Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1859-05-26
Henry Ward Beecher on the American
Tract Society.

lean Tract Society. 1t appears that
Daniel Lord, an emiuent New York
lawyer, had opened in favor of the course
of the Publishing Committee, the day
before, and sustained them in refusing
to publish infamatory Abolition tracts
for distribution in the slave States. Il
was to Mr.. Lord that Beccher was tc
reply. We offer few extracts -
He learned yesterday that things per
tanning to the good Of Christ's kingdom
cannot be safely discussed in delibera
tive bodies. When he heard of the Rev
Daniel Lord Gas he was called in one OF
the morning papers, talking of the dan.
ger OF tree discussion, in body where
every other member was gray haired
he thought there was as much need OF
sending fire engines to put out tomb.
stones, as gag rule to put down tumult
here. Prolonged laughter. But the
thing TO be done in fact was to prevent
men talking who ought to speak, and
allow men to speak who had nothing
to say.
Mr.. Beecher proceeded to review Mr.
Lords argument at the Academy of MI
sic, the beginning Of which, he said, was
the beginning OF d lawyers plea. Mr..
Lord deliberately laid down the doc
trine that the society had nothing to do
with all the great moral questions on
which there is no difference OF opinion
at the North--itS BUSINESS is to circu-
late tracts; and that where you circulate
tracts that are not wanted, you have
no more right to distribute them than
to distribute in Greek or Latin among
people who don,t understand those Ian
guages. In other words, you must not
tell man a truth he don't want to hear
IF man goes to Mercer street with
tracts he is told they are not wanted
Then, on MIR. Lords principle, they
ought not to be published. If you 60
to Five Points and offer tracts upon NOR
ais, they will say-"Get away with your
tracts; we hay at got any morals down
here !" Then, on Mr.. Lords principle,
tracts Oh morals ought not to be pub
lished.
II | were asked who is doing most
to spread infidelity, you would think ]
would say Theodore Parker. No, he is
harmless, because he is open. Then it
must be Garrison and Phillips, of the
iron heart and golden tongue. No: IT.
is the man who puts on a sanity gar
ment, and turns up his eyes whenever
he means tie do a wickd thing-who
has text for every commission-whc
make long prayers while they devour
widows housewife take the garment
Of Christ TO do the work Of the devil.
The temple stands in Nassau street, and
the priests and pharisees are there, as
much as the priest and the lounger were
in the temple Of old. While we are
cali ng upon tnem TO lift up the cause
Of humanity and religion, the Tract So
ciety are combipS out guilds of tobacco
and taking care Of dances. Applause.
Mr.. Beecher read the names Of the
Publishing Committee, emphasizing the
cd. D." and said no one could excel
him in kindness towards those venera-
bic men, but il they were present he
should look them in the face and speak
just as he did to the other ladies.
Great applause.
He supposed that these gentlemen
were publishing committee, were act,
ing i'll Jerusalem, and tract was offer
ed announcing that Jesus Christ was
the true Messiah nehemiah Adams
says to Rev. NJ. Niece, the jews do
not want to hear this; they do not be-
lieve it, it will offend. "Thcn," says
Rev. Daniel Lord, you might as well
pblish tracts iii the dead language; you
have no right to publish them" How
long, he asked, would it have taken the
Apostles to give Christianity start
upon this principle ?
THE VALUE OF A WIr. - A wit
is priceless man in q commum-
ty not a Scadal munger, heel
bitter, detractor, a cynic, whose own
happiness i'll lite being spoilt, is bent
upon making others miserable, but q
genial, benevolent rcformer, a whole
some and winning through caustic sur
veyor Of events. People breathe more
freely when they know there is such Il
man in the ascendant or wicked men
will be afraid Of him, weak men strive
to be stronger, and quacks will not have
all their own way.
Society is continually in need Of the
exploits Of that knight Grant, the wilt.
Evils creep iii unawares; some good, buf
very foolish man, perpetrates q great
deal Of nonsense which is tolerated and
even admired 10y virtue Of his goodness,
and fixed as an institution before its in
convenience is fully suspected. Honest
sentiments with errors sticking to them
are gradually heaping up into mons
trous aggregate Of prejudices.
Some bloated and over fed truth
weighs society down like a huge night
mare, till the wit comes along to tickle
the sensorium and wake us up once
more into daylight with sensation of
free honest living, or the old moralites Of
the world get dull and commonplace,
worn trite and battered, the etfigies
nearly off from them. The wit IS gen
eral refurbisher, re-casting the old coin
and presenting it to us again current
with the image of it to-day. The auto
crat has improved a very common
phrase which more than illustrate what
we have been saying, He has LETT no stone
A1atanpaed. This is his picturesque
commentary.
WHO NAY BE WITNESSES IN MAINE.
The Legislature Of the State of Maine,
at its recent session, enacted that Gin the
trial Of civil actions the husband and
wife of either party shall be deemed
competent witnesses, when the wife is
called to testify by or with the consent
Of her husband, and the husband by or
with the consent Of his wife.
G9- The City Council of Salem,
Mass, have by an ordinance forbidden
the smoking Of cigars in their streets,
in the evening. A man was arrested