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Ezra Greenleaf Weld (American - Fugitive Slave Law Convention, Cazenovia, New York - Google Art Project
Famous daguerrotype of the convention, by local photographer and abolitionist Ezra Greenleaf Weld. Frederick Douglass is seated with his elbow on the table; Gerrit Smith is standing, his arm outstretched.

The Fugitive Slave Law Convention was held in Cazenovia, New York, on August 21 and 22, 1850. It was called and financed by leading abolitionist Gerrit Smith (see below), "in behalf of the New York State Vigilance Committee." A hostile newspaper report refers to the meeting as "Gerrit Smith's Convention".

This was one month before the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was passed by the United States Congress; its passage was a foregone conclusion, and the convention never even discussed how its passage could be prevented. Instead the question was what the existing fugitive slaves were to do, and how their friends could help them. Participants included Frederick Douglass, until recently himself a fugitive slave, the Edmonson sisters, Gerrit Smith, Samuel Joseph May, Theodore Dwight Weld, his wife Angelina Grimké, and others.

The convention opened at what the announcement called "the Independent Church", later the First Congregational Church of Cazenovia and now (2022) Cazenovia College's theater building, but because there were too many attendees for that venue, it moved the next day to "the orchard of Grace Wilson's School, located on Sullivan Street." Although there were in 1850s no railroads in Cazenovia, it was said to have had 2000 to 3000 participants.—the population of Cazenovia at the time was 2,000.

The meeting was chaired by Douglass. The local links with the abolitionist movement were Theodore Weld's brother Ezra Greenleaf Weld, who owned a daguerrotype (photography) studio in Cazenovia and to whom we owe a picture of the principal attendees. Even more important, the abolitionist philanthropist Gerrit Smith, one of the Secret Six that years later would finance John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, lived only 10 miles (16 km) away, in more rural Peterboro. The first book on Madison County, of 1899, says much of Smith, but mentions neither the Convention nor Ezra Weld.

Madison County, NY, a haven for slaves

The Convention was the creation of Gerrit Smith, the richest man in New York State. He made of Madison County a place where fugitive slaves were safe — slave catchers did not dare show their faces. "The vicinity of Cazenovia and Syracuse was such a locality where the enforcement of the fugitive slave enactments was vigorously and violently opposed." He helped every fugitive that reached his home in neighboring Peterboro — feeding them, sheltering them, and helping them get to Syracuse, also safe, and from there across nearby Lake Ontario to Canada.

A visitor in 1841 described Peterboro thus:

At Peterboro, I found as may well be expected, it was all Abolition—Abolition in doors and out—Abolition in the churches and Abolition in the stores—Abolition in the field and Abolition by the wayside. If I should use a figure, I would say that Peterboro is Bible-baptized into Abolition, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Between 1840 and 1843 three different abolitionist weeklies were published in Cazenovia: the Cazenovia Abolitionist, Onondaga and Madison Abolitionist, and Madison County Abolitionist.

There was a colored conventions movement, but these were free blacks that were meeting. The Convention in Cazenovia—Peterboro was a "tiny hamlet", too small for the number of visitors expected—is the only "Convention of Slaves" ever held in the United States, as it was called by Douglass in The North Star. Douglass, a Black man, presided.

Peterboro is since about 2005 the site of the National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum.

Call for the convention

The following announcement appeared in the August 1, 1850, issue of the National Anti-Slavery Standard:

LIBERTY—EQUALITY—FRATERNITY!!!
Fugitives from the prison-house of Southern despotism with their friends and protectors in council!
Such persons as have escaped from Slavery, and those who are resolved to stand by them, are invited to meet for mutual counsel and encouragement at Cazenovia, Madison County, New York, on Wednesday, 21st of August, 1850. The assembling will take place at 10 o'clock A. M. in the Independent Church, and the meeting will continue through two days. The object aimed at on the occasion will not be simply an exchange of congratulations and an expression of sympathy, but an earnest consideration of such subjects as are pertinent to the present condition and prospects of the slave and free colored population of the country, and to the relations, which good and true men sustain to the cause of impartial freedom and justice. Friends! shall not this be made a grand event? Shall not the channels of former sympathies be opened anew? Will not they of the “old guard” delight to look each other in the face once more, and renew their vows upon a common altar? Let them come from every quarter—freemen, free women, and fugitives! They are bid a most cordial welcome by the good people of Cazenovia. There are friends, hospitalities, meeting houses, and beautiful groves there! Let all come, who have a heart and can!
In befalf of the New York State Vigilance Committee,
Gerrit Smith, President
Charles B. Ray, Secretary

It was promptly reprinted in Frederick Douglass's North Star, William Garrison's Liberator, and other anti-slavery papers. It was also reprinted, with outrage, in a number of Southern and pro-slavery Northern newspapers.

Convention activities

William Chapin

A feature of the convention, as originally planned, was that William Chapin was to appear, together with some enslaved who he had helped escape.

During the convention, William L. Chaplin was discussed. Chaplin was a radical political abolitionist who helped plan the escape of 77 slaves from Washington, D.C. This plan ultimately failed and later, Chaplin was arrested after he was caught driving a carriage with two escaped slaves. His fiancée, Theodosia Gilbert, attended the convention. There was a resolution by James C. Jackson that was adopted to create a committee to raise money in order to liberate Chaplin. He advised them to raise 20,000 dollars in 30 days. They also called upon the Liberty Party to nominate Chaplin as its candidate in the 1852 presidential election.

