Minutes of the Proceedings of the Fourth Convention of Delegates from the Abolition Societies Established in Different Parts of the United States Assembled at Philadelphia 1797 Bound with: Minutes of the Proceedings of the Fifth Convention of Delegates from the Abolition Societies Established in Different Parts of the United States Assembled at Philadelphia 1798
1798réf. 628625Philadelphia: Printed by Zachariah Poulson Junior 1798. Hardcover. Very Good. First editions. 12mo. Fourth convention 59 1. Fifth convention 20pp. Bound in quarter cloth with wrappers of the 1797 issue affixed to the boards. Old library marks: bookplate perforations small rubbed stamp state "Bound for Library 1914" else very good. These pamphlets record the proceedings of two of the earliest American efforts at national organization around the Anti-Slavery cause. Beginning in January 1794 the first meeting drew delegates from the abolition societies of Connecticut New York New Jersey Pennsylvania Delaware and Maryland. Later meetings added attendees from Rhode Island and Virginia and the two pamphlets lists the names of those present - among them Benjamin RushWilliam Rawle Caspar Wistar Joseph Bloomfield William Dunlap and others. The gatherings "voted to petition Congress to prohibit the slave trade and also to appeal to the legislatures of the various states to abolish slavery. The petitions pointed out the inconsistency of a country that had recently rejected the tyranny of kings engaging in "domestic despotism." Despite limited funds or authority and infrequent meetings these conventions harnessed considerable public support for reform and imbued their ideological successor the American Anti-Slavery Society with cornerstone goals designed to "bring the whole nation to a speedy repentance." Both pamphlets are very scarce in the trade. For both. Printed by Zachariah Poulson, Junior hardcover
