[27] Judge Stroud, William Goodell, Wendell Phillips, William Jay, and hundreds of other white men contributed to the anti-slavery literature of the period.
INTELLIGENT INTEREST OF FREE NEGROES IN THE AGITATION MOVEMENT.--"FIRST ANNUAL CONVENTION OF THE PEOPLE OF COLOR" HELD AT PHILADELPHIA.--REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COLLEGE FOR YOUNG MEN OF COLOR.--PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE APPOINTED IN EACH CITY.--CONVENTIONAL ADDRESS.--SECOND CONVENTION HELD AT BENEZET HALL, PHILADELPHIA.--RESOLUTIONS OF THE MEETING.--CONVENTIONAL ADDRESS.--THE MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL COLORED ASSOCIATION.--CONVENTION OF ANTI-SLAVERY WOMEN OF AMERICA AT NEW YORK.--PREJUDICE AGAINST ADMITTING NEGROES INTO WHITE SOCIETIES.--COLORED ORATORS.--THEIR ELOQUENT PLEAS FOR THEIR ENSLAVED RACE.
The free Negroes throughout the Northern States were not passive during the agitation movement. They took a lively interest in the cause that had for its ultimate end the freedom of the slave. They did not comfort themselves with the consciousness that _they_ were free; but thought of _their brethren_ who were bound, and sympathized with them.
"_The First Annual Convention of the People of Color_" was held in Philadelphia from the 6th to the 11th of June, 1831. Its sessions were held "in the brick Wesleyan Church, Lombard Street," "pursuant to public notice, ... signed by Dr. Belfast Burton and William Whipper." The following delegates were present:
_Philadelphia_--John Bowers, Dr. Belfast Burton, James Cornish, Junius C. Morel, William Whipper.
_New York_--Rev. Wm. Miller, Henry Sipkins, Thos. L. Jennings, Wm. Hamilton, James Pennington.
_Maryland_--Rev. Abner Coker, Robert Cowley.
_Delaware_--Abraham D. Shad, Rev. Peter Gardiner.
_Vice-Presidents_--Abraham D. Shad, William Duncan.
_Assistant Secretary_--Thos. L. Jennings.
The first concern of this convention was the condition of that class which it directly represented--the "free persons of color" in the United States. A committee, consisting of Messrs. Morel, Shad, Duncan, Cowley, Sipkins, and Jennings, made the following report on the condition of the free persons of color in the United States:
"We, the Committee of Inquiry, would suggest to the Convention the propriety of adopting the following resolutions, viz.: