ARE YOU OPPOSED TO SLAVERY!

ARE YOU OPPOSED TO SLAVERY!

Pithy, fearless and sound. We offer our best acknowledgments to the anonymous author, and solicit a continuance of favors.

For the Liberator .

ARE YOU OPPOSED TO SLAVERY!

Scarcely a man can be found, north and east of Maryland, who will not tell you he is heartily opposed to slavery, and would do almost any thing to put an end to it. But is it slavery to which we are so much opposed? or is it rather to the colored people? Perhaps it would be well for us to know which. If the former, why not use some effectual measures, instead of raising money to send away FREE BLACKS, as well as slaves, to Liberia? Do we not deceive ourselves in thinking our opposition is to slavery?

Suppose the only way (almost) to put an end, an everlasting end to the evil, should be proposed— (and it may have been a hundred times, for aught I know) and that, too, a method which would cost us but few dollars and cents— would we adopt it?— would YOU adopt it, reader? I fear we should falter; and the multitude of opponents of slavery, would dwindle into a very small number, if they did not 'vanish into thin air.'

The truth is, this subject has not been talked of enough. We have not sounded each other's opinions on it sufficiently; and there is no way to beget a habit of thinking on any thing, like frequent conversations. Our powers of thought and speech are as much improved by exercise, as is the memory. We may deplore the evils of slavery, form Colonization Societies, and now and then talk of the criminality of the oppression; but so long as we do nothing more— so long as we use their products — men will be held in involuntary servitude. This is the whole secret.

Are you opposed to slavery? then neither 'tough, taste, nor handle,' the price of blood. Do you ask, 'How can I do this, seeing many of the comforts of life are the product of their labor?' Go to work--form Societies, pledging each member neither to buy, sell, nor use slave productions: get as many to join you in the effort as you can: and when it is seen that men are taking such a stand, FREE LABOR will become as fashionable at the south as in our own state; and cotton, rice, sugar, molasses, &c. &c. will be furnished to equal the demand, produced by free men. Let the benevolent rich men, (and there is an occasional anomaly of the kind) establish manufactories to work none but free cotton--establish warehouses and stores for the sale of their goods and other free productions--and the poor will bear a proportion of the loss for awhile, should there be any, in purchasing at the small additional cost that may accrue thereby.

This is the way. Call the idea 'chimerical,' or what else you please--your conscience will hold you to its correctness.

Some of the articles, commonly produced by slave labor, are already to be had by a little trouble, with which the tears and blood of the oppressed are not mingled. And it is for us to call for them. We can get some sugar, molasses, coffee, a little cotton, and, perhaps, rice,--raised by free men. And should we fail to get enough, no matter at how low a rate the slave articles may be procured, do without.

But I live in the country; I can get none of these things unless such as were raised by slaves. Then it is time something was done. Stop where you are for humanity's, for conscience sake! Is oppression wrong? Is slavery an evil--an crime!-- Could you

"Have a slave to fan you when you sleep,
And tremble when you wake?"

The man who secretes or partakes of stolen goods is ranked with the theif, and punished with the thief. Would you not secrete stolen property--and will you perpetuate slavery, by using the price of blood? Does your appetite rise in opposition to your better judgment, reasons, and conscience, and reply--'What have I to do with the labor by which the articles I want are produced?' Hear not its depraved and guilty demands, lest it drive thy opposition to slavey far from thee; lest it compel thee to smile, while the unfortunate descendant of Africa is loaded with chains and stripes; lest it make thee willing to oppress thy fellow for a cup of coffee, a little sugar, molasses, or rice! Ay, and it may be, that while you are professing religion--that which requires us to 'do unto others as we would they should do unto us.'

What is past we may have done in ignorance; even so that it hath been winked at--but God now commandeth all men every where to repent of this, as well as other wrongs. Whatever was done in that darkness may not be persisted in: the excuse is now taken away. See to it that you go to work.

ANTI-SLAVERY.

The Liberator

Genius of Universal Emancipation 3:5, p. 79

Liberator 7.16.1831; Genius 3.1833