Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-06-13

GsGfeES DE5Sss5oA%Aa.
The Presbyterian General Assembly, On.
s. which has been in session more than a
week at Cleveland, Ohio, is completely by
the ears ON the slavery question. On the
seventh day of the session, May 18th, the
report ON slavery being up, Rev. Mr.. Payn-
ter, of the Synod of Tennessee, a citizen of
Virginia, offered as substitute for the re-
port Of tie committee, resolution that the
Presbyterian Church will not permit any of
lcg ministers to preach the Gospel in the
giaveholding States, without subjecting them
to the annual admonitions and reproofs of
the GeneralA The venerable South
ern patriarch addressed the Assembly, stat
ING the difficulties under which Southern
ministers labor, but motion to indefinitely
postpone the resolution was carried by a
large vote.
Nm p. Cutler, of Ohio, then introduced
a substitute proposing censure in the case
of the slaveholding Presbytery of Licking
ton, South. which was not acted upon.
On the following day, Rev. Thomas II.
Glelland, of Kentucky, read the following
manifesto Of the Southern delegates:
Position ofhe Soutle,m Churches
upon tie subject q Starry.
We do not believe that the system of A.
.nerican slavery as an appointment OF God,
stands precisely, in all respects, upon the
same footing with the family relation with
that of husband and wife--parent and child.
But, upon the contrary, tits eyltem dix
fers from the family relation both with re-
9pcct to tie date Of lis origin. the nearness
aud SacrednesS ct its relations the nature Of
lis peculiar Obligations, the design and
iangth of its continuation
The relatioB 81 master and slave dill not
txist from the beginning, as did that of the
tienily relation, nor do We believe that it
will continue 10 the end.
But slavery does exist hy Divine ordina-
nation and recognition for wise purposes,
il be overrulea for His glory, i'll the eleva-
Jon and final redemption Of the African
race. Sin cannot be predieated, of the re-
!ltion itself, but of the abuse of that rela-
ton Il stands in the sane category with
lle family relat.eu in the fact that it is or
lained Of God, in the SENSE above explain
81. and i'll the fact that Ike the family rela-
ion ii is Il subject of divine legislation -
When We say that tie slaveholding relation
Is right We do not mean to say that eve
= system of slavery is right as it may have
.xisted ia other ages and in other countries,
mt only n il now exists with us, and un-
der all the circumstances IN which we are
row placed When we say sit is right
ar our churches 70 hold slaves under the
present circumstances, we mean to say that
hey are ACTING consistently with the spirit
AID letter Of tie Gospel in so doing. And
weIe we 10 assert the contrary, as the rcso-
lntions under consideration would have us
assert, to wit:-that we hold slayehoding
II be wrong. it would place us before the
world as destitute not only of the spirit Of
christianity, but Us teing bcrett Of every
principle of moral honesty.
We believe that the siasc is not prepared
lar freedom; that 10 give it To him now
Under all the circumstances would not be
Last, either for master 81 slave.
We believe that f.eedm is better than
slavery where men are able tc appreciate It
that slavery IS better ttan freedom nuticg
certain cjfeastances-ja st as it is with re-
speet to human governments. onr Ameri-
an rcpudicaaism mas be tire tt.ss form If
government for US, but under present cf-
,:nustanccs it might be great curse 10
I,ls9ia or Mexico.
Z A Ross, George NJ Crawford, Isaac "
! Handy Henry Matthews, \ II II
Boyd L K MCLEAN. Robert II Nor
1ison, L Gray John b Logan, Chs
y Atkinson, AG pielcrson, .salaoz G
Hammer. T. Il t,rattaa, Wm II Cald-
Vrll, George " liutcbius Robert Nc
lain, I II Clcland Robt f lac, Gid
ron S White j " Glcland
Mr. Scarritt, of St Louis said neither he
tdr his associates were inrladcd in that pa
yer; as they belonged neither to the North
nor South they would III due time askuow
edge their masters.
\ long aud ex6uins discussion followed,
pending which The Assembly adjourned, but
the question was further discussed up to
Tuesday, without any action being taken
u the rcpart