was
entitled. No abolition society can be ignorant that there are yet
many thousands of persons, within the United States, who are
opposed, on what they esteem grounds of justice and policy, to
African liberty. Many remain under the erroneous notion, that the
blacks are a class of beings not merely inferior to, but
absolutely a species different from the whites, and that they are
intended, by nature, only for the degradations and sufferings of
slavery. There was a time when the people of all our states, and
members of every religious sect, were overshadowed by the
darkness of this error, and, in consequence of their erroneous
opinions, practised legal violations of the rights of humanity.
The pen, and the tongue of reason and truth have convinced
thousands of the falsity of those opinions, and such instruments
should not be permitted to rest in idleness, until truth and
humanity obtain a complete and universal triumph.

We lament the continued necessity, of inviting your attention to
the clandestine commerce, which, in defiance of our state and
national laws, is still carried on to the coast of Africa.
Information has been received that artful men, with the secrecy
of midnight robbers, have contrived means of loading their
vessels for Africa, and obtaining cargoes of slaves, and vending
them in the West Indies, without subjecting themselves to such
detection as would lead to legal punishment. Let us keep a
watchful eye on all persons of this class, and endeavour to deter
them from the perpetration of such cruel offences, by the only
argument of which they are susceptible, the fear of the just
punishment of the laws of their country.

This address will be accompanied by a number of copies of our
advice to the free people of colour. We leave it to your
discretion, to distribute them, together with such parts of our
former advices, as you shall judge expedient.

Finally, brethren, we beseech you by the rights of humanity ...
by the pleadings of mercy ... by the great and interesting cause
which we have espoused, that you suffer nothing to discourage you
in your useful labours, ... but that you persevere in your good
works of justice and benevolence, with a temperate and firm
spirit until your task, by the aid of Providence, shall be