14 A Negro's Soliloquy on the Ten Commandments. I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt.' Man does not readily perceive defects in [me: good buckra-man say it God's words. what he has been accustomed to venerate; What be dese Ten Commandments? who hence it is that you have escaped those ani- God speak 'em to? perhaps only to white man. madversions which your slave proprietorship Bad white man no mind what God say; perhas so long merited. For seven years you haps God speak 'em to poor black man; me bravely fought the battles of your country, spell 'em-me no able read well. and contributed greatly to the establishment of her liberties; yet you are a slaveholder! You have been raised by your fellow-citizens to one of the most exalted situations upon earth, the first magistrate of free people; yet you are a slaveholder! A majority of your countrymen have recently discovered that slavery is injustice, and are gradually abolishing the wrong; yet you continue to be a slaveholder! You are a firm believer, too, and your letters and speeches are replete with pious reflections on the Divine Being, Providence, &c.; yet you are a slaveholder! Oh! Washington, ages to come will read with astonishment' that the man who was foremost to wrench the rights of America from the ty rannical grasp of Britain, was among the last to relinquish his own oppressive hold of poor and unoffending negroes. Where Egypt? me stolen from Africa,— perhaps that;-oh no! white man do thatnot God. Me now remember, good preacher one time say, Jews slaves in Egypt;--good God did bring 'em out ;-me suppose white man den master in Egypt;-Jews like poor black man; -me slave here-me in Egypt. Oh, Lord my God, bring me out! Me den obey God. I. Thou shalt have none other gods, but me.' What that mean? Oh, Lord my God, how glad poor negro be, he had no other God before thee; but his massa no let him have you; let teacher come at night to teach him—what -his massa make him work all day, den no Where shall poor negro find him's God?can poor negro do? massa no let him go. What can it mean? my massa make me too much 'fraid; he tell me negro must 'bey him first;-den he same like first God to me. But God tell me, I must 'bey him first. What sal I do? God very good: perhaps He forgive poor negro, if him obey his massa first; massa no forgive me, if I 'bey God first. Oh, Lord my God, forgive me, I not first obey you: me too much afraid my massa; my massa no forgive me, like you. Oh, Lord God, how good dat be for poor negro, when he have no oder God before dee. In the name of justice, what can induce you to tarnish your own well earned celebrity, and to impair the fair features of American liberty with so foul and indelible a blot? Avarice is said to be the vice of Your age. slaves, old and young, male and female, father, mother and child, might, in the estimation of a Virginia planter, be worth from fifteen to twenty thousand pounds. Now, Sir, are you sure that the unwillingness which you have shewn to liberate your negroes, does not proceed from some lurking pecuniary considerations? If this be the case, and there are those who firmly believe it is, then there is no flesh left in your heart; and present reputation, future fame, and all that is estimable among the virtuous, are, for a few thousand pieces of paltry yellow dirt, irremediably renounced. EDWARD RUSHTON. SLAVERY A VIOLATION OF ALL THE COMMANDMENTS. A more simple or affecting illustration of the moral turpitude of slavery, by its violation of all the Commandments, than is contained in the following 'Soliloquy,' cannot be drawn. We extract it from Saunder's News-Letter of Oct. 30, 1832, printed at Dublin. Reader, art thou indeed a Christian, and canst thou apologize for a system like this, or believe that its instant and utter abolition would be injurious to the masters or to the slaves? If so, listen to A NEGRO'S SOLILOQUY ON THE TEN COM MANDMENTS. What dis? good preacher-man gave me dis, told me learn it; massa no ever shew it II. 'Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image, nor the likeness of any thing, that is in Heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth; thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them; for I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, and visit the sins of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and shew mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.' Me no understand how dat;-in my own country my priests make many Gods, some stone, some wood, some gold; like men, like beast, like fish; my king worship all; he kind to me; my priest kind to me too,―me happy there;-black man live long there, with old grandfather; they no beat me, they let me work for myself;-here, white man say, but one God, and he no see him, and he good God;—but white massa no love him ;-white massa no love me;—yet massa merry, massa black man always slave, black child alrich, massa happy ;-me sad,-my child sad; ways slave-why dat? perhaps no God!