AN APPEAL

Tri TMM
STAN WOMEN OF
CHRISTIAN WOMEN OF SBIEFFIELD,

FnOM Til ASSOCIATION

Uil TMO

UNIVERSAL ABOLITION

SLAVERY.

" neiomibr ihom that arm In bai as bounAd with Ult,"
1innusew, alit, l.

$IJEPPIMLD:
alNTmD t IS. I.IAUBBS, irUl IltlrT I.T.
I137.

[ The following pages are in part compiled from
Anti-Sliacry Papers already in print, especially front
an interesting Address rcently Ininted at New York ;
but the sentiments and expressions teance selected, urc
so interwoven with othcr matter, that it InUs ern found
impossUibl, diitirnctl( tI refer to the sources friomn which
they were obu(inedf. This general acknoowledlmnent
maut therefore suffice.]

AN APPEAL, &c.

CnmiTirAX FrlnRDs,
As children ofone common Father, anti sisters in one
blessed Faith, we venture to come forward aflectionntely
to remind you of an important duty ;-a duty which we
are conscious we have ourselves too much neglected,
but to a sense of which we are now awakening. This
duty is comprised In the brief injunction of the Apostle,
" Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with
them." Turn not away, we entreat you, from the
serious consideration of a question founded an the autho-
rity of Scripture, but grant us a patient hearing, while
we plend with you in behalf of the injured and suffering
Slave.
It is not now for the first time, that the women of
Sheffield express their sympathy with this most oppressed
portion of thll luinamn race. In the ytuir 1825), a
society was formed in this town, desiguitcid The
Ladies' Anti-Slavery Society." having flr its object the
diffusion of information on the subject. of Shlavery, and
the promotion of the immediate mid complete extinction
of dtit cruel and iniquitous system, throughout the

British domninions. This small society continued its
labours amidst numy discouragements, till the year 18:1.
In tlht year the bill for the Abolition of Slavery, received
tile royal assent; and though the expectations excited
by that half measure were by no means sanguine, and
dthugh it could not be considered as either "1 safe" or
"satisfactory," yet the queintin ceined, 11r the tlie, to
be set at rest ; and no plan, Lt that juncture, presenting
itself, hy which it appeared that thw cause of Fredomin
could be served, the society was dissolved, thie membxcr
holding themselves in readiness to re-assemble, if their
aid should be required at any future period.
That period lhas now arrived. For a time, indeed,
we were held in ua.-petese; nut, of lite, the evidence blu
been rapidly nccuitulating that S'la try is not abolished.
It continues wider another name to brutadize and crlAhi
our cohiured i~llow.subjeet in the British Colonies.
Negrcm theinmielvt, hive iold is their idnipleand heart-
rending studew i* tinduonriel hav proclatiktl tlihe ap-
inllinig fact i nigitrate hliave sounded it In our cars ;
andl now, at lengtli, the report of' intelligent, linlinrtdal,
and noble-mihnded ncii, returning front one of thie nios
benevolent minsiton that hiunmanity eyer undertook,
precludes tdie )nsibility of doubt.t Yes! we are re-
luctautly driven to die sad and humbling conclusion,

Sue the affecting Nanrative of James Williams. Dark and
ljilbtioWe nun aLte ie lecrels it reveill, it oulghi to be sent from
liuriLIn It wune, and ream by very man and i wmani in tile land,
til all the intaleUct anil virtue in thU nation are Combinted in cin
liroiii anl1 imLpAli.OnCr cnbolution, aL once to rminiat this
Sh, Tli WieVit liieCt, in 103," b1 .JoiephI ttirgi and
"I'lioUaii lharry

