To the Honorable the Congress of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA --
The MEMORIAL of the VIRGINIA SOCIETY, for promoting the Abolition of Slavery, and the Relief of free Negroes, and others, unlawfully held in bondage, and for other humane purposes:
Respect fully sheweth,
That your memoralists, fully believing that “righteousness exalteth a nation,” and that slavery is not only an odious degradation, but an outrageous violation of one of the most essential rights of human nature, and utterly repugnant to the precepts of the gospel, which breathes “peace on earth, good will to men;” they lament that a practice, so inconsistent with true policy and the unalienable rights of men, should subsist in so enlightened an age, and among a people professing, that all mankind are, by nature, equally entitled to freedom. But, more especially, that a trade to Africa, for the express purpose of enslaving and transporting that much injured and oppressed people from their native country and connections, should be continued, or suffered, by any of the United States of America.
Your memoralists do, therefore, request, and earnestly intreat Congress to take the premises into consideration, and exert the powers they are possessed of, in passing such laws as may put a stop to, or discourage, so unrighteous a traffic; and alleviate, as much as possible, the horrors and cruelties generally practiced in the prosecution of the trade, so contrary to every sentiment of humanity and justice, and destructive of the lives and temporal happiness of that unfortunate race of mankind.
They conceive that an act so laudable, would well become the Representatives of a free people, and be pleasing in the sight of the merciful Father of all the families of the earth.
Signed, by appointment, and on
behalf of the said Society, at their half-yearly meeting, held in the town of
Robert Pleasants,
President
James Smith,
Secretary
Source: Memorials presented to
the Congress of the
Room, [ P4
17],