— But good preacher man say, dere is one God in Heaven;-he good man, he love me,—he speak truth;-me believe him;-God speak, me believe him most. III. 'Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless, that taketh His name in vain.’ A Negro's Soliloquy on the Ten Commandments. 15 body can help de poor negro: his massa samé like devil to him ;-nobody can come between 'em ;—his massa do just what he like;-King forget poor negro-buckra man in England no can help him;-good misshunary man, no can help him;-all white men murder him.—Oh Lord God, tell 'em no treat poor negro so bad, How can me learn dat?-my massa swear, -my driver swear, my mississ swear; all round me swear;-Suppose I no swear, dey all curse me.-Oh my Lord, tell my massa, not swear so; tell my mississ not be so angry;-tell my driver not lick poor negro so much;-den me can stop swear;—Oh Lord, forgive poor negro,-how can he stop swear?-den he not so angry in his heart,-den he dey all swear and curse poor negro so. IV. Remember, that thou keep holy the Sabbath day; six days shalt thou labor, and do all that thou hast to do; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God,-in it thou shalt do no manner of work; thou and thy son and thy daughter; thy man-servant and thy maid-servant; thy cattle; and the stranger, that is within thy gates; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day, wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it.' Oh massa God! when will dey let me keep holy de Sabbath day?-But no rest for poor negro,—all six days long him mus work for his massa;-seven day him mus work for himself, or him's wife and him's pickaninny must starve wid him; massa no keep Sabbath day holy;-massa go shoot;-massa go sleep, massa no go worship;-driver angry,-driver flog;-oh Lord my God, tell my massa give poor negro time, oder day, work for himself; so him can rest on Sabbath day ;-tell massa, not let driver flog poor negro so, make him work on dy holy day. V. Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long in the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee.' Who dey be? where negro's fader an moder? how can him honor dem?-suppose him see driver flog his fader, what can he do?suppose him see driver throw down his moder, flog her, lick her ;-she cry-she bleed ;-negro say one word, he too be throw down;driver curse him-driver lick him; he go tell massa;—massa lick him 'gain; he go tell magistrate; magistrate call him 'black rascal;' -send him to work-house,-order him be flog;-then send back to his massa;—his massa flog him;-send him to driver;-driver flog him;-put him in stocks,-drive him,-lick him, may be kill him;-What for? 'cause negro tell him, not make his poor moder bleed so:-Oh Lord, tell his massa, let poor negro alone, to honor his fader and moder;-Oh Lord my God, what land gave thou me ? gave all land to massa ;—he live long,—me die soon. VI. Thou shalt do no murder.' no more can do so much murder.-Oh help de How can me help dat? They no let me marry in church;-me marry in house; sometimes de wicked buckra massa, more time driver take away my wife; take away my child; den me ready to kill 'em;—that same like murder;-what good for me to marry?-suppose I get preacher marry me; den I commit more murder, in my heart; den God more angry wid me;-Oh Lord God, tell him massa not take away negro's wife-not take away not sell 'em,-not separate 'em from me ;-not negro's child,—no let oders take 'em away,— flog 'em-let 'em stay home take care of negro's pickaninny;-den negro can have one wife,-den Oh den, negro work too much for such kind negro can no commit adultery massa. VIII. Thou shalt not steal.' Lord my God! dey steal me,-dey no let me go; they starve me,-I no get 'nough eat;-my wife cry,-my pickaninny hungry, -I look 'bout ;-no bread-no yam ;-no nothing; me go out,-me most mad,-me 'fraid-den my poor little pickaninny cry 'gain;—den me no more tink 'bout any thing; how can me help dat? Me must steal:-tell -only go get something for my child eat ;my massa let me go;-tell my massa pay me fair;-tell my massa no steal no more, my time, my sweat, my work, my wages ;-den me no more steal his cane ;-den me get cane my own; den me give massa some my cane, not leave him starve, not come steal it. IX. