New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-06-22
THE COURIER ON ABOLITION.


The Courier and Enquirer, in answer to our in
yitation to leave its cotton-creed and come fully
over to the ranks of Northern Freedom, denies
that it has shifted its position since 1S34-the
period when it dilated, as we showed by ex-
tracts, upon the mob which Quilted Lewis Tap
pans house. AS to whether The Courier APP
proved of the mob in question or not, Git now
denies that it did, we shall let the quotations
which we gave from it's files Of 1884, and which
it republishes, answer for themselves. We
have some little experience in the meaning of
terms, and have a shrewd suspicion that when
set Of men are told by press representing
the wealth and the respectability of the COM
muniiy that "the egis of the law Indignantly
"withdraws its shelter from them" the mob is
fully authorized to main, murder, sack and burn
at pleasure under such a dispensation.
1.-THE Abolitionists of 1884," says The Courier,
"whom we denounced, openly advocated an in
"terft rer ce with the rights Of the South, and
"tbe abolition of Slavery in the Southern States
sin defiance of the Constitution. And not con-
"tent with this treason to the country, they also
advocated the omalgamation Of the races, and
"countenanced and sustained white women OF
"tbis City in marrying with the negro" The
Courier states, we will charitably presume, what
il believes to be the TRUTH but it must not
ink US rude if we cay that il is indebted for its
facts solely to its own perverted imagination.
The Abolitionists Of l534-we speak deliberately
knowing whereof we affrm--dd not advocate
any illegal interference with the rights of the
"south did not propose the abolition Of
"Slayery in the Southern States in defiance OF
"tbe Constitutions" and no more advocated
an agamation thsn Messrs Sumner and Wilson
do now These and all similar accusations, the
very fuel by which the Pro-Slayery Press of that
oay fed the hot flames of mObocracy, were all
false, and in most instances maliciousy so. The
Aboitionists of 1884 simply denounced Slavery
as sin against God and crime against man, and
30 far from advocating its "abOlt,on in the
"Southern States in defiance of the Constitu.
"ton," they distinctly and emphatically dis
claimed such a design. The American Anti
Slavery Society which then as now had
its seat of operations in this City, and
which was the special object Of The Courisr's
assaults, was formed in 1893. Its purposes
were thus distinctly defined by its own Consti-
tuition: "The objects of this Society are the
entire abolition of Slavery in the United
Estates. While it admits that each State in
(which Slavery exists has by the Constitution
{" Of the United States the exclusive right to
kg;slafe in regard to its abolition in said State,
il shall aim to convince all our fellow-citizens,
"by arguments addressed to their undertakings
and eonseiences, that slaveholding is heinous
crime in the sight of God; and that the duty,
" safety, and best interests of all concerned, re-
quire its immediate abandonment, without expa-
triation. The Society will also endeayor, IN
constitutional ray, to influence Congress to
put an end to the domestic Slaye-trade, and
to abolish Slavery in all those portions of our
common country which come under its con-
trol, especially in the District of Columbia,
" and likewise to prevent the extension of it TO
any State that may be hereafter admitted to
"tbe Union" The auxiliary Societies every
whore proclaimed the same doctrines with the
ssme careful discrimination between the pow
eIs of the General Government and those of the
ststes, and the Anti.savery lectures, period-
Gals and tracts of that period, though denounced
as "iDcendiary" aud REASONABLE" by The
Corrier ard other Pro.Slayery journals, proposed
moth nc more illegal OF unconstitutional than is
set forth above. So far from advocating "mur-
"der," as The Courier alleges, the Abolitienists
oftbat day were expressly pledgedby the terms of
ID cir OF ganization 'never in sny way to counte-
"nance the oppressed in indicating their rights
"by resortipg to physical force The petitions
sent to Congress at that period prayed not for
the interference Of that body with Slavery in
the States, but only in the District of Columbia
and the Territories, and for the exercise Of such
other powers as statesmen like Webster and
Clay admitted that it possessed. Upon all these
points we fearlessly appeal to the record.
The Courier speaks Of the lectures lately de-.
livered in this City By the Massachusetts, Sena.