The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-09-21
THE AMERICAN BOARD OF MISSIONS Ann
SLAVERY.

SLAVERY.
This Board, OF it's recent nesting in Hart.
ford, Connecticut, was somewhat agitated BY
the universal disturber. IL seems that The
Council of the Choctaw Nation having for.
hidden the teaching of slaves in the schools
and banished what it calls Abolitionists from
it's borders, the Prudential Committee Of the
Board refused to conduct the Boarding School.
under euch regulations The subject cane
before the Board, in the form of Report By
condemning tho action of the Chootsw Nation,
and sanctioning the conduct of the Prudential
Committee. DR.. Dwight sustained the Report
in few remarks, and was followed By Dr..
Parker who dissented from it, Mr. Reed, Of
Richmond, Virginia, thought the ChOctaWs
had simply exercised an undoubted right and
that the Board ought not to interfere.
"The Rev. DIR. Bacon rose and was received
with demonstrations of applause, which were
checked by the Chair. He was glad his lr.
ginia brother had been privileged to speak
and vindicate his orthodoxy to the section
where he resided. These schools were estah
lished by a compact between the Board and
the Choctaws. And now Slavery thrusts sc
in the way, and forbids the missionaries to
teach the slaves TO read. A law prohibiting
this had existed for years as u dead lettor, bu
is now re-enactod by the highest authority Of
the Nation. The Choctaws have the right to
choose their own schoolInasters But carry
out the principle, and allow the slaves to
choose theirs and doubtless our Southern
friends will reject the principle! As to the
exclusion of Abolitionists, who are they The
ChOotaw law defines them as those who teach
slaves to read or sing Y is highly probable
that they have been helped to enact this law
The Power which declares that Slavery shall
not be abolished in Cuba will never allow it 10
be repudiated on the borders of Alabama The
Choctaws must check movements in that d..
rection, or they will DO destroyed from being
nation
"Chancellor Walworth regretted this discus.
sion. A similar one came near ronding the
Board in twain few years since, and it il eI
erting q most unhappy influence now The
Board was proceeding happily, and exertinga
powerful influence for good. If this discussion
be continued, the work of this meeting a;
least, is done.
The Hon. Mr.. Childs indicated the action
of the Prudential Committee, upon the same
grounds with DR.. Bacon.
"ln this state of things, the Rev. DR.. Eddy
moved that the report be re. committed, which
was carried, and it was made the order of the
day for this evening.
81 In the evening, the subject of the ChOctaw
mission again came up, and another exciting
discussion was had, which was continued until
between eleven and twelve O'Clock, when the
Board adopted the report and resolutions Of
the committee on that subject, endorsing the
principles Of Mr.. Treats letter of 1S4S, and
refusing to continue the connection with the
Choctaw schools uzder the present law which
forbids the instructing of slaves or slave chill
dren, and excludes Abolitionists and thOR
spreading fanatical sentiments, from the Choc
taw Nation.
The Board again met at an carly hour tbs
morning, and couple of hours were spent IN
listening to spontaneous addresses fsom differ.
emit individuals. Most of the speakers seemed
to rejoice that the Choctaw question had been
met and decided. At ten O'Clock, the BOa.d I'd.
journed sine die.