The great and engrossing thought with me was, how shall I now employ my time and my talents so as to tell most effectually upon this system of wrong! As I have stated, there was no Anti-Slavery Society then--there was no Vigilance Committee.

I had, therefore, to select a course of action, without counsel or advice from any one who professed to sympathize with the slave.

Many, many lonely hours of deep meditation have I passed during the years 1828 and 1829, before the great anti-slavery movement.

On the questions, What shall I do for the slave?
How shall I act so that he will reap the benefit of my time and talents?
At one time I had resolved to go to Africa, and to react from there; but without bias or advice from any mortal, I soon gave up that, as looking too much like feeding a hungry man with a long spoon.
At length, finding that the misery, ignorance, and wretchedness of the free coloured people was by the whites tortured into an argument for slavery; finding myself now among the free people of colour in New York, where slavery was so recently abolished; and finding much to do for their elevation, I resolved to give my strength in that direction.

And well do I remember the great movement which commenced among us about this time, for the holding of General Conventions, to devise ways and means for their elevation, which continued with happy influence up to 1834, when we gave way to anti-slavery friends, who had then taken up the labouring oar.