Abolition Fanaticism in New York Speech of a Runaway Slave from Baltimore, at an Abolition Meeting in New York, Held May 11, 1847

In the packed New York Tabernacle on a spring evening in 1847, a former enslaved man steps onto the platform before a throng of thousands. He tells the crowd that he comes not to dazzle them with lofty oratory but to speak plainly about the reality he has lived. His voice carries the weight of a life spent in bondage and the resolve of a man who has escaped it.

He describes the brutal conditions he endured, the desperate choice to flee, and the years he spent abroad where he first tasted true freedom. The contrast between the oppression he knew in America and the acceptance he found in England sharpens his call for immediate emancipation. Through vivid anecdotes and quiet gratitude, he urges his listeners to act, reminding them that the fight for liberty is both a moral and a Christian duty.