The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-19 00:00:00

ANTI-SLAVERY lEAGUE.

A public meeting of the friends of this association was
beke n Monday evening at the Crown and Anchor Tavern,
Strand.

George Thompson, Esq , was called to the chair, shedv. wasr
supported by J. Houghton, Esq., W. limey?, Esq.,
Douglaslt Dr.
Thompson,(the
Thompson, Henry Vincent, Mr. Frederick
a es , R.
fugitive
slave), Henry Colman, Esq. (Uited St t ) R
Smith, Esq., &c.
The CHeitsueer said it was his duty to thank
_ them, in the
first place, for the hononr they had conferred upon him, and
lto state that he should be as brief as
would be sufficient to state the circumstances
some time ago itibo. A few words
which led to
the present meeting. At a meeting
was unanimously agreed to invite Mr. Garrison over to this
country, which was accepted by that gentleman. A few
friends met him on his arrival in this room, where a meeting
took place last Monday, at which it
thoie in the bondage
agreed to form an
anti-slavery league, to symp
of slavery, and to unite withathth abolitionists who were en-
deavouring to do away with slavery. e
every. He would take leave
to read the preamble upon which this league was formed. It
was as follows :
" Whereas there are, in the United States of America, three
millions of the human race held in chains and slavery by a
power which sacrilegiously usurps the proprietary right of the
Creator; whereas these three millions of slaves in their utter
helplessness and degradation, make their appeal to the friends
of humanity throughout the world; and whereas the cause
of humanity is not bounded by cocountryeophi
or clime,
limita-
e, nor moral
obligations and duties circumscribed by
Lions or governmental restrictitnis
himself without witness,
; and whereas the God of
the oppressed, who hath
neverleft
hath raised up for the slave population of the United States
friends who are nobly and faithfully struggling to obtain
liberty for the captive by the prosecution of moral and peace-
ful measures ;
" Therefore we, the undersigned, desirous of showing our
'remembrance of those in bonds, as bound with them,' and
believing that we can essentially serve the cause of those in
bondage by actin.- with the uncompromising abolitionists
who compose the ''American Anti-Slavery Society,' do form
ourselves into an association, to be called the' Anti-Slavery
League,' based upon the following principles:— '
" Art. 1. That slave-holding is, under all circumstances,
a sin of the deepest dye, and ought to be immediately aban-
doned.
" Art. 2. That the members of this League shall consist of
all persons subscribing to the foregeing principles, without re-
speot of country, complexion, religious or political creeds.
"Art. 3. That the sole of of this Le.oote shall be the
overthrow, by means exclusively moral and peaceful, of
slavery in every land, but with special reference to the system
now existing in the United States."
It was resolved to adopt the practice of another League, which
Awl been successful—to circulate this preamble, and to enrol
members, who would be furnished with cards at a shilling a
head.—(Cheers.) They would be addressed by Mr. Garri-
son, who was the head of the society fir the abolition of
slavery in the United States. This gentleman had been one
of the earliest and most uncompromising advocates of the
cause he had espoused. He had published a newspaper in
the United States, in which he warmly advocated the rights
of the slave to perfect freedom; and he had even surf, red itn-
preemmem
•- for the fearless assertion of his principles.—
.
(Hear.) (Mr. Thompson here read an extract from a news
paper published Hy Mr. Garrison, asserting his principles.)
Since that period no change had taken place in those principles
in the mind of Mr. Garrison. They would be addressed
also by the other gentlemen connected with this cause,
amongst the rest by Mr. Douglas, who had himself been a
slave, but who not only emancipated himself from the horrors
of• slavery, but also from the darkness and degradation that
invariably attend the accursed system of silvery—(Hear,
bear.) He was near omitting to mention one circumstance,
namely, a meeting that was held at Boston by the black
population, expressing their approval of Mr. Garrison's in-
tention of visiting Scotland, their gratitude for his past ser-
vices, and confidence in his future conduct.
