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his assistance, as the God of freedom, who could not but approve
our efforts to preserve the rights which he had thus imparted to his
creatures; that now, when we scarcely had risen from our knees,
from supplicating his aid and protection - in forming our
government over a free people, a government formed pretendedly
on the principles of liberty and for its preservation, - in that
government to have a provision, not only putting it out of its power
to restrain and prevent the slave trade, but even encouraging that
most infamous traffic, by giving the States power and influence in
the union, in proportion as they cruelly and wantonly sport with the
rights of their fellow creatures, ought to be considered as a solemn
mockery of, and insult to, that God whose protection we had then
implored, and could not fail to hold us up in detestation, and render
us contemptible to every true friend of liberty in the world. It was
said, it ought to be considered that national crimes can only be, and
frequently are, punished in this world by national punishments, and
that the continuance of the slave trade, and thus giving it a national
sanction and encouragement, ought to be considered as justly
exposing us to the displeasure and vengeance of Him, who is equal
Lord of all, and who views with equal eye, the poor African slave
and his American master!
It was urged, that by this system, we were giving the general
government full and absolute power to regulate commerce, under
which general power it would have the right to restrain, or totally
prohibit the slave trade: it must therefore, appear to the world
absurd and disgraceful to the last degree, that we should except
from that power, the only branch of commerce which is
unjustifiable in its nature, and contrary to the rights of mankind -
That on the contrary, we ought rather to prohibit expressly in our
constitution, the further importation of slaves; and to authorise the
general government from time to time, to make such regulations as
should be thought most advantageous for the gradual abolition of
slavery, and the emancipation of the slaves which are already in the
States.
That slavery is inconsistent with the genius of republicanism, and
has a tendency to destroy those principles on which it is supported,
as it lessens the sense of the equal rights of mankind, and
habituates us to tyranny and oppression. It was further urged, that
by this system of government, every State is to be protected both
from foreign invasion and from domestic insurrections; that from
this consideration, it was of the utmost importance it should have a
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