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Eight-16-1843
An Tackle to the Slaves of the USA of
America, Buffalo, N.Y., 1843
Henry Highland Garnet
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Garnet, Henry Highland, “An Tackle to the Slaves of the USA of America, Buffalo, N.Y., 1843” (1843). Digital Texts in
American Research. Eight.
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/etas/Eight
AN ADDRESS
TO THE SLAVES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(REJECTED BY THE NATIONAL CONVENTION, 1843.)
BY HENRY HIGHLAND GARNET.
______________________
PREFACE.
The next Tackle was first learn on the Nationwide Conference
held at Buffalo, N.Y., in 1843. Since that point it has been barely
modified, retaining, nonetheless, all of its unique doctrine. The doc elicited extra dialogue than some other paper that was ever
introduced earlier than that, or some other deliberative physique of coloured individuals, and their associates. Gents who opposed the Tackle, based mostly
their objections on these grounds. 1. That the doc was warlike, and inspired revolt; and 2. That if the Conference
ought to undertake it, that these delegates who lived close to the borders of
the slave states, wouldn’t dare to return to their properties. The Tackle was rejected by a small majority; and now in compliance with
the earnest request of many who heard it, and in conformity to the
needs of quite a few associates who’re anxious to see it, the writer
now offers it to the general public, praying God that this little ebook could also be
borne on the 4 winds of heaven, till the ideas it incorporates
shall be understood and adopted by each slave within the Union.
H.H.G.
Troy, N.Y., April 15, 1848.
ADDRESS TO THE SLAVES OF THE UNITED STATES
2
An Tackle to the Slaves of the USA of
America, Buffalo, N.Y., 1843
rethren and Fellow-Residents:—Your brethren of the North,
East, and West have been accustomed to satisfy collectively in Nationwide Conventions, to sympathize with one another, and to weep
over your sad situation. In these conferences we have now addressed
all courses of the free, however we have now by no means, till this time, despatched a phrase
of comfort and recommendation to you. We now have been contented in sitting
nonetheless and mourning over your sorrows, earnestly hoping that earlier than
at the present time your sacred liberties would have been restored. However, we
have hoped in useless. Years have rolled on, and tens of 1000’s
have been borne on streams of blood and tears, to the shores of
eternity. Whilst you have been oppressed, we have now additionally been partakers with you; nor can we be free while you’re enslaved. We, due to this fact, write to you as being sure with you.
A lot of you might be sure to us, not solely by the ties of a typical
humanity, however we’re linked by the extra tender relations of
dad and mom, wives, husbands, youngsters, brothers, and sisters, and
associates. As such we most affectionately deal with you.
Slavery has fastened a deep gulf between you and us, and whereas it
shuts out from you the aid and comfort which your pals
would willingly render, it afflicts and persecutes you with a fierceness which we’d not anticipate to see within the fiends of hell. However nonetheless
the Almighty Father of mercies has left to us a glimmering ray of
hope, which shines out like a lone star in a cloudy sky. Mankind are
turning into wiser, and higher—the oppressor’s energy is fading, and
you, day-after-day, have gotten higher knowledgeable, and extra quite a few.
Your grievances, brethren, are many. We will not try, on this
quick deal with, to current to the world all of the darkish catalogue of this
nation’s sins, which have been dedicated upon an harmless individuals.
Neither is it certainly essential, for you’re feeling them from day after day, and
all of the civilized world look upon them with amazement.
B
HENRY
HIGHLAND
GARNET
three
2 hundred and twenty-seven years in the past, the primary of our injured
race had been delivered to the shores of America. They got here not with
glad spirits to pick out their properties within the New World. They got here not
with their very own consent, to search out an unmolested enjoyment of the
blessings of this fruitful soil. The primary dealings they’d with males
calling themselves Christians, flaunted to them the worst options
of corrupt. and sordid hearts: and satisfied them that no cruelty is
too nice, no villainy and no theft too abhorrent for even enlightened males to carry out, when influenced by avarice and lust. Neither
did they arrive flying upon the wings of Liberty, to a land of freedom. However they got here with damaged hearts, from their beloved native
land, and had been doomed to unrequited toil and deep degradation.
Nor did the evil of their bondage finish at their emancipation by
demise. Succeeding generations inherited their chains, and tens of millions
have come from eternity into time, and have returned once more to the
world of spirits, cursed and ruined by American slavery.
The propagators of the system, or their quick ancestors, very
quickly found its rising evil, and its super wickedness,
and secret guarantees had been made to destroy it. The gross inconsistency of a individuals holding slaves, who had themselves “ferried o’er
the wave” for freedom’s sake, was too obvious to be totally neglected. The voice of Freedom cried, “Emancipate your slaves.”
