Publication: FREDERICK DOUGLASS PAPER
Date: March 4, 1853
F. DouglassTitle: For Frederick Douglass' Paper.
Location: Rochester, New York
For Frederick Douglass' Paper.
Liberty Party Convention.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, SYRACUSE, Feb. 22, 1853.
MORNING SESSION.
Rev. J. Gregg called the Convention to order by moving that Wm. Shapcott be chosen President, and H.N. Gilbert Secretary.
Prayer by A. Pryne.
The Call for the Convention was read by the Secretary. Adjourned.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
President in the chair. A motion that the temporary officers become permanent was carried.
Gerrit Smith, A. Pryne, C.A. Hammond were appointed a committee to report.
Mr. Pryne made some remarks.
The committee made the following report:
Few as we are, nevertheless the time has not yet come for us to disband. That time will not have come, until some other party
shall have distinctly and fully espoused those doctrines of Civil Government with which the Liberty Party is identified. Until
then, we must continue to maintain our organization, and to testify against every political party which does not, like our
own, contend for the equal and entire political rights of all persons, irrespective of condition, or sex, or complexion. The
political party, which makes account of the color of the skin, or which stops short of claiming, as well for woman as for
man, access to the ballot-box, is not to be trusted with the responsible and great work of carrying out the true and divine
idea of Civil Government.
An every-way just and impartial government must be the object and aim of the political party which is entitled to our confidence
and support. And we readily admit, that to a party, having his object, and aim, we are bound to give our confidence and support,
notwithstanding many of its measures may be unfit, and notwithstanding it may often be mistaken and deficient in the practical
application of its principles. We believe tariffs to be wrong. We will not, however, forsake an honest party for no better
reason, than that it still believes tariffs to be right. But, if a party makes the color of the skin a ground for denying
rights, then, even though it espouses free trade and our still more favorite measure of land-reform, it is unworthy of our
votes, because it is guilty of essential dishonesty and criminal partiality. We believe that wars are deeply and utterly wrong.
Nevertheless, we believe that a party may defend even this sinful and absurd mean of redress, and yet cherish the sense of
honesty and justice. But, if, on the other hand, a party shall be guilty of conceding to slavery not only the forms of law,
but, also, the vitality and obligation of law, then is such party too glaringly wanting in integrity to justify our connection
with it.
We rejoice in the progress of the Free Democratic party; and we shall gladly identify ourselves with it, as fast and as far
as we shall see it identify itself with our principles. It is in no factious spirit; it is from no obstinate clinging to party
and to a long-worn name, that any of us have hesitated to enrol ourselves in the Free Democratic party. It is solely because
we have not yet been convinced that this party has ascended to the high ground, to which God and Humanity call it, and where
alone it can accomplish those victories for God and Humanity, which a true political party is yet to accomplish.
Let us indulge the hope, that the Free Democratic party will prove itself indisputably a true democratic party - a party
recognizing the equal right of all the people, black as well as white, female as well as male, to govern all the people. If
it is already such a party, every doubt, that it is, will soon disappear. In the mean time, let the members of the Liberty
Party stand fast in their organization, as well as in their principles. Let them hold their meetings, and use the press, and
be careful to vote for none but the faithful representatives of their principles.
Few as we are, we believe that our uncompromising and persevering testimonies in behalf of an every-way righteous Civil Government
have not been without their effect; and that, if the day shall ever come, in which Civil Government shall be identified in
the public mind with justice and goodness, a share of the honor of bringing forward that beautiful and blessed day will be
accorded to the little Liberty Party.
1. Resolved, That it is not a Civil Government, but the worst of piracies, which upholds slavery.
2. Resolved, That the government, which leaves dram-shops to multiply madmen and paupers, is pre-eminently guilty of leaving
the persons and property of it subjects unprotected.
3. Resolved, That the government of every nation, is, at distant intervals of time, to prescribe the largest quantity of
land, which may be held by any of its subjects; increasing this quantity with the diminution, and diminishing it with the
increase of the population.
4. Resolved, That whilst we cheerfully admit, that, in the applauded language of the day, Government should "know no North,
no South, no East, no West," we add, that, in the same sense, also, it should know no white, no black, no male, no female;
but should practically acknowledge, that all persons within its jurisdiction have equal political rights, and are equally
entitled to its protection and support.
5. Whereas it is becoming the practice of this slavery-ridden and slavery-cursed country to require jurors to swear, not
that they will uphold an enactment for liberty, but for slavery; provided the Court shall tell them that enactment is constitutional;
resolved, therefore, that whatever political party acquiesces in this insulting, outrageous, and annihilating encroachment
on the right of trial by jury, is so glaringly traitorous to that precious and sacred form of trial, as to be entirely unworthy
of our votes.
