Petition to Congress for the Abolition of Slavery, 1790
Petition from the Pennsylvania Society for the Abolition of Slavery, signed by Benjamin Franklin, February 3, 1790. (US Senate Archive)
In his later years Benjamin Franklin was a vocal abolitionist, becoming president of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery in 1787. In his last public act, Franklin sent this petition to Congress on behalf of the society asking for the abolition of slavery and an end to the slave trade. The petition was introduced to the House of Representatives on February 12, 1790, and to the Senate on February 15. It was immediately denounced by pro-slavery congressmen and sparked a heated debate in both the House and the Senate. After many days of debate in the House, the report was drastically altered—it became a bill further ensuring that the institution of slavery would remain unchallenged until 1808, as stipulated by the Constitution. Northern congressmen did nothing to prevent these changes.
Petition to Congress for the Abolition of Slavery, 1790
To the Senate & House of Representatives of the United States,
The Memorial of the Pennsylvania Society for promoting the Abolition of Slavery, the relief of free Negroes unlawfully held in bondage, & the Improvement of the Condition of the African Race.
Respectfully Sheweth,
That from a regard for the happiness of Mankind an Association was formed several years since in this State by a number of her Citizens of various religious denominations for promoting the Abolition of Slavery & for the relief of those unlawfully held in bondage. A just & accurate Conception of the true Principles of liberty, as it spread through the land, produced accessions to their numbers, many friends to their Cause, & a legislative Co-operation with their views, which, by the blessing of Divine Providence, have been successfully directed to the relieving from bondage a large number of their fellow Creatures of the African Race.—They have also the Satisfaction to observe, that in consequence of that Spirit of Philanthropy & genuine liberty which is generally diffusing its beneficial Influence, similar Institutions are gradually forming at home & abroad.
That mankind are all formed by the same Almighty being, alike objects of his Care & equally designed for the Enjoyment of Happiness the Christian Religion teaches us to believe & the Political Creed of America fully coincides with the Position. Your Memorialists, particularly engaged in attending to the Distresses arising from Slavery, believe it their indispensable Duty to present this Subject to your notice. — They have observed with great Satisfaction that many important & salutary Powers are vested in you for "promoting the Welfare & Securing the blessings of liberty to the “People of the United States.” And as they conceive, that these blessings ought rightfully to be administered, without distinction of Colour, to all descriptions of People, so they indulge themselves in the pleasing expectation, that nothing, which can be done for the relive of the unhappy objects of their care, will be either omitted or delayed. —
From a persuasion that equal liberty was originally the Portion, It is still the Birthright of all men, & influenced by the strong ties of Humanity & the Principles of their Institution, your Memorialists conceive themselves bound to use all justifiable endeavours to loosen the bounds of Slavery and promote a general Enjoyment of the blessings of Freedom. Under these Impressions they earnestly entreat your serious attention to the Subject of Slavery, that you will be pleased to countenance the Restoration of liberty to those unhappy Men, who alone, in this land of Freedom, are degraded into perpetual Bondage, and who, amidst the general Joy of surrounding Freemen, are groaning in Servile Subjection, that you will devise means for removing this Inconsistency from the Character of the American People, that you will promote mercy and Justice towards this distressed Race, & that you will Step to the very verge of the Powers vested in you for discouraging every Species of Traffick in the Persons of our fellow men.
Philadelphia February 3, 1790
B. Franklin
President of the Society
Source: “Benjamin Franklin’s Petition to Congress Asking for the Abolition of Slavery, February 3, 1790,” Featured Congressional Documents, Center for Legislative Archives, National Archives and Records Administration
Petition to Congress for the Abolition of Slavery, 1790
To the Senate & House of Representatives of the United States,
The Memorial of the Pennsylvania Society for promoting the Abolition of Slavery, the relief of free Negroes unlawfully held in bondage, & the Improvement of the Condition of the African Race.
Respectfully Sheweth,
That from a regard for the happiness of Mankind an Association was formed several years since in this State by a number of her Citizens of various religious denominations for promoting the Abolition of Slavery & for the relief of those unlawfully held in bondage. . . .
That mankind are all formed by the same Almighty being, alike objects of his Care & equally designed for the Enjoyment of Happiness the Christian Religion teaches us to believe, & the Political Creed of America fully coincides with the Position. Your Memorialists, particularly engaged in attending to the Distresses arising from Slavery, believe it their indispensible Duty to present this Subject to your notice. — They have observed with great Satisfaction that many important & salutary Powers are vested in you for “promoting the Welfare & securing the blessings of liberty to the “People of the United States.” And as they conceive, that these blessings ought rightfully to be administered, without distinction of Colour. . . .