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.' O Lord my God, dey bear false witness 'gainst me ;-they say I slave;—God say, I no slave;-I MAN;-they say I steal from them, but dey steal great deal more from me, and no shamed;-they say king must pay them, if king make us free; but what for king must pay them? King must pay me:we no owe massa any thing, massa owe us too much; massa no buy us, do us good; massa De good buckra man tell me,-Angry in no buy us, do King good; massa buy us, same heart, dat same like murder ;-de bad buckra like buy pig, do himself good;— ;-so long we man, he make me angry all de day;-Oh what work for massa, he eat all our work; he drink sal I do? me believe good buckra man; den our sweat;-he shed our blood; he bear too me know, great God angry wid me ;-dat very much false witness against us:-how glad we bad; me no believe him, den me like kill de be, if massa at last tell truth about poor nebad buckra man :—he flog him so, he so an-gro, and say same about him, as God say, he gry, he take him wife-him child;-he no MAN;—and same as good buckra man says, he hear,-me say one word, he mad; den no have right be free, same any oder Englishman. 16 Song of the Angels.-Child's Evening Hymn.-The Slave's Appeal. X. 'Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house ;thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife ;-nor his servant, nor his maid, nor his ox, nor his ass ;-nor any thing that is his.' My massa got Bible;-what make him covet my little hut,-my wife,—my child;perhaps he no read;-Oh how much he covet poor negro;—he covet negro's body; -suppose poor negro got soul, he covet negro's soul too;-he covet negro's time,he no give negro rest ;-he no give negro no time learn read Bible ;-he not care 'bout read Bible himself; so he tink perhaps me not care too:-he covet negro's work; he no let negro work for himself,-for his wife, for his little pickaninny ;-he covet negro wages; he take all negro's money 'way, an call it his own;-Oh he be great thief, how he steal from poor negro;-he all covet; then suppose poor negro too hungry;—suppose him wife, him child, too hungry; he take bit sugar cane, suck, give his child to suck-carry to his wife say, here, see little bit sugar cane, you suck that; then you not be so hungry no more; massa find out; he call negro thief; that is lie; massa thief; massa great thief; massa covet all negro got; massa steal all negro got; massa no let negro get any thing; then call poor negro thief; dat too bad!-Oh Lord, tell de buckra man not covet negro so much, not covet negro's wife; negro's child; negro's time; negro's work; negro's wages; negro's soul; negro's all ;-so den negro can learn too, not covet; den negro can learn love buckra man; negro now love de good buckra man; some time he see de good buckra man cry for him, 'cause he no can help poor negro. Oh Lord, bless de good buckra man; forgive the bad buckra man! Oh Lord, turn his heart; tell him not covet, not steal, not 'buse poor negro so. Oh Lord, help poor negro himself not covet. Amen! amen! so may it be, and soon! oh Lord! [For the Abolitionist.] THE SONG OF THE ANGELS. The sun for years through heaven has shone, To heaven, poor slave, address thy prayer, Then shall arrive that blessed time, [From the Liberator.] THE CHILD'S EVENING HYMN. J. We thank thee, Father! For an earthly father's arm, Yet, while 'neath the evening skies, The poor slaves, Father! Ah! while we are richly blest, Oh save them, Father! Touch the flinty hearts that long [From the Genius of Universal Emancipation.] THE ABOLITIONIST. VOL. I.] FEBRUARY, 1833. [NO. II. ANNUAL MEETING OF THE NEW-ENGLAND | bound to use the same exertions to put an end to it in The Annual Meeting of this Society was held at Boylston Hall, in Boston, on Wednesday evening, January ninth. A numerous audience was assembled. The meeting was opened with prayer by the Rev. Tyler Thacher. Mr. Buffum, President of the Society, made a few remarks, in which he stated the plans and objects of the Society. Delegates from auxiliary societies having been requested to present their credentials, Mr. David T. Kimball, of the Andover Theological Seminary, produced a certificate of his being a delegate from the Andover Auxiliary Anti-Slavery Society, which was read by the President. Mr. Garrison, the Corresponding Secretary, then read the Annual Report of the