Press enter after choosing selection

Communications: For The Signal Of Liberty: A Chapter For The...

Communications: For The Signal Of Liberty: A Chapter For The... image
Parent Issue
Day
11
Month
August
Year
1845
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

"A vory poor whito womnn lived within n., bont n mile of tlie plantntion hiise. A fe- male sla ve nnnied floro, t'nómng that she vvad in a vcry eufferinnr conriiuon, shelled out a pock of corn and cnrriot] it to her in tbe niglif. ii'i dny tlio oíd man fmintl it out iind this deed íifcliurily was nioned fir by one himdred nud fii'ty lashes upon t! e bare b'ick of poor Flora.' - Clurk's .Yarrntive. VVIml think American ladies of a" 6y6tem wliich to'ensles such acts as this? What tliiulí tliey of a systcm whicH sanctions the ÍDflction of a evere punishmcnt, upon an' innocent fma]p, fbr the performance of an act of mercy, enjoined by fier ownsenge of justcer and: by the religión wliich she professes? What think they of an instittition which, inslead of cherirliino-, seeks to tifie and oestroy all ;ho finer fcelings of the human heart? What Ihirik they of a pyslemn which checks the gróvvth of correct príi;ciples, upon a proper dcvp]'opmciït of whicb depend, so essentínilyr the welfure and eJevation of tlieir sex? What think thoy of an instiíution whioh keeps a large portiun of' their countrywomen in the most profound ignorance, and most degradiug1 servitude] What think they of a syslemhicfa het-itnips nut la snnder the üea thnt bind the hemt ;o home, to country, and to kindrcd; whieh separate fa miles with the coolest unconcern and indifferent; which steels the hcart arrnist the críes of enfièring innocence and which, in fact, destroys n!l that is "pure, or lovely, or of good report" in the diameter of man? Ladies of Michigan, of the United States, knowyoit not tltnt American Slavery does all lliis? If T ehould a$crt that it does, you miirht wel! esclaim, "the half hath i.ot been told." You have not heard the cries of poor Flo- ra and her componions in misery: you havaf not seerr the lifo blooo gushing from their gaping woiinds; but you ftnow that such things nre. You know tliat there are wretches in the shape of nen, who, unlejjs restroincd by the strong arm of the law, will commit derds at v.liich liumanitv blusbes and Jians her head in shame. Such men hold slaves, and they will continue (o hold them. and ia treot them most unniercifully, until the eystern is destroyed root and branch. Their tender mereïes are extreme crueUïe?. Could yon, at one glance, look over the bíiod staineJ field of slnvery, you vvould fnd that the case of poor Flora is not an isoïated one. Your hearts wonld sicken at the sight. Let meask with the poeiess,"Can yon beheld unheeding1, Life's hoüest feelings cnished? Wiien woman's hcart is bleeding Shall woman's voicc be Inished?1' Can ye look at the iniquity of slavery- tb crimes to which i% lead, and, directly or inindirectlv, sandio?:, and remi in silent? Say nol tliat i: is mnu's buiiness to destroy slavery. I Icnow man ongfit to o it - lie thould have done it Ion ngfo, but he fias heen recreant to his tfaty. Now let woman ppeak, and it shutl bedone. Tod arraware of the e.tient of your inffuence. In socinï life, in religión-, and in politics it is, or ínay be, alnwsí. omnip oteDt. Who sliall set bminda to the infiuence of an intelligent and virtuous femóle? Ana shall not Uiis influence be exerted n behalf of tbe r.jured slave? Wül you not fo far overeóme all foülish prejudicc3 nainst color, as to euable,yon to picad :he cause of the oppressedi You need not niake a grent public parade, bnt you eah consistently, and without oversleppmg' liie bounds of eljqnette, plesJ witli your sou?, b'i?bnnds, brothers, and friends, ihe cati=c of the poor Fl.ive. And would every womnn in tne Free Stites doUiis fuithfully and firmly, the tide of public opinión woud eet sostrong in fuvor of enion- cipotion that resistente to it would be vain. I have frequently observcd that autislavery senlimen's ore much oftener chermiied by females than by the other eex. Their sympthieá for tlio opprvssed nre genera Iiy deepcr ind laFting; and wcre they sufficiently fim in íte advocapy oí man's "inalienable rig-hfs," the reeaJt wonld be most happy und benefioinl. RIucli of tlie Sticcess thnt hos hitherto atlended the anli-sJavery cause 10 owi'cr tothe eflbrts of wotnnn. May we nol hope :liüt those ct?jrls wil! beredoubïed? Surely the causéis of suflicienJ imuortance to demnnd the unitcd effortö of all, of evcry ogc, sex, und condition. Let al] so nite and the doys of Slavery aje numbered. No devicO of its nends 'cáá'skvt if And when thts institu- ion, fJiis moiiííer of iniquity , shall have been rooted out of the !nnd, may the danhters of Co!wmtia be oble tosny, with ene voice, "VVa avc contribiiled to th'is glonous restiltl"

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News