f Africa.

Much has been done by the citizens of some of the states to abolish
this disgraceful traffic, and to improve the condition of those
unhappy people, whom the ignorance, or the avarice of our ancestors
had bequeathed to us as slaves; but the evil still continues, and our
country is yet disgraced by laws and practices, which level the
creature man with a part of the brute creation.

Many reasons concur in persuading us to abolish domestic slavery in
our country.

It is inconsistent with the safety of the liberties of the United
States.

Freedom and slavery cannot long exist together. An unlimited power
over the time, labour, and posterity of our fellow-creatures,
necessarily unfits men for discharging the public and private duties
of citizens of a republic.

It is inconsistent with sound policy; in exposing the states which
permit it, to all those evils which insurrections, and the most
resentful war have introduced into one of the richest islands in the
West-Indies.

It is unfriendly to the present exertions of the inhabitants of
Europe, in favour of liberty. What people will advocate freedom, with
a zeal proportioned to its blessings, while they view the purest
republic in the world tolerating in its bosom a body of slaves?

In vain has the tyranny of kings been rejected, while we permit in our
country a domestic despotism, which involves, in its nature, most of
the vices and miseries that we have endeavoured to avoid.

It is degrading to our rank as men in the scale of being. Let us use
our reason and social affections for the purposes for which they were
given, or cease to boast a preeminence over animals, that are
unpolluted with our crimes.

But higher motives to justice and humanity towards our
fellow-creatures remain yet to be mentioned.

Domestic slavery is repugnant to the principles of Christianity. It
prostrates every benevolent and just principle of action in the human
heart. It is rebellion against the authority of a common FATHER. It is
a practical denial of the extent and efficacy of the death of a common
SAVIOUR. It is an usurpation of the prerogative of the GREAT SOVEREIGN
of the universe, who has solemnly claimed an exclusive property in the
souls of men.

But if this view of the enormity of the evil of domestic slavery
should not affect us, there is one consideration more which ought to
alarm and impress us, especially at the present juncture.

It is a violation of a divine p