Mr. J. Houcinrorr, of Dublin, proposed the first resolu-
tion, to the effect that they should extend the hand of
friendship to Mr. Garrison, to Frederick Douglas, and Mr.
H. Wright. He said the ladies could do much towards
assisting the object cf the meeting by donations
towards the bazaars which were to be held in
support of the same. He would not trouble them
with any further observations, but though he might not be
of much importance there, he lied endeavoured to render
them some assistance, and which he would continue to do
in his own locality. He would conclude by proposing the
resolution.--( Hear, hear.)
Mr. W. 14) v Err seconded the resolution.
The Rev. Mr. HOUGHTON said, he was not prepared to
give his assent to the resolution then proposed, however he
sympathised with the slaves. He did not wish it to be un-
derstood that he would oppose the resolution, but merely
that it should be recorded that the resolution did not pass
unanimously, but nemine contrelicente.
The resolution was put and carried amid loud cheers, there
being but five dissentients.
Mr. Haerity WRIGHT said there were three millions of
slaves in the United States, who, to all intents and purposes,
were personal chattels. That was the principle of American
slavery, and no matter who was a slaveholder, he pro-
nouncetl hint to be a villain,—(Cheers.) They should under-
stand that by this system a slave was prevented from enter-
ing into marriage or any civil contract, he was not permitted
to learn the alphabet, and whatever injury he might sustain,
as he could not be heard in a court of justice, he could ob-
tain no redress unless his case were taken up by a white
man.—(Groans.) Sotwithetanding this, what had oc-
curred ? In the year 1794, in
the General Assembly
of the Presbyterian Church in America, of which Dr.
Cox was the moderator, it was adopted as a
portion of their discipline, that every man who was in any
way concerned in bringing one of the human race into
slavery, or retaining him in it, or who kept slaves, or who
possessed slaves, was guilty of the worst crimes, and one of
the basest sinners.—( Hear, hear.) Now, it would he
naturally supposed that that assembly wool I not admit such
persons into their church ; but they did. The entire General
Assembly became at last so full of these men, "guilty of the
highest crimes, the basest of sinners," that in 1816 they
came to the determination of blotting out this testimony
from their records, and in 1818 they put upon record that
which was not against slaveholders, but against the system.
Now here was miserable sophistry. Why there was not one
of the slaveholders who would not denounce slavery.
It was easy to transfer your horror from the stripes on
the back of the slaves to slavery in, the abstract.
The negro was separated from the rest of the congregation in
the churches and chapels, and the place allotted to them was
called opprobiously the "Jim Crow pew." The speaker here
read a letter from a Pre,hytesiaa clergyman on this sulsj .et
in confirmation or his assertion. This was the practice of
the Episcopalian Church, as well as the Presbyterian Church.
That was the case in every church except the Rumen
Catholic, where there was no " negro pew."—(Cheers.) The
speaker here read several other published letters, extracts
from newspapers, &c., to the same effect, and to show that
the black slave was treated with, not only perfect inditier-
ence, but with the • .reatcst barbarity, and this, too, by some
of the professors of religion,—(Graans.) He trusted th
the time would come when the slaveholder would &ad this
country too hot for him. —( Loud cheers.) Before con-
cluding, he would state that the interests of this country
were intimately bound up in the cause of American slavery.
—(Hear, hear.) He would now read the resolution, which
was to the effect " That they regarded with feelings of pro-
found sorrow and humiliation the state of the American
churches in relation to the question of slavery, and would
earn .stly implore the various religious denominations todis-
charge in all Christian fidelity the duty of admonishing those
professed Christians in America who practice it in anywise—
plead for the extinction of the feul abomination in their
midst—who reduce the image of God to the condition of a
chattel and a brute, and condemn to ignorance and perpetual
bondage those for whom Christ died."— (Cheers. )
Mr. Gattausost seconded the resolution in a very eloquent
address, in which he enforced the arguments of the preceding
speakers, and gave a vivid picture of the horrors
of slavery. He contended that America could not be
called a Christian country, but might be well designated
a bloodhound country. 'Bloodhounds were very useful in
that country, as would be shown from the letters he weuld
take the liberty of reading to the meeting.—(The speaker
then read those letters, which fully bore out Ills statement,
aid also read an advertisement, anncuncing that some cele-
brated negro-hounds, bloodhounds ':;ere ready for sale.)
