Your petitioners, women of America, whose names are hereunto subscribed, cons[tr?]ained by the love of humanity, address you in behalf of [?] claims of a million and a half of their sex, who are afforded no legal protection for the heart’s dearest ties, or woman’s “sacred honor,” but with their husbands, sons and brothers, are the doomed victims of a system that dwarfs the intellect, degrades the morals, and debases the entire being.

Believing that they are solemnly bound “to remember those in bonds as bound with them,” and believing that in this age of light, while the great principles of Liberty are animating the nations, that the Government of these United States, this “Model Republic” should use all its constitutional power to eradicate, within its own bounds, an evil which is being repudiated by the civilized world as its direst curse, they are constrained respectfully and earnestly to pray your honorable body at once to devise such measures as may come legitimately within their province, both to prevent the farther extension of American Slavery, and to withdraw the protection and countenance hitherto afforded by our Government and flag to the American Slave Trade, and to suppress Slavery effectually in those sections over which Congress has competent jurisdiction. And your petitioners will ever pray.