The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-06-15

! icer, and secured the escape OF the Intended
victim. Not weapon had been produced, not
a wound given yet the rescue was boldly
proclaimed by Dir. Webster, Secretary of State,
to be- an act of treason, leyying Of war against
the United States
DELIEQUEHcY AND DUTY OF THE CHURCH.
We have in our country populaton free
and bond, OF between three and four millions,
who, merely on account Of their complexion,
are treated with an almost total disregard Of
that justice and humanity enjoined by the re.
! Iigon we profess. The American and Foreign
Anti Slavery Society laboring to secure 10
them that christian. treatment to which the
gospel of Christ entities them. In this work of
mercy, they invoke, and have rightto invoke,
the counteuance and aid Of the church. We are
not unconsc AUS that the church has, in Iastages,
been frequently faithess to her high mission of
cultivatiug peace and good will among men !;
and he is but little acquainted with passing
events who is ignorant thatthe American church
is at this moment one of the strongest but
tIesses OF American caste and slavery. Would
we, then, if we could, destroy the church? God
forbid. Ii the world is so full Of sin aud
Indebtedness notwithstanding the church, what
would il be without church The answer
may be found in the cruelties and denominations
of pagansm. But the ministers Of Christ are
nen OF like passions with others, and liable, like
others, to be swayed by popular opinion and
motives of selfnterest. tbs possible ma Of
the clergy have not reflected that, in supporting
and indicating slavery, they are lending their
countenance to an institution which outrages
every moral precept they inculcate from the
pulpit. What answer will the Northern clerical
siavecatcher, or the Southern reverend slave
breeder and slave trader return to the inspired
question, " He that loveth not his brother, whom
he hath seen, how he love God, whom he
hath not seeny" Surely it is worthy of remem
| brance that, at the day of final account, the
Judge will consider as done to himself both the
kindness and the cruelty shown to the least of
his brethren.
| We are constantly reminded that the church
is the great instrument of moral reform Most
gratefully do we allow that the precepts of the
gospel are sufficient for all the moral necessities
of man Do to others as you would they
should do unto you" is law which, if obeyed,
would of itself Danish slavery and oppression
from the face of the earth. But, unhappiIy, the
church or at least Il portion of her ministers,
have not always applied the precepts Of the Cos
pei to existing and popular sins tits certain
ly no exaggerated statement, that not one ser
mon in Thousand delivered at the North con
tains the slightest ausion to the duties of
christians toward the colored population while
at the South multitudas of the clergy are as
deeply involved in the iniquities of slavery as
their hearers 1t is no libel on the great body
of our Northern clergy to say that, in regard to
the wrongs of the colored people, instead OF
performing the part of the good Samaritan
their highest merit consists in following the ex
ample of the priest and Levite, and passing by
on the Other side, without INJECTING new injuries
on their wounded brother. But we rejoice to
know that there are ministers of Christ among
us, and not few, to whom these remarks are
wholly innpplicable; men who pray and preach
and labor against slavery and caste, and thus
adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour We
rejoice, ALSO to know that such ministers are APP.
preciated and honored by christians abroad of
every name. The clergy of England, Scotland
and Ireland decline admitting into their pulpit-
clergymen from this country holding what they
deem heretics doctrines; but can they exclude
any for fonler heresy than that which abro-
gates all the christian precepts Of justice and
mercy in their application to colored men! We
trust our freods in Great Britain will not weak.
en- our hands, and strengthen the pro-savery
influence OF our churches by overlooking, in
their reception of American clergymen, the
course they have pursued at home on the sub
ject of slavery. They may be perfectly assured
that the American clergyman who, abroad. is too
digpifed to be questioned as to his opinions on
human bondage, is at home too patriotic to offer
any vigorous opposition to the peculiar instilu-
ton Of his country
| OBJECTS CT THE SOCIETY. .+, ~.
We have thus frankly stated the objects of
the American and Foreign Anti Slavery Society
and confidently ask if they are not objects wor-
thy to be pursued by rational, accountable, chris
tan men! Nay we 60 further and ask, has
not society pursuing such objects valid claims
on the countenance and generous aid of every
! philanthropst and christian in our country A
Hostility to slavery has frequently been asso-
.ciaed with various objects of poll ica and NOR
al reform. 1t is natural it should be 30, since
the same love for our neighhor which revolts al
his oppression, seeks to advance his general wei
fare. But experience has fully proved that
associated action cannot be efficiently maintain
ed in behalf of various plans, respecting which
the individuals associated entertain diverse
opinions. Hence the A. and F. A. s. society,
without passing any judgment on other proposed
reforms, con6ne their efforts in their associated
capacity to the abolition of caste and slavery.
leaving to their members Individually the full
and entire liberty of advocating and promoting,
in such way as they may think proper, any other
reforms, moral or political We believe every
man is bound to exercise the elective franchise
in the fear Of God but while we shall ever re
joice in the election OF yirtuous rulers, who will
do justice and love mercy, il is not the province
of the society to recommend particular indiyid.
uals for the suffrsges of their fellow citizens
II is consoling to US to know that, in the SEN
timents we hive expressed, we erjoy the sym
pathy of almost all without the limits of our
own country who bear the Christian name A
vast multitude on our own soil hold the same
sentiments, and did they act with one heart and
one voice, would coon triumph over the preju-
dice which supports caste, would array the
church on the side of mercy, and rescue the fed.
eral government from it's unholy and unconsti-
| tutiona alliance with slavery. But unfortun-
ately, the sympathies of this multitude, not be-
ing concentrated in action and counsel, are, in
no small degree, powerless foa, good The
auti-slavery host has been divided and of course,
enfeebed, by conflicting opinions on topics not
Immediately aft, citing the colored man. For
of .1ar, fnr