Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-06-12

A. Z. Jrprvisr, State Committee.
ALEX. RinpLE,
GEO. WARDSER,
June ., 1851. w3w
The New school Presbyterian Assembly
Divided.
We do not perceive as yet the lull OF agi-
tation of the Slavery question, which was
promised us along these days'-as the
almanacs say. Mr.. Buchanan is settled in
the Executive chair the future of Kansas
is, all say, also settled but the troubled
waters of slavery discussion are not settled
The question still occupies the public mind,
as no national issue has ever occupied it
Immediately after presidential campaign.
1t will down at nobody's bidding. The new
school general assembly of the Presbyterian
church, after protracted and unharmoni-
GUS session, at Cleveland, divided on this
subject, and adjourned last week in two
pieces IIenceforth there will be three
General Assemblies-the Old School, the
New School, and the Southern School, or
whatever the seceders may style themselves.
We trace briefly the action of the opposing
parties in the assembly. committee, ap-
pointed at the meeting of the Assembly in
New York last year, was charged with the
duty of reporting upon the subject of Slav-
cry, which had been specially committed to
its care. Very soon after the preliminary
organization at Cleveland, the committee
reported. The report was mild and tenn
PORTING 1t divided the Church into two
great classes,-on consisting of those who
claim that slavery is natural relation, and
and that, as such, it is desirable system
and ought to be perpetuated; the other
comprising the party which holds that Slay-
cry is undesirable and pernicious, and that
it should not be encouraged This report
was accepted by neither North nor South
The Southern men denied the truth of the
position assigned to them. They indicated
their position in statement, of which the
following is the principal portion:
Slavery does exist by Divine ordination and re-
oognition for wise purposes, to be overrulcd for
his glory, in the elevation, civilization and final
redemption OF the African race. sln cannot De
predicatcd of the relation itself, but Of the abuse
of that relation. 1t stands in the same category
with the family relation in the fact that it is or
dained of God, in the sense above explained, and
in the fact that like the family relation it is sub
ject Of divine legislation. When we say that the
saveholding relation " is right we do not mean
to say that every system of slavery is right as it
may have existed in other ages and in other coun-
tries, but only it exists with us, and under
all the circumstances in which we are now placed.
When We say" it Is right " for our churches to
hold slaves under the present circumstances, We
mean to say that they acting consistently with
the spirit and letter of the Gospel in So doing
And were We to assert the contrary, as the reso-
lrtious under consideration would have us assert,
to wit that we hold slaveholding to be wrong, it
would place before the world as destitute not
only of the spirit of Christianity but as being be-
rcft of every principle of moral honesty.
We believe that the slave is not prepared for
freedom ; that to give it to him now under all the
circumstances would not be best, either Tor master
or slave.
We believe that freedom is better than slavery
where men are able to appreciate it-that slavery
is better than freedom under certain circumstan-
ces-ust as it is with respect to human govern
ments.
Both parties united in the rejection Of the
eport. Sundry substitutes were then Of
fered, and one was finally adopted, which
alter showing that in previous reports adopt
ed at various times, from the earliest for
nation of the Presbyterian assembly in
1893 down to lSi9, the assembly had de-
clared slavery to be intrinsically an upright
Gus and oppressive system, opposed to the
precepts and spirits of the Gospel and to
the interests Of humanity, says
Occupying the position in relation to this sub
iect, which the trainers of our Constitution held at
the first, and which our Church has always held,
it is with deep grief that now discover that a
portion of the Church at the South has so far de-
parted from the established doctrine of the
Church in relation to Slavery. as to maintain sit is
an ordinance Of God, and that the system of Sla-
very existing in these United States is Scriptural
and right Against this new doctrine we feel
constrained to bear our solemn testimony 1t is
at with the whole spirit and tenor of the Cos
pei OF love and good will, as we'll as abborrent to
tn conscience of the Christian world, we can
have no sympathy or fellowship with it; and we
exhort all our people to cschew it as serious and
pernicious error.
We do not indeed, pronounce sentence Of in
discriminate condemnation upon all our brethren
who are unfortunately connected with the system
of Slavery, We tendeTly sympathze with those
who deplore the evil, and are honestly doing
all in their power for the present wellbeing of
their slaves, and for their complete emancipation.
We would aid and not embarrass such brethren.
And yet in the language of the General Assem-
bly, of ISIS, we would earnestly warn them
against unduly extending the plea Of necessity,
against making it a cover for the love and prac-
tice of Slavery, or Fretence for not using efforts
that are lawful and practicable to extinguish this
evil
This strong and earnest declaration of
principles was adopted by a vote of yeas
1863 nays 90. The Southern members i'm
mediately seeded and presented a protest
which declares the Report inconsistent
with the action of former General Assem-
blies, and ends as follows:
We protest then, that the present act Of the As
semby is such an assertion of the sin Of Slavery
as degrades the whole Southern Church-an as
eertion without authority from the Word Of God,
or the organic law Of the Presbyterian body.
We protest that such action is, under present
conditions, the natural extending Of the South,
whatever be the motives of tnose who vote the
deed.
We protest that such Indirect excision is un.
righteous, oppressive, and uncalled Tor, the OK
ercise of usurped power destructive of the unity
of our own branch Of the church, hurtful to the
North and the South, and adding to the peril of
the union of these United States.
The assembly received this protest, which
bears the signature. of DR.. Ross, of Alabama,
the champion of the debate on the pro-sa-
very side, and twenty one others, (thc Mis-
souri, delegates declining to sign it, and
responded, in substance as follows
); Tho resent action of the Assembly on this sub
ject is ia perfect harmony with ths testimonies
Of former assemblies.
With respect 70 tho complaint "that such action
is under the present conditions, the virtual ex-
rcinding of the South" the Assembly observe
that no such excsion is intended, and we cannot
perceive that it is in anywise involved, even by
remote implication. We have simply affirmed
the established views Of the Presbyterian Church
on the subject of Slavery, and distinctly condem-
ned the new and counter doctrines which have
been declared and defended By some within our
bounds.
If our Southern brethren shall break the unity
Of the Churh because we stand by our common
position, as in duty bound, the responsibility
IL