“ As a knowledge of what has been done, and of that success which has attended the efforts of humanity, will cherish the hope of benevolence, and stimulate to further exertion, we trust that you will be of opinion with us, that it would be highly useful to procure correct reports of all such trials, and decisions of courts of judicature, respecting slavery, a knowledge of which may be subservient to the cause of abolition, and to transmit them to the next, or to any future, Convention. ”

“ The committee, to whom was referred the consideration of the act of the Congress of the United States, for prohibiting the traffic in slaves, report,—
That, in their opinion, no amendment is necessary to the law in question. It appears, to them, to prohibit the exportation of slaves from America, for the purposes of traffic, or from any part of any foreign country, whether a port, river, bay, or coast, to any other foreign country. ”

“ The education of the emancipated, the noblest and most arduous task which we have to perform, will require all our wisdom and virtue, and the constant exercise of the greatest skill and discretion. When we have broken his chains, and restored the African to the enjoyment of his rights, the great work of justice and benevolence is not accomplished—The new born citizen must receive that instruction, and [Pg 30] those powerful impressions of moral and religious truth, which will render him capable and desirous of fulfilling the various duties he owes to himself and to his country. ”

“ The generical term "place" certainly includes as well the sea as [Pg 23] the land; and it is, in substance, declared to be unlawful so to traffic in any place or manner, except only what the constitution, at present, denies the power of restraining, viz. the importation of slaves into the United States.
Whether further experience may point out defects at present not seen, the committee cannot predict. It may not, perhaps, be prudent to aid avarice and inhumanity by the attempt. ”

“ And it would assist that Convention in ascertaining the existing state of slavery in the United States, if you were to forward to them an exact account of the persons who have been liberated by the agency of your Society, and of those who may be considered as signal instances of the relief that you have afforded ”

“ The first step which we take the liberty of suggesting to you, is an entire prohibition of all traffic in slaves, between your state and every other nation or state, either by importation or exportation: This is the first and principal object of our memorial—an object which we the more earnestly recommend to your attention, as we are informed that the law of your state, prohibiting the importation of slaves, will expire sometime in March next. ”

“ In considering this subject, many methods of conciliating the affections of this unfortunate people, and preparing them for that state in society upon which depends our political happiness, suggest themselves:—such as, an amelioration of their condition and a diffusion of knowledge among them. ”

“ Resolved, That this Convention address the free black people, in the United States, exhorting them, by suitable arguments and motives, to such conduct and behaviour as may be judged most proper to promote their own happiness, and render them useful members of society.
Ordered, That Samuel Coates, Robert Patterson, and William Dunlap, be a committee to prepare, and report, an address conformable to the said resolution. ”

“ We have been informed that many persons, of the above description, notwithstanding the decree in their favor, have been brought from the West-India islands, by emigrants, into the United States, and are [Pg 31] now held as slaves.—We suggest to you the propriety, as well as the necessity, of making enquiry into the subject, and of effecting their liberation, so far as may be found consistent with the laws of your state. ”

“ Present—Jonathan Edwards, Uriah Tracy, Zephaniah Swift, William Johnson, Lawrence Embree, William Dunlap, William Walton Woolsey, William Coxe, junior, James Sloan, Franklin Davenport, William Rawle, Robert Patterson, Benjamin Rush, Samuel Coates, Caspar Wistar, James Todd, Benjamin Say, Richard Bassett, Caleb Boyer, Cyrus Newlin, Joseph Warner, Samuel Sterett, Joseph Townsend, Joseph Thornburgh, John Bankson, Philip Moore, Edward Scott, James Houston. ”