The Fugitive Slave Law Convention was held in Cazenovia, New York, on August 21 and 22, 1850.

Madison County, New York Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 68,016. Its county seat is Wampsville. The county is named after James Madison, the fourth president of the United States, and was f ...

, was the abolition headquarters of the country, because of philanthropist and activist

Gerrit Smith Gerrit Smith (March 6, 1797 – December 28, 1874), also spelled Gerritt Smith, was a leading American social reformer, abolitionist, businessman, public intellectual, and philanthropist. Married to Ann Carroll Fitzhugh, Smith was a candida ...

, who lived in neighboring

Peterboro, New York Peterboro, located approximately southeast of Syracuse, New York, is a historic hamlet and currently the administrative center for the Town of Smithfield, Madison County, New York, United States. Peterboro has a Post Office, ZIP code 13134. ...

, and called the meeting "in behalf of the New York State

Vigilance Committee A vigilance committee was a group formed of private citizens to administer law and order or exercise power through violence in places where they considered governmental structures or actions inadequate. A form of vigilantism and often a more stru ...

." A hostile newspaper report refers to the meeting as "Gerrit Smith's Convention". This was one month before the

Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 The Fugitive Slave Act or Fugitive Slave Law was passed by the United States Congress on September 18, 1850, as part of the Compromise of 1850 between Southern interests in slavery and Northern Northern may refer to the following: Geogra ...

was passed by the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washi ...

; 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 In the United States, fugitive slaves or runaway slaves were terms used in the 18th and 19th century to describe people who fled slavery. The term also refers to the federal Fugitive Slave Acts of 1793 and 1850. Such people are also called freed ...

were to do, and how their friends could help them. Participants included

Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, February 1817 or 1818 – February 20, 1895) was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he becam ...

, until recently himself a fugitive slave, the Edmonson sisters,

Samuel Joseph May Samuel Joseph May (September 12, 1797 – July 1, 1871) was an American reformer during the nineteenth century who championed education, women's rights, and abolition of slavery. May argued on behalf of all working people that the rights of h ...

Theodore Dwight Weld Theodore Dwight Weld (November 23, 1803 – February 3, 1895) was one of the architects of the American abolitionist movement during its formative years from 1830 to 1844, playing a role as writer, editor, speaker, and organizer. He is best known ...

, his wife

Angelina Grimké Angelina Emily Grimké Weld (February 20, 1805 – October 26, 1879) was an American abolitionist, political activist, women's rights advocate, and supporter of the women's suffrage movement. She and her sister Sarah Moore Grimké were ...

, 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 Cazenovia College is a private college in Cazenovia, New York. Founded as the Genesee Seminary in 1824 and sponsored by the Methodist Church, in 1894 the college adopted the name of Cazenovia Seminary. It was reorganized in 1942 after church spon ...

'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. In the 1850 census the population of Cazenovia was 4,800. The original plan had been for William Chaplin, the General Agent of the

New York State Antislavery Society New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...

, to make a dramatic appearance with some

fugitive slave In the United States, fugitive slaves or runaway slaves were terms used in the 18th and 19th century to describe people who fled slavery. The term also refers to the federal Fugitive Slave Acts of 1793 and 1850. Such people are also called freed ...

s that he was to spirit out off the South. It was not to be; things went awry. The meeting was chaired by Douglass. The local links with the

abolitionist movement Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The British ...

were

Theodore Weld Theodore Dwight Weld (November 23, 1803 – February 3, 1895) was one of the architects of the American abolitionist movement during its formative years from 1830 to 1844, playing a role as writer, editor, speaker, and organizer. He is best known ...

's brother Ezra Greenleaf Weld, who owned a

daguerrotype Daguerreotype (; french: daguerréotype) was the first publicly available photographic process; it was widely used during the 1840s and 1850s. "Daguerreotype" also refers to an image created through this process. Invented by Louis Daguerre an ...

(photography) studio in Cazenovia and to whom we owe a picture of the principal attendees. Even more important, the abolitionist philanthropist

, one of the

Secret Six The so-called Secret Six, or the Secret Committee of Six, were a group of men who secretly funded the 1859 raid on Harper's Ferry by abolitionist John Brown. Sometimes described as "wealthy," this was true of only two. The other four were in po ...

that years later would finance

John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

, lived only 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. That the forgotten meeting is known today is due to the discovery of the unidentified daguerrotype in the archives of the Madison County Historical Society.

