New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-05-05
rnedr1 Convention.

been about five hundred, OF whom probably one
half were delegates. 4 Committee was iirst raised
to nominate officers, and curing It's absence Tor
consultation,
Robert Ouen, (thc Soci4list,) being loudly called
for, addressed the assemblage briefly and sensibly
He said he rejoiced TO find himself in the midst OF
body possessing capacities and energies which, II
fully employed and rightly directed, would do very
much TO Danish vice and misery from the world
He objected to the name under which this meeting
hadybeen called lie did not object TO being called
an lnfidr by those who condemned has yiews-ne
had never shrunk from the avowal OF his own skep-
,icisrn on all flung occasions-hut he objected 10
the ASSUMPTION of the name lnfde 10 Distinguish
this or any similar meeting The term was TOO
narrow, too negative 10 It's slsnncauon. II nm
Piled hostility and condemnation. II this meeting
was acuated by the spirit and contemplated the OBJ
lecs which ne believed il did, he would prefer the
title of Convention OF the Friends OF Universal
Mental Freedom and Unlimited Charity" he
trusted this meeting had assembled 10 proclaim and
defend the principles q unqualified Freedom Of
Omsion and unfoundeS Charity for human errors.
Acting on such principles, it could not fail TO be
harmonious, satisfactory and benefcent. Mr.. O.'s
remarks were received with general favor.
Mrs Rose of this City followed, with some re-
marks Of similar tenor 10 those CT sjr. Owen. Her
accent (Polish) is unfamiliar, md she speaks too
sratoricay and too rapidly, so that we have not
retained any very distinct conception of her ha-
rangue.
Jola. H. Collins was now called for, but did not
respond We understood Mr.. g. Yale to observe
that Mr. c. was not considered of sound mind, but
we may have misapprehended his remark.
The Committee to select Officers here indicated
itsreadiness 10 report After reading letter from
Judge HErTrELL Of this City, regretns that illness
would prevent his promised attendance al the open
ing of the Convention, they reported the name OF
Judge HERITELL OF this City for President, WM. c.
BELL OF Ky. and nine others from different States
as Vice Presidents, James NJ Beckett OF Mass. as
Secretary, (wlth two Assistants,) and Thomas
Thompson of this City as Treasurer. The report
was accepted and the nominations adopted. Mr.
Bell in the absence Of Judge Hertell, took the
Chair.
Here followed protrac,ed discussion, after the
usual manner of newly organized public bodies, on
the proprie,y of recording and publishing the names
of all the MISUNDERSTANDING or not allowing those
who chose 10 Withdraw their names or withhold
them from ubllcation-allowing or not allowing
those who saw fit 10 withhold their names to par
licipate in the doirgs OF the Convention, &c. Mo-
ton was piled on motion, amendment on amend
ment ill the really able and courtecusly prompt
Chairman was somewhat puzzled; and, alter the
matter had all been decided once. II was reconsld-
cred and all gone over again, We understood the
upshot to be that any delegates who chose might
walk up to the desk then, IN the face OF The assem-
bly, and Withdraw their names; hut those who de-
cned this were regarded as asserting to their pub
Iication a, the option of the Convention. sort of
recess was now taken, {about noon,) TO allow The
Secretaries TO receive the credentials OF delegates,
and we came away.
We have not intended to cest reproach on this
assenlblage, and shall not do Since there are
lndels scattered all over our land, and II is idle
quarrellng with them on that account as with those
who happen TO have club iret or SIX fingers on
hand we are glad that they have thought best 10
hold Convention. We doubt not an elevation ot
the aims and an improvement (where IL is needed)
of the morals oi many wall be the consequence
Devotion TO his patty or Sect sohctudc Tor It's wei
tare and pride in its resPcciablh,y, make many
man behave better than he Otherwise would In
iidels have been very uatavorably situated for the
cultivation of moral affections spiritual graces,
to say nothing OF their rather blank creed. Here
and there. from the St Johns TO the Sabine,
youth has a severe parent or master who Is vehe-
men, Chrs!ian-gets badly tlosged Tor gong TO
pav instead of to church on Sunday-has religion
crammed down his throat in some harsh fashion,
or witnesses some gross exposure OF hypocrisy ana
sancrfied vil!ainy-and resolves 10 be an lnndel
On the first avowal. he encounters storm OF re-
proach or abuse which causes The disease to strike
in and become chronic. He .crapes together few
volumes of voltaire, Volney, Tom. Paine, d Ho-
bach. &c studies them intently, becomes a senior
wrangler' on the side OF unbeliei, hsSing at his
tongues end lot of objections 10 Christianity, or
what passes for in his neighborho"d which those
he meets cannot answer-aI least, not to his salts
faction Reading and hearing very little OF the
real evidences OF Christianity, he regards Nevela-
lion with Il supercilious contemp. which Is none
the less bsotry because il is lniidel But lntdelity,
oakedly and per Sc, does not furnish any persua,
sions to Virtue aud discussions from Vice 10 re-
place those which he has rejected. He may be a
veIv good man. bu, not on account OF what he dis
believes His accounting Moses an imposlor will
|
elation for the commandments, Thou shalt not
| kill; Thou shalt no, STEAL &c Having cut loose
from the restraining and supporting influence of the
| Religious in the community ot which he is a
member, and havns-tegarded SIMPLY as an Inf
del-nothing 10 operate in lis stead, Is II avon
der that he quite often falls below the moral
standard OF his time and vicinity! Shall we
offend a sensible lntidel IN saying that We found
or fancied, in scanning the heads OF their Conven.
lion yesterday, among many bespeakins lofty aims
and Intellectual develoPemept, rather larger pro-
portion of countenancss deiormed by passion OF
marred by sensuality than we have ever remarked
in a similar assembsge OF those they consider the
dspes OF prestly fraud and vo'ares OF superstition
True, these were but a small proportion of the
whole number; yet, as whole, The Convention
could hardly be deemed under obligations 10 the
discoveries OF Gall or Lava,ey. Saving nothing OF
tho Influence oi belief who can doubt that the $50