The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-06-04

The following IL the report Of the Select Conn.,
mittee of the Presbyterian Assembly (New Schoo)
at Buffalo on the subject of slavery it was finally
adopted by that body: a
The committee to which was referred the sub
ject of slavery reported that twelve memorials
from different Synods and Presbyteries had come
into their hands. Of these memorials, eleven are
from the North, praying the Assembly for further
action, and asking for particular information in
regard to the extent Of the practice of slavehodng
in the Presbyterian Church, and in regard also to
certain alleged aggravations of it in the unchris-
tan and cruel treatment of the slaves.
One memorial is from the South, complaining of
The injustice of Northern brethren in charging
upon them the practices of which they are not
guilty and attributing to them motives which they
abhor, and protesting against the continued agita-
ton of the subject, tending more to rivet than
unloose the chains of the slave and seriously to
barrass the memorialists in their gospel work.
The committee, after much patient and prayer.
ful consideration OF the whole subject in all its
in recommending to the Assembly the following
action:
!. That this body shall reaffirm the doctrine of
the second resolutions adopted by the General AS
sembly, convened in Detroit, in 1850; and
2. That with an express disavOwal of any inten-
ton to be impertinently inqusitoriaI, and for the
sole purpose of arriving at the truth, to cor
rect misrepresentation and allay all causeess irri.
tation, committee be appointed of one from each
of the Synods Of Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri,
and Virginia, who shall be requested to report to
the next General Assembly on the following ponts:
l. The number of shareholders in connection
with the churches, and the number of slaves held
by them:
2 The extent to which slaves are held from an
unavoidable necessity imposed by the laws of the
States, the, obligations of guardianship, and the
demands of humanity. E7
g. Whether the Southern churches regard the
sncredness OF the marriage relation it exists
among the slaves; whether baptism ia only adj
mnstered to the children of the slaves protesting
Christianity; and, in general, to what extent and
in what manner provision is made for the religious
well being of the enslaved.
Your committee recommend
4. That this Assembly do earnestly exhort and
beseech all those in our church who are happily
relieved from any personal connection with the in.
stitution OF slavery, to exercise due patience and
forbearance toward their brethren less fortunate
than themselves, remembering the embarrass-
ments of their peculiar position and 10 cberish for
them that fraternal confidence and love to which,
as Christian brethren, they entitled. and which
they the more need in consequence Of the pecu.
liar trials by which they are surrounded
The following is the resolution adopted at De-
troit, referred to in the nbove report:
Resolved That the holding of our fellow men in
the condition OF slavery, except in those cases
where it is unavoidable by the laws of the State,
the obligations of guardianship or the demands OF
humanity, is an offence in the proper import of
that term as used in the Book of Discipline. chap.
|, sec. 3, and should be regarded and treated in
the same manner as other offences.