The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-05-19
THE AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY.

LIE AMEhICAN 1hACI SOCIEI4.
The American Tract Society met in New
York, Wednesday, May IL. Its proceedings
as detailed in the New York daily journals, re
semble the drunken orgies of a Tammany
meeting, rather than the deliberations of a re
ligious association. The Society by its action
Frustrated itself before the slave power with
circumstances of moral degradation far eclips
ing anything in its previous career. Hitherto
it has refused to publish tracts condemning
Slavery and its abuses, but at its late meeting
it went a step lower by repeatedly voting down
resolutions condemnatory of the effort now
making to revive the African slave trade.
After repeated efforts, in which he was storm
ed and Kissed into silence, the Rev. Dr. Patton
was permitted to read the following resolution
Whereas the African slave trade is contra.
~ to the first principles of the Gospel and hui
mainly, is condemned by all evangelical Chris
tians, and is repudiated by all Christian. civil.
lied, and enlightened nations; and whereas
there are indications that this trade with all its
crimes and horrors, already is, or is about to be-
reopened by adventures from this country
and whereas the only barrier to this trade is the
moral sense, enlightened by the Gospel: there
fore,
+" ResolUed, That the Publishing Committee
be directed to issue during the present year a
tract or tracts calculated to arouse and concen-
ttate the religious sentiment of evangelical
Christians against the slave trade, and to set
forth its wickedness before the nation"
The resolution was voted down by an i'm
mense majority.
The Rev. Mr.. Wolcott, after some difficulty,
and amid the jeers and insults of the pious mob,
read the following resolution:
" Resolred, That the publication during the
present year of any well-written pamphlet or
tract which may be offered to the Publishing
Committee, calculated to arouse and concen-
trLte the religious sentiment of all Christian
men against the slave trade, and set forth its
great wickedness before the nation, will meet
with the warm appreciation of this Society,""
"Mr. Wolcott. Mr.. President not forty years
have passed since the great orator of New Eng
land, whose voice is now hushed in the grave
The Rev. DR.. Alexander, of Princeton, said
he was sorry to interrupt so much eloquence,
but he thought it out of order to discuss the
I'M sits of another rnsol,,.:-
9 MIR. wolcott | am only offering some sug-
gegtions. Question: question: Sit down,
Sit down, Kisses and cries.
":The President said that if the gentleman
was allowed to go on, some other gentleman
might offer another resolution, simply to take
upstime.
Mr. WOlcott attempted to explain, but was
hoSted down and silenced
" The motion to postpone DIR. McGee's mo-
ton was then put, and decided in the negative
bya very large vote, followed by great applause,
with few Kisses.
{" Mr.. Wolcott attempted again to make him
self heard, but was silenced by cries of Down,
Down and Kisses.
.sPhe motion to proceed to the election of
officers was carried, few scattering Noes
being received with laughter.
Son motion of DIR. Chickering, of Portland,
the Society took recess, in order to proceed
to the election of officers.
9 The officers of the preceding year with the
addition of William c. Alexander, of New Jer-
sey, rs Vice President, and Christopher B.
Gaston, of Charleston, as DIRECTORY were re-
eleeted by vote of 33l to 3D."
The above is "a fair specimen of the days
proceedings, which we have no room to give in
full
After the recess, Mr.. John Jay offered the
following resolution q
"Whereas it was unanimously and solemn.
ly adjudged by this Society in 1857, after long
and careful elaboration, and in accordance
with the unanimous report of the committee
of fifteen, that those moral duties which grew
out of the existence of Slavery, as well as those
moral evils and vices which it is known to pro.
mote, and are condemned in Scripture, and so
much deplored by evangelical Christians, I'M
douStedly do fall within the province of this
Society, and so ought to be discussed in a fra
ternrl and Christian spirit; and whereas, at
the neeting of the Society in 1853, the omis-
-. Il IL D.,Ll N
form the said duty during the year then past
was reported, with n special apology for the
said omission at the said time, and the said re-
port was accepted and whereas no sufficient
reasons are apparent to justify the Society in
a prolonged neglect to perform the said duty,
while there were weighty reasons why the same
sh'Ntd be promptly and faithfully fulfilled
the refore,
q Pesoired, That the Publishing Committee
be gnstructed to publish, during the coming
year, one or more tracts on the moral evils and
vices which Slavery is known to promote, and
which are so much deplored by evangelical
Christians.
: "The Rev. Daniel Lord said he opposed this
: resolution, not in aspirit of unfriendlness but
from the views he entertained about these char
table institutions. This Tract Society was a
charitable foundation. 1t is unlike those in
stltulons or combinations of men who can
make their own constitutions, manage their
, own property, and do what they please with it.
: I" This property, then, is to be administered
IN a. certain way, expressed in the agreement
made at the time the gifts were made. There
are two classes to manage this fund, the bene
hclai1es and the managers. The benefciaries
, are the Ignorant, the vicious, and degraded
9 whom'I represent by circulation / pass b,
the question as to the uniformity of doctrine OF
J. the principles which they are to inculcate. Le
the object of the Society be the circulation O
y tracts there is nothing else; it is not to de
clare principles it is not to declare subtl,
principles of policy; it is not to declare wheth
er We like Slavery or dislike tit is to circu
e late tracts. That is so plain, that no man VIII,
e can read but can see that that is the whole oh
ject of the Society-it is to circulate 1t is idl
to talk about circulating tracts upon slave trad
! in slave countries when we have positive
knowledge that such circulation will not b
d permitted. Such things not only cannot b
circulated, but they obstruct the usefulness @
m the Society. 1t would be gross abuse of tn
D property of the Society, to print tract in al
unknown tongue, so that no one could read il
That is practically the case when you attemp
lie TO circulate tracts among those who will no
lie receive them, There are two classes of func
s. tons to perform, Mr.. Lord said, in the manage
is ment of the Society. The functions of tn
e members is, to elect the officers, and after thai
Mr. Lord conteuded, they had no right to il