An Address to the Slaves of the United States, by William Lloyd Garrison, June 2, 1843
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{1} & \;\;\text{Take courage! Be filled with hope and comfort! Your redemption draws nigh,} \\
{2} & \;\;\text{for the Lord is mightily at work in your behalf. Is it not frequently the darkest} \\
{3} & \;\;\text{before day-break? The word has gone forth that you shall be delivered from} \\
{4} & \;\;\text{your chains, and it has not been spoken in vain.} \\
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{5} & \;\;\text{Although you have many enemies, yet you have also many friends—warm,} \\
{6} & \;\;\text{faithful, sympathizing, devoted friends—who will never abandon your} \\
{7} & \;\;\text{cause; who are pledged to do all in their power to break your chains; who are} \\
{8} & \;\;\text{laboring to effect your emancipation without delay, in a peaceable manner, without} \\
{9} & \;\;\text{the shedding of blood; who regard you as brethren and countrymen, and fear not} \\
{10} & \;\;\text{the frowns or threats of your masters. They call themselves abolitionists. They have} \\
{11} & \;\;\text{already suffered much, in various parts of the country, for rebuking those who keep} \\
{12} & \;\;\text{you in slavery—for demanding your immediate liberation—for revealing to the people} \\
{13} & \;\;\text{the horrors of your situation—for boldly opposing a corrupt public sentiment, by} \\
{14} & \;\;\text{which you are kept in the great southern prison-house of bondage. Some of} \\
{15} & \;\;\text{them have been beaten with stripes; others have been stripped, and covered} \\
{16} & \;\;\text{with tar and feathers; others have had their property taken from them, and burnt} \\
{17} & \;\;\text{in the streets; others have had large rewards offered by your masters for their} \\
{18} & \;\;\text{seizure; others have been cast into jails and penitentiaries; others have been mobbed} \\
{19} & \;\;\text{and lynched with great violence; others have lost their reputation, and been ruined} \\
{20} & \;\;\text{in their business; others have lost their lives. All these, and many other outrages} \\
{21} & \;\;\text{of an equally grievous kind, they have suffered for your sakes, and because} \\
{22} & \;\;\text{they are your friends.} \\
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\(\bf{. . .}\)…..
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{23} & \;\;\text{The weapons with which the abolitionists seek to effect your deliverance} \\
{24} & \;\;\text{are not bowie knives, pistols, swords, guns, or any other deadly implements.} \\
{25} & \;\;\text{They consist of appeals, warnings, rebukes, arguments and facts, addressed} \\
{26} & \;\;\text{to the understandings, consciences and hearts of the people. Many of your} \\
{27} & \;\;\text{friends believe that not even those who are op-pressed, whether their skins are} \\
{28} & \;\;\text{white or black, can shed the blood of their oppressors in accordance with the will} \\
{29} & \;\;\text{of God; while many others believe that it is right for the oppressed to rise and take} \\
{30} & \;\;\text{their liberty by violence, if they can secure it in no other manner; but they, in } \\
{31} & \;\;\text{common with all your friends, believe that every attempt at insurrection would be} \\
{32} & \;\;\text{attended with disaster and defeat, on your part, because you are not strong} \\
{33} & \;\;\text{enough to contend with the military power of the nation; consequently, their} \\
{34} & \;\;\text{advice to you is, to be patient, long-suffering, and sub-missive, yet awhile longer—} \\
{35} & \;\;\text{trusting that, by the blessing of the Most High on their labors, you will yet be} \\
{36} & \;\;\text{emancipated without shedding a drop of your masters’ blood, or losing a drop } \\
{37} & \;\;\text{of your own.} \\
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{38} & \;\;\text{The abolitionists of the North are the only true and unyielding friends on whom} \\
{39} & \;\;\text{you can rely. They will never deceive nor betray you. They have made your cause} \\
{40} & \;\;\text{their own, and they mean to be true to themselves and to you, whatever may} \\
{41} & \;\;\text{be the consequence. … We advise you to seize every opportunity to escape} \\
{42} & \;\;\text{from your masters, and, fixing your eyes on the North star, travel on until you reach} \\
{43} & \;\;\text{a land of liberty. You are not the property of your masters. God never made one} \\
{44} & \;\;\text{human being to be owned by another. Your right to be free, at any moment,} \\
{45} & \;\;\text{is undeniable; and it is your duty, whenever you can, peaceably to escape from} \\
{46} & \;\;\text{the plantations on which you are confined, and assert your manhood.} \\
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