From a persuasion that equal liberty was originally the Portion, & is still the Birthright of all men, & influenced by the strong ties of Humanity & the Principles of their Institution, your Memorialists conceive themselves bound to use all justifiable endeavours to loosen the bands of Slavery and promote a general Enjoyment of the blessings of Freedom. Under these Impressions they earnestly entreat your serious attention to the Subject of Slavery, that you will be pleased to countenance the Restoration of liberty to those unhappy Men, who alone, in this land of Freedom, are degraded into perpetual Bondage, . . . that you will promote mercy and Justice towards this distressed Race, & that you will Step to the very verge of the Powers vested in you for discouraging every Species of Traffick in the Persons of our fellow men.
B. Franklin
Presid’ of the Society
Philadelphia February 3, 1790
Source: “Benjamin Franklin’s Petition to Congress Asking for the Abolition of Slavery, February 3, 1790,” Featured Congressional Documents, Center for Legislative Archives, National Archives and Records Administration
coincides – agrees with
indispensable – necessary
salutary – beneficial
vested in – assigned to
conceive – think of
endeavours – means
countenance – agree to
perpetual – never-ending
Petition to Congress for the Abolition of Slavery, 1790
To the Senate & House of Representatives of the United States,
The Memorial of the Pennsylvania Society for promoting the Abolition of Slavery, the relief of free Negroes unlawfully held in bondage, & the Improvement of the Condition of the African Race.
Respectfully Sheweth,
That from a regard for the happiness of Mankind an Association was formed . . . promoting the Abolition of Slavery & for the relief of those unlawfully held in bondage. . . .
Powers are vested in you for "promoting the Welfare & Securing the blessings of liberty to the “People of the United States.” And as they conceive, that these blessings ought rightfully to be administered, without distinction of Colour. . . .
B. Franklin
Presid’ of the Society
Philadelphia February 3, 1790
Source: “Benjamin Franklin’s Petition to Congress Asking for the Abolition of Slavery, February 3, 1790,” Featured Congressional Documents, Center for Legislative Archives, National Archives and Records Administration
Background
In his later years Benjamin Franklin was a vocal abolitionist, becoming president of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery in 1787. In his last public act, Franklin sent this petition to Congress on behalf of the society asking for the abolition of slavery and an end to the slave trade. The petition was introduced to the House of Representatives on February 12, 1790, and to the Senate on February 15. It was immediately denounced by pro-slavery congressmen and sparked a heated debate in both the House and the Senate. After many days of debate in the House, the report was drastically altered—it became a bill further ensuring that the institution of slavery would remain unchallenged until 1808, as stipulated by the Constitution. Northern congressmen did nothing to prevent these changes.
Transcript
Petition to Congress for the Abolition of Slavery, 1790
To the Senate & House of Representatives of the United States,
The Memorial of the Pennsylvania Society for promoting the Abolition of Slavery, the relief of free Negroes unlawfully held in bondage, & the Improvement of the Condition of the African Race.
Respectfully Sheweth,
That from a regard for the happiness of Mankind an Association was formed several years since in this State by a number of her Citizens of various religious denominations for promoting the Abolition of Slavery & for the relief of those unlawfully held in bondage. A just & accurate Conception of the true Principles of liberty, as it spread through the land, produced accessions to their numbers, many friends to their Cause, & a legislative Co-operation with their views, which, by the blessing of Divine Providence, have been successfully directed to the relieving from bondage a large number of their fellow Creatures of the African Race.—They have also the Satisfaction to observe, that in consequence of that Spirit of Philanthropy & genuine liberty which is generally diffusing its beneficial Influence, similar Institutions are gradually forming at home & abroad.