Managers. This paper explained at some length the objects of the Society, and vindicated its principles from the unjust reproaches which have been often heaped upon them. It strenuously supported immediate abolition, by showing the true nature of the measure, and its safety and necessity. After exposing the principles of the Colonization Society, and adverting to some other topics, the Report set forth the measures which the Society had adopted, and the gratifying success which had so far attended its exertions. We have given but a brief outline of this paper, as it will be published in a separate form. Mr. Robert B. Hall then moved the acceptance of the Report, and supported his motion in a short address, in which he congratulated the Society upon the encouraging prospects before them. Mr. Sewall spoke for a few minutes in support of his resolution. He adverted to the history of the District of Columbia, the cession of its two parts to the United States by Maryland and Virginia, for a seat of government, by means of which it became subject to the exclusive legislation of Congress. He alluded to the wretched system of slave laws which prevailed in the District, showed how negligent Congress had been of the rights of slaves and other persons of color there; and stated that this District had become one of the greatest slave markets in the country-that slaves were brought into it from the neighboring States, chained in droves, then confined in the public or private jails, and finally shipped to the Southern ports. He pointed out some of the cruel injuries to which free people of color were subjected, by being kidnapped and sold for slaves, in consequence of the toleration of the slave trade in the District; and concluded by exhorting the audience to exert themselves to put an end to the atrocious system, tolerated by the American nation at the seat of its government. The Rev. E. M. P. Wells seconded the motion, and supported it by appropriate remarks. He mentioned the general ignorance which prevailed in this community of the state of things which existed in the District of Columbia. Many people, he said, among us were not aware that slavery and the slave trade were thus directly countenanced and supported by the American government and people. He afterwards spoke of the criminality of slavery, and laid down the following propositions: The motion was seconded by Mr. Oliver 1. Slavery is inconsistent with Christianity.— Johnson, and passed. 2. It is inconsistent with humanity.-3. It is Samuel E. Sewall, Esq. then proposed the inconsistent with the principles of a republican following resolution: government: each of which propositions he sustained by arguments. Resolved, That slavery and the traffic in slaves in the District of Columbia, ought to be abolished by the government of the United States; and that every citizen of every State in which slavery is not tolerated, is VOL. I. David L. Child, Esq. next addressed the meeting, in support of the resolution. He 3 18 Annual Meeting of the New-England Anti-Slavery Society. bore testimony to the truth of the statements bout to see if it would be practicable for me to be of the mover of the resolution. He then point-present at the Annual Meeting of the New-England Anti-Slavery Society, and to contribute my mite in a ed out how completely the slave in this coun- cause which I deem one of the holiest and most imtry is unprotected by law from injury and op-portant in which mortal man ever engaged. pression. He related some atrocious acts in illustration of his position. The resolution then passed unanimously. W. J. Snelling, Esq. then spoke for a few minutes, and related an anecdote which illustrated very strikingly the remark of the last speaker, that slaves in this country were not in any degree protected by the law. After a collection had been taken for the benefit of the funds of the Society, the meeting adjourned, to meet again on Wednesday evening, Jan. 16th. I lament that my domestic concerns are of such a nature as to preclude me from complying with your request. It is not necessary to enter on their detail; but I assure you they are such as you would deem sufficient to excuse me even in this cause. I assure you, however, that I am with you in heart and soul, do, shall be done; and I have the pleasure of saying and to the full extent of all your views. What I can to you that the great cause in which you are engaged is rapidly gaining converts here; and I trust before the Spring opens, that we shall do something that will encourage your heart. I