eBook David Walker's Appeal - Journal of Pan African Studies

But remember, Americans, that as miserable, wretched, degraded and abject as you have made us
in preceding, and in this generation, to support you and your families, that some of you, (whites)
on the continent of America, will yet curse the day that you ever were born. You want slaves,
and want us for your slaves!!! My colour will yet, root some of you out of the very face of the
earth!!!!!! You may doubt it if you please. I know that thousands will doubt--they think they
have us so well secured in wretchedness, to them and their children, that it is impossible for such
things to occur.
Why do the slave-holders or tyrants of America and their advocates fight so hard to keep my
brethren from receiving and reading my Book of Appeal to them?--Is it because they treat us so
well?--Is it because we are satisfied to rest in Slavery to them and their children?--Is is because
they are treating us like men, by compensating us all over this free country!! for our labors?--But
why are the Americans so very fearfully terrified respecting my Book?--Why do they search
vessels, &c. when entering the harbors of tyrannical states, to see if any of my Books can be
found, for fear that my brethren will get them to read. Why, I thought the Americans proclaimed
to the world that they are a happy, enlightened, humane and Christian people, all the inhabitants
of the country enjoy equal Rights!! America is the asylum for the oppressed of all nations!!!
Now I ask the Americans to see the fearful terror they labor under for fear that my brethren will
get my Book and read it--and tell me if their declaration is true--viz, if the United States of
America is a Republican Government?--Is this not the most tyrannical, unmerciful, and cruel
government under Heaven--not excepting the Algerines, Turks and Arabs?--I believe if any
candid person would take the trouble to go through the Southern and Western sections of this
country, and could have the heart to see the cruelties inflicted by these Christians on us, he
would say, that the Algerines, Turks and Arabs treat their dogs a thousand times better than we
are treated by the Christians.--But perhaps the Americans do their very best to keep my Brethren
from receiving and reading my "Appeal" for fear they will find in it an extract which I made
from their Declaration of Independence, which says, "we hold these truths to be self-evident, that
all men are created equal," &c. &c. &c.--If the above are not the causes of the alarm among the
Americans, respecting my Book, I do not know what to impute it to, unless they are possessed of
the same spirit with which Demetrius the Silversmith was possessed--however, that they may
judge whether they are of the same avaricious and ungodly spirit with that man, I will give here
an extract from the Acts of the Apostles, chapter xix.--verses 23, 24, 25, 26, 27.
"And the same time there arose no small stir about that way. For a certain man named Demetrius
a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by
this craft we have our wealth moreover, ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost
throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying, that they be
no gods which are made with hands: so that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at
naught;
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David Walker’s Appeal by David Walker
The Journal of Pan African Studies 2009 eBook