Thursday 13 November 2008

215/365

(click for full-size. It should be legible.)
Kiki was working on this handbill today, and I think it is absolutely brilliant. Dated 1847, it pleads with the people of Scotland to turn their backs on two gentleman from Virginia who are 'at present lecturing throughout Scotland on Christian Union'. These two gentlemen, you see, 'assert that slavery, considered in itself, is not sinful - is not opposed to the spirit and principles of Christianity - and that the Saviour, and his Apostles, sanctioned the practice of man holding property in man.'

It goes on:

'For the sake of suffering humanity - for the sake of THREE MILLIONS OF YOUR FELLOW CREATURES groaning under the cruel bondage of American Slavery - People of Scotland, see that you do not in any way countenance that abominable system; beware lest you, in any degree, sacrifice your well-known Anti-Slavery principles, by apparently assenting to the absurd opinions of these men on this matter. Protest against their pro-Slavery views - tell them that you can have no connection with them, until they go home and urge upon their Slaveholding brethren to cease to do evil, to learn to do well, to seek judgement, and to EMANCIPATE ALL THEIR SLAVES!'

Excuse my French, but fuck yeah!!! This gave me goosebumps. Powerful stuff!

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