that in islands, protected by British power, and enriched
by British liberality, that accursed nyste n, whose de-
struction thi Britisa people had decided upon, is not
destroyed, but exists in aggravated severity. The
wretched negro possesses but the mockery of freedom.
The most essential parts of the Imperial Act have been
defeated by coloniallegislation. Women, especially, arv
die victuis of every species of degradation and cruelty, in
aumny rielspct more afflictive than when they bore the
name ofslaves. Barbarities, unheard of in the worst days
of Slavery, are heaped upon then. Flogging is continued
to a most frightful extcenlf The smill ration of food
Ibrmerlyidluowttl is considurahlydinluished. Te demand
liar fetters during die Ist three yeas, lias been greater
than was ever before known. Several of the poor apprcn-
tices have amid in the bitterness of their anguish that
twy/ saholdbe glad if the I st of August, 183-4, had
neer come s they wish things had remained as they
were before and when reminded that in a few years
they will be free, their reply has been, "If our masters
re to hard upon us, weahull not live till then Negro
mothers have been known to say, pressing their childr'c
to their blosomn We mwmid rather see thcm die than
become tpwrnetiees." Surely these facts iiLak voinmes
as to tllh character ol the present system.
Slavery in the East Indies im beemi coaninaratively
tmnoticed, yet It exists dironglout the British territories
to a fearful extent, md many ofr U features are of a most
atrucioiu character. In Malabar alodin,. under ithe Pr-
sidency of Madras, there are upward of one hundred
thousand slaves, who iare absolute property, as ninich a

the cattle upon a main's estate, and in a condition of moral
and physical degradation as abject as can be enuceived.'
When we turn to many other portions of the earth,
the weary eye rests not on more cheering scenes. We
would not limit our view to the British Dominions, nor
circumscrilbe our charity by geographical boundaries.
" God hlath made of one blood all nations of men, for
to dryell on all the joe of the earte stand every member
of he lauman family hlum a claim on our sympatlhy and re-
gard. Upwards o' live millions of our fellow-beings are
kept in die nmast abject bondage, by nations nominally
Christian. Hadf of this number are to be found in the
Ilr-tfmned United States of North Americn,-thnt land
which boasts of having declared, that "1 All men are born
free and equal" And in addition to these, are the five
hundred thousand victims of prnjudi're-t-he oppressed
free |piWplc, guilty unly nfUskin not eldiuried like our own.
Two hmundrIed thonisa;nd slavts are tolling beneath a
vertical Ima on the ougar plantations of llra Jl ; and the
min'er or Chili andl IP'r are pneopld by miserable cap-
l ives. 'Tw Foreign Slave Trade is no, abolished;
rnd there is tOo niLIch reason to believe that it is, in
many inistaces. supported by British capital, and
screened by British ingenuity. Upwards of' a hundred
thousand negroes are annually put on board the slavers
trailing to Africa, and either die amid. t dithe indescribable
horrors of the middle passage, or are sold in the Ihunma
fledh markets of tfreign Christian countries. Tile only
lic'tuaml remedy for the Slave Trade, is the Alilition
SR" Pa'lrcn relativu tn Slivery in Indin," ordered by the
I lun' of L'uuoni to be prhilaed, M31rc, 1834.

of Slavery, for the market must be annihilated before
the supply will cease.
Ohl how overwhelming and henrt-sickeniiig is the
consideration of thli immense tunountt of injustice, mi.
sery, and pollution comprised in this inhuman system.
On every side arises the cry of agony, or the groan of
despair. We hear of tens of thousands or our fellow-
beings bought and sold in the public markets, like the
beasts with which they are herded, rind made to suffer a
living death by the Ibrcible rending of all the ties of
kindred and affbction. We hear of trhlins, uand stripes,
anti tortures inflicted l(r te i nost trivial olTenccs, or
merely to gratif n mivnge tuase lir human misery. We
hear of the immortal mind shut up in its dark prison-
house; for total subjection of mind, as well as of body, is
essential to the safe holding of property in man. And,
surely, if the sight of temporal wretchedness excites
our sympathy, we, who trust in an Almighty Saviour,
can never view with unconcern, millions. of the slaves
or Christendom, our brethren and sisters, groping their
way to eternity in utter ignorance of that Holy Book
which contains tihe records of i ht great d4lvnt-
tion. In vain has tile Redeemer given F-His connmiauld,
to "preach the gospel tu every creature." Illi proltssed
disciples in tle slave States of America have issued a
counter-ordir, and rendered It impossible for a Itrge
portion of theliir ltlow-metn to comply with lth injunc-
tion, Search the Scriptures." All ucce's is firbidden
to them by paiins and 1pnalties, which effectiually pre-
vent any attempts for their instruction. In North Ca-
rolinn, a fine of 2000 dIIllrn is inflicted upon any one

