Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Articles, Letters to the Editors, etc. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Productions of Free Labor. Description An account of the resource PRODUCTIONS OF FREE LABOR.   The Committee appointed to inquire into the expediency of recommending to the American Anti-Slavery Society to make the offer of a premium of such amount as they shall deem proper, on certain articles produced by free labor in any part of the United States, beg leave to report: Your Committee believe that the subject of the resolution committed to their consideration, has a bearing on the good cause which we are associated to promote, of such importance as to merit the serious attention of the Convention. It must be obvious to every reflecting mind, that the desolating waters of slavery, which amid storms of vile oppressions, are bearing away their miserable victims to the ocean of death, are to be traced to the fountains of depravity in the human heart. The idolatry of covetousness, which the Lord of all abhorreth, has sacrificed on its cruel altars all the rights and interests of man. What motive induced the owner of the first slave ship to invade the land of the colored man, to steal his brother, and bear him away from his wife, his children, and his home? Was it not that love of money which is the root of all evil? What induced the West India planter to purchase the living flesh and blood and bones sent to him by the soul of avarice? Was it not the hope of unrighteous gain, to be obtained from the hard and unrequited labors of the wretched captive? And on what foundation did that hope rest, but on the assurance that individuals would purchase and consume the produce of that uncompensated and cruel toil? Here, then, we see the galling chain, and that it is the last link which moves all the rest. As it is for the consumer of the fiery poison, that the retailer applies to the wholesale vender, and he to the distiller; so in this case, it is for the consumer the lash is driving the slave to his toil, the man-stealer is going about this land of pretended freedom seeking whom he may devour, and the slave ship is violating all law both human and divine. Let the consumers of the liquid poison say to the retailer, we shall drink no more of your waters of death, and what is the consequence? He buys no more; the wholesale vender buys no more; the distiller makes no more. So if the consumers of slave produce should say, we will no longer be partakers of other men's sins, we will eat no more, we will wear no more, the product of fraud and oppression, of the groans and tears of our brethren, the consequence must be, that the labor of the slave would be valuable no more. The sordid and reckless trafficker in human souls would buy and sell no more, and no more would the ocean bear on her polluted bosom the abodes of the miserable victims of relentless avarice and cupidity. It is believed that free labor, if generally established on equitable principle, would promote, in various respects, the prosperity of the slaveholding States. It is obvious, however, that under the present direful and lamented system, the extraordinary efforts and means necessary to furnish the friends of humanity with the articles enumerated in the resolution, in the desirable contemplated manner, must be attended with some additional expense. It cannot, therefore, be reasonably expected that the end proposed in the resolution can be obtained without the means it suggests. Impressed with the belief that the object of the resolution is in perfect accordance with the great and distinguishing principle of our noble association, your Committee present these few considerations, which incline them to the conclusion that the recommendation proposed in the following resolution is expedient: Resolved, That it be recommended to the American Anti-Slavery Society to make the offer of a premium of dollars for every cwt. of merchantable cotton; for every cwt. of rice; for every, cwt. of sugar; and for hhds. of molasses, of a good and merchantable quality:—such premium to be paid upon satisfactory evidence being presented that such articles are the produce of free labor in any part of the United States. All which is respectfully submitted. HENRY GREW, SAMUEL FOSTER, HENRY E. BENSON. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived The Liberator Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 6.28.1834 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Henry Grew, Samuel Foster, Henry E. Benson