New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-05-13

| meeting of the American Tract Society will attract
attention in all parts of the country. One year ago
this Society, by unanimous vote, resolved, upon
| the unanimous recommendation of Committee of
| fifteen of its most emil tent members that " the
"political evils of Slavery lie entirely without the
"proper sphere of this Society and cannot be dis
| " cussed in its publicatons-bm the moral duties
&" rhich groc out Of the erstenoe Of Sldrery as DH
as those moral eriis and rices nheh is knopn TO
PROMOTE and mhich are condemned in Scripture and
d" so much dtplOred by Evangelical Christians, un-
douJtedly do fall phin The prorinee Of the Society,"
and can and ought to be discussed IN raternal and
" Christian spirit"
Another resolution expressed the confidence of
the Society that the Executive Committee would
carly out this principle confidence which Gas the
result BIAS shown) was misplaced-since the Com
mittee insead of pt rformance rendered apology,
ard the question yesterday virtu,lly was, "Shau
'that apology be accepted" The question, as
stated in Bishop Mclvaine's resolution, was simply
an approval Of their negative action in not publish
ing any tracts on Slavery daring the past year;
and so far, the triumph of the Committee was COM
plete, the vote being largely in their favor In
deed, the tone of the speeches on their behalf, aud
the general conduct of their supporters whose
obstreperous behavior repeatedly compelled the
venerable Dr. De Witt to adure them to regard the
sscredness of the church where they we're assem-
bled, intimatipg that the Committee were entitled
to great credit for deying the instructions of the
appointing power, and that all who vehtured to say
word in favor of the principles of the Society,
unanimously declared BY them In 1857, were to be
| Kissed, booted at and gagged
Indeed. accustomed though We have been to the
insolence Of msjoIites, and the arbitrary ruling OF
| CONVEX lent charmen, we are almost inclined to
| sympathze with whatever gentlemen may belong
| 10 the Executive Committee 80 great must have
been their disgust and modification at the conduct
of their hackers, in attempting to force to vote
the resolution Of approval, in defiance OF parlia-
mentary law and Of that freedom of debate which
Mr.. Ketchum reminded them could not be safely
| violated in an assembly of Americans. But We
| will reserve our sympathy, for the Committee had
a right to know, from iUnumerable examples in our
history, that when Northern men sacrifice duty to
fear, and bow before the threats Of the Slave
Power they usually exchange truth, honor and
/
yesterday exhibited in the attempt to crush discus
sion and silence the bold minority who dared to
stand up for the rights, and principles, and dutie,
of the Society
While the Executive Committee were successful
in securing an Endorsement by their mercantile
friends, who had attended in their behalf,
the frie nds of the Society, whom they out-voted'
| \ ri ~ nninf Than
resisted, sternly and steadfssty, the attempt to
gag them, and in this they were victorious. The
debates, which the Committees friends strove 50
zeslousy to repress, were def.nty continued 10
the teeth of their opposition, and are to-day spread
before the country which is yet TO pass its verdict
on the apologies Of the Committee for Sinking
their duty. How far the majority OF the lite-mem'
bers and lfe-directOrs of the Society, not merely
Of those who can be gathered at the summons Of
the Executive Committee from the counting rooms
of this CITY, butof those who are scattered through
out New-Epglapd and the great West, will approve
the principles or the manners of those who yester
day represented them, is questi which time
will determine.
The contest between the Conservative members
Of the Society who sustain its principles as las,
year declared-aDd still unrevoked-and the friend:
Of the Committee who have placed the Society il
the anomalous position of body afraid to dc
what il admits it is it's duty 70 do, is fairly opened
The reelection yesterday of the Rev. Nehemiah
South Side) Adams of Massachusetts,. in contempt
uous disregard Of respectful request from tht
older Tract Society Of Massachusetts, backed Al
il was By an ancient custom of courtesy. revs
before violated that that section might be repro