who teaches a slave to read or write. In Georgui, a
fine of 500 dollars, and imprisonment at the discretion
of the Court. In Louisiana, the penalty is one year's
imprisonment for the first offence; and fur the second,
DEATr.
Into further details we cannot now enter; nor is it
needfulid. We are assured that Slavery still exists, even
under British rule. We regard ail Slavery as sinfiul-
hostile to die original and essential rights of our com-
mon humanity-contrary to tdie inflexible demands of
justice-at variance with the spirit and precepts of the
Gospel, and inimical to all tmht is inercifil in the heart
and holy in the conduct. Especially, we are inm-
pressed with what we have recently heard of the horrors
of Slavery, as it now uxists; and "we ledl convinced that
the condition of the alprenticed laboirern in the UBrtlUi
Colonies, mnd the aspect of the Slave Trade and Slavery
throughout tine world, impose Iai|m uin aolenum duty,
again to lahdur Ibr tlhe difflliulon of nhose principles of
Justice and Truth by which three cnnul siystenm are ton lN
utterly and universally abolished."* We have dwelt on
the exhortation at the commencement of this address,
bidding uis as Christians, Remember them that are
in bonds, as bound with them," and in these words
of the Apostle, we find a sanction for all tdie feeling and
all dithe action, which we deem necessary in ourselves or
desirable in others. As bound wi/tk them." These
words have ibfollowed us in our social interentirre, ruid
amni the endearments of home; in the clowt ad the
manctuary they havc lain on our heart with a constantly
Iirst 11rli tion nf ile Sociaty,

increasing weight of obligation. In their elplesswness
and their woe, we see the sable daiuliters of Africa
stretching out their inipplinnt hlndi towards Britain.
Coln we behold. unherding,
lifr#s lieoliL fieUling(l ciRmuil
While wOamii'i beail is bleciling,
.Slll woman's voi. r bie Imlhe l"
No 1-we dare not longer remain silent and inactive.
But here we nre met by the question, What can
Women do in this cmUse ?" We will attempt to answer
dlie iniiiry under a deep senw of our limited ability in
nccomplm ihis what we dciire. Int with the prayer that we
may each receive tihe grntiton cmimentlation of our
Lord. She hath done rltit she cotldd."
We aret happily exchlied l roni the great theatre of
public business, from the strife of debate, and the cares of
legislation; but this privilege does not exempt its from the
duty ofexerting our influence, in our own appropriate and
retired sphere, over thit public opinion, without which no
important moral reformation can le accomplished. We
desire not to take part in the final adjustment of these
affairs, but we nmy help on towards a decision. It is
ours to sihew what imay be eflxted by the combined
exertion of gentle influence and steady resolution. Is
it assuming too iuch, tu nay, hiat no cruel institutions,
or foereiiAs |prartle-s, cnlild lnug withlliand the avowed
and pertevering censure ufthe women itfr ngland ?
We think, that lIy uniting trgetlher, we nitay make our
efforts more cfletuind, and We have therefore fillrmed
ourselves into i society, dleignateid The Sheffield As-
sociation for the Univwrsal Abolition of Slawry;'
hunbly relying n I lint who has graciously promised
i1

