New York Manumission Society
Encyclopedia
The New York Manumission Society was an early American
organization founded in 1785 to promote the abolition
of the slavery
of African descendants within the state of New York
. The organization was made up entirely of white men, most of whom were wealthy and held influential positions in society. Throughout its 71-year history, which ended in 1849, the society battled against the slave trade and for the eventual emancipation of all the slaves in the state; it founded a school for poor and orphaned children of slaves and freemen
.
had been a prominent leader in the antislavery cause since 1777, when he drafted a state law to abolish slavery. The draft
failed, as did a second attempt in 1785. In 1785, all state legislators except one voted for some form of gradual emancipation. However, they did not agree on what civil rights would be given to the slaves once they were freed. In 1799, an emancipation bill passed by not mentioning the subject of civil rights for freed slaves at all.
Jay brought in prominent political leaders such as Alexander Hamilton
. He also worked closely with Aaron Burr
, later head of the Democratic-Republicans in New York. The Society started a petition against slavery, which was signed by almost all the politically prominent men in New York, of all parties and led to a bill for gradual emancipation. Burr, in addition to supporting the bill, made an amendment for immediate abolition, which was voted down.
Society, and became its first president in 1785.
The organization was originally composed of Jay and a few dozen close friends, many of whom were slave-owners at the time. The first meeting was on January 25, 1785, at the home of John Simmons
- who had space for the nineteen men in attendance since he kept an inn. Robert Troup
and Melancton Smith
were appointed to draw up rules; Jay was elected President. There were 31 members at the second meeting on February 4, including Alexander Hamilton
. Several of the members were Quakers.
The Society formed a ways-and-means committee to deal with the difficulty that more than half of the members, including Troup and Jay, owned slaves themselves (mostly a few household servants). The committee reported a plan for gradual emancipation: members would free slaves younger than 28 when they became 35, slaves between 28 and 38 in seven years time, slaves over 45 immediately. This was voted down; and the committee dissolved.
This society was instrumental in having a state law passed in 1785 prohibiting the sale of slaves imported into the state and making it easy to manumit slaves either by a registered certificate or by will. In 1788 the purchase of slaves for removal to another state was forbidden, they were allowed trial by jury "in all capital cases," and the earlier laws about slaves were simplified and restated. The emancipation of slaves by the Quakers was legalized in 1798. At that date there were still about 33,000 slaves statewide.
Another committee kept a list of people who were involved in the slave trade, and urged members to boycott anyone listed. As historian Roger Kennedy reports,
The Society lobbied
, beginning in 1785, for a state law that would abolish slavery in New York, as all the other northern states (except New Jersey
) had done. Considerable opposition came from the Dutch
areas upstate (where slavery was still popular), as well as from businessmen in New York who profited from it. The two houses passed different emancipation bills and could not reconcile them. Nevertheless, every member of the New York legislature, but one, voted for some form of gradual emancipation, but no agreement could be reached on the civil rights of freedmen afterwards. Success finally came in 1799, when the Society supported a bill which said nothing about such rights. Jay signed this statement into law as governor.
The Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery 1799 declared that, from July 4
of that year, all children born to slave parents would be free. It also outlawed the exportation of current slaves. However, the Act held the caveat
that the children would be subject to apprenticeship
. These same children would be required to serve their mother’s owner until age twenty-eight for males, and age twenty-five for females.
The law defined the children of slaves as a type of indentured servant
, while scheduling them for eventual freedom. The last slaves were emancipated by July 4, 1827; the process was the largest emancipation in North America before 1861.
Other anti-slavery societies directed their attention to slavery as a national issue. The Quakers of New York petitioned the First Congress
(under the Constitution) for the abolition of the slave trade. In addition, Benjamin Franklin and the Pennsylvania Abolition Society petitioned for the abolition of slavery in the new nation; but the NYMS did not act. (Hamilton and others felt that Federal action on slavery would endanger the compromise worked out at the Constitutional Convention
, and so the new United States.)
In 1787, the Society founded the African Free School
.
