On this day 250 years ago the Massachusetts Provincial Congress convened in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Congress received a letter from Governor Gage declaring “that by your assembling, you are . . . now acting in violation of your own constitution” and directing the Congress to “desist from your illegal and unconstitutional proceedings.” The Provincial Congress referred the Governor’s letter to a committee but did not desist.
Source: https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcmassbookdig.journalsofeach177417mass/?sp=89&st=image&r=-0.727,0.148,2.455,1.253,0 at pp. 20-21.
Also this day 250 years ago, Mr. Samuel Allinson of Burlington, New Jersey wrote a letter to Patrick Henry of Virginia attending the Continental Congress in Philadelphia:
Altho’ a stranger to thy person, I am not quite so to thy character, which emboldens me to take the freedom of addressing thee on a subject that often occurs to me as an important one: I mean the case of the poor Negroes in Slavery. A case which never called louder for a candid consideration & just conclusions, than at a time when many or all the Inhabitants of N. America are groaning under unconstitutional impositions destructive of their Liberty. How far the present troubles may be brought up on a people so highly favoured by the Almighty as these colonies have been since their first settlement, as a punishment in kind for this very thing, is not for a Mortal to determine, but the history of Mankind shows, that National injustice has drawn down Divine vengeance upon a whole people, until the evil is expiated. We complain of the violence done to the Constitution by which we, as Englishmen, claim many immunities; but seem to forget tht there is a more general Constitution framed & delivered to us from heaven, by which all Mankind are included & enjoined, that whatsoever we would that men should do unto us, we should do even so unto them & we are expressly told “The Law and the prophets were for this end.”
Let us consider whether a Negro is not entitled to the same essential justice with “one of the gifts of God to man at his creation, when he embued him with the faculty of free Will.” I hope it is unnecessary to cite Authorities or add arguments to convince thee that Slavery is not warranted by the true principles & spirit of our Constitution, is contrary to Reason; & inconsistent with the decrees of the Divine Legislator: and tho’ it has been permitted by Him for purposes we know not, Let me submit to thy consideran whether, in this enlightened Age, it will not be remembered to the lasting disgrace of so respectable a body of Men as the Congress, if they should spend so much Time to secure their own liberties, & Leave no vestiges of their regard to those of their fellow Men, in bondage to themselves?
Can we think that The Father of Mankind will approbate our endeavours to obtain our own rights, whilst we act inconsistent with ourselves? Or, is there not the greatest reason to believe, That “The same measure which we mete shall be measured to us again?”
Can we say, that a limited Slavery is injurious & disagreeable to ourselves, &, by our practice declare, that absolute Slavery is not unjust to a race of fellow Men because they are black?
Excuse me for dropping these hints, & let me beg thee to consider; that a fairer time never offered, to give a vital blow to the shameful custom of Slavery in America. I shall not suggest in what manner; if the Congress turns their attention to the liberty of those who are under oppression amongst themselves (which surely they ought) they cannot lay a better foundation for their own, than by, at Least, declaring their sentiments against the future infraction of the rights of others.
On This Day In The Revolution 