ELIHU EMBREE

I have no hesitation in believing that less than twenty years ago a man would have been mobbed and the printing office torn down for printing and publishing anything like ‘The Emancipator,’ whereas it now meets the approbation of thousands, and is patronized perhaps at least equal to any other in the state. But little by little, times are, much changed here, until societies, of respectable citizens have arisen to plead the cause of abolition; and instead of it being a disgrace to a man to be a member of these societies, it is rather a mark of the goodness of his heart, and redounds to his honor.

It would be offering an indignity to the understanding of your honorable body, to offer to prove that the laws which first sanctioned slavery were passed in a dark and barbarous age: and that were they yet to be passed, there is not a civilized legislature now upon the earth that would do it; but would humbly ask, Are these the only laws which the representative of a free and enlightened republic can not modify or repeal? Or are they to stand as lasting monuments of depravity?

As slavery is a moral evil, it ought to be removed as speedily as possible, and trust the consequences of such duty in the hands of unerring Providence.

I have no hesitation in believing that less than twenty years ago a man would have been mobbed and the printing office torn down for printing and publishing anything like ‘The Emancipator,’ whereas it now meets the approbation of thousands, and is patronized perhaps at least equal to any other in the state. But little by little, times are, much changed here, until societies, of respectable citizens have arisen to plead the cause of abolition; and instead of it being a disgrace to a man to be a member of these societies, it is rather a mark of the goodness of his heart, and redounds to his honor.

It would be offering an indignity to the understanding of your honorable body, to offer to prove that the laws which first sanctioned slavery were passed in a dark and barbarous age: and that were they yet to be passed, there is not a civilized legislature now upon the earth that would do it; but would humbly ask, Are these the only laws which the representative of a free and enlightened republic can not modify or repeal? Or are they to stand as lasting monuments of depravity?

As slavery is a moral evil, it ought to be removed as speedily as possible, and trust the consequences of such duty in the hands of unerring Providence.