"I oppose the Mexican War, as do all true opponents of slavery. President Polk is a slave owner and like all slave owners, he wants to expand slavery everywhere. That's why this war is being fought: to steal more territory from Mexico so that Mexico can be carved up into new slave states. Mexico abolished slavery in 1829, and the Texans left Mexico and established their own "country" so that they could keep their slaves. Now Texas is entering the United States as a slave state. My organization and I will speak out , organize protest meetings, write articles, publish pamphlets, and do everything legal we can do to oppose this immoral war. In our newspaper, The Liberator, we have written what we hope the Mexicans will win this war. It's not a popular statement these days, but when it comes to justice, we cannot compromise."
Link to primary source:
http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/declaration-of-sentiments-adopted-by-the-peace-convention/
In the "Declaration of Sentiments", William Lloyd wrote for the founding meeting of the American Anti-Slavery Society in December of 1833. He clearly articulated the mission of the radical abolitionists: they were to transform America through the written and spoken word.They called it “moral suasion.” However, one may also refer to it as propaganda.The word these abolitionists wanted to spread was that slavery was sinful and must be abolished. Although the abolitionists were to later develop direct action, non-violent protest methods such as boycotts and sit-ins. Other strategies were created to give opportunities for abolitionists to spread their message through symbolic gestures, persuasive writings or through a dramatic newspaper copy.
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