Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-05-26
IRON THE MAJORITY REPnRr.

FROM THE MAJORITY REPORT.
What is the specific thing which the terms of
the General Rule forbid? Not the buying or sell
ing of a human being simply but the buying or
selling Nth an intention to eHslave. What is the
meaning of the phase-'with the intention to en-
slave themf The only answer that can be given
is, it means with the intention to continue them in
Slavery, by continuing to hold and use them as
slaves.
Nor has our acknowledged anti-Slavery posi-
ton been I'm productive of good fruits. There is
a power in the truth, when faithfully uttered, to
influence the conscience Of mankind. The testi-
pony which our Church has borne has done much
towards the formation of a correct public opinion.
Under its influence, many thousands of slaves
have been set free and many thousands, who
otherwise would have been Shareholders, have re-
trained; and many thousands more, who are still
holding slaves, are doing so with eonsciences i'll
at ease. But for this testimony, a number Of
Western States, now free, and embracing a vast
range of territory, would probably to-day be Slave
States.
1t is the ensldriRg by the continued holding
and using as slaves, which gives criminality to the
buying and selling. AS the intention to continue
'HSiA hSi OHiSht ~ 1T Ouly sinful element so lar
as the Rule condemns it, the spirit Of the rule
must condemn the holding and using, as we'll as
the buying and selling. That intention which
gives criminality to an act, and without which the
act would not be criminal must itself be criminal
In short there is not, in our judgment, one dis
t%inctive attribute of chatlel Slavery, which is not
incompatible with the Golden Rule.
While We have no sympathy with, but on the
other hand strongly condemn, the mad projects OF
reckless and desperate men, who, in defiance of
law, seek by violent means either to establish or
destroy slavery, we earnestly pray that the time
may soon come when, through the blessed princi-
pies Of the gospel of peace, slavery shall cease
throughout the length aud breadth of this fair
land.
From the foregoing Considerations i: appears to
uS that the general rule should in plain words en-
body the honest doctrine of the Church, as well
on the subject Of STARE holding as on that of the
slave traffic. If the traffic for mercenary aud sell
dsh purposes should DO condemned, so also should
be the holding. And if, as is almost universally
admitted among Us, the spirit of the rule con-
demhs meroenary and selfish slayeholdine, then
why may We no! clothe this spirit 10 a visible body,
and insert the word holding in our present rule,
subject " the saae discriminating clause as the
buying and selling ? Such a rule would read,
The buyiE g, selling, or holding Of men, women or
children, with an intention TO enslave them.
This We think is only embed Ying in plain Ian
guage The true doctrine Of our church on the sub
ject.
Without expressing an opinion here, as to the
cone titutional right of the General Conference to
place an official and legal exposition of the Gen
erAl Rule in the Discipline, without the concur
renee Of the Annual Conferences; wejudge it the
mole prudent course, that the exposition should
be embodied ia tia rule itself, by O process which
can leave no doubt as to its eonstitutionality.
We therefore recommend for adoption the fol.
loving resolutions:
Resolved, l, By the Delegates Of the several
Annual Conferences, in General Conference as
%sembied, that we recommend the amendment of
the General Rule on Slavery, SO that il shall read;
The boying, selling, or holding of men, women,
or children, with an intention to enslave them.
Resolved 2. That we recommend the suspension
OF the 4th Restrictive Rule, for the purpose set
forth in the foregoing Resolution.
Resolved 2, BY the Delegates Of the several
Annual Conferences ia General Conference assem-
bled, that the following be, and hereby lie, substi-
tuted in the place Of the present Seventh Chapter
on Slavery.
Question, What shall be done for the extirpa-
tion of the evil Of Slavery?
Auswer.-We declare that we are as much as
ever convinced Of the great evil Of Slavery. We
believe that the buying, selling or holding Of bu
man beings, as chattels, is Inconsistent with the
Golden Rule, and with that rule in our discipline
which requires all who desire to continue among
us, to do no harm. and to avoid evil Of every
We, therefore. aaectionately admonish all
our preachers and people to keep themselves pure
from this great evil, and to seek its eztirpation by
all Lawful and Christian means.
FROM THE MINORITY REPORT.
There ars now two parties in the Church, the
enc eonte0ding for an alteration in our Discipline