Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-09-21
JBr 9Silp spp,
MONDAY, SEPT. 81, 1851.



The American Tract Society is in a o.
trouble. Having, at its last annual meeting,
taken a slightly advanced position on the slavery
question, 50 far as to admit among its publica-
tons tracts which, without at all trenching on
the practical relations Of slavery, should discuss
certain moral duties growing out of its existence,
or moral evils and practical immoralites deplored
by all evangelical Christians, and found occasion
ally OF frequently accompanying it, the Society
accordingly ventured TO put forth publication
on the Duties of Masters" composed as the
executive committee say, in a printed circular
received from them, of articles before issued by
brethren Of various evangelical denominations at
the South, and which were supposed TO meet the
views that are presented in the resolutions adopt
ed at the last anniversary" The committee say
" Since the preparation Of this Treatise one of
the authors from whose addresses or tracts it was
compiled, has been removed BY death. Two 9TH
ers of these brethren, honored and influential
known as tTne fIiends Of the Society, have Judged
l. inexpedent in the eukinded and excited state
OF feeling awakened both North and South upon
the various relations of thi- topic, that those
writings of their own, which were 10 form prom
inent portion of the Treatise should be issued
with Northern imprint. They have accordingly
interdieted our further use of the matter thus
supplied.
But in addition, from all quarters of our South
ern field we have received, and from the tried and
fast friends Of the Society, expressions the most
unanimous aud decided, that any publication BY
our press bearing upon the topic OF slavery, even
though Of Southern authorship. and carefully
kept within the terms Of the resolutions Of the
anniversary, could have no other result than pre-
cipitaiing the entire withdrawal Of the South
from cooperation with the Society. The new
works woald find no gate Of access; and the sep
Bration would hsncsfoTth exclude even our older
issues, BY hRgins over them the suspicion of
their origin from quarter presumed to have be.
come hostile TO the interests of the South. OF
those accredited issues, the siftngs Of a rich
evangelical literature IN our own andin European
laads-books on which Gods spirit has put his
evident and gracious approyai--it seemed a sad
necessity to be compelled to clog in any way the
circulation.
From Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina. and Georgia, from Alabama
Louisiana, and Tennessee, we hear but one testi'
mony, as borne by State branches and auxilisFies.
BY the S0ciety's officers, general agents, super
intendents, and colpOrteuTs, by ecclesiastical
bodies, and BY the religions press Over the
South we have now virtual sas pension Of col.
lectlons, and if the present 35S1r0ss and Siena-
ton but remain, there n3Ess speedily ensue
withdrawal Of coiportsurx and distribution
throughout our Southern Ss9d. We must sur
render all the Southern and South Western
States. To proceed, Is thus to palsy whole
side of our institution"
Thus say the executive committee and seereta-
ries, consisting of twenty gentlemen of the
American Tract Society, in regard to publica-
tions bearing upon the "patriarchal institution"
II it does not show state of doughfacesm, un-
exceeded even in political bowling to the power Of
slavery, then no such term should be employed
anywhere. The Tract Society having thus refused
to print publications written by Southern men
themselves, temporarily discussing the matter of
" Duties OF Masters" lest it may disturb the
nerves of their Southern members and co-operat-
ors, the next thing we hear of their doing, will
be, the issuing of expurgatve edition of the
Bible, with everything left out of nature like
the advice repeatedly given by Paul to the Co.
lossians, Epehsians, Hebrews, &C., in regard TO
the "Guties of masters" to their servants, &c.