wisdom and strength to the ignorant and the weak, and
who Irequently permits the mightiest designs to be uc-
complished by instrumentality die most feeble."
We propose to meet together at stated periods, to
read the latest. ccounimts of die condition of die Slaves,
and the progress of Eimancipaiion; and to animate each
other to increased diligence in the employment Of our
energies our means, nd our influence, in this important
work. We desire to collect and diffitu information re-
specting the Slave Trade and Slavery; and for the accom-
plisliment. of this end, to circulate books calculated to
inform the public mind, and to finish dthe means for the
delivery of lecturesnnd die printing of iuti-slavery tracts.
We also cde-irc to4 aid aidl Ciecounige, by every means in
our power, thse 4C .ioll--tiulkid nod devoted women in
Anwrica, who are taking great elTortm and painful sacri-
fices in defence of the w mCri right or Freeduom, by cor-
resmpodling wlit theim.auid apuring thwm ofoursynmpathy
anid ur prayer n andl by aasiting them, if tour IAnds per-
mit, to keep their scvntly Ihuctuer in the licld.i But
our chief design is to bring tim subject before dithe minds
of our acquaintance of every dlass, especially of ministers
of the Guspel, and to bring their moral principles and reli-
gious feelings to bear upon it; to revive, extend, and
deepen those general convictions of the enormity of
slavery, which in too many instances have subsided into
reproachful apathy; to keep alive and incrosme zeal
and sympathy at our own firesides; and to instil into
the minds of our children right principles and feelings,
second RInolution of the Society.
i Third Resolution of the Society.

training them up ti pity and proy ror the oppressed.
We will labour to envelope the whole earth, In moral
atmospliere in which this mluteful and inhumane system
can 110 linger exist.
These, dear Friends, are our principles anid our nhobjects,
mitl dim mean by which we meek for their attainment.
Will you not join as P Chriatian Dauwhelr wil you
not make somine effort for her, whose infancyv L4 without
the soothing of tenderness, her childhood without
guidance, her maturity without protection or self-respect,
existence hucre ajoyles blaiink, aid fiiutrity dark as vice
and ignorance can render itW Bly ill your obligations to
the mother who watched your helplusm iniancy, whose
umnwcricd love cherished, ind whose counsei.s guided
your riper years; by all dhe bleasings of your hluppy lot,
we bid you renemelwr the daughter of dtl, Slave, whose
sitUntlon contrasts so strongly with youl own; and yet
this outcast is your fellow-being, made in dite image of
God, and destined to suffer or enjoy an endless existence,
to live when the universe shall have been rolled together
is a .mroll, and sun, aind mon, and stars shall have faded
awaky, lwftre die rnclumging realities ofeternity. Chris-
tian Wi w,' will you not feel tbr tdl wife who Lnnws
nothing of the marriage convenant, bll by tlie agony shir
feel when her husband, such only in name, ip violently
draggepd front her lide and silnt away foir ever, while ber
uliitterable iniiery is knocked anid ridiculed by her cruel
pomssnor? Chriutiian MothArr will yon nut feel for the
negro mother, whose children, ieirm oilly of her wretch-
edness and ulegraiialtion, lire but article ofnerchandise ;
who breallih the bitter prayer its she kisses her uncon-

scious infant, ere she goes forth to her hopeless toil, that
it may soon dik, and be at rest, beyond the white man's
power? Will you not listen to that cry of anguish
which comes up from the mother in bonds weeping for
her children, and refusing to be comforted, because they
are gone for ever from her sight:
Wnme I Ilth fair, ith frirmi, the frn,
Orf Eiglili'm n t rulivrld !iri
rell us, if p.iefc liku ltrea shall li,
And youi be till tihe wliln?
Nto! i tning ia Chiritian vuirtl rie!
And heed II e negru otlher't rie* I
With plighred hand, a living hiilii
Unaiveored but tin dil,-
Crtunders, sally forth Again.
Tu hood lhat thrilling cry.
A lrken hltart your caniag Lre,
Your -nichworl, Lopa and Librtly P'
Women, of every name and station in this favoured
Innd, come to the help of the million who lie elLilaved,
weeping, prostrate at your fiet. Come from thnse tri-
fling engamgementIM with which too many, even Christian
womnii, are t empted In fritter away their dayms, and enter
oin pursuits more befitting an Ihunmiurtd ipilrit. Can you
turn a dleaf' ar Ith tlse entretiaties and complaints?
Cain you sit unmoved midstt the blessings which Free-
doum and Christianity have showered around you ? Have
you no tears to shed ?-No prayer to present?-No
influence to exert ?-No voice of remonstrance for the
car of the oppressor? Remember the admonition
once addressed to a otman,-" I)' thou altogether
oldest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlarge-
tuent and deliverance arise lion another place, but
thou and thy jhher's houe shall ab destroyed."
Do not seek to shelter yourself minder the plea of

