Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-05-21
7HE AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY

the AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY.
Among the anniversaries of several of the
oldest and largest religious and charitable So
cetes and associations in this country, there
was no other one that attracted such a crowd,
and in the action of which centered so much
general as well as local interest, as that of the
American Tract Society. For several years
this Society has pcrsstently refused to publish
books or tracts that in any manner alluded to,
or treated Of, slavery as a sin or moral wrong.
While denouncing profanity and tobacco-chew-
ing-both of which practices were INDUCED in
at the meeting aforesaid, and the latter by some
of the gravest and most eminent Doctors in
Dvnity-it has studiously excluded from its
publications every word and allusion that could
in the remotest degree be tortured into an ex-
preston of opinion that slavery was any thing
else than Bible institution, approved and
blessed by God.
The Society has not only done this but it has
of late years packed its annual meetings with
those from the city who would persist in up
holding this management and re-electing the
old board of officers. The members from the
country who go there to inquire into its opera
tons are not allowed chance to speak, and the
voting is all done without their assistance. This
year the opposition to free discussion was more
marked than ever before. Men of high stand
ing in the church and in society, men of large
culture and liberal views were coughed and
L 4 n IL -. /. r
New York were allowed to do all the talking,
with rowdies and shoulder hitters for hackers
The meeting, as we are informed by one who
was present, and who is noted for his love of
order and his conservatism, would have dis
graced Tammany Hall in the days of Rynders
and Walsh
At meeting of the American Tract Society
of Boston, an institution that is supported by
those who believe Sla, cry is an evil to be spok-
en- of and treated as other evils Henry Ward
Beecher made caustc and telling speech rela-
tive to the mis-manae ement of the funds of the
American Tract Society, from the report of
which in the New FORK Times we cut the fol-
lowing extracts:-
81 should like said Mr. Beecher, with an in
Irritable air, to be an agent and go around col
lecting money for the Society | should like to
go to simple farmer and tell him, my friend,
it is your duty to give me ten or twenty dollars.
The farmer says, what will be done with the
money why, my friend, it will 90 into the
Treasury of the Lord 'Yes, but who has charge
of it then, who holds the bag [Great laugh
teri why, it is held by those men who pray
all day, and who read the Bible and do all these
good things, and then shut up mems mouths.
Yes, but how is the money going to be used p
'Why, my friend | should of course reply,
you are meddling with things which do not at
all concern you; the Committee manages that.
Excessive laughter.] Or suppose / should 90
to a couple of others, said Mr.. b., and persuade
one to give 800; he becomes life member
the other gives $50, and he is made life direc-
tor; and now they are going to have part in
the management of the Society. They go to
the Academy of Music. Him of the red ticket
is put on one side, and him with the other tick
ct on the other. 1t is difficult to tell what they
are going to do, but there is speech made and
buzzing about follows and they finally go out
well, one says, what have you done?' and
the other replies, What have you done?' and
they both ask, What have then done?' Laugh
teri And what have they done but dupe two
men, and get $40 from one, and $50 from the
other? If these men were not SO good-ii
they did not pray morning and night-if they
did not read their Bibles until they were worn
out-they could not stand in their positions for
year, their conduct is so outrageous"
ale was ashamed of the Institution. If the,
would give up their claim to being considered .
religious society, and taking the money they
had obtained under tdise pretenceS devote it to
publishing books in the line they had laid on,
he would find no fault. But now the Societ,
stand as authorized by the churches, while there
is not a vice or sin not inherent in Slavery, the
crime which they are called on to condemn
They are so busy teaching the Gospel that the,
cannot touch lying, stealing and adultery, ant
this because there is a certain kind of religion
which they can teach apart from practice. Bu
who do you suppose | think teaches the mos
infidelityP Do you imagine would designate
Theodore Parker. No one need be afraid Of
him, he is too open and above board. Shall
say Garrison or Wendell Phillips; him of the
iron tongue or silver lips? No, no, though
they are called very naughty infdels, and | ar
afraid they are not as sound as am, should
not call them such dangerous men. Both o.
them would have to take little more catechism
before they will be orthodox. Laughter Il
must be slme infidel bookseller then. No,
man might as well think of selling cockroache,
as of disposing of such books in a Christian
community. When young man wants one o
them, he is too far gone for them to do him an,
harm. The men who are fabricated to sleei
devotion, who have text for every omission
and commission, who make long prayers Will,
they are deyouring widows houses, who
turn up their eyes whenever they mean te
do wicked thing who take the livery o
heaven to serve the devil in, these are tn,
men who are the most dangerous teacher,
of infdels. They are the lawyers and phar
isees whom Christ Denounced. | declare, sale
Mr. B., that the temple stands again in Nassau
street, and that the priests and lawyers ar,
there, as the priests and lawyers were in tn,
temple, of old. Sensation."l
"By the term National Democracy we mean thos
who hold that the members Of the party are bound t.
acquiesce in whatever he poty ,ay deem p,oD