Minutes of the Proceedings of the Second Convention of Delegates from the Abolition Societies Established in Different Parts of the United States   By: Zachariah Poulson (1761-1844)

OF THE

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE SECOND

Convention of Delegates

FROM THE

ABOLITION SOCIETIES

Established in different Parts of the United States,

ASSEMBLED AT

PHILADELPHIA ,

ON THE SEVENTH DAY OF JANUARY, ONE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND NINETY FIVE, AND CONTINUED, BY ADJOURNMENTS, UNTIL THE FOURTEENTH DAY OF THE SAME MONTH, INCLUSIVE.

[Illustration: (decoration)]

PHILADELPHIA:

PRINTED BY ZACHARIAH POULSON, JUNR. NUMBER EIGHTY, CHESNUT STREET, EIGHT DOORS BELOW THIRD STREET,

MDCCXCV.

MINUTES

OF THE

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE SECOND

Convention of Delegates.

Philadelphia, Wednesday, January 7th. 1795.

Agreeably to the recommendation of the Convention, held in this city last year, a number of Delegates, from the several Abolition Societies in the United States, assembled, this day, at the City Hall, when, by the credentials produced, it appeared, that the following persons had been chosen to represent their respective Societies in this Convention:

Connecticut Society.

Jonathan Edwards, Uriah Tracy, Zephaniah Swift.

New York Society.

John Murray, junior, William Johnson, Lawrence Embree, William Dunlap, William Walton Woolsey.

Pennsylvania Society.

William Rawle, Robert Patterson, Benjamin Rush, Samuel Coates, Caspar Wistar, James Todd, Benjamin Say.

Delaware Society.

Richard Bassett, John Ralston, Allen McLane, Caleb Boyer.

Wilmington Society ( state of Delaware .)

Cyrus Newlin, James A. Byard, Joseph Warner, William Poole.

Maryland Society.

Samuel Sterett, Adam Fonerdon, Joseph Townsend, Joseph Thornburgh, George Buchanan, John Bankson, Philip Moore.

Chester town Society ( state of Maryland .)

Edward Scott, James Houston.

Of whom the following appeared and took their seats, viz.

Jonathan Edwards, Uriah Tracy, Zephaniah Swift, William Johnson, Lawrence Embree, William Dunlap, William Walton Woolsey, William Rawle, Robert Patterson, Benjamin Rush, Samuel Coates, Caspar Wistar, James Todd, Benjamin Say, Richard Bassett, Caleb Boyer, Cyrus Newlin, Joseph Warner, Samuel Sterett, Joseph Townsend, Joseph Thornburgh, John Bankson, Philip Moore, Edward Scott, James Houston.

The Convention proceeded to the election of a President, and, on counting the ballots, it appeared, that Benjamin Rush was duly elected.

Walter Franklin, one of the Secretaries of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society, was appointed Secretary, and Joseph Fry, Doorkeeper.

Agreed, That all questions, which shall come before this Convention, be decided by a majority of the votes of the members present, and that every motion, when seconded, shall, if required by the President, or any member, be reduced to writing.

The address, from the last Convention, to the different Abolition Societies in the United States, was then read; after which, several written and verbal communications were made.

Jonathan Edwards, William Dunlap, Caspar Wistar, Cyrus Newlin, Caleb Boyer, Philip Moore, and James Houston, were appointed a committee to consider of, and report, the objects proper for the attention of this Convention, and the most suitable means of attaining the same.

Ordered, That the several communications, made this evening, be referred to the above committee, and that the members of the Convention be requested to impart to them such information as they may possess, relative to the object of their appointment.

Adjourned till to morrow evening at five o'clock.

January 8th. 1795.

The Convention met.

Present Jonathan Edwards, Uriah Tracy, Zephaniah Swift, William Johnson, Lawrence Embree, William Dunlap, William Walton Woolsey, William Rawle, Robert Patterson, Samuel Coates, Caspar Wistar, James Todd, Benjamin Say, Richard Bassett, Caleb Boyer, Cyrus Newlin, Joseph Warner, Joseph Townsend, Joseph Thornburgh, John Bankson, Philip Moore, Edward Scott, James Houston.

The President being absent, Uriah Tracy was appointed to preside for the evening.