Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-04-21
BRITISH FRIENDS OF THE AMERICAN
ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY.

dependent, making n scurrillous attack upon Par
ker Pillsbury. One of the serious offences for
which Mr.. Pillsubury was belabored, was his
severe robukes of the British and Foreign Anti
Slavery Society. That Mr.. P%lllsbury is not alone
In his estimate of the past unfaithfulness of that
Society, our readers will see by the following extract
from Rev. James Vinccnt's, report to the American
Reform Book and Tract Society. As we noticed a
few weeks since, Mr.. Vincent went to England, as
the agent of this latter Society, but was thwarted
in all his efforts by the British and ForeisnSociety
in connection within the pro-slavery ministers and
church organizations of Britain. We call them
pro-slavery, not that they are professedly so-on
the contrary they are loud in their anti-slavery
professionally because, like the mass of the
clergymen and sectarians of this land, they prefer
their theology and their churches before the prin-
ciples of justice and the freedom of the slave.
Rev. Mr.. Vincent is in connection with the Free
Presbyterian Church. We copy the following ex
%tractof his report from the Christian Press, edited by
Rev. Mr.. Boynton, of Cincinnati, who as our read
ers well know, though a prominent leader in the
Free Church movement, has no sympathy with
the American Anti-Slavery Society and has been
am ong the foremost to discredit its character by
assaulting its prominent friends. And yet
lit was alone among its British friends and sup
porters that Mr.. Nincents' Anti-Slavery la.
bors found encouragement. And the honorable
acknowledgements he makes to those friends Of
the American Society, is reditable to him and
richly morited by their faithful labors for the
slave.
Mr.. Vincent says
1t may be said, that the British and Foreign
Anti-Slavery Society was the proper instrument Tor
such n work as that ! did. Granted, but the Brit
ish and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society did not do
it. What it ought to have donc,and what it did, are
quite different. That Society, make no hesita-
ton in declaring, and should be wanting in faith
fulness were | to omit to state, is a hindrance to
the Anti-Slavcry cause. If an agent from an
American Society visits England, to obtain funds,
they Will stand IN his way, as they did in mine, no
matter what his religious creed is. They have not
the manliness to originate an Anti Slavery move
ment OF any value, but they are dishoEorable
enough to appropriate to themselves the labors of
Others. Without citing other instances. | will con-
line myself to my own experience. The resolu-
ton OF the Congregational Union, commanding the
Turkish Missions Of the American Board, was
passed in May, and from that time they took no
action ON 1t. In September, when | commenced
my correspondence with the Congregational Union,
on the subject Of their commenting the Boards
Mission, giving facts in relation to Its policy, they
WV 'iN'S pit 4 OltISu [Alll-DIiNGTN CDGlPtN-
took no notice Of it, and suppressed the inlorna-
ton from the readers Of the Rcpo,{a, that suck a
correspondence was being conducted. When |
had completed it, and had under God been the
means OF defeating the attempts of the friends Of
the American Board, in the Congregations Union.
Notwithstanding it was one Of the most striking
and valuable exhibitions Of the power of truth, and
one of the most thrilling demonstrations of public
sentiment ever witnessed, not a single word appear
ed IN the hGpoj7er. Tor the following month, though
there was ample time for it. But this is not all.
In addition to supprCssing information on this sub
ject, in the December number of the Repo,tey thew
appropriate to themselves the work that | had
done. They speak of my correspondence as q con-
troversy of some acrimony between myself and
Rev. Z. q. Young" This is quite contrary to fact,
as there Is not to be found in print one word that
has passed between myself and that gentleman.
My Correspondence was directly with the Congre-
gatlonal Union, and partOok of no acrimonious
feeling. They speak of having raised an issue on
the subject Of the American Board, and dismiss an
erroneous notice of my labors, by saying that they
have nothing whatever to do with the personal
matter between myself and the Congregations
Union, conveying the idea that what had passed
between me and that body, was of no account, and
that they were the parties who had raised the
the issue and defeated the American Boards at
tempts. | feel quite willing to let my labors rest
without praise, for L have not sought and hone
never shall seek praise of men /; but do OBJ.
Ject to my labors being appropriated by a Society,
which lay dormant from May till December. and
then took to themselves the praise of having done
what | have, while they studiously suppress all
mention OF me, for the reason, as | immagine, that
II they published my success, it would induce some
of their contributors to donate to the American Re-
form Tract and Book Society, and perhaps their
own treasury might be deficient to that amount.
And here, perhaps, it will be the best place to
remark, that in England there are Anti-Slavery
organizations, which are quite independent of the
] British and IOrpipn Anti SIovarv Co.;o4,. IL 4
which the abolitionists in America are indebted
for any action which mas resulted in England in
respect to American Slavery, whether from the
British and Foreign Anti Slavery Society, or from
their own organizations. l feel quite competent
to make the assertion, that, were it not for these
independent Socities, the British and Foreign Anti
Slavery Society would do less than they do now on
the subject of the American Slavery. They, know,
that if they do not NEEDLE with it, the other Soci-
cites will, hence they feel compelled to take some
action though after all it is done in such q manner.
as to make the public believe that they do some,
thing, when all the time their private acts, as in
my own case, destroy their public acts. The Man
chester Anti-Slavery League, the Leeds Anti
Slavery Society, and the Bristol Ladies Anti Sla-
very Society, are among the most efficient Societies
in England, and are established for the purDose Of
action, which shall tell directly upon the system
of Slavery, especially in the United States. The
promoters of these SOCIETIES are chiefly friends of
theAmerican Anti-Slavery Society, and they co,ope-
rate with that Society, because they believe it to be
the most active and successful opponent of slavery
in America. The supporters of these Societies
are men and women of all denominations, and
their vigilance is beyond all praise. The British
and Foreign Anti-Slayery society has by far the
largest treasury. but its labors will not begin to
compare in their results with those of the Man
chester, Leeds, or Bristol Societies, though thew
have no auxiliaries, and have very limited funds.
The members themselves work, and in a great
variety of ways expend labor, which is extremely
beneficial to the Anti-Slavery cause. If their ex-
Istense answered no other good end they ought to
DO sustained to provoke the British and Foreian
Anti Slavery Society for shame to throw off its
present obstructive policy. l will say, that had it
not been for the Manchester Society, no notice
would have appeared in the Reporter Of the British
and Foreign Anti-Slaycry Society, nor in the Re,
!P''fe'' either OF me or Of your Society, after April,