Whereas the Most High God "hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face
of the earth," and hath commanded them to love their neighbors as themselves; and whereas, our
National Existence is based upon this principle, as recognized in the Declaration of Independence,
"that all mankind are created equal, and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain
inalienable rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"; and whereas, after
the lapse of nearly sixty years, since the faith and honor of the American people were pledged to
this avowal, before Almighty God and the World, nearly one-sixth part of the nation are held in
bondage by their fellow-citizens; and whereas, Slavery is contrary to the principles of natural
justice, of our republican form of government, and of the Christian religion, and is destructive of
the prosperity of the country, while it is endangering the peace, union, and liberties of the States;
and whereas, we believe it the duty and interest of the masters immediately to emancipate their
slaves, and that no scheme of expatriation, either voluntary or by compulsion, can remove this
great and increasing evil; and whereas, we believe that it is practicable, by appeals to the
consciences, hearts, and interests of the people, to awaken a public sentiment throughout the
nation that will be opposed to the continuance of Slavery in any part of the Republic, and by
effecting the speedy abolition of Slavery, prevent a general convulsion; and whereas, we believe
we owe it to the oppressed, to our fellow-citizens who hold slaves, to our whole country, to
posterity, and to God, to do all that is lawfully in our power to bring about the extinction of
Slavery, we do hereby agree, with a prayerful reliance on the Divine aid, to form ourselves into a
society, to be governed by the following Constitution: --
ARTICLE I. -- This Society shall be called the AMERICAN ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY.
ARTICLE II. -- The objects of this Society are the entire abolition of Slavery in the United States.
While it admits that each State, in which Slavery exists, has, by the Constitution of the United
States, the exclusive right to legislate in regard to its abolition in said State, it shall aim to
convince all our fellow-citizens, by arguments addressed to their understandings and consciences,
that Slaveholding is a heinous crime in the sight of God, and that the duty, safety, and best
interests of all concerned, require its immediate abandonment, without expatriation. The
Society will also endeavor, in a constitutional way, to influence Congress to put an end to the
domestic Slave trade, and to abolish Slavery in all those portions of our common country which
come under its control, especially in the District of Columbia, -- and likewise to prevent the
extension of it to any State that may be hereafter admitted to the Union.
ARTICLE III. -- This Society shall aim to elevate the character and condition of the people of
color, by encouraging their intellectual, moral, and religious improvement, and by removing public
prejudice, that thus they may, according to their intellectual and moral worth, share an equality
with the whites, of civil and religious privileges; but this Society will never, in any way,
countenance the oppressed in vindicating their rights by resorting to physical force.
ARTICLE IV. -- Any person who consents to the principles of this Constitution, who contributes
to the funds of this Society, and is not a Slaveholder, may be a member of this Society, and shall
be entitled to vote at the meetings.
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