Anti-Slavery Petition of 1795
Text of the petition
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To The Speaker and House of Delegates in Virginia. The Petition of sundry Inhabitants of various parts of this State.
Respectfully Sheweth.
That your petitioners, from a full conviction that slavery is not only a moral but a political evil, which in all its forms, in all its degrees, is an outrageous violation and an odious degradation of human nature, tending to weaken the bonds of society, discourage trades and manufactures, indanger the peace and obstruct the prosperity of the country. And commiserating the unhappy situation of a large proportion of people within this state who by the Laws now in force, are held as personal property and they and their innocent offspring liable to be kept in perpetual bondage and ignorance, subject to the arbitrary will of those who hold them, as well in respect to inhuman treatment, as in unnatural separation from the most near and dear connections in life without appeal and without redress. They therefore conceive themselves in duty bound to remind this House as the proper guardians of every description of men within the State of a subject so interesting, and which appears to them in a particular manner, to call the attention and require the interposition of the Legislature.
Your Petitioners regret that several States within the American Union where these unalienable rights of human nature to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness have been so clearly defined and successfully assured, should in contradiction thereto and contrary to the divine command of, “doing to others as they would they should do unto them,” suffer under sanction of Law so large a number of fellow men to remain in a state of abject slavery; at a time too, when the burning spirit of liberty seems to be diffusing itself through the world.
Your Petitioners are aware of the objections that probably would arise to a general and immediate Emancipation, as well from interested motives, as the unfitness of individuals for freedom: They are not insensible that a people long destitute of the means of mental improvement may in some instances be sunk below the common standard of human nature; accustomed to move at the will of a master or overseer, reflection may in some degree be suspended and reason and conviction have but little influence on their conduct; They are also sensible to the effect of custom, and the prejudices arising from a habit of looking upon the African race as an inferior species of mankind, and regarding them only as property. Believing nevertheless that, “God is no respecter of persons,” that he “hath made of one blood all Nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of the Earth,” and that, “his mercies are over all his works;” Encouraged also by that gracious declaration of our Saviour as an excitement to acts of humanity and benevolence, viz. “Verily I say unto you inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Your Petitioner therefore in discharge of the duty they owe to the merciful Father of all the families of the Earth; compassion for the sufferers; and a desire to promote the true interest and prosperity of the Country; and also to remove as much as may be the objections which may arise from motives of present interest or the unfitness of individuals for freedom, and at the same time gradually abolish an evil of great magnitude: They humbly propose, and pray, that a law may be (made?) declaring the children slaves now born, or to be born after the passing of such act, to be made free, as they (text obscured).
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ages; to (inform?) their instruction to Read (??) and to invest them with suitable privileges as an (excitement?) to become useful citizens; and also to restrain the holders from inhuman treatment of those who may remain in Bondage. Or that the House may grant such other relief as in its wisdom may seem meet.
| First Column David Meade
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Second Column John Harvie
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Third Column James Warrington
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Fourth Column Samuel Tyler
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Fifth Column Alexander Campbell
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Sixth Column John Barrit |
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| First Column John Davenport |
Second Column John Turner |
Third Column Edward Tiffin |
Fourth Column Thornton Fleming |
Fifth Column John Steed |
Sixth Column Anthony Hall |
Thomas Ocean Jh. Granthan Henry Smith Robert Lowe George Bruce James Wall Charles Hewlit John Bond George Reed Thomas Taylor (Meneios?) Ellis Samuel Smith Joseph Dobby James Daveion (Obscured) Frum Abner Golet Josiah P. Clutter James Crumbley Goerge Hite James Laurence Peter McMahon Aaron Dolby Joseph Fletcher John Knott Lewis Duckwell James Law William Ambrose Nicholas Stovin John Fennis Joseph Duckwell Philip Clover Thomas Halladay Michel Gray Frederick Duckwell Charles Robinson John Barlaw Ambrose Clark Stephen Harlin (Gn.?) Bailey John Butter William Mereir John Dougherty James Hedges Jessie Harlan Joshua Hodges John Hite Joseph Hedges John Vinsanheller Thomas Hale Benjamin (Boydston?) John Welsh Jr. Samuel J. Welsh Joseph Fohman Thomas Boydston Presley Boydston Ralph Potter Lindsey Marshall Michael Porter Richard Swift Joseph Stone Alexander Lenierr Baid Cross William Lemon Thomas Curry John Franklin Joseph Franklin Joseph Franklin Jr. Hezekiah Stephens John Murphy Solomon Chaffis Jacob Fletcher Thomas Perkin Enoch Martin Nathaniel Mulliner George Manual Joseph Gee Solomon Chalsen Christian Bloom Benjamin Welsh Edward Frojatt? James Hood Jonas Hodges Jr. Abel Walker John Antrein (?Joseph) Hare Evan Rogers Jonathon Wright James Mendenhall Nathaniel White Sr. William McPherson William Heil Richard Ridgeway Edward Beeson Abraham Branson David Ross Daniel Brown Moses? Harlan Joseph Smith Nathaniel White Jr. Joseph Bond Nathan Haines Samuel Finish James Baley John Cowgill William Supton Isaac Brown Stephen McBride Lewis Walker Robert Haines John Ellis John Witt Robert Pleasants James Lownes Robert Evans Samuel Pleasants James Wood