6. Wheareas, like every other law, which outrages the principles of justice and mercy, reason and religion, the "Fugitive
Slave Law" is but nominal and void law; resolved, therefore that we are happy to know that every attempt to convict, under
that law, the praise-worthy rescuers of Jerry, and to transmute their virtues into crimes, and, indeed, every attempt to convict
any other person under that law has failed.
7. Whereas Enoch Reed was convicted under a law of 1790; (a conviction deeply regretted by some of the jurors, after they
had recovered from their weariness and exhaustion,) and whereas he has not yet been sentenced; resolved, therefore, that to
sentence this poor colored man for no other offence than resisting the attempt of a party of strong and wicked men to sink
another poor colored man into the hell of slavery - this poor innocent sheep for no other offence than defending another poor
innocent sheep from ravenous wolves - would be a judicial proceeding so disgraceful and mean, as to excite the deep scorn
of the world, and the deeper shame of our virtuous posterity.
8. Whereas if the rescue of Jerry was not a work of justice and mercy, then there is no justice, no mercy, no God; resolved,
therefore, that we deeply desire, that, in case any more of the rescuers of Jerry are put on trial, they shall neither deny
the charge, nor disclaim the honor of being such rescuers, but shall simply hold the Court and Jury to the responsibility
of deciding, whether they will trample on humanity, and defy the living God by punishing as crimes deeds of justice and mercy.
9. Resolved, That, both for the sake of the cause of truth and freedom, and for the sake of the noble man who owns and edits
it, we rejoice in the increasing circulation of the
11. Resolved, That, under a just interpretation, whether of the letter or spirit of the Federal Constitution, is it not pro-slavery;
but, that that in numbers of its provisions there is an obvious and necessary demand for the immediate abolition by Federal
power of the whole length and breadth of American slavery.
12. Resolved, That the division of Christianity into sects, reproaching, as it does, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and neutralizing,
as it does, their power and influence, is now, as it ever has been, the greatest of all obstacles in the way of the reformation
of Civil Government, as well as in the way of every other moral good.
13. Resolved, That, amid all which obstructs and discourages our endeavors for a righteous Civil Government, we are consoled
and sustained by the consciousness that God reigns; and that every nation which submits to His reign, shall be blessed with
a government whose principles shall be truth and justice; whose "officers" shall be "peace," and whose "exactors" shall be
righteousness."
Mr. Green sustained the spirit of the address.
The first and second resolutions were unanimously adopted.
The third resolution was sustained by Gerrit Smith at some length.
The fourth resolution was read. Miss A.L. Brown was called. She said that the impression was abroad that she was a woman
of one idea, viz: a
Frederick Douglass thought that Gerrit Smith as in the habit of so framing a resolution, that it needed no support. It was
difficult to hang a speech upon it. He would like to have another one added to the series, affirming their old testimony,
viz: of the anti-slavery spirit of the constitution - that if they must destroy the government, they would let slavery pass
as the lesser evil. He used to feel somewhat sensitive upon the subject of color, but was getting above it. - The prejudice
against color was in the middle classes; among the higher it was rapidly subsiding. It was not difficult to get his son into
colleges and academies; but into the work-shop it was impossible. It was the working men - the democratic part of community
- who hate the colored man. He had been upon a pilgrimage to Uncle Tom's Cabin, and had talked with Mrs. Stowe, who was soon
to leave this country for Scotland, where she expected to receive a sum of money to invest in an educational institution for
the education of the colored race. He thought they ought to be taught the methods to get means to educate themselves, and
suggested to her that some industrial institution be established for the learning of useful mechanical arts. Their hands must
be educated before the head. They must do something. Once they held the monopoly of shaving, boot-blacking and waitership;
but these employments were being usurped by the whites. They must make society as dependent upon them as they upon society.
In the West Indies, a black man is called a
The resolution was adopted.
The fifth, sixth and seventh resolutions were read and discussed.
Mr. Smith cited Mr. Waggoner, a juror in the case of Enoch Reed, who declared to him his deep regret at consenting to the
conviction, and avowed that it was solely produced by physical exhaustion - also another juror who made a similar confession.
The resolution was adopted.
The resolutions relative to future rescue trials being called up, Mr. Smith declared that he was glad of the acquittals,
because the indicted desired it; but that if they had boldly faced the matter as contemplated in the resolve, he would have
been much more rejoiced. He hoped if Brother Crandal comes to trial, he would seek no alternative. He would have taken that
course himself, and he himself and Brother May were responsible rescuers of Jerry.
Mr. May said, when examined at Albany in the trial of Salmon, the District Attorney remarked to him, "you know all about
it;" to which he replied, "he did, and if put upon trial, would tell them all about it."
Mr. May and Mr. Smith eulogized the lawyers who acted in the defence. The resolution was adopted.
The eight and ninth resolutions were adopted. The tenth was laid upon the table.