limited influence. Do what you can. Throw all your
talents, iall your influence, into the scale of justice and
humanity, anid leve the result wlit God. Read, pray,
speak, and act on this subject ; and we place reading
before praying, not l wca we regard it mas more im-
portant, 1ubit l tcaILte in order to pray aright, we must
understand what we are praying fir; it iii then only we
can pray whli the understavidiny muid with the spirit
also. We lay great strok upon reading,-torturing to
the Iwcliugsm, a4 the details of the dredulil uvilh produced
by Slavery must often prove ;-tir when you have read
these accounts you capnot help niatkiing thlm known
to others ; and the great thing wanted io, that the'real
nature of the system should become known ;-it would
then smom impossible that its continuance should be
longer endured.
Be not turned aside by due often-repeated objection,
that this i. a' political question, with which we, aW
women, have nothing to do. Nothing to do with Slavery!
Nothing to do in behalf of woman, publicly ex-
posed for sale under circumstances the most revolting
to hunuan nature--of woman, writhing under the bloody
lali--sacrned, polluted, ruined, both for tihae sad eter-
nity Remember thrm that are in bonds, as bowmnd
with them," Olh! if we wvre hound with them, how
should we wish others to firl and net for iLs? If our
parents, brothers, sisterA, habuimd,, children were hound
with then, could we then turn away t'rom the discussion
of tie subject, as a political quition in which we had
no interest ? Yet, mark the words, "'-As bound with
thmm." Here we take our 'mand, uiad regard it as a
decidedly religious question.

14

Yet! it is in the Bible that we have found our
abolition sentiments, and we *can never give them up,
while we take that Holy Book as the rule of our faith
and practice. To the Gospel which is revealed in the
Bible, we, as females, owe all our influence and stand-
ing in society, our exemption from oill and servitude,
like that to which our coloured sister is still subjected ;
all the blessings thai cnhster around the ties of dahugh-
ter, sister, wife anti mother; in a word, our lhappiness
here and our hopes herealler. This is the Gospel, of
whose blessings we wish all mankind to partake. We
seek to raise the Negro from the depth of misery and
degradation into which Slavery and unholy prejudice
have thrown him, and bring him out into heaven's sun-
shine, in the full enjoyment of his birthright privi-
leges. And we seek the attainment of these objects
by Christian means and upoan Christian principles alone.
By thu concntrated radiance ofl iygt n1d lrow, we
wunid melt the fbttem of ithe Slave tam let the oppressed
go Free.
We ask you then, dear Sister, where you will ind a
cause tl that appeal more directly to the chest and warmest
sympathies of woman's heart, than the one we advocate ?
To what object of greatermnument can we ask the atten-
tion of our townuwomen ? Willyou not join is? Do
not listen to worldly opinions and influences, but act
solely with reference to the great clday of judgment.
To you, as an individual alone in the presence of
God, we put the question, How will you wish to have
Ielt asirl ncited, when you stand be bre the Saviour, and
the pour, unpitied Slave, ik stand ing at ynur side, to tell

15

die story of hiA wrongs in the ear of Infinite Justice ?
it will not tvail you then; to plead that you did not re-
cognise in the sick, naked, hungry, and thirsty prisoner,
the representative of the GreatRltedeemer. Inasmuch
as ye did it not nto one of te LEAST of these my breth-
ren. ye did it not wito me."
We entreat you, then, to look at this subject, aside
from the faine colouring which interest, prejudice, and
party excitement hnve thrown iuround it, as a matter in
which you pIromenlly are de'plyiuterested. The Priest
and di> I.svlte might lave Ihaul eq(iily gtwd reaon with
yiournl', Ibr passingg 5y on the oiter aide;" hut were
they justifed in the eyes of Him who Iooketh on the
heart ?
In conclusion-" Continue instant in prayer."* Re-
membering the promise, Whatsoeter ye shall ask the
Father in my name, He will glee it you," yield not to
discouragement. Let unceasing prayer be united with
vigorous effort, till the last link of the last chain be
broken, and one universal shout or FiEsDOMO ascend
fioam the inhabitants of the Earth.
'tho Abolitdoitaof Amrica oblerveo the llt lMonday evening
ur every month, u a smacn onf special prayer far the anilyvei uof
their own, and every other land.