"Letter to the American Slaves from those who have fled from American Slavery"

An open letter titled "To American Slaves from Those Who Have Fled from American Slavery", written, "it is said", by Gerrit Smith, who introduced it to the attendees. This letter described to those still enslaved the advantages of escaping and the lies of their owners. It recommended those escaping enslavement steal their owners' cash and fastest horse. It quotes the state motto of Virginia—"Death to Tyrants"—and says it should be the Black man's motto as well. "You are prisoners of war...and therefore, by all the rules of war, you have the fullest liberty to plunder, burn, and kill, as you may have occasion to do to promote your escape."

Letter to the Liberty Party

Text of the Letter to the Liberty Party, from The North Star, September 5, 1850, p. 3.

The body recommended to the Liberty Party that at its upcoming convention in Oswego, they nominate Chaplin for President.

Resolutions

Text of the Resolutions, from The North Star, September 5, 1850, p. 3.

First day activities

The meeting was called to order at 10 AM "at the Free Church" by J. C. Jackson. Samuel Joseph May was chosen President pro tem and temporary secretary Samuel Thomas Jr. May then appointed Samuel Wells, J.W. Loguen, and Charles B. Ray to a committee to nominate official officers. Later in the convention, official officers were appointed by this committee to major positions. Frederick Douglass was appointed to president. Joseph C. Hathaway, Francis Hawley, Charles B. Ray, and Charles A. Wheaton were appointed for vice presidents. Charles D. Miller and Anne V. Adams were appointed for secretaries.

Joseph C. Hathaway, William R. Smith, Eleazer Seymour, and James C. Jackson were appointed to nominate people for the “Chaplin Committee”. This committee ended up consisting of around 19 people. Some of the committee members included James C. Jackson, Joseph C. Hathaway, William R. Smith, and George W. Lawson.

A group of women including Mrs. F. Rice, Phebe Hathaway, and Louisa Burnett were appointed to nominate a committee of females. This committee would obtain a silver pitcher and two silver goblets to present them to William C. Chaplin, in honor of “his distinguished services in the cause of humanity.”

Second day activities

According to the Madison County Whig, on the 2nd day, at the point of greateat attendance there were 700 present.

Attendees

Compared with previous abolitionist meetings, the people at Cazenovia were extraordinarily diverse. Not only were there both Black and white participants, there were many women, who were welcomed. A correspondent wrote, "A large number of persons of every sect in religion, of every party in politics, and every shade of complexion,met in this magnificent temple of nature" [the grove].

Based on the Convention proceedings, published in the New-York Tribune, Frederick Douglass's North Star, the Madison County Whig, and elsewhere, attending the convention were:

  • Black attendees
    • Frederick Douglass, formerly an escaped slave, memoirist, elected president of the convention
    • The Edmonson sisters, Mary and Emily, 15 and 17, formerly escaped slaves aboard The Pearl, who sang "I hear the voice of Lovejoy on Alton's bloody plain" at the opening.
    • Samuel Ringgold Ward (1817–c. 1864), escaped slavery with his parents when a small child. A preacher and activist.
    • Rev. Jermain W. Loguen, escaped slave, bishop of African Methodist Episcopal Church, ran underground railroad depot.
    • Charles Bennett Ray, born free, publisher of The Colored American (New York City).
    • James Baker was on the Business Committee of the Convention.
    • According to the Proceedings, some thirty fugitive slaves were present, who were requested to sit together, so they could be seen by the delegates. On the second day, some presented narratives of their escapes.
  • White attendees

Various estimates of attendance were made. 500 delegates passed through Utica en route to the Cazenovia convention. Reports give total attendance as 2,000.

A newspaper story mistakenly reported that John Brown was present and "made a very fiery speech" (in 1850) about his need of funds to buy arms for his and his sons' use fighting slavery in Kansas (1855–56). This speech of Brown was at a different, later meeting (in Syracuse).

Reaction

Many negative reports on the convention were published by pro-slavery newspapers.

The Convention was mentioned in the U.S. Senate, during debate on the 1850 Fugitive Slave Bill:

During the debate upon the bill, Mr. Yulee [Senator Yulee, of Florida] read from the New York Journal of Commerce a report of an amalgamated ["racially" mixed] Convention at Cazenovia, commenting on its incendiary address, and calling the attention of the people of the [S]outh to it as a sample of the opinions and feelings of the North in relation to the rights of the South...

Senator Daniel Dickinson, of New York, responded that Mr. Yulee "would never have alluded to it if he knew the scorn and contempt with which all such proceedings were looked upon by the great mass of people of all parties, in the North."

Subsequent meetings

Further meetings were announced in Canastota (October 23), Cazenovia (October 25), Hamilton (October 30), and Peterboro (November 1).

Many of the participants of this convention were also involved in a later anti-fugitive slave law meeting in Syracuse, New York, on Tuesday, January 7, 1851, presided over by Frederick Douglass. 17 resolutions and an address were adopted.

The daguerreotype

There is one and only one visual image of the meeting, in the daguerreotype held by the Madison County Historical Society, with a smaller copy (image flipped) in the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. It was taken by Ezra Greenleaf Weld, Theodore's brother, who owned a daguerrotype studio in Cazenovia.

Daguerrotypes could not be taken casually, as those being photographed had to hold themselves immobile for some seconds. That of the Cazenovia Convention is a formal group picture, outdoors because of the sunlight. It was intended for the eyes of William L. Chaplin, in jail in Washington for having assisted two slaves in an unsuccessful escape attempt. Chaplin's future wife, Theodosia Gilbert Chaplin, is seated at the table with pen and paper in hand, documenting through the picture that "the document" was indeed prepared by the group. To her left is Frederick Douglass; to her right, also with pen, is Joseph Hathaway; behind her stands Gerrit Smith, flanked by the Edmonson sisters. One of the sisters, probably Mary, addressed the crowd. One audience member described her as a "young and noble-hearted girl", using "words of simple and touching eloquence".

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