Humanity supplicated with tears for the deliverance of the youngsters
of Africa. Knowledge urged her solemn plea. The bleeding captive
pleaded his innocence, and pointed to Christianity who stood
weeping on the cross. Jehovah frowned upon the nefarious establishment, and thunderbolts, crimson with vengeance, struggled to leap forth
to blast the responsible wretches who maintained it. However all was useless.
Slavery had stretched its darkish wings of demise over the land, the
Church stood silently by—the clergymen prophesied falsely, and the
individuals cherished to have it so. Its throne is established, and now it
reigns triumphant.
Practically three tens of millions of your fellow-citizens are prohibited by
regulation and public opinion (which on this nation is stronger than regulation)
from studying the Ebook of Life. Your mind has been destroyed as
a lot as potential, and each ray of sunshine they’ve tried to
ADDRESS TO THE SLAVES OF THE
UNITED STATES
four
shut out out of your minds. The oppressors themselves have grow to be
concerned within the destroy. They’ve grow to be weak, sensual, and rapacious—they’ve cursed you—they’ve cursed themselves—they
have cursed the earth which they’ve trod.
The colonists threw the blame upon England.. They stated that the
mom nation entailed the evil upon them, and that they might
rid themselves of it if they may. The world thought they had been honest, and the philanthropic pitied them. However time quickly examined their
sincerity. In a number of years the colonists grew robust, and severed
themselves from the British Authorities. Their independence was
declared, and they took their station among the many sovereign powers of
the earth. The declaration was a wonderful doc. Sages admired
it, and the patriotic of each nation reverenced the God-like sentiments which it contained. When the ability of Authorities returned
to their arms, did they emancipate the slaves? No; they fairly
added new hyperlinks to our chains. Have been they unaware of the ideas
of Liberty? Actually they weren’t. The feelings of their revolutionary orators fell in burning eloquence upon their hearts, and with
one voice they cried, Liberty or Dying. Oh what a sentence was that!
It ran from soul to soul like electrical fireplace, and nerved the arm of 1000’s to struggle within the holy explanation for Freedom. Among the many range of
opinions which are entertained in regard to bodily resistance, there
are however a number of discovered to gainsay that stern declaration. We’re amongst
those that don’t.
Slavery! How a lot distress is comprehended in that single phrase.
What thoughts is there that doesn’t shrink from its direful results?
Except the picture of God be obliterated from the soul, all males cherish the love of Liberty. The great discerning political economist does
not regard the sacred proper greater than the untutored African who
roams within the wilds of Congo. Nor has the yet another proper to the total
enjoyment of his freedom than the opposite. In each man’s thoughts the
good seeds of liberty are planted, and he who brings his fellow
down so low, as to make him contented with a situation of slavery,
commits the best crime towards God and man. Brethren, your
oppressors purpose to do that. They endeavor to make you as very like
brutes as potential. Once they have blinded the eyes of your thoughts—
HENRY
HIGHLAND
GARNET
5
after they have embittered the candy waters of life—after they
have shut out the sunshine which shines from the phrase of God—then,
and not until then, has American slavery achieved its excellent work.
To such Degradation it’s sinful within the Excessive so that you can make voluntary Submission. The divine commandments you might be in responsibility sure
to reverence and obey. If you don’t obey them, you’ll absolutely
meet with the displeasure of the Almighty. He requires you to like
him supremely, and your neighbor as your self—to maintain the Sabbath
day holy—to look the Scriptures—and carry up your youngsters
with respect for his legal guidelines, and to worship no different God however him. However
slavery units all these at nought, and hurls defiance within the face of Jehovah. The forlorn situation wherein you might be positioned, doesn’t destroy your ethical obligation to God. You aren’t sure of heaven,
since you endure yourselves to stay in a state of slavery, the place
you can’t obey the commandments of the Sovereign of the universe. If the ignorance of slavery is a passport to heaven, then it’s a
blessing, and no curse, and it is best to fairly want its perpetuity
than its abolition.. God is not going to obtain slavery, nor ignorance, nor
some other way of thinking, for love and obedience to him. Your situation doesn’t absolve you out of your ethical obligation. The diabolical injustice by which your liberties are cloven down, neither God;
nor angels, or simply males, command you to endure for a single second.
Subsequently it’s your solemn and crucial responsibility to make use of each means, each
ethical; mental and bodily that guarantees success. If a band of heathen males ought to try and enslave a race of Christians, and to
place their youngsters below the affect of some false faith,
absolutely, Heaven would frown upon the boys who wouldn’t resist
such aggression, even to demise. If, on the opposite hand, a band of
Christians ought to try and enslave a race of heathen males, and to
entail slavery upon them, and to maintain them in heathenism within the
midst of Christianity, the God of heaven would smile upon each
effort which the injured may make to disenthral themselves.
