Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-10-28
North.Western Christian Anti
3d. slavery C0MvemtiOn.

This Convention met at Chicago, on the
21st inst, agrseably to call issued BY the
Executive Committee, appointed BY similar
Convention, at Columbus, last August. The
meeting was presided over by Rev. J. H.
Payne, of Wis.,, with Jacob Butler, Esq, Of
this city, a. Vice. President, Rev. J: B. L.
Soule as Secretary, and S. B. Jackson as
Assistant Aseries Of propositions and reso-
lutions, adopted by the Convention, declare
slavery to be . heinous crime, which neither
legislation nor the sanction Of usage can just
ify; that Christianity is the system appointed
by God to redeem man from sin and its con-
sequent suffering, and is therefore the main
reliance for the overthrow of slavery; that
the churches, IS the embodiment Of Christian
ity, ought to carry their religious principles
into politics, and take public action, in the
form of resolutions, against slavery and the
abetting of it; that the Fugitive Slave Law
is in conflict with the law of God, the rights
of human nature, and the Constitution of the
United States, and it would be treason to obey
it; that the African slave trade and interstate
slave trade are both piracy; and that, show
ever valuable political and other merely human
instramentalities for the removal Of slavery
may be, none of them can equal in value that
believing prayer to which the blessing of God
is promised; and prayer for the oppressed
was never more needed than it is now" A
resolution was also adopted recommending all
classes of people to petition Congress to abol
ish slavery wherever the Federal Government
has jurisdiction, and to repeal the Fugitive
Slave Laws of 1898 and 1850; and also to
petition State Legislatures for the repeal Of
such enactments as make unjust distinctions
between the white and colored races. H. B.
Spelman, of Cleveland, Ohio, Rev. G. T.
Magoun, Of Davenport, Iowa, and Rev.
Warren Cochrane, of Brodhead, Iowa, were
appointed committee of correspondence with
Christians of the West. 1t was made the
duty of this committee to take measures for
quickening Christian Anti-Slavery sentiment
in the West, and for securing the circulation
of the petitions above referred to. .a
The following extracts from the proceedings
are taken from the report in the Press and
Tribune:
Jacob Butler, Esq, Of Iowa, spoke for his
State. There has been great progress in the
anti.slavery sentiment in Iowa. This progress
was illustrated in his own case. When he
went to Iowa, none could have been more
conservative than himself, and, when con-
verted to the true anti-slavery doctrine, he
was astonished at the position he had previ-
ously occupied-astonished that follower OF
Jesus Christ would have entertained senti-
ments in opposition to this great principle.
He now took hopeful view of the matter
the same influence which produced the change
with him would do the same with others. He
was for the Christian influence alone, and he
saw that influence uprising This was the
most hopeful day the anti-slavery cause had
known, and, under the spirit of divine love.
it would be sure to 60 forward. There is
progress in all the churches in the anti slavery
sentiment-the Christian sentiment is doing
its work. = = = The merits and dement's
of John Brown, and the recent insurrectlon IN
Virginia, were avery prominent feature IN the
discussion. Several of the speakers INDUCED
in exceedingly strong and very foolish Ian
guage, among which we might mention the
Rev. Mr.. Bassett, of this State, DIR. Wait, and
one other gentleman from Wisconsin, whose
name we have forgotten. They were suitably
and eloquently rebuked for their folly by
Jacob Butler, Esq, Of Iowa, Prot. Peck, Of
Ohio, and others. s-ss..s.. u s.lt. ... p Ia.