After three and a half hours riding in the stagecoach from Syracuse, the closest stable point, I finally arrived in Cazenovia, NY late yesterday morning to hear the buzzing of the crowd gathering for the Fugitive Slave Law Convention. Organizers Gerrit Smith and Frederick Douglass are scheduled to speak about the new law that lingers in Washington D.C. awaiting final passage, the Fugitive Slave Law. As I got closer to the church on Lincklean Street it became clear just how big of an event this was, with thousands of people jamming their way into the church. The crowd was too large for the building, so the second day of the convention was relocated to a large orchard a few blocks away.
Of particular note was the speech by Frederick Douglass concerning the recent arrest of abolitionist William Chaplin, in which he expressed the need to petition for Chaplin's release. A young black woman, Mary Edmonson, who speaks frequently at abolitionist meetings with her sister Emily, echoed Douglass's concerns in a poignant speech, noting Chaplin’s kindness to her in the past.
Other key events:
Convention Speakers
Gerrit Smith read his “Letter to the American Slaves,” which motivated the crowd to cheer as his words rang with strong conviction about a slave’s only chance to escape.
Many resolutions were read, including one arguing for a boycott of products that are the result of slave labor.
As the background historical accounts suggested, this is easily the largest abolitionist gathering I have observed to date. The cause is clearly growing in popularity and the speakers have become celebrities. Droves of people have surrounded Frederick Douglass and this may make it difficult to get a brief interview with him, as originally planned.
Learn more about Frederick Douglass, Gerrit Smith and Mary Edmonson:
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