That mankind are all formed by the same Almighty being, alike objects of his Care & equally designed for the Enjoyment of Happiness the Christian Religion teaches us to believe & the Political Creed of America fully coincides with the Position. Your Memorialists, particularly engaged in attending to the Distresses arising from Slavery, believe it their indispensable Duty to present this Subject to your notice. — They have observed with great Satisfaction that many important & salutary Powers are vested in you for "promoting the Welfare & Securing the blessings of liberty to the “People of the United States.” And as they conceive, that these blessings ought rightfully to be administered, without distinction of Colour, to all descriptions of People, so they indulge themselves in the pleasing expectation, that nothing, which can be done for the relive of the unhappy objects of their care, will be either omitted or delayed. —
From a persuasion that equal liberty was originally the Portion, It is still the Birthright of all men, & influenced by the strong ties of Humanity & the Principles of their Institution, your Memorialists conceive themselves bound to use all justifiable endeavours to loosen the bounds of Slavery and promote a general Enjoyment of the blessings of Freedom. Under these Impressions they earnestly entreat your serious attention to the Subject of Slavery, that you will be pleased to countenance the Restoration of liberty to those unhappy Men, who alone, in this land of Freedom, are degraded into perpetual Bondage, and who, amidst the general Joy of surrounding Freemen, are groaning in Servile Subjection, that you will devise means for removing this Inconsistency from the Character of the American People, that you will promote mercy and Justice towards this distressed Race, & that you will Step to the very verge of the Powers vested in you for discouraging every Species of Traffick in the Persons of our fellow men.
Philadelphia February 3, 1790
B. Franklin
President of the Society
Source: “Benjamin Franklin’s Petition to Congress Asking for the Abolition of Slavery, February 3, 1790,” Featured Congressional Documents, Center for Legislative Archives, National Archives and Records Administration
Excerpt
Petition to Congress for the Abolition of Slavery, 1790
To the Senate & House of Representatives of the United States,
The Memorial of the Pennsylvania Society for promoting the Abolition of Slavery, the relief of free Negroes unlawfully held in bondage, & the Improvement of the Condition of the African Race.
Respectfully Sheweth,
That from a regard for the happiness of Mankind an Association was formed several years since in this State by a number of her Citizens of various religious denominations for promoting the Abolition of Slavery & for the relief of those unlawfully held in bondage. . . .
That mankind are all formed by the same Almighty being, alike objects of his Care & equally designed for the Enjoyment of Happiness the Christian Religion teaches us to believe, & the Political Creed of America fully coincides with the Position. Your Memorialists, particularly engaged in attending to the Distresses arising from Slavery, believe it their indispensible Duty to present this Subject to your notice. — They have observed with great Satisfaction that many important & salutary Powers are vested in you for “promoting the Welfare & securing the blessings of liberty to the “People of the United States.” And as they conceive, that these blessings ought rightfully to be administered, without distinction of Colour. . . .
From a persuasion that equal liberty was originally the Portion, & is still the Birthright of all men, & influenced by the strong ties of Humanity & the Principles of their Institution, your Memorialists conceive themselves bound to use all justifiable endeavours to loosen the bands of Slavery and promote a general Enjoyment of the blessings of Freedom. Under these Impressions they earnestly entreat your serious attention to the Subject of Slavery, that you will be pleased to countenance the Restoration of liberty to those unhappy Men, who alone, in this land of Freedom, are degraded into perpetual Bondage, . . . that you will promote mercy and Justice towards this distressed Race, & that you will Step to the very verge of the Powers vested in you for discouraging every Species of Traffick in the Persons of our fellow men.
B. Franklin
Presid’ of the Society
Philadelphia February 3, 1790
Source: “Benjamin Franklin’s Petition to Congress Asking for the Abolition of Slavery, February 3, 1790,” Featured Congressional Documents, Center for Legislative Archives, National Archives and Records Administration
coincides – agrees with
indispensable – necessary
salutary – beneficial
vested in – assigned to
conceive – think of
endeavours – means
countenance – agree to
perpetual – never-ending
Excerpt 100
Petition to Congress for the Abolition of Slavery, 1790
To the Senate & House of Representatives of the United States,
The Memorial of the Pennsylvania Society for promoting the Abolition of Slavery, the relief of free Negroes unlawfully held in bondage, & the Improvement of the Condition of the African Race.
Respectfully Sheweth,
That from a regard for the happiness of Mankind an Association was formed . . . promoting the Abolition of Slavery & for the relief of those unlawfully held in bondage. . . .
Powers are vested in you for "promoting the Welfare & Securing the blessings of liberty to the “People of the United States.” And as they conceive, that these blessings ought rightfully to be administered, without distinction of Colour. . . .
B. Franklin
Presid’ of the Society
Philadelphia February 3, 1790
Source: “Benjamin Franklin’s Petition to Congress Asking for the Abolition of Slavery, February 3, 1790,” Featured Congressional Documents, Center for Legislative Archives, National Archives and Records Administration
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