What a horrible thing was this, flood-hounds following
those made in the image of Gos's, who were guilty of no crime
but merely endeavoured obtain freet:om, the boon they
had derived from Him es their birth-right. The poor slaves
found
Garr a shelter evesf among the savages of the wiLlerness.—
(r.Garrison eead several other extracts of a similar nature,
and coiitanu,n) He was awry to find that, notwithstanding
all thee , there were some apologists for the slaveowners
in tals country. Its never had degraded himself
crime
as to
for argue
wa s whether slavery was orwas not a
some, it not a debatable q.u.—Hear, hear. 15,060 of those who bad been slavesestion had( taken refuge) in that asylum where the British Sag of freedom floated—
Canada.—(Cheers.) Ile stood there as the representative of
the society for the abolition of slavery in America. That in-
stitution had not swerved fr on its principles, but they had to
encounter difficulties which they did not expect. They had
to contend against a church which countenanced that slavery,
and many, rather than relinquish their pro slavery church,
sacrificed their principles, and left the ranks of the
society. These, too, hid become the most venomous of th,,,ir
opponents, and hurled against them the vilest calumnies.
These he, on the part ~f the society, denied, for, though
individual members of their institution might en-
tertain certain views on religion, or on politics,
their official documents contained nothing of that nature.
They c.-gt..iinly said that . they would nut support a pro-
slavery church, for they contended that it was not, could not
be a church of Christ.—( Hear, hear.) The present position
of the society was a vital one, for they had come to the lest
point, namely—in contact with Government in the United
States. Now they could not agree in the constitution that
still retained a particle of slavery. In this point they were
revolutionists, end would endeavour to effect their object by
littoral means. lie trusted that they would not send any
more delegations over to America, for there was too much of
divinity and too little of common humanity amongst them.
They had all, whether Qaaker, Methodist, or Presbyterian
bowed their knees at the aTtar of Baal.—(Hear,
hear.) If preserved front their English friends of this
description, they would protect themselves from their southern
enemies.—(llear, hear, and laughter.) fie contended that
they were all bound, as a matter of self-interest, to do away
with slavery, for even their fellow-subjects were liable to
underge the horrors of slavery. He call rd on the people of
this country to denoted of their Government to compel the
Government of the Unne 1 Sates to do away with this foul
blot on hutnani
,s-.—( L .ttd . beers.)
The CeatintieN I ben put the resolution, which was carried
by a large tiosj Tity.
Mr. F. tiouutas then addressed the meeting, and con-
tended that toe members of the Evangelical Alliance were
the gre +test epronente of the anti-slavery movement. He
denied alt he statements made by members
of that body at the late tempernece convention, and
deprecated, in strong terms,
the conduct of the
ministers of the Free Church of Scotland in America towards
the coloured populatien, which he described as being of a
most anti-Christian nature, and concluded a most humorous
and eloquent address by proposing a resolution in conformity
with his observations.
The re-solution was seconded and carried.
Mr. Coereen, from New York, here made a few observa-
tions, in which he dissented from the views of the meeting,
arid denied the right of the people of this country to interfere
with the social institutions of the United States,
eeoaded,
and
following resolution was then proposed,
carried :—" That the existence of slavery in the United States
has strengthened the cause of despotism throughout the
world; and that this meeting earnestly, appeals to the people
of America to be faithful to their ov. declaration of rights,
and to decree uaoti this horrible sin, that despots may longer , no