received through the Post Office the other day, a paper from Mississippi, containing the new Constitution of that State. The object of the person who sent thirteen advertisements of colored men arrested and it no doubt was to let me see that document. I find that by the Constitution, the Legislature is prohibited passing any law for the emancipation of the slaves JANUARY 16. The Society met, pursuant without the consent of the owner!! This must tie up to the adjournment. The spacious hall was tion of their Constitution. Thus we see how they inthe hands of that people until there shall be an alteracrowded with a highly respectable assemblage, tend to perpetuate this curse. In the same paper are among which were a large number of mem- committed to gaol on suspicion of being runaway nebers of the Legislature, from various parts of groes. These persons are minutely described, and in the Commonwealth. The meeting was open-marked on various parts of the body, with scars the nine of the thirteen cases it is stated they are deeply ed with prayer, by the Rev. Tyler Thacher. | effect of the lash!! This is the humanity with which Extracts of Letters from Rev. Samuel J. May, slaves are treated in the slave States, of which such of Brooklyn, Conn., Gen. Samuel Fessenden, of Portland, Me., Arthur Tappan, Esq. of New York, and Mr. Theodore D. Weld of Hartford, Conn., were then read-as follows: My Dear Friend: BROOKLYN, Dec. 17. Yours of the 4th is before me. I rejoice once more to have, under your own hand, an assurance of your health, success, untiring devotion to the cause you have espoused, and though last not least, your kind regards for myself. Though I have written but little on the subject of slavery, I have talked much about it in the Lyceum, in stage coaches, in social circles and in my public prayers, in the house of God, his oppressed children are never forgotten. My heart is with you-and I am not afraid any where to avow that my sentiments are in accordance with those of the New-England Anti-Slavery Society. If possible, I shall be with you at the Anniversaryand if I come, I shall beg leave to bring forward and advocate this Resolution: The principles of the Anti-Slavery Society do not infringe the rights of any of our fellow citizens, nor endanger the peace and happiness of our country.' But my engagements here are so numerous and pressing, that I fear I shall not be allowed to lend you the little assistance in my power on that occasion. The cause of liberty is most dear to my heart-liberty of body and of mind. I would have my fellow beings, from the highest to the lowest, fear nothing but to do wrong; and I would have them fear this more than death. * * Yours, affectionately, boast is made by slaveholders. How long, oh Lord! how long shall thy vengeance sleep? When shall thy soul be avenged on such a Most truly your friend and servant, nation as this? SAMUEL FESSENDEN. WM. LLOYD GARRISON, Cor. Sec. Dear Sir: NEW-YORK, Dec. 7, 1832. I have your esteemed favor of the 30th ult. requesting, in behalf of the New-England Anti-Slavery Society, that I would attend the annual meeting of the Society in Boston, on the 2d Wednesday of January, and deliver an address. If I thought it would promote the cause, I should cheerfully comply with the invitation; but though I feel the subject deeply, and will express my feelings in a different, and perhaps not less emphatic way than the one you suggest, I am yet obliged to decline public speaking on the subject. With esteem, your friend, ARTHUR TAPPAN. WM. LLOYD GARRISON, Cor. Sec. Dec. containing the kind invitation of your Board of have this moment received your letter of the 31st Managers, which I am forced by circumstances re spectfully to decline. Though it has been my misfortune never to have &c. of the Anti-Slavery Society, its expressive name come in contact with the published views, arguments, is dear to my soul. From that I infer that the Society is based upon that great fundamental law of human right, that nothing but crime can forfeit liberty-that no condition of birth, no shade of color, no mere misfortune of circumstances, can annul that birthright charter which God has bequeathed to every being upon whom he has stamped his own image, by making him a free moral agent-and that he who robs his felYour favor under date of the 30th of Nov. was reg- low man of this, tramples upon right-subverts justice ularly received, since which I have been casting a--outrages humanity-unsettles the foundations of SAMUEL J. MAY. WM. LLOYD GARRISON, Cor. Sec. |