The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-05-14

1he American Tract Society.
AEf5TEzNT or THB SLAVERY DIR FloutrIrs-pR-
eosI OF THk INVESTIGATING COMMITTEES TAG 3D.
"A"ece ATFAi@s Or Thh TRACT SoCikCi-SrKkCHEs
-Nss'LV7icNs-rHE RzECnER PARTY OVER
fhHo"h-rHEv ARK STRUCK DUMB, ETC.
HE business meeting Of the Society, which, until few
years pass. hos been of Formally was looked
upon w .nnsua interest this year in consequence OF
the expected report OF committee appointed asst year
report or tire subject a slavery and the affairs OF the
sooseV There vas thrcfore, so large an attendance OF
members Al III. uutons church yesterday morning thai
Instead OF being held in tho lecture ROOM proposed the
bcness meeting held In the body Of the church, which
wss quite tied Chief Justice Williams, the President,
occupied tae chair, and the commenced
With prayes 10y tho venerable Dr. Spring Rev. Dr. Knox
then real tho report Of the executive committee,
reviewing; briefly and in general terms the operations
u the sce'et during the past year The report stated a'
Tho sn q the publications has been while not interfering
with denofnnatcna pecuaries promote tho interests
al the denominations. In conclusion stated that the
greatest fac,es had been extended 10 tho Committee OF
Investigation appointed Last year and thai mat committee
WIS now ready TO report
ms Pnsmser then amid tho exhibition Of the most
breashess interest called for the reading Of the report Of
The Investigating Committee.
Chancellor TRssawHvrSN then addressed tho Society
ipfte0y rtduiuS sthte1 Bredt
plan or agne together the efforts OF various denounna
Ions Of CHRISTIANS, the Operto of the Tract Society
bad beea ia successful operation for than thirty
years. u cuid be unnecessary for him to state the pc
Inar e. ,soos that have shaken the country during the
Jast twp Gears, Or the difficulty OF the duty de-
Solved spon TIC Dc. cOmnlt,se They had iavokcd
sad bad beeQ granted There were df cen geallemen
20 the eynttee, and they though, tina, they should be
member, but one member had no. been .bie o appcnd
bis ramn They received every facility In conducting
their Investigations from the exccGtivc committee. The
committee had held friendly meeting and each member
DAD spoken out his sentiments freely 30 that they d
coaddeniia Interchange OF views They commenced with
the chairman, and went around arim 70 the chairman
again. eacb member speaking out his sentiments the
great subject a slavery They found that all the
eess the society could agree upon the policy tns 20
Tor the other duties Of the committee in investigating the
business affairs Of the society the c,mm tee could have
agreed upon report the subject OF slavery In hour
che spiris Of Coz abaed With 'them2how asood and
pleasant thing WAS for brothers 70 dwell together
IN unity" But member OF The committee had been
prevented from meeting with them, and therefore, only
pended their naocs 10 the resolutions coaalned In tho
port
Judge ssUs previous to reading the report stated that
M Andcs o. Rochester hose appended 70
tho report With the understanding that he had asscated
substantially its tenor had notified him that not having
been able a. meet with tho committee lac could not
sstsnty sign il. Two other genteuen who also not
present bad expressed their Assem- 10 the Of their
names, lie then proceeded TO read the report of the oou
Iaittee q which the following in al alb aracs;-
REPORT or TIE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE.
