W. to Frederick Douglass, January 30, 1851
FREDERICK DOUGLASS—Dear Sir: The following high-toned and ably-written series of resolutions, were passed recently by the Free Church in Canandaigua, of which Leonard Whitney is pastor. They bear the imprint of his clear and truthful pen. Would to God we had more such Free Churches and free ministers. Were the Church and the ministry of which the land is full, thus faithful and truthful in their utterances, the passage and enforcement of such unjust, unconstitutional and inhuman "Bills," would be utterly impossible. I trust you will publish its "Testimony," for the benefit of your readers.
Yours respectfully,
W.
Whereas, Christ has left his Church as a light in the world, to exemplify all good works and rebuke all evil works, and especially to hold up the Divine Law as the Supreme rule of conduct, binding upon the consciences of all men, all times, in relations, and under all circumstances, as the 'higher law' to which all human laws and Constitutions must bow.
And whereas, a strenuous and wicked effort is being made in our own midst and throughout the country to impose upon the consciences of the people the imperative duty of obeying all Laws and Constitutions of the Government under which they live, 'right or wrong,' and more especially a recent act of Congress, called the Fugitive Slave Bill, therefore,
Resolved, by the Free Church of Canandaigua, That the times peculiorly [sic] demand, that all Christian bodies and ministers of Christ, publicly disavow and rebuke these disorderly and atheistical sentiments, express their abhorrence of the provisions of the said Bill, and their united and fixed determination to obey God rather than man.
Resolved, That we are [illegible] of "law and order?" that we will be subject to the powers [illegible] that are ordained of God [illegible] by Him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well —but we cannot regard this Bill either as Law or the ordinance of God. It is at war with all the essential elements of Law, human and divine—the common law, the law of nature, the law of God and of Christ. "Law is a rule of civil conduct commanding what is right and prohibiting what is wrong;" but this Bill commands what is wrong and prohibits what is right. The powers that be, that are ordained of God, are "not a terror to good works, but to the evil;" but this Bill is a terror to good works, and a reward to evil works—for while it forbids us to aid or conceal the escaping slave, and commands us to deliver him to his master—the law of God commands to 'hide the out-cast, not bewray him that wandereth, and not to deliver to his master the servant that is escaped from his master unto us.' And while the spirit of this Bill forbids us to extend the simplest act of hospitality and charity to the poorest of the poor, to the 'least of Christ's brethren." He solemnly declares, that 'inasmuch as we do not feed, and clothe, and shelter,' and visit such, we do it not unto Him, thus are we compelled either to obey our Lord and Master, or the binding force of the Fugitive Bill.
Resolved, Therefore, that as men, and especially as christians, we are
bound to do, and by the grace of God we will do, whatever duty this [illegible] bids, and leave undone whatever [illegible] it commands. Our doors shall ever be open to receive the escaping fugitive and we will ever be ready according to our ability, to feed, clothe, and shelter him, or conduct him to a place of safety. We will extend to those in our midst all the protection from arrest and extradition in our power, and if forcible resistance shall be necessary, while we are the friends of peace, we will remember the advice of the Apostle, "if it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."
Resolved, That our attachment to the Union lies in the great blessings it was intended to secure to all the people—"to establish justice, to secure the blessings of Liberty, and promote the general welfare"—and in proportion as we love and would cherish them do we despise these avowed disunionists, Messrs. Mason and Butler, who originated the Fugitive Slave Bill, and all their aiders and abettors—turning the Union into a vast hunting-ground for human game—of fleeing men and women, and children, freemen, into slave-hunters and kidnappers—thus fomenting disorder and lawlessness, contentions and outrages upon peace and liberty, which they must have foreseen would greatly endanger if not dissolve the Union.
Resolved, That while we ask the repeal of the Fugitive Slave Bill, we will submit to no other demanding substantially the same thing. We believe the Constitution does not demand it: but if it did, we would as soon think of entering into a compact with robbers or pirates to help carry on their business, as to aid in the strange work of enslaving our fellow-men, or hunting and returning fugitives from slavery.
Resolved, That all those statesmen, politicians, clergymen and public journals, that are advocating obedience to the Bill in the name of law and order and professed attachment to the Union, are their worst enemies. By laboring to destroy in the minds of the people all distinction between right and wrong—to reconcile their consciences to the monstrous infamy and injustice of slavery, and induce them to commit violence and robbery upon the weak and defenceless in the name of law—they would prepare them to live under any laws, however oppressive, tyrants might impose, and to do the meanest and wickedest acts traitors might dictate.
Resolved, therefore, That their base efforts should be opposed by all 'good citizens,' especially by all christians by the pulpit, by the press and at the polls. Their own lawless spirit and mobocratic ranks should be contrasted with those they affect to condemn, their Atheisim with the law of God, their doctrine of human rights with that of our Father's, and their present pro-slavery zeal with their former anti-slavery professions, that their true character and designs may be known and read of all men.'
JOHN MOSHER, Scribe.