History of the United States
The history of the United States traditionally starts with the Declaration of Independence in the year 1776, although its territory was inhabited by Native Americans since prehistoric times and then by European colonists who followed the voyages of Christopher Columbus starting in 1492. The...
organization founded in 1785 to promote the abolition
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
of the slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
of African descendants within the state of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The organization was made up entirely of white men, most of whom were wealthy and held influential positions in society. Throughout its 71-year history, which ended in 1849, the society battled against the slave trade and for the eventual emancipation of all the slaves in the state; it founded a school for poor and orphaned children of slaves and freemen
Freeman (Colonial)
Freeman is a term which originated in 12th century Europe and is common as an English or American Colonial expression in Puritan times. In the Bay Colony, a man had to be a member of the Church to be a freeman. In Colonial Plymouth, a man did not need to be a member of the Church, but he had to be...
.
John Jay
John JayJohn Jay
John Jay was an American politician, statesman, revolutionary, diplomat, a Founding Father of the United States, and the first Chief Justice of the United States ....
had been a prominent leader in the antislavery cause since 1777, when he drafted a state law to abolish slavery. The draft
Draft document
Drafting is the preliminary stage of a written work in which the author begins to develop a more cohesive product. A also describes the product the writer creates in the initial stages of the writing process.In the drafting stage, the author:...
failed, as did a second attempt in 1785. In 1785, all state legislators except one voted for some form of gradual emancipation. However, they did not agree on what civil rights would be given to the slaves once they were freed. In 1799, an emancipation bill passed by not mentioning the subject of civil rights for freed slaves at all.
Jay brought in prominent political leaders such as Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
. He also worked closely with Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr, Jr. was an important political figure in the early history of the United States of America. After serving as a Continental Army officer in the Revolutionary War, Burr became a successful lawyer and politician...
, later head of the Democratic-Republicans in New York. The Society started a petition against slavery, which was signed by almost all the politically prominent men in New York, of all parties and led to a bill for gradual emancipation. Burr, in addition to supporting the bill, made an amendment for immediate abolition, which was voted down.
Founding
Jay founded the New-York Society for Promoting the Manumission of Slaves, and Protecting Such of Them as Have Been, or May be Liberated or the New York ManumissionManumission
Manumission is the act of a slave owner freeing his or her slaves. In the United States before the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which abolished most slavery, this often happened upon the death of the owner, under conditions in his will.-Motivations:The...
Society, and became its first president in 1785.
The organization was originally composed of Jay and a few dozen close friends, many of whom were slave-owners at the time. The first meeting was on January 25, 1785, at the home of John Simmons
John Simmons
John Christopher Simmons is a former American football defensive back in the National Football League. Simmons was selected in the third round by the Cincinnati Bengals out of Southern Methodist University in the 1981 NFL Draft.-External links:**...
- who had space for the nineteen men in attendance since he kept an inn. Robert Troup
Robert Troup
Robert Troup was an American soldier, lawyer and jurist.Born in Elizabethtown, New Jersey, Troup attended King's College...
and Melancton Smith
Melancton Smith
Melancton Smith was a New York Delegate to the Continental Congress. His first name is sometimes spelled "Melanchthon"; it derives from Philipp Melanchthon, the leader in the Reformation....
were appointed to draw up rules; Jay was elected President. There were 31 members at the second meeting on February 4, including Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
. Several of the members were Quakers.
The Society formed a ways-and-means committee to deal with the difficulty that more than half of the members, including Troup and Jay, owned slaves themselves (mostly a few household servants). The committee reported a plan for gradual emancipation: members would free slaves younger than 28 when they became 35, slaves between 28 and 38 in seven years time, slaves over 45 immediately. This was voted down; and the committee dissolved.
This society was instrumental in having a state law passed in 1785 prohibiting the sale of slaves imported into the state and making it easy to manumit slaves either by a registered certificate or by will. In 1788 the purchase of slaves for removal to another state was forbidden, they were allowed trial by jury "in all capital cases," and the earlier laws about slaves were simplified and restated. The emancipation of slaves by the Quakers was legalized in 1798. At that date there were still about 33,000 slaves statewide.
