Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1858-05-20
The Anniversaries. American Tract
Society.

The annual anniversaries Of the var
lous great religious and Benevolent So
cieties, took place in N. Y. city last
week. These annual meetings usually
attract large numbers from different
sections of the Union; the societies that
assemble are nearly all of them densm-
mated "National," because of their hay
ing branches or auxiliaries in the differ
ent states. All of these great meetings
passed off with their usual interest and
quietness during the past anniversary
week, except that of the American Tract
Society. The meeting of this society for
the election of officers which occurred
on Wednesday the 18th inst. exhibited
a scene almost as boisterous as a politi-
cal gathering in Tammany Hall.
The American Tract Society is
mammoth corporation, deriving its in
come from permanent fund, and from
the annual contributions of the churches.
All the leading denominations are rep
resented in its organization, yix:-Pres-
byterians, Baptists, Episcopaleans,
Congregationalists, Methodists an
Dutch Reformed. During the past few
years, the Society has been agitated with
the question, as to its duty in publishing
tracts on the sin of American slavery.
The society has published tracts on the
sin of dancing, card playing, the use of
tobacco, &c. but thus far has refused
to say anything ofthe wrongs of slavery.
At the annual meeting last year the pub
fishing committee were instructed by a
vote of the society, to publish tracts on
the evils and vices which grow out of
slavery; or at least not to make these an
exception, while publishing on all other
evils. The publishing committee re-
fused to comply with these instructions,
and at the meeting last week, their re-
fusal in the matter received a vote of
approval. The ridiculous attitude of the
publishing committee will be seen more
fully, when the fact is mentioned that
they haze published tracts ON the "duty
to masters, but have uniform
ly declined to publish anything on the
duty Of masters to servants. If any
thing were wanting to complete the
present degrading position of the Tract
society, it voted down a..resolution at
the late meeting, simply asking that the
society should refrain from publishing
any thing implying the christian law
fulness of slavery! SO there is no hin.
dcrance now to the Tract society main
tanning in its publications, that the
buying and selling of men, women and
children, is for the glory of God and the
salvation of the world.
1t may be asked, how it comes to pass
that all the other great societies similar
lyrepresented by different denominations
have long since freed themselves from
any connection or completely with sla-
very, while the Tract society bows in
base subserviency to the slave power?
The question is easily ans wered. None
of the ordinary contributors to the funds
OF the society are allowed vote for its
officers; none but life directors have g
vote; life dictatorship is purchased by
the payment of one hundred dollars into
the treasury. A large proportion of the
life directors reside in the large cities,
and especially in New York. Many OF
the leading cotton politicians i'll New
York city, have made themselves voters
by the payment of the sum stipulated.
The n. Y. independent says, that four
fifths of the active participants in the late
annual meeting of the Tract society
were New Y DIRK merchants. Many OF
them, may be judged as belonging to
the Capt. Rynders order, possibly mem.
bers of the famous empire Club" AT
any rate where was lack of brains in
the matter of reasoning or argument, ii
was fully made up by Kissing, stamping
and yelling. The lower law cotton.
worshipers who controlled the action OF
the society seem to owe their victory
quite as much to their heels as to their
heads. Nineteen twentieths of those
who contribute to the support of the
Tract society all over the land, will re-
pudiate the action of its officers.
COMPLIMENT TO SPEAKER 4. S. Low
ELL.-The members and officers of the
House of Assembly last week at meet
ing organized for that purpose, presen-
ted Speaker LOWELL, with six beautiful
bound volumes of the works of Daniel
Webster. The cause which called forth
this expression of public regard on the
part of the members and officers of the
House, was the able, dioinfied and i'm.