Indignation Meeting.

Collins Center, 9mo. 10, 1849.

Dear Friend,—Since my late letter to thee, an indignation meeting has been held at this place. As I have thought a statement of its doings would be interesting to thee, I have concluded to give thee a copy of its proceedings. They are as follow:

At a meeting of the friends of the Slave without regard to party or name, held at Collins, Center the 28th of 8th mo. 1849,

Wm. Henry was chosen Chairman and Andrew Varney Secretary.
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to report business for the consideration of this meeting.

Resolved, That Cornelius Smith, Lorenzo Mabbett and Elisha W. Henry be said Committee.

The following Resolutions were accordingly reported to the meeting and being separately considered, were unanimously adopted, save only one dissenting voice on one resolution.

Whereas it having come to our knowledge that considerable search has recently been made on or about the Indian Reservation in this vicinity, for a slave said to have been a few months since the house servant of a distinguished individual at the South, and whereas there are reasons to believe that some persons have been employed, and others quite likely to be, who are entirely reckless of the great and fundamental doctrine of this nation's Liberty and Independence, viz. that all men are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among which are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness, it is therefore hereby

1. Resolved, That any person who will suffer himself to be hired or in any other way influenced to seek and return the poor panting fugitive, is not only unworthy the name of an American Citizen, but should be regarded as a base minion and willing instrument of the slave power.

2. Resolved, That if any of our fellow citizens of this town or vicinity should be detected in aiding or giving countenance to the kidnapper and slavecatcher, such persons shall receive such a stigma as nothing but repentance and amendment of life can remove.

3. Resolved, That we repudiate the idea that it is necessary for the Slave to go to Canada in order to secure his Freedom, but that every human being whether from the north, from the south, from the east, or from the west, may and must be entitled alike with our own citizens to all the immunities, guarantied to all who compose the population of our noble State.

4. Resolved, That the jaws and paws of the British Lion are not necessarily any more effectual in the protection of the weak & or defenceless, than the beak and claws of the American Eagle.

5. Resolved, That we are in favor of all honorable means for the promotion of freedom and the suppression and destruction of slavery, and that we recognize and daily appreciate the efforts of the Free Labor Association of this town and vicinity, and bid them God-speed in their enterprise.

6. Resolved, That we will use all efforts in our power to make our town as well known as the Home of Freedom and the retreat of the oppressed as it is now distinguished for its Butter and Cheese:ーin short may it ever be in a proper sense the empire town of the Empire State.

7. Resolved, That the House resolve itself into a vigilant Committee for the purpose of carrying out the spirit of the above Resolutions.

8. Moved and seconded that a copy of these proceedings be presented to Gov. Hamilton Fish, and to the Editors of the Buffalo Republic, National Era, the North Star, Impartial Citizen, and such other papers as will give them a gratuitous insertion.

9. Resolved, That a copy of the foregoing Resolutions and proceedings be presented to Zachary Taylor.

Wm. HENRYHenry, William

William Henry (c. 1793-1852), a farmer born in Massachusetts but living near Collins Center, Erie County, New York, in the mid-nineteenth century. He was a grand-nephew of the patriot Patrick Henry. North Star, 23 January 1851, p. 2, c. 6; 1850 U. S. Census, Collins, Erie, New York; “At a meeting,” William L. Stone The Family of John Stone, One of the First Settlers of Guilford, Connecticut, (Albany, N.Y.: Joel Munsell’s Sons, 1888), 101. Pres.

Andrew VarneyVarney, Andrew

, Secr'y.