Lobbying and boycotts
The Society organized boycotts against New York merchants and newspaper owners involved in the slave trade. The Society had a special committee of militants who visited newspaper offices to warn publishers against accepting advertisements for the purchase or sale of slaves.Another committee kept a list of people who were involved in the slave trade, and urged members to boycott anyone listed. As historian Roger Kennedy reports,
"Those [blacks] who remained in New York soon discovered that until the Manumission Society was organized, things had gotten worse, not better, for blacks. Despite the efforts of Burr, Hamilton, and Jay, the slave importers were busy. There was a 23 percent increase in slaves and a 33 percent increase in slaveholders in New York City in the 1790s."
The Society lobbied
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
, beginning in 1785, for a state law that would abolish slavery in New York, as all the other northern states (except New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
) had done. Considerable opposition came from the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
areas upstate (where slavery was still popular), as well as from businessmen in New York who profited from it. The two houses passed different emancipation bills and could not reconcile them. Nevertheless, every member of the New York legislature, but one, voted for some form of gradual emancipation, but no agreement could be reached on the civil rights of freedmen afterwards. Success finally came in 1799, when the Society supported a bill which said nothing about such rights. Jay signed this statement into law as governor.
The Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery 1799 declared that, from July 4
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
of that year, all children born to slave parents would be free. It also outlawed the exportation of current slaves. However, the Act held the caveat
Caveat
Caveat , the third-person singular present subjunctive of the Latin cavere, means "warning" ; it can be shorthand for Latin phrases such as:...
that the children would be subject to apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
. These same children would be required to serve their mother’s owner until age twenty-eight for males, and age twenty-five for females.
The law defined the children of slaves as a type of indentured servant
Indentured servant
Indentured servitude refers to the historical practice of contracting to work for a fixed period of time, typically three to seven years, in exchange for transportation, food, clothing, lodging and other necessities during the term of indenture. Usually the father made the arrangements and signed...
, while scheduling them for eventual freedom. The last slaves were emancipated by July 4, 1827; the process was the largest emancipation in North America before 1861.
Other anti-slavery societies directed their attention to slavery as a national issue. The Quakers of New York petitioned the First Congress
1st United States Congress
-House of Representatives:During this congress, five House seats were added for North Carolina and one House seat was added for Rhode Island when they ratified the Constitution.-Senate:* President: John Adams * President pro tempore: John Langdon...
(under the Constitution) for the abolition of the slave trade. In addition, Benjamin Franklin and the Pennsylvania Abolition Society petitioned for the abolition of slavery in the new nation; but the NYMS did not act. (Hamilton and others felt that Federal action on slavery would endanger the compromise worked out at the Constitutional Convention
Philadelphia Convention
The Constitutional Convention took place from May 14 to September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to address problems in governing the United States of America, which had been operating under the Articles of Confederation following independence from...
, and so the new United States.)
African Free School
African Free School
The African Free School was an institution founded by the New York Manumission Society on November 2, 1787. It was founded to provide education to children of slaves and freemen.-History:...
.
External links
- Official Site-Jay Heritage Center
- 1838 Peter Augustus Jay House1838 Peter Augustus Jay HouseThe 1838 Peter Augustus Jay House and surrounding Jay Property form the centerpiece of the National Historic Landmark Boston Post Road Historic District. This historic district is the surviving remnant of the Jay estate where New York State's only native born Founding Father, John Jay, grew up...
- Westchester County African American Heritage Trail
- Memorials of Peter A. Jay
- Peter Augustus JayPeter Augustus JayPeter Augustus Jay was the eldest son of New York's only native Founding Father, John Jay. Peter was one of 6 children born to John Jay and Sarah Livingston Jay, and one of 2 boys with 4 sisters: Susan ; Maria , Ann and Sarah Louisa Peter Augustus Jay (January 24, 1776 - February 22, 1843) was...