Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-05-28
THE following is from a Photographic report
the proceedings of the American Anti-Slavery S
ciety ly j. NJ. Y. Ycrrinton.
SPEECH OF PARKER PILLsBURY.
THURSDAY MoRN1Nn. MAY 10Th.

Mr.. PRESIDENT 1t is one of the most disagree
able duties of an Abolitionist to have to address q
public assembly at its opening session, on his own
account; but when he has to s and as q substitute
for another, and that other a very desirable advo-
cate, it becomes still more embarrassing and un-
pleasant. Rev. A. NJ. MILLlGAN, of Philadelphia
was expected to make the opening address, but
had not arrived at this time.]
l should like to preface the few remarks / have
to offer with two additional resolutions:
Res ,lved, That while we rejoice in all the indi-
cations of an advancing state Of public opinion
against slavery, we would still Re mindful that our
greatest danger is not from actual shareholders,
and the open, bold and blasphemous defenders and
offenders of the institution in State or Church. in
politics or pulpit. but rather from those who make
specious and strong anti-slavery pretensions and
professions, like the Republican party. the Bos.
ton American Tract Society, the recently formed
New England and New York Church And Slavery
Society, the New York Independent, with its array
OF clerical editors and contributors, that are still
in governmental or ecclesiastical union and fellow
ship with slavery and shareholders.
Resolved, That while these organizations are
thus, through their professions and professions,
able to absorb the awakened public sympathy,
control the public charity, paralyze the public con.
science, and pervert even well-intended action in.
10 cnannels tnat now only Win compromise, cor
ruption and crime. il becomes our duty faithfully
to rebuke them, and to warn the people agains,
them, as the enemies of that only radical and gen
uine gospel through which, under God, deliver
ance can come to the enslaved.
There seems no need to argue or defend propo
sitions so plain as those in the resolutions read
There certainly can be no need Of any argument
as to the character and quality Of the pro-slayery
political parties and churches of the country. /
there were need of it, DR.. Cheever is far more ablt
than | am to do that work, and quite as ready anG
willing. But the question is, who shall reprovt
DR.. Cheeyer ? The question is, who shall examine
illustrate and report upon the character and quail
ity of what we call Anti-Slavery in the Churcl
and in the Government? There certainly is grea
need of cew definitions in our country. The read
ing of that Belgian protest is very significant il
exhibiting the necessity of such definitions. Her,
is an Address, earnest, sincere, honest. wel-mean
in every respect but it is a very badly directed
address. There is a strange and very unfortunate
misnomcr about it. 1t is directed to those" Church
es and Christians in the United States who up
hold Slarery"! [Laughter.] Mr.. Chairman. it i
time this Society, or some other gathering, SHOULD
instruct the Christians in Belgium, if they hay,
! them there, and in all other parts of the world. OF
: that particular subject. They have no conceptior
Of what slavery is. If they understood what i, il
in our country, and what it is to sustain and up
hold it, not to say extend it, they never would ad
dress any memorial ia that way. We have othe,
evils in our country besides slavery, small in com
5 parison, but still evils. We have horse-stealipe
5 we have robbery of hen-roosts. we have adultr,
! and adulterers. and We have all the details O
crime and sin forbidden and condemned in tb,
Ten Commandments and the Sermon on theMount
but how would a petition, or remonstrance. look
! coming from Great Britain or from the Continent
: addressed ITO those Christians and Christian
D Churches of the United States that uphold horse
} stealing" Ito those Christians and Christian
Churches in the United States that uphold aduI
Q terry and fornication"?-"to those Christians AND
Christian Churches in the United States that roll
$ hen-roosts or establish and institute the robbino Of
hen-roosts"f If the people of those countries IN,
derstood slavery to be as bad as the robbing Of
hen-roos's, they would not charge our Christians
and Christian Churches with it. They would con-
ceiVe it in bad taste to do SO, and would not do so,
for that reason, if for no other. Here we have
slavery. We talk about it as 'the sum of all vii
lainies," bot "~villany" has conn to he SO moder-
ate a term in our country that "the sum of all
villanles" is not much to be ashamed of. We have
slaycry--an uuutterable, Undesirable abomina-
ton. Language breaks down when we attempt to
describe it. Every other sin in tue land pales in
to Innocence when you speak Of slavery ; and pet.