Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-05-12
American Tract society-Lively Time at the
Annual Meeting-A Tract Against Reopen
ing the Slave Trade Wanted.

American Tract society-Lively Time at the
! Annual Meeting-A Tract Against Reopen
ing the Slave Trade Wanted
NEW YORK, May 1.-THE American Tract
Society had an excited meeting at the Acad-
my OF Music Chief Justice Williams of
Connecticut presided The report of the Sec
rotary indicates state of high prosperity.
Receipts for the year from all sources amount
ed to upwards of S303,000, and the expendi-
lures S3o0,0O0. In the course of the proceed
ings, Rev. DIR. Patton offered a resolution de-
claiming that as there are indications that the
African slave trade i'll all its crime and hor
rors is about to be re-opened by Adventures
in this country therefore the executive COM
mittee be instructed to issue a tract or tracts
calculated to arouse and concentrate the Chris
tan community against the trade. DR.. Pat
ton was proceeding to address the meeting
when the chairman called him to order, and
on motion the resolution was laid on the table
Mr.. Walcott of Connecticut moved another
resolution, akin to DIR. Pattons s, and was pro-
ceeding to speak to it, when he was declared
out of order, and his resolution was tabled.
The meeting here proceeded to the election
of officers for the ensuing year, and elected the
whole list of last year, excepting the substitu-
ton of Col Alexander of New Jersey, and
Rev. Mr.. Gadsden of South Carolina, in place
of E. +. Backus ana DR.. Johns, deceased. The
Executive Committee of last year was also re-
elected by vote of 33l to % scattering.
John Jay offered a resolution in favor of car
rying out the resolution of 1857, providing for
the publication of tracts on the moral evils of
slavery. Rev. DIR. Lord spoke against the res
olution, cOntending that it would be an act of
gross usurpaton on the part of those who pass
ed it. With view to testing the question, he
moved that JAWS resolution be laid on the Ia
bic. Carried by viva voce vote.
In the course Of the discussion, which fol-
lowed the tabling of Mr.. Walcotts resolution,
Rev. DR.. Spring said he regretted that the
resolution had been offered, and he very much
regretted that the American Tract Society
should lay such a resolution on the table. The
gentlemen who opposed it had brought the
friends of the committee into narrow place.
They simply affirm that a tract against the
slave trade would meet our warm appreciation,
and the Tract Society rejected the PROPOSE
ton. You stand upon the verge of deep
abyss and will make shipwreck of morality
and shipwreck of religion. When the ques-
ton comes up on the naked proposition of APP
proving or disappearing slavery, shall an
American be silent3 He moved a resolution
that while the Society rejected the resolution
against the slave trade, it is not from any hest
tation with relation to the slave trade itself
The resolution of Mr.. Walcott was to this eff
feet
Chat since there are indications that the
slave trade is about to be re-opened in this
country, the publication of any well-writter
tract against the slave trade will meet the
warm appreciation of the Society,""
The Society then proceeded with the regu
lar anniversary proceedings.