Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-06-04
The Tract Society.

anniversaries at Boston was that OF the
Tract society. There was almost too .
much excitement, for the full operation
of that love demanded by the idea Of this {
great Institution. 1t followed a similar :
meeting held two weeks before in New
York, and was, in some respects the sec
ond edition of the same thing. The =,
cause of the heat, like most others of
this day, was slavery. One year ago the
American Tract Society at New York,
voted with unanimity to publish upon the
subject of slavery. A tract was prepar-
ed and even put in type, when the man
ayers wrote South to know if they might
carry out the undertaking, and the South
replied, as all might know they would,
" You shall not say one word on the sub
ect, you shall not even repeat what we
have said ourselves if you do, we will
withdraw from your society dissolve the
f union) and we will not allow the tract TO
: come amongst US, and we will not receive
your other volume, nor allow your Col
= porteurs to labor among u.s." And by
g the majesty of this threat the managers
i desisted, and even destroyed, or put out
:, of the way the tract they had already
e printed. And the meeting at New York,
d managed by some old gentlemen, whose
d {" sight had become dim, and whose nat
ural force was abated, aided by the com
mercial men of the city, who had deal
st ings with the South, and had therefore
a taken largely of what DIR. Cheever calls
- L" the devils anodyne," sustained the ac-
=. ton of the board of publication by
al large majority. Then came on this meet
H. ing at Boston, and strong effort was
made by the same class of persons TO car
70 ry the same measure. But this attempt
+ signally failed. And all that prevented
the severance of the Boston branch from
C. the New York society, was the earnest
: entreaty of DR.. Humphrey, Mr.. Tappan,
he the president, and other old friends of the
We Society, at whose solicitation it was re-
rs ferred to the prudential committee to be
Us reported on next year. 1t was however
n. voted to pay over no money to the New
"a York society for this year. So that the
he division is virtually made.
Now with all due esteem for the man,
MR. ayers of the American Tract Society
ed whose white hairs certainly demand oul
ed, veneration, we respectfully suggest tina
10 they are behind the age. The time wa
- when a D. D. could send a cargo of New
ed; Rum to Africa, and receive in return it
lad commercial value in slaves, and still pas
zen for true teacher, and a true christian
M But that day has gone by, with the da
ned that sancti oned the use of spirits at tn
adj ordination of ministers. The subject ha
he been agitated, discussed and studied un
o"' til either would be but passport to infa
orI my and disgrace. He must be a poo
student of history, he must be as blinC
almost as those spoken of by our Savio
cess who could not discern the signs of III
,wn -
err 'iinoS' ""O 0'''i "0 u''Ii''iu'ui VI 'he la'
, be that there is growing opposition to sls
very in the great heart Of the North an
West. What was if that drove Demo-
sud, racy out Of New England in sc, but i
orE known sympathy with, and subservienc
and to slavery? Mr.. Buchanan could not ha,
s. even obtained the vote of his own Sta
orty had not his name been infamouslv CON
led with . free Kansas" There is mo
the al sense in this, an awakened conscienc
this which refuses to sleep, but grows mo
the and more wakeful. AT this time to I
-, trograde in this benevolent society, up,
,een that subject, to become subservient to t
pro- dictation- of the South is not only to traI
adj pie upon awakened conscience but it
WIN suicidal The society is dependent up
ann the charities of the North mainly for
receipts. But the North will not give
, be an object that they conscienciously belle
N is faithless in this greatest of the soc
'n9 evils of the day. If it takes upon its
nter the office of teacher, it should just
own plainly teach upon this subject as up
ssult temperance, dancing, tobacco chewing,
lucl any other vice. And the very fact ii
!, the South commands it not to speak
the but an additional reason why it shot
ton speak plainly, True, it should be Fl
irch. satisfactorily settled whether slavery
= ,l 10 right or wrong, and if it be right, co
ntcr- mend it, # II be aorong, condemn it.
we keep silence it will be taken for gra