Brethren, it’s as fallacious to your lordly oppressors to maintain you in
slavery, because it was for the person thief to steal our ancestors from the
coast of Africa. You need to due to this fact now use the identical method of
resistance, as would have been simply in our ancestors, when the
ADDRESS TO THE SLAVES OF THE
UNITED STATES
6
bloody footprints of the primary remorseless soul-thief was positioned upon
the shores of our fatherland. The humblest peasant is as free within the
sight of God because the proudest monarch that ever swayed a sceptre.
Liberty is a spirit despatched out from God, and like its nice Creator, isn’t any
respecter of individuals.
Brethren, the time has come when it’s essential to act for yourselves. It
is an previous and true saying that, “if hereditary bondmen can be
free, they have to themselves strike the blow.” You possibly can plead your
personal trigger, and do the work of emancipation higher than any others.
The nations of the previous world are transferring within the nice explanation for common freedom, and a few of them at the least will, ere lengthy, do you justice. The mixed powers of Europe have positioned their broad seal
of disapprobation upon the African slave-trade. However within the slaveholding elements of the USA, the commerce is as brisk as ever. They
purchase and promote you as if you had been brute beasts. The North has
achieved a lot—her opinion of slavery within the summary is understood. However in
regard to the South, we undertake the opinion of the New York Evangelist—“We now have superior to this point, that the trigger apparently waits
for a extra effectual door to be thrown open than has been but.” We
are about to level you to that extra effectual door. Go searching
you, and behold the bosoms of your loving wives heaving with
untold agonies! Hear the cries of your poor youngsters! Bear in mind the
stripes your fathers bore. Consider the torture and shame of your
noble moms. Consider your wretched sisters, loving advantage and
purity, as they’re pushed into concubinage and are uncovered to the
unbridled lusts of incarnate devils. Consider the timeless glory that
hangs across the historical title of Africa:—and overlook not that you just
are native-born Americans, and as such, you might be justly entitled to all of the rights which are granted to the freest. Assume what number of
tears you’ve got poured out. upon the soil which you’ve got cultivated
with unrequited toil and enriched together with your blood; and then go to
your lordly enslavers and inform them plainly, that you’re decided
to be free. Appeal to their sense of justice, and inform them that they
haven’t any extra proper to oppress you, than it’s a must to enslave them.
Entreat them to take away the grievous burdens which they’ve imposed upon you, and to remunerate you to your labor. Promise
HENRY
HIGHLAND
GARNET
7
them renewed diligence within the cultivation of the soil, if they are going to
render to you an equal to your companies. Level them to the rise of happiness and prosperity within the British West Indies since
the Act of Emancipation. Inform them in language which they can not
misunderstand, of the exceeding sinfulness of slavery, and of a future judgment, and of the righteous retributions of an indignant
God. Inform them that each one you want is freedom, and that nothing
else will suffice. Do that, and for ever after stop to toil for the
heartless tyrants, who provide you with no different reward however stripes and
abuse. In the event that they then start the work of demise, they, and not you,
might be chargeable for the implications. You had much better all
die—die instantly, than reside slaves, and entail your wretchedness
upon your posterity. If you happen to can be free on this era, right here is
your solely hope. Nonetheless a lot you and all of us might want it,
there’s not a lot hope of redemption with out the shedding of
blood. If you happen to should bleed, let all of it come without delay—fairly die freemen,
than reside to be the slaves. It’s inconceivable, like the youngsters of Israel, to
make a grand exodus from the land of bondage. The Pharaohs are
on each side of the blood-red waters! You can not transfer en masse, to
the dominions of the British Queen—nor are you able to move via
Florida and overrun Texas, and ultimately discover peace in Mexico. The
propagators of American slavery are spending their blood and
treasure, that they might plant the black flag within the coronary heart of Mexico
and riot within the halls of the Montezumas. Within the language of the Rev.
Robert Corridor, when addressing the volunteers of Bristol, who had been
dashing forth to repel the invasion of Napoleon, who threatened to
lay waste the truthful properties of England, “Faith is an excessive amount of fascinated with your behalf, to not shed over you her most gracious influences.”
You’ll not be compelled to spend a lot time with a view to grow to be inured to hardships. From the primary second that you just breathed
the air of heaven, you’ve got been accustomed to nothing else however
hardships. The heroes of the American Revolution had been by no means put
upon tougher fare than a peck of corn and a number of herrings per week.
You haven’t grow to be enervated by the luxuries of life. Your sternest
energies have been crushed out upon. the anvil of extreme trial, SlavADDRESS TO THE SLAVES OF THE
UNITED STATES
Eight
ery has achieved this, to make you subservient to its personal functions; however
it has achieved greater than this, it has ready you for any emergency.
