The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-05-19

Society. he did not think any man could dele
gate any power he possesses, toany agentto use
by proxy"
After some further remarks in the same vein,
Mr.. Lord concluded by movingrto lay Mr. jays
resolution on the table.
"The Rev. DIR. ]. p Thorn pson Does the
gentleman mean to cut off all debate
Mr.. Lord. In this popular meeting, do
You can get enough of it in the Independent
every day. [Great laughter
Mr.. Jay. | claim the right to speakl Cries
of Question: question: Kisses completely
drowning Mr.. Jays voice. :
| The motion of Mr.. Lord was then put, and
carried amid the utmost confusion, cries of
Order gaglaw, gag-law, Iwhistlings and
| Kisses.
Mr.. Thompson. l move we adjourn, sir
| Cheers and Kisses.
"Mr. Benedict. | appeal from the decision,
that the motion was carried. Laughter and
Kisses.
"R. W. Clarke. l appeal that it cuts off all
discussion. Cries Of Order order sit
DOWN sit down, mingled with Kisses and
| cheers
The President undertook to quell the con-
fusion, but failed utterly to do So
Mr.. Benedict. don't believe the motion was
carried. Kisses.
The President. Does the gentleman appeal
from the decision of the Chair?
Mr.. Benedict. don't believe it was the hon
est vote of the Society. Sit down, sit down .
Adjourn, Let's adjourn mingled with
| Kisses and laughter.
"A Voice. Is this meeting of the Society 2.
! The President. 1t is.
! "Mr. Wolcott. If this is meeting of the So
ciety, have motion to put. Cries of 'Ques-
| ton question: till Mr.. Wolcott was Obliged
! to sit down."
After some further wrangling and confusion
the Rev. Mr.. Wolcott was permitted to read Dr.
Patton's preamble and resolution together with
his own, as a new proposition. These will be
found above. Mr.. Wolcott made few remarks
and was followed by the Rev. R. w. Clarke, in
favor of the adoption of the resolution. Hiram
Ketchum, New York lawyer, opposed the
resolution. He admitted that Slavery has evils
connected with it, but thought it would not do
to rebuke them, lest offence should be given to
our slaveholding brethren. He moved to lay
the resolution on the table, which was carried
by a large majority.
The Rev. DR.. Spring, one of the Pros Slavery
majority, seemed alarmed at this repeated refu-
sal of the Society to condemn slave-trading pi-
racy, and offered the following resolution, which
was adopted, after an earnest appeal from that
gentleman:
"ReSoloed, That this Society," in laying the
preceding resolution on the table, have not
come to this conclusion from any hesitation in
relation to the sin of the African slave trade, or
the great wickedness of reviving this Ubiquitous
traffic in any FORM"
Notwithstanding the adoption of this dis
claimer, it was evident that the mob present
would have voted it down by reclamation, if
Mr.. Spring, Mr.. Lord, and their associates, had
not been moved by some remaining sense of
Difference to the opinions of the North, to urge
its adoption.
Those who have given attention to this subject
understand how it happens that the American
Tract Society has fallen into its present dis
graceful attitude before the country. But as
the public at large is apt to lose sight of such
matters in the whirl of political excitement and
business engagements, we will briefly state the
circumstances.
The Tract Society is composed of many thou
sands of individuals, scattered over the Union,
but chiefly to be found in the free States 1t
originated in the purest motives of Christian
benevoIence, and is still upheld by the free of
lerings of Christian hearts. Its meetings are
annual, and every question of business and
principle of action is decided at these meetings
by the members actually present. This consti-
tutional regulation has the effect of throwing
the whole control Of this immense organization
into the hands of the comparatively few men,
beers who happen to reside in the city of New
York, At the last session of the New York
Legislature, effort was made to authorize
the appointment of proxies by the distant men,
bers of the Society, who find it inconvenient to
attend the annual meetings, but the directors
and the members located in New York, who
are interested in keeping up the present state
of things, managed to defeat the measure The
result is, that the Board of Directors and Man
ayers continue to drum up crowd of their
partisans from the purlisus of New York, and to
carry every question by brute force, in utter
disregard of the will of the great majority Of
the members
This Society, which was organized " To diff
fuse a knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ as
'hO Do'iOui vi SlhHeioJ anu W proHnOJe the III
terests of vital goodness and sound morality,
by the circulation of religious tracts, calculated
to receive the appreciation of all evangelical
Christians" now stands before the world in the
degraded position of Withholding its censures
not merely from Slavery as an institution, but
from its grossest evils, such as buying and sell |
ing men for gain. Even that which our laws
denounce and punish with death as piracy, the |
managers of the Tract Society dare not con-
denim, lest it may offend the Legrees and La |
mars ofthe South. No epthet of denuncation
could be more severe than the simple recital of
facts.
TRACT SOCIETY TWO YEARS AGO. |
At the Anniversary of the American Tract |
Society, held in New York on the 18th Nav, |
1857, a report was made by an investigating
committee appointed year previously, upon
the Slavery question, in its relations with the
Tract Society. The committee reported the
following resolutions, lohich acere passed unani
mously:
81. ReSolUed, That the American Tract So |
ciety was established for definite purpose. |
namely: To diffuse knowledge of our Lord
Jesus Christ as the Saviour of sinners. and tn |
promote the interests of vital godIiness and
sound morality, by the circulation of religions
tracts, calculated to receive the appreciation of
all evangelical Christians.
90. Resolved That this Societv cannot +ba-o