On rhA IGIk qf October, 1837, Mr. George Thompson, the
devoted friend of the Siiran, closed A4i' arduous tlhours in this
torn, y aiendirng a mertiny qf Ladies, who, aroied tf a sense
of tlAhr duty by the aJflcing tae x ate aunt uld portrful arguments
whi.k hart betn hroughl brfore them duri pi te preceding fort.-
nighkl,-formed lcauutrve into the Suciely alluded to in the fort.
going pages. At thle, and at ano adJrirned arietinm, several
resolutions w er adopted, the most importnm of which are em-
bdied ih the preceding Addrwns.
The fafllowng Ladi" Will haVe pleasure in receiving .ub.
cret ptiouesior f feth wril objects of the Society, and alto, comtri.
bpiioeus qf work and drawisnge, whi'h hare been soiriled by
Ladies in America, for oae in their Anti-Saverry iaro ar:-
Afn. HIlery IFalker, Presidlet; MNai Iiurriuon, Treasurer .
Mrs. amd Miss NMvth, ire. Faretl, ,Ur J1. Smith, M rs.
Georgir )mngev, Mrf. Palmer, Mer, Cougre re, Mrs, Johi
Stan(frio Mrs. -Ax'hauk. Mrj. Suaih, Jilst Iliradty. Mises
Doakin, AMtl Suton,r lis AMalinmm, Ami.s Ferris, Miss ThAnms,
Missttl odca, Mis flail Miss Blirabtlh Dunn, A.is Hioly, Miss
Salt, Miss Ibbteon, Mits Jitne lburterr, Miss Snmith, Miss
Orratrs, u ltrs Head, COammilte Mrs. Warerhouae and Mrt,
W RI. R owson, Secretarie,.
Mrs. Naish, tf Brorohall Plane, Ahs kindly undertaken the
elhrge of a mall natminkr of books, to be circulated rimongst
thaie who desire information on the subject of Slavery, Addi-
tians to thrs libraryy are earnestly requested,

POSTSCRIPT.

Since the preceding ipags havi been sent to die press,
we have read within frlings ordeep sorrow and disappoint-
ment, tie reply from the Colonial Ofice to the Memorial
of the Anti-Slavery Delegates, affording no hope that her
Majesty'sGovernment will introduce into Parliament any
measure for bringing to aniendthedclusive and iniquitous
system of Negro Apprenticeship. In consequence of this
discouraging reply, the Central Emnncipation Committee
have met, and expressed their opinion, that, without
loss of time, die voice of die country should Iw loudly
raised in behalf of the suffering and oppressed Negroes."
Friends of the injured uad thle helpless! Let not
"hope deferred" so Aicken your hearts lu ILI cAmic you
to grow weary in well-dning. In due seaL'Mson you
shall reap, if you litilt. nt." Arouse every dormant
feeling of pity and huly indignation, uid determine to
persevere with lncreiued energy in promoting this great
and sacred cause, and never to relax in your efforts, till
every unrightleous hond be broken and Slavery be known
no more. Forget not, that while the people of England
are at their ease deliberating on the subject, the wretched
Negro is weeping-bleeding-dying. To us, amidst
C

all the blessings of our happy lot, two or three years may
seem a short period to look forward to; but what must it
appear to those who measure the lapse of time by stripes,
starvation, tortures, aid iunutterable woes ? To dietm,
every hour is of importance. The case adhnits not ofa
moment's delay. Let its urge every one qualified to
sign a petition not to rest lill he has firmly, but respect-
fully, demanded, dmit the injuries inflicted on the Ap-
prentices, since 1834, be conipensated by their imme-
diate, aconditioal, and complete Emancipation.
Sheffield, December 16, 1837.

LI MtlUhI I INTL, Umli.. r I.Lrt.-L.