New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-05-10
THE TRACT SOCIETY AND THE
AFRICAN SLAVR.TRADE.

Society, as declared by its Constitution is two
fold: first, to promote vital goodness J" is
understood BY Evangelical Christians" aud,
secondly, Z" to promote sound morality" Who are
" Evangelical Christians" and what they under
stand BY vital goodness are questions it would SEEM
on which at least some difference Of opinion may be
safely said to exists and on the theological points
which may or may not be referred TO in the tracts
issued by the Society, without violation of their
Constitution, We have no wish TO say word But
- sound morality" is a matter in which, as a
nation we are all interested interested az men and
as citizens, whether, in religious opinions, we
may chance to be Catholics, Puseyites, Moravians,
Unitarisns, Transcendentalists, OF Egangelicals.
and in which We would. to q certain extent, be
Interested even if We were. in the language Of the
Episcopal prayer-book, Jews, Turks, Infdels or
Heretics."
The Tract Society is 5 natiensl institution,
whose wealth and influence have been created by
all sections of the country. 1t has become power
in the land and was never 80 powerful as it is now
Its report for 1857 showed capital on hand of
about BALI million of dollars. Its receipts for
1855 were over three hundred and eighty thousand
dollars. Its influence is not confined to the circu
lation of its publications. but it has, one of its
organs phrases it, 4" an army of agents" scattered
through the country. The number of the copor.
ieurs in its pay amounted, in 1853, to seven hun
dred and eighty seven. The number of volumes
which have been distributed by colporteurs is seven
and half millions the number of families visited
by them in person is more than six millions. The
managers declare, and no doubt justly, that "the
power of colIortage lies in the power of direct
personal appeal" and as the system has been
seventeen years operation, the country has some
opportunity Of judging how far tho immense niu-
ence of the Society, thus exerted, has conduced to
the promotion '6a sound morality"
We are bound to say that on certain topics con-
nected, or supposed to be connected, with morals,
and about which Evangelical Christians, judging
from their practice, very widely differ, the Society
has spoken with extraordinary bOldness and an I'M
nincbng confidence in the correctness Of its judg-
ment 1t has circulated tracts by tens and hun
dreds of thousands against noyel-reading and
dancing against the circus the horse-race and the
theater, against travelling on Sunday, against sell
ing wine and drinking wine, against smoking
cigars, taking snuff, and chewing tobacco. Touch
ing these latter sins-for SO the Society regards
them-it has spoken in very solemn and impressive
tones, asking, What Christian can indulge him.
" self in using tobacco habit rhieh benHmbs ne
L" moral sense1" So far from regarding human
laws as jusifyng crime, the Society, rushing boldly
into the arena Of politics, even to the baOtbOx,
in behalf of temperance, has thus exhorted Amer
lean voters: LET all who regard the virtue, the
- honor and the patriotism of the country, with
" bold their suhrages from those candidates who
offer ardent spirits as bride to secure their ee-
walton to Office"
Agsnst Slavery, or the evils growing out Of Slav
ely, the Society has said nothing, but has for
years carefully expunged from its reprints every
syllable that condemned them. The dissatisfaction
created by this course led to the appointment, in
ISj6, of Committee Of eminent gentlemen who
in 1857, unanimously reported resolution, which
was unanimously adopted by the Society defining
its duty upon the subject. That resolution declared
that the moral evils and vices which Slavery is
known TO promote, and which are condemned in
Scripture, and so much deplored BY Evangelical
christians, undoubtedly do fall within the prov
- ince Of this Society and can and ought to be
discussed in fraternal and Christian manner"
In lS5S, the Rev. DR.. Nehemiah Adams, ID. D.,
and his associates Of the Publishing Committee,
made special report, apOlogizing for their nom
performance Of the duty thus imposed upon them
BY the Society, on the ground that the Southern
members threatened withdrawal if that duty was
performed, and suggesting that, in view Of the dis
appreciation of saveholding Evangelical Christians,
it was, under the Constitution, question Of good
faith. of legality" Of the widest and gravest
practical consequences" The action Of the CON-
mittee was approved, and thus the Society now
stands-its unanimous resolution of 1857, unre-
voked distinctly declaring its duty; and the resOu
ton of 1855 passed in spite Of the opposition Of
the minority of those present st the meeting, virtu
ally declaring that that duty shall be shirked, and
that "the moral evils and vices which Slavery is
known to promote" shall continue to flourish and
TO spread in the very feld OF their labors, and
among .be footsteps of their army Of agents, with
out syllable Of rebuke.
We shall not stop to Prove, by an elaborate az
sumsnt, that by this step, deliberately tsAen, the
Society have, on their Own showing, voluntarily
assumed the part of him who knows his masters
i'll and for reasons Of his own, resolves ts do it
not; or that they have voluntarily incurred moral
responsibility for 81 the evils and vices that Ameri-