If you happen to obtain good therapy, it’s what you would hardly anticipate; if
you meet with ache, sorrow, and even demise, these are the frequent.
lot of the slaves.
Fellow-men! affected person victims! behold your dearest rights crushed
to the earth! See your sons murdered, and your wives, moms and
sisters doomed to prostitution. Within the title of the merciful God, and
by all that life is price, let it now not be a debatable Question Assignment,
whether or not it’s higher to decide on Liberty or demise.
In 1822, Denmark Veazie, of South Carolina, shaped a plan for
the liberation of his fellow-men. In the entire historical past of human efforts to overthrow slavery, a extra sophisticated and super
plan was by no means shaped. He was betrayed by the treachery of his
personal individuals, and died a martyr to freedom. Many a courageous hero fell,
however historical past, trustworthy to her excessive belief, will transcribe his title on the
similar monument with Moses, Hampden, Inform, Bruce and Wallace,
Toussaint L’Ouverture, Lafayette and Washington. That super motion shook the entire empire of slavery. The responsible soulthieves had been overwhelmed with concern. It’s a matter of reality, that at
that point, and in consequence of the threatened revolution, the slave
States talked strongly of emancipation. However they blew however one blast
of the trumpet of freedom, and then laid it apart. As these males turned quiet, the slaveholders ceased to speak about emancipation: and
now behold your situation immediately! Angels sigh over it, and humanity has lengthy since exhausted her tears in weeping on your account!
The patriotic Nathaniel Turner adopted Denmark Veazie. He
was goaded to desperation by fallacious and injustice. By despotism,
his title has been recorded on the record of infamy; and future generations will bear in mind him among the many noble and courageous.
Subsequent arose the immortal Joseph Cinque, the hero of the Amistad.
He was a local African, and by the Helpance of God he emancipated a
entire ship-load of his fellow-men on the excessive seas. And he now
sings of liberty on the sunny hills of Africa and beneath his native
palm-trees, the place he hears the lion roar and feels himself as free as
that king of the forest.
HENRY HIGHLAND GARNET
9
Subsequent arose Madison Washington, that shiny star of freedom, and
took his station within the constellation of true heroism. He was a slave
on board the brig Creole, of Richmond, sure to New Orleans, that
nice slave mart, with 100 and 4 others. Nineteen struck
for liberty or demise. However one life was taken, and the entire had been
emancipated, and the vessel was carried into Nassau, New Windfall.
Noble males! Those that have fallen in freedom’s battle, their
recollections might be cherished by the true-hearted and the God-fearing
in all future generations; those that live, their names are surrounded by a halo of glory.
Brethren, come up, come up! Strike to your lives and liberties. Now could be
the day and the hour. Let each slave all through the land do that,
and the times of slavery are numbered. You can’t be extra oppressed than you’ve got been—you can’t endure better cruelties
than you’ve got already. Slightly die freemen than reside to be slaves. Bear in mind that you’re 4 tens of millions!
It’s in your energy so to torment the God-cursed slaveholders,
that they are going to be glad to allow you to go free. If the size was turned, and
black males had been the masters and white males the slaves, each harmful agent and component can be employed to put the oppressor low. Hazard and demise would grasp over their heads day and
night time. Sure, the tyrants would meet with plagues extra horrible than
these of Pharaoh. However you’re a affected person individuals. You act as if
you had been made for the particular use of those devils. You act as if
your daughters had been born to pamper the lusts of your masters and
overseers. And worse than all, you tamely submit whereas your lords
tear your wives out of your embraces and defile them earlier than your
eyes. Within the title of God, we ask, are you males? The place is the blood
of your fathers? Has all of it run out of your veins? Awake, awake;
tens of millions of voices are calling you! Your useless fathers communicate to you
from their graves. Heaven, as with a voice of thunder, calls on you
to come up from the mud.
Let your motto be resistance! resistance! resistance! No oppressed
individuals have ever secured their liberty with out resistance. What
type of resistance you had higher make, it’s essential to resolve by the cirADDRESS TO THE SLAVES OF THE UNITED STATES
10
cumstances that encompass you, and in keeping with the suggestion of
expediency. Brethren, adieu! Belief within the dwelling God. Labor for the
peace of the human race, and bear in mind that you’re 4 tens of millions.
―――――――
Delivered earlier than the Nationwide Conference of Coloured Residents, Buffalo, New York, August 16, 1843. Revealed in Henry Highland
Garnet, Walker’s Appeal, with a Transient Sketch of His Life. And likewise Garnet’s Tackle to the Slaves of the USA of America. New-York,
Printed by J. H. Tobitt, 1848, pages 89–97.

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