Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-03-08
[From the Independent, February 81
Premium Question.

The New York Evangelist is endeaVoring
to elicit from the New York Obserrer some
explicit avowal of its opinion on the subject
of slavery. Notwithstanding the evaslVeness
of the Observer, the Evangelist has thus far
proved a little too sharp for it, and has at last
brought it to stand with the following ques-
tion. Having said that whoever can extract
from the New York Observer a clear and pos
tive opinion about slavery, (not abolitioniSm,
but about slavery, can obtain for it a larger
reward than was ever offered for premium
tract" the Eragnelist proceeds as follows
"We have stated in former questions the
points on which we ask for light. They are
few and brief Is slavery right or wrong
Is it good thing or bad thing blessing
to the country or a curse thing to be cher
ished and extended, or repressed and done
away Is it wicked and cruel thing to
seperate husbands and wives, parents and
children? Have slaves q right to read the
Bible? and is it crime for the INV to step
in and forbid them from thus coming to the
Word of God? These are short questions,
and can be answered in a few words We
ask only that they be not vague generalities,
but frank and explicit, such as other religious
papers are wont to USE"
A merchant who has watched this discussion
with much interest, has requested US to frame
upon the basis of these questions proposed by
the Evangelist, q series of questions on slavery
which admit only of categorical answers and
to announce that for every such answer which
the Observer will give to these questions in its
own columns, he will pay into the treasury of
the American Board twenty-five dollars per
answer.
We therefore offer these premium questions:
l. Is it wrong to sell human beings, guilt
less of crime?
2. Is it wrong to hold human beings as
property, subject to be bought and sold?
3. Is it wrong to separate by force or law,
husbands and wives, parents and children,
when neither crime, nor vice. nor insanity in
either of the parties calls for such separation!
A. Have slaves an equal right with other
persons to marry according to their own choice,
and should such marriage, when contracted,
be held sacred and inviolable?
5. Has a slave woman an absolute right to
her chastity and is the master who violates
that chastity guilty of a crime
6. Have slaves right to read the Bible,
and is it crime to forbid them to be taught
to read
1. Is TIC SESlEu Vi SLdf6LJ as IL tA-oIo III
the southern states blessing to the country,
which should be cherished and perpetuated by
national legislation?
g. Is the system of slavery as by law es-
tablished in the southern states morally right?
Each Of these questions admits of a direct
categorical answer. If the O5ssrrsr will
transfer these questions to its columns, and an
swer each of them by simple Yes or No,
then for each and every such explicit answer,
we will pay over to A. Merwin, Esq, for the
American Board, twenty-five dollars The
money is on deposite, and the Board is greatly
in need of funds Here is an opportunity
within eight days to secure TO its treasury two
hundred dollars larger sum than the Ply
moth Church debated over for month. This
offer stands open for three weeks, and we will
thank the press. both religious and secular, to
give it the widest possible publicity.