Madison County, NY, a haven for slaves

The Convention was the creation of

, the richest man in New York State. He made of Madison County a place where fugitive slaves were safe —

slave catchers In the United States a slave catcher was a person employed to track down and return escaped slaves to their enslavers. The first slave catchers in the Americas were active in European colonies in the West Indies during the sixteenth century. ...

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 Syracuse may refer to: Places Italy *Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa'' *Province of Syracuse United States * Syracuse, New York ** East Syracuse, New York ** North Syracuse, New York * Syracuse, Indiana *Syracuse, Kansas *Syracuse, M ...

, also safe, and from there across nearby

Lake Ontario Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York. The Canada–United States border sp ...

to Canada. A visitor in 1841 described Peterboro thus: 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 The ''National Anti-Slavery Standard'' was the official weekly newspaper of the American Anti-Slavery Society, established in 1840 under the editorship of Lydia Maria Child and David Lee Child. The paper published continuously until the ratificat ...

:'' :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,

, President
Charles B. Ray, Secretary It was promptly reprinted in Frederick Douglass's ''

North Star Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris ( Latinized to ''Alpha Ursae Minoris'') and is commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. With an apparent magnitude tha ...

'', William Garrison's ''

Liberator Liberator or The Liberators or ''variation'', may refer to: Literature * ''Liberators'' (novel), a 2009 novel by James Wesley Rawles * ''The Liberators'' (Suvorov book), a 1981 book by Victor Suvorov * ''The Liberators'' (comic book), a Britis ...

'', 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. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

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.

was chosen President ''

pro tem ''Pro tempore'' (), abbreviated ''pro tem'' or ''p.t.'', is a Latin phrase which best translates to "for the time being" in English. This phrase is often used to describe a person who acts as a ''locum tenens'' (placeholder) in the absence of ...

'' 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 greatest 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" he grove Based on the Convention proceedings, published in the ''

New-York Tribune The ''New-York Tribune'' was an American newspaper founded in 1841 by editor Horace Greeley. It bore the moniker ''New-York Daily Tribune'' from 1842 to 1866 before returning to its original name. From the 1840s through the 1860s it was the domi ...

'', Frederick Douglass's''

'', the '' Madison County Whig,'' and elsewhere, attending the convention were: * Black attendees **

, 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 ''Lovejoy'' is a British television comedy-drama mystery series, based on the novels by John Grant under the pen name Jonathan Gash. The show, which ran to 71 episodes over six series, was originally broadcast on BBC1 between 10 January 19 ...

on Alton's bloody plain" at the opening. **

Samuel Ringgold Ward Samuel Ringgold Ward (October 17, 1817 – ) was an African American who escaped enslavement to become an abolitionist, newspaper editor, labor leader, and Congregational church minister. He was author of the influential book ''Autobiograph ...

(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 The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the AME Church or AME, is a predominantly African American Methodist denomination. It adheres to Wesleyan-Arminian theology and has a connexional polity. The African Methodist Episcopal ...

, ran underground railroad depot. **

Charles Bennett Ray Charles Bennett Ray (December 25, 1807 – August 15, 1886) was a prominent African-American minister and abolitionist who owned and edited of the weekly newspaper '' The Colored American''. Born in Massachusetts, he had most of his career and li ...

, born free, publisher of ''

The Colored American (New York City) ''The Colored American'' was an African-American newspaper published in New York City from 1837 to 1842 by Samuel Cornish, Phillip Alexander Bell, and Charles Bennett Ray. When Cornish retired, James McCune Smith joined as co-editor. Initial ...

.'' ** 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 **

, land investor, philanthropist **

, abolitionist organizer **

, Weld's wife; leading abolitionist woman. The presence of her sister Sarah, who lived with the couple, is possible but undocumented. **

(1797–1871), abolitionist clergyman from Syracuse, co-secretary of the Chaplin Fund Committee. ** Ezra Greenleaf Weld, ran a successful

studio in Cazenovia for many years. Theodore Weld's brother. ** Theodosia Gilbert, fiancée of William L. Chaplin. **

Cyrus Pitt Grosvenor Cyrus Pitt Grosvenor (October 18, 1792 – February 11, 1879) was an American Baptist minister known for his anti-slavery views. He founded the abolitionist American Baptist Free Mission Society, which did not allow slaveowners to be missionaries ...

