each State to legislate

exclusively on the subject of the slavery which is tolerated within its limits; we

concede that Congress, under the present national compact, has no right to

interfere with any of the Slave States in relation to this momentous subject.

But we maintain that Congress has a right, and is solemnly bound, to

suppress the domestic slave-trade between the several States, and to abolish

slavery in those portions of our territory which the Constitution has placed

under its exclusive jurisdiction.…

These are our views and principles—these our designs and measures. With

entire confidence in the overruling justice of God, we plant ourselves upon the

Declaration of our Independence and the truths of Divine Revelation, as upon

the Everlasting Rock.

We shall organize Anti-Slavery Societies, if possible, in every city, town, and

village in our land.

We shall send forth agents to lift up the voice of remonstrance, of warning, of

entreaty, and rebuke.

We shall circulate, unsparingly and extensively, anti-slavery tracts and

periodicals.

We shall enlist the pulpit and the press in the cause of the suffering and the

dumb.

We shall aim at a purification of the churches from all participation in the

guilt of slavery.

We shall encourage the labor of freemen rather than that of slaves, by giving

a preference to their productions; and

We shall spare no exertions nor means to bring the whole nation to speedy

repentance.

Our trust for victory is solely in God. We may be personally defeated, but our

principles, never. TRUTH, JUSTICE, REASON, HUMANITY, must and will

gloriously triumph.…

Submitting this DECLARATION to the candid examination of the people of

this country, and of the friends of liberty throughout the world, we hereby affix

our signatures to it; pledging ourselves that, under the guidance and by the help

of Almighty God, we will do all that in us lies, consistently with this

Declaration of our principles, to overthrow the most execrable system of

slavery that has ever been witnessed upon earth—to deliver our land from its

deadliest curse—to wipe out the foulest stain which rests upon our national

escutcheon—and to secure to the colored population of the United States all the

rights and privileges which belong to them as men and as Americans—come

what may to our persons, our interests, or our reputation—whether we live to

witness the triumph of LIBERTY,

JUSTICE, and HUMANITY, or perish untimely as martyrs in this great,

benevolent, and holy cause.

Source: Platform of the American Anti-Slavery Society and Its Auxiliaries (New

York: American Anti-Slavery Society, 1855), pp. 7–12.