Anti-Slavery Petitions from Jefferson County

The fight against slavery and policies that supported it became the subject of numerous petitions from residents of the north, including Jefferson County. The extracts listed here are very typical in opposing the slave trade, the slave trade in the District of Columbia, the annexation of Texas (which became a slave state) and for the recognition of Haiti. The latter, governed by blacks, was staunchly opposed by the south. The one not very typical item here was the petition of Sept. 26, 1837 by free black citizens of Jefferson County. Unfortunately, as with most other petitions, names weren't provided. The South was successful in passing a rule that no anti-slavery petitions would be accepted, also the subject of a petition here. The hero of this effort was Representative and former President John Quincy Adams who read these into the record despite the official rules.



March 1 1836

Petitions and memorials, praying that slavery and the slave trade may he abolished in the District of Columbia, were presented as follows, viz

By Mr. Carr: A petition of citizens of Jefferson, in the State of Indiana.

Sept. 25, 1837

Petitions and memorials, praying for the abolition of slavery and for the prohibition of the slave trade in the District of Columbia and in the District of Columbia and the Territories of the United States, were presented by Mr. John Quincy Adams, as follows, viz:

* Of James Matthews and 80 inhabitants of Jefferson county, in the State of Indiana;
* Of Jane Phillips and 78 females of Jefferson county, in the State of Indiana;

Sept. 25, 1837
Mr. John Quincy Adams presented memorials remonstrating against the annexation of Texas to the Union of these States, as follows, viz:

Memorials praying for the abolition of slavery and the slave trade in the District of Columbia, or in the District of Columbia and in the Territories of the United States, were presented as follows, to wit:

Of citizens of Jefferson county, in the State of Indiana;
Of free colored people of Jefferson county, in the State of Indiana


Feb. 14, 1838

Memorials praying the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia were presented as follows, viz: By Mr. W. Graham, of Indiana: Of citizens, male and female, of Jefferson county, in the State of Indiana;

April 9, 1838
Memorials praying the abolition of the slave trade in the District of Columbia were presented as follows, viz: Of Sarah Reed and 26 other women of Jefferson county, in the State of Indiana.


Monday, Feb. 4, 1839.

Also, the petition of 204 citizens of Jefferson and Scott counties, Indiana, praying the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia, and the Territories of the United States; to regulate the slave, trade among the States, and against the annexation of Texas to the United States. Also, the petition of 57 citizens of Jefferson county, Indiana, protesting against the admission of any new State into the Union whose constitution tolerates domestic slavery, and against the annexation of Texas. Also, the petition of 28 inhabitants of Jefferson county, Indiana, praying Congress to regulate the slave trade among the States. Also, the petition of 28 inhabitants of Jefferson county, Indiana, praying the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia. Also, the petition of 29 inhabitants of Jefferson county, Indiana, protesting against the admission of any new State into this Union whose constitution tolerates slavery ,and against the annexation of Texas to the United Suits. Also, the petition of 43 inhabitants of Jefferson county, Indiana, praying the immediate abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia. Also, the petition of 4 inhabitants of Jefferson county, Indiana, praying the immediate abolition of traffic in slaves.


February 18, 1839

Petitions praying for the abolition of Slavery and the slave trade in the District of Columbia, were presented by Mr. John Quincy Adams, as follows, viz:


Of Eli H. Higgins and 72 others, of Jefferson county, in the State of Indiana;


Feb. 1, 1840.

The message was read.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Finance, and printed.

Mr. Smith, of Indiana, presented two petitions from citizens of Jefferson county, Indiana, praying the abolition of slavery and the slavetrade in the District of Columbia; two petitions from citizens of the same county, praying the abolition of the domestic slavetrade; also, two petitions from the same, praying the abolition of slavery and the slavetrade in the Territory of Florida; also, two petitions from the same, praying the rejection of all applications for the annexation of Texas to the Union; also, a petition praying that no State, whose constitution tolerates domestic slavery, may be admitted into the Union; and, also, a petition from the same, praying the recognition of the independence of Hayti, and the establishment of commercial regulations with that Government.


March 30, 1840.

A petition of J. C. Tibbetts and others, voters in Jefferson and Jennings counties, in the State of Indiana, praying the House of Representatives to rescind the resolution passed on the 12th day of December, 1838, in relation to petitions touching slavery; which was laid on the table.