, Baptist minister, President,

New York Central College New York Central College, commonly called New York Central College, McGrawville, and simply Central College, was the first college in the United States founded on the principle that all qualified students were welcome. It was thus an abolitionist ...

. ** Charles A. Wheaton ** Francis Jackson (1789–1861), Boston businessman and politician, helped fugitive slaves. President of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. **

James Caleb Jackson James Caleb Jackson (March 28, 1811 – July 11, 1895) was an American nutritionist and the inventor of the first dry, whole grain breakfast cereal which he called Granula. His views influenced the health reforms of Ellen G. White, a founder of ...

(1811–1896), from nearby Manlius, nutritionist, ran "water cure" establishments. A friend of Chaplin and colleague of his at the ''

Albany Patriot Albany, derived from the Gaelic for Scotland, most commonly refers to: * Albany, New York, the capital of the State of New York and largest city of this name * Albany, Western Australia, port city in the Great Southern Albany may also refer t ...

''. **

John Greenleaf Whittier John Greenleaf Whittier (December 17, 1807 – September 7, 1892) was an American Quaker poet and advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. Frequently listed as one of the fireside poets, he was influenced by the Scottish poet R ...

(1807–1892), abolitionist poet, editor at that time of

The National Era ''The National Era'' was an abolitionist newspaper published weekly in Washington, D.C., from 1847 to 1860. Gamaliel Bailey was its editor in its first year. ''The National Era Prospectus'' stated in 1847: Each number contained four pages of ...

, an anti-slavery newspaper. **

Charles Augustus Wheaton Charles Augustus Wheaton (1809–1882) was a businessman and major figure in the central New York state abolitionist movement and Underground Railroad, as well as other progressive causes. He was one of the founders of the First Congregatio ...

(1809–1882), merchant, member New York State Vigilance Committee. **

Joshua Reed Giddings Joshua Reed Giddings (October 6, 1795 – May 27, 1864) was an American attorney, politician and a prominent opponent of slavery. He represented Northeast Ohio in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1838 to 1859. He was at first a member of ...

, attorney, one of founders of Republican Party. ** Charles Durkee, U.S. Representative, one of founders of Republican Party. ** Edward M. Davis (1811–1887), Pennsylvania abolitionist. Married

Lucretia Mott Lucretia Mott (''née'' Coffin; January 3, 1793 – November 11, 1880) was an American Quaker, abolitionist, women's rights activist, and social reformer. She had formed the idea of reforming the position of women in society when she was amongs ...

's daughter; served in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

. **

Charles C. Foote Rev. Charles C. Foote (March 30, 1811 – May 3, 1891) was an American Presbyterian minister, abolitionist and temperance activist. He was the vice-presidential nominee of the Liberty Party in the 1848 election alongside Gerritt Smith. The L ...

, Vice-Presidential nominee of the Liberty Party in 1852. ** Joseph C. Hathaway (1810–1873), an influential Quaker farmer and abolitionist, of

Waterloo, New York Waterloo is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 7,338 at the 2020 census. The town and its major community are named after Waterloo, Belgium, where Napoleon was defeated. There is also a village called Water ...

. **

George W. Julian George Washington Julian (May 5, 1817 – July 7, 1899) was a politician, lawyer, and writer from Indiana who served in the United States House of Representatives during the 19th century. A leading opponent of slavery, Julian was the Free Soi ...

(1817–1899), antislavery Whig from Indiana, became Radical Republican. Member of Congress 1849–1852 and 1861–1871. ** William Goodell (1792–1878), minister and lecturer, co-founder of the American Anti-Slavery Society and editor of its first official organ, '' The Emancipator''. ** Thomas Davis (1806–1895), jewelry manufacturer, member of Congress from Rhode Island. ** John Todd, minister and author. ** Rowland Robinson, 17, future author and illustrator. 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: 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 Daguerreotype (; french: daguerréotype) was the first publicly available photographic process; it was widely used during the 1840s and 1850s. "Daguerreotype" also refers to an image created through this process. Invented by Louis Daguerre ...

held by the Madison County Historical Society, with a smaller copy (image flipped) in the

J. Paul Getty Museum The J. Paul Getty Museum, commonly referred to as the Getty, is an art museum in Los Angeles, California housed on two campuses: the Getty Center and Getty Villa. The Getty Center is located in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles and fea ...

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

; to her right, also with pen, is Joseph Hathaway; behind her stands

, 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".

References

External links

Colored Conventions Project