JAMES G. BIRNEY
(James Gillespie Birney)
As the slavery debate in America became more bitter abolitionists were physically attacked and sometimes killed for their views, 1840 & 1844.
This title of his essay shocked his fellow politicians and may churches that a Congressman would attack churches. Few abolitionists were that outspoken over the disgraceful role that most American Churches had in refraining to oppose slavery. At the time, most Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Jewish clerics either supported slavery or were reluctant to publicly criticize slavery. At the same time the Quakers and many other congregations and clergymen were among the most outspoken and fervent abolitionists. They were very much in the minority,
James Gillespie Birney was an abolitionist, politician, and attorney born in Danville, Kentucky. He published an abolitionist weekly publication titled The Philanthropist and twice served as the presidential nominee for the anti-slavery Liberty Party.