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| Detail of “The National Colored Convention…” (by Theo. R. Davis, Harpers Weekly [2/6/1869]: 65.) |
The New York State "Convention of Colored People" met in July of 1851, and among the important orders of business was addressing the recently passed Fugitive Slave Act. A committee of three was assigned to report on the Act and recommended measures. Among them was John N. Still, a well-known businessman and activist working in Brooklyn. Still would go on shortly after this to become the first Black candidate for the priesthood in the Diocese of New Jersey.[1] The deeply compelling text of the committee report relies on two key authoritative sources: the Christian scriptures and the national founding documents. The committee concludes that the Act is unjust both according to the laws of God and to the principles of the Declaration and Constitution. Their report calls all citizens to a campaign of faithful obedience to God and disobedience of the Act. Though Still’s priesthood candidacy was never advanced, and he remained only a candidate for nine straight years (an indication of the racism in the diocese at that time), his influence for abolitionist principles and Black empowerment were clear in his over decade of fruitful ministry in the free Black settlement of Macedonia in Shrewsbury, New Jersey.[2] Below is the full text of the Report[3] of the Committee on the Fugitive Slave Bill. The full published convention proceedings can be found HERE.
Jolyon G. R. Pruszinski, Ph.D.
Reparations Commission Historian
Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey
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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FUGITIVE SLAVE BILL
The undersigned appointed a committee to report on the FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW, beg leave to submit the following preamble and resolutions:
That we the colored citizens of the State of New-York believing that the dearest rights and liberties, belonging to us as freemen, are fearfully endangered by the Fugitive Slave Law recently enacted by our National Legislature, and having a tender sympathy with our brethren who escape from slavery—being assembled in convention to consider said law—do deliberately and seriously resolve,
1. That this law, in requiring the freemen of the north to deliver up fugitives from slavery to the iniquitous and oppressive bondage from which they have heroically escaped, is in direct and impious opposition to the command of the Supreme Law Giver—a command, like the moral law, obligatory in all ages from its very nature—“Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee; he shall dwell with thee, even among you in that place which he shall choose, in one of thy gates where it liketh him best; thou shalt not oppress him:” That this law, in forbidding men under the penalty of heavy fines and imprisonment to harbor or assist fugitives from slavery, is in direct and impious opposition to those laws of God which command deeds of humanity and mercy;--that in both these respects this law is in direct and impious opposition to the essence and sum of “the law and the prophets,” declared by the divine Redeemer, “all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them,”—and therefore that no man can, in these respects, obey this law, without palpable and flagrant disobedience to God.
2. That this law is plainly and essentially opposed to that self-evident truth in the Declaration of Independence by these United States, “that all men are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;” and that no man can approve or obey this law without contradicting this united declaration of the people of this Republic.
3. That this law directly and palpably violates those fundamental provisions of the Constitution of the United States which secure to “every person” the right of trial by jury, and in cases occurring under the laws of the United States, the right of trial by a Court of the United States, (which a Commissioner under this law is not) and the privilege of the habeas corpus act, and of counsel when accused, and therefore all citizens of the United States are bound by their obligations under the Constitution, not to obey, but to disobey, this law.
4. That the duties of men towards fugitives from oppression are plain—the duties dictated by humanity and mercy—the bestowment of comfort, sympathy, and needful aid; and we call, therefore, on the inhabitants of the state of New-York to imitate the noble example of the people of New Haven, Ct., who, in the days of the hunted and fugitive judges, who condemned to death an oppressive King of England, obeyed the exhortation of their pious pastor, the reverend John Davenport, founded on the Divine command, [“]Hide the outcast; betray not him that wandereth; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler.”
5. That we feel ourselves to be weak, needing help; and we earnestly ask of our white friends to give us their aid in our distress, and to show not only in private, but in public, that they have feeling hearts and willing hands.
6. That we believe that public opinion is the bulwark of all law, and that this ODIOUS and CRUEL LAW will be entirely inoperative, if the moral sense of this community speaks; and therefore we ask of this community, with the voice of our oppressed people, that they will give such an expression of their sentiments respecting this law as will protect this place from the step of the man-hunter, and their homes and hearts from the cries and tears of his victims.
7. That we are fully determined, here in our places, to wait the issue; to rest our cause upon God, upon the friends of religion and humanity, and upon our own manhood; to bear ourselves so as to prove that we are worthy, not only of liberty, but of the full privileges of citizen, some of which are now denied us; and to surrender life rather than to be taken into slavery.
8. Resolved, That the fugitive slave law is the law of tyrants.
9. Resolved, That disobedience to tyrants is obedience to GOD.
10. Resolved, That we will obey God.
AMOS GERRY BEMAN,
JOHN NELSON STILL,
J.P. JOHNSON,
Committee.
[1] See Jolyon G. R. Pruszinski, “John N. Still (1815-?), Abolitionist, Businessman, and First Black Candidate for Holy Orders in the Diocese of New Jersey,” DNJRJR (11 November 2025): https://dionj-racialjusticereview.blogspot.com/2025/11/john-n-still-1815-abolitionist.html.
[2] Jolyon G. R. Pruszinski, “The Episcopal Mission at the Free Black Settlement of Macedonia, NJ: 1853-1887,” DNJRJR (26 May 2025): https://dionj-racialjusticereview.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-episcopal-mission-at-free-black.html.
[3] Amos Gerry Beman, John Nelson Still, and J.P. Johnson, “Report of Committee on Fugitive Slave Bill,” in Proceedings of the State Convention of Colored People, Held at Albany, New-York, on the 22d, 23d and 24th of July, 1851 (Albany: Charles Van Benthuysen, Printer, 1851), 29-30: https://omeka.coloredconventions.org/items/show/235.
