The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1859-06-01
ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN TRACE
SOCIETY.


ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN TRACE
SOCIETY.
The S4th annual meeting Of the American
Tact Society, was held at the Academy Of
Music, IN this City. yesterday morning at
e O'clock, which WAS opened with prayer by
REV. Dr.. Spring. The President, Chief Jus
tice Williams. Vas in the Chair. About 800
llEerpifectors and Life Members rere press
emit, and occupied the lower floor, admitted
only By ticket. 4 very large audience occu-
pied the galleries,
Rev. Dr.. De Wit. Chairman Of the Exec
utiye Commit.ee, made few opening and
touching remarks as the entire harmony oil
the Committee for "a years.
The election Of President. Vice Presidents,
Secretaries. &C., was then gone into, which
resulted in the reelection Of the old officers,
with the addition Of the Rev. c. c. Gadsden,
Of Charleston, s. c.. as a Director, and Hon.
w. C. Alexander, Of N. j., as Vice Pres-
dent. The Executive Committee is only by
Life Directors.
The opponents Of the Society, because i
will no, approve, publish and scatter Tracts
against slavery, present, were isr less Than
last year. These lew made 4 desperate, dy.
ing struggle 10 disturb the meeting BY intro
Jucins resolutions and making speeches to
instruct or urge the Committee 10 publish
tracts against the slave trade. Every resn-
luton was voted by call test vote Of an
overwhelming msjoritr, daciuing that this
and such subjects do not belong to the soei-
ETY., and should not come up for discusslon
After voting down all these resolutions, Tor
fear some might cons;rue this 50 decided &C.
ton as encouraging the re.openlng OF the
African slaye-trade, which christians north
and south are opposed to, the society passed
almost unanimously the following resolution,
offered By the venerable Dr., Spring. la Of
fering it. Dr.. Spriug renal ked, he lad no
sympathy with The spirit OF opposition to this
Society; that he approved ali the action Of
this meeting, snd that with the great msjori-
~ Of these present he desired TO put an end
to the discussion on slavery before this Soci-
ETY., as il was an improper time and place
for such discussion. The resolution IS in
these words, Resolved, that 10 laying the
preceding resolutions upon the table, the SO.
ciety have not come TO this conclusion from
any doubt in relation 10 the sln Of the African
sia,e-trade and the great wicsedness OF re-
opening that inianiiors traffic 10 any form. >
At this ruint the so or 40 opponents left the
house rita all The riaa taken oiof their sails
the Society taking the only safe ground.
that il Is neither anti.slayerv nor prO-,iayrTy
having nothing to do with the subj ct.
Gods spirit and grace was wonderfully
manifested in the friends ol this cause. ena-
bling them to decide and take so unanimous
a stand on the ground most clearly expaund
ed in the meeting by Daniel Lard. Esq, one
Of the ablesi lawyers Of this city, that no alb
stracl question, such as slavery. could right.
" be brought up By the Society. all such be-
ing cot Of the Soclety's constitutional work
which is only TO spread surh gospel truths as
are agreed upon by all evangelical christians
and that the society at its annual meetings
can only elect its officers and committees tC
cary out the work OF a eh0ritytrtasi, as tn,
committee shall unanimously agree and thl
the Society can no more dirsct ar iustruci
tie action of that committee, than can the
people instruct the Judge they elect how h,
shall decide the questions that mar come be
ler. him. The whole matter is now clear
nd With the strongest confidence 10 th,
committee which has proved tsell 50 con
seryaiive and 6rm for many years, and witt
the continued direction and blessing Of God
We nav press on with greater success II
r>sol i.g the poor and needy al their home
with TIE tread Of life. Yours truly,
W. w. CR0WDER, Gen. Ast.
DC An. II. Soc. fer y. c
gsv Yp-k, May IL. 1854.
P.S. A meeting in behalf Of the Am. TT
Sar., al Bosfoa, was held this morning Al d.
Cheetef's church. This Soc. has heretofor
been branch Of The Society al New York
during the past wear, however, they begal
10 act az an independent Society. poblishinl
tracts On slavery. and encroseh ng on III,
aeld Of the Society al New York. Thei
meeting this morning took decidedly anti
slavery ground and bitterly opposed the posi-
ton d lie National Society. Their secreta
~ stated that hereafter they would publi.
against slavery a. . system. II was state
steeidedlr that IL Withdrew Ill eonneetiDi
with the S0ciety at New York and would b
independent, which course decides tie Dis
connection entirely OF thai Society tom III
National Society here. Henry Ward Beech
er violently attacked the officers and taos
q tive An. III Soc. ridiCulifg ~ rntk, /;
publication and Is supporters. The Am
IT. SC. by this eoarse will be free from al
connection With those -ha heretofore har
been determined. if possible, 10 iorce Il ant
Publishing or fexsd subjects.
Trusting il Ga9 that ne National Society
Witch can safely 30 70 ali. afp, snd south
may c"ntinge 20 be B,ss.gd IN - great mot
II carrying gBfps rash - ~. an
Yours tfg,. W. ! W. C..
Agent lJr n. e.