In rea.ca TO publishing upon the subject Of slavery,
reoiutons marking out the line Of discrimination be-
tween what the American Tract Society, according " its
constitution nav and may no, PUBLISH
RAsolved That the American Tract Society was es,ab
iHhed for odetinte porpo @, namely, "to dnuse know
Lodge Of Que Lord Jesus Christ as the redeemer Of Sinners
ind 70 pr0se the interests Of vital godnees and sound
morality, by the circulation OF religious tracts calculated
b receive the appreciation Of all evangelical Christians"
That this society Cannot therefore, with propriety,
allow Itself TO be made special organ OF any
Il redgo o. neral retorn such as temperance, pcaOe,
phere Is sacncc should sustain the cause OF truth ana
rtghteoU,ness ia al their departments. /
That IA eudeavoring 70 accomplish is high and holy
impartial testimony against oil forrns OF fundamental doc
trnA csror aadMsctcai immortality prevailing in amp and
xsi "a the judgment Of y,ur committee the political
aspects OF slavery " cuirey without the proper sphere
but thai those moral duties which grow 0ut " the
iseooe ofs,avcry well as thoe moral evils and vices
which " Is sn 10 promote, and which are condemned
fn Scripture and 60 much depofed By evangelical CIs
tans undoubtedly do fall within the province a this
ccy, and can aud ought To be dcazscd fsaterna and
g. Thai whatever considerations in the past may have
seemed 70 recommend 10 the Publishing Committee the
course pursued In revision OF certain works. 10 the
future publication Of books apd tracts Ne alteration
omission Of the eebtmcis OF any author should be maic,
Dul os adapsed 10 the design Of the scie,y in thor
original FORM or by regular Impartial s0ridsment,
ShDuh be wholly omitted
PROPOSED AnssDMrsr or rHs CONSTITUTION.
Resolved O. Thai be recommended 10 the society 70
sdo following alteration In the eleventh article OF the
constitution, Instead u the one proposed al the la. snns
aed acraicn having been given AZ the previous annual
meeting" The article viii then read
Ax1Ifzx Nj This constitution shall not be altered except
Al an anpu, meeting and by of two thirds OF the
Insmers reseni notice OF the proposed alteration having
been given al the previous annual meeting
FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS AFFAfrS.
In rcfbrcnce 10 The general management and financial
Affairs Of the society, the committee made such examna-
Cons and vysgsuons seemed TO be required by the
Ol the COnscrrcl Sltcty
The tpmniliee defeated several practical book
cxamue e mode cf conducting business, and the~e gen
tsmcn gave certificate which WAS embodied IA tho re-
roS expressing gres, appreciation OF INC manner CON
Aer rcvo wing the method OF keeping the counts OF
the society aud the general manner o. conducting tho
busncss Society, which the Committee considered
uasaciory the folio wing resolutions we're appended -
Resolved T. That gratefully scsnow ledge the favor
N Dyue Providence the blessing ~h.ch has rested uos
ono American Tract Society in lis onward progress OF sue
ss prosperity, and the beDe6cont influence has ex-
cxted upon our country and the "wd,
g. That cordially recognize the udefty snd devoted
neas with which the interests OF the society have been
supcinepdcd and conducted By the ON ers and Executive
Comniuee, Ave OF tho proeoni members having been
rnAong IL original founders.
fhAl with great Conscience 10 the wisdom OF the Exc
uye Cornrnuee VIC anticipate their action, In carry
Win DO will tend 70 rtomoc the wdoet and bcst
Sss0os Of s Society ssoSgsSs' -" y9s eopGy'
. THOMAS DE WITT,
WILLIAM JES,UP,
MJHRr BARNk5,
g. 1. BtdMlL,
JOHN N. Mo,lUO,
IOt1. HAwES
RAY PALMER,
d S SCHMUCSFR,
JAMES DONALDSON,
FRANCIS WAYLAND,
MARK HOPKINS,
JOHN STOSE,
GfO. n SrCARr.
acoornraoy,us The report a statistical tabe, fur
sshed by the Ilnance COMMITTEE showing tho total re-
rp<s end expeaaes the Society during thirty two years.
A Including fcrcgn cash apprOpriahots The
P~~,sSs SaLq ThI
e2,loo,sis 81 S,Soe, lsl " @MhM' Oh
PaOs1 PGts Pdgs fr Srurn
Fryrfcd. Ctrctbrf~d Grdr1 ~ Goa
IS7p ASp a3A A.5o3, 945, ISL els,s56,yM GT6,2s1
Tbs report concludes with statement OF the ope~atous
~ uhe sgpocics IN Rochester Pcrnsyivania, Virginia,
North Carolina cuh Carolina, Georgia Fast florida, New
Orleans, "a Louis, Cnciunau and ccaso' AZ WHICH arc