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Start Over Collection Commonwealth of Virginia versus Abolition Society of New York, 1835 Creator Frederick County (Va.) Circuit Court.
Library of Virginia

Commonwealth of Virginia versus Abolition Society of New York, 1835

Commonwealth of Virginia versus Abolition Society of New York, 1835, consists of a criminal presentment issued by a grand jury in Frederick County against the Abolition Society of New York. In a lengthy and strongly worded indictment, the grand jury referred to the antislavery organization as an "evil of great magnitude" and accused it of disturbing the peace of the Commonwealth and threatening the lives of its citizens by inciting slaves to rebel. It encourages local law enforcement agencies throughout Virginia to adopt "increasing vigilance ... in the detection of all fanatical emissaries, and in the suppresion of their nefarious schemes and publications." Furthermore, the grand jury called on the General Assembly to enforce present laws and enact stricter legislation against written or printed material that encouraged slave insurrection. The presentment also names Arthur Tappan, whom the grand jury considered to be the "prime mover" in the society.

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Commonwealth of Virginia versus Abolition Society of New York, 1835

Frederick County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Commonwealth of Virginia versus Abolition Society of New York, 1835, consists of a criminal presentment issued by a grand jury in Frederick County against the Abolition Society of New York. In a lengthy and strongly worded indictment, the grand jury referred to the antislavery organization as an "evil of great magnitude" and accused it of disturbing the peace of the Commonwealth and threatening the lives of its citizens by inciting slaves to rebel. It encourages local law enforcement agencies throughout Virginia to adopt "increasing vigilance ... in the detection of all fanatical emissaries, and in the suppresion of their nefarious schemes and publications." Furthermore, the grand jury called on the General Assembly to enforce present laws and enact stricter legislation against written or printed material that encouraged slave insurrection. The presentment also names Arthur Tappan, whom the grand jury considered to be the "prime mover" in the society.

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