Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-05-18

The Rev. Mr.. Wolcott, of Chicago, off re,
the following resolutions
Whereas, This Society, in 1851, on recommen1a
tion of the committee of Fl teen, adopted a re %
luton affirming that those moral duties wh'cl
grow out of the existence Of slavery, rs well a
those moral evils and vices which 1t is known 4
| promote, undoubtedly do fall witain the provinc
Of this Society, and can and ought to be discuss
ed in its publications. and this declaration stii
stands in full force, Therefore
Resolve9 That the reasons which urge to sucl
discussion also remain and press on the society
with accumulated weight; and
Whereas This Society, at its last annual meeting
declared tha. " it las doubt in relation to th'
sin Of the African Slave Trade, or the grea
wickedness Of reyiving that iniquitous system il
any tOrm, and whereas, during the past yeai
evidence has accumu lated, until the fact has be
come notorious and fragrant, that this accurset
traffic has been re-opened by vessels sailing from
various ports Of this country,
Resolued, That the publication, or Republication,
IF suitable tracts setting forth the nquity of the
African slave Trad would meet the appreciation
the Society
Mr.. Wocott then said, frankly acknowl-
edge that | have three reasons for offling
these resolutions. The first is, to vindicate
the freedom of debate, and the rights Of the
humbest membe- of this Society, by asserting
my personal right to a fair participation IN
its regular deliberations. And have no wish
70 make any further reference to the disor-
Derby proceedings of the last annual meeting,
which have imposed this obligation upon me,
than is implied in the word vindicate.
| regret the necessity Of any personal allu-
sion, but it is proper that should add that in
"a circular letter, prepared by one Jf the secre-
taries (Mr. Eastman), published and distrib-
| II III ,Dl,,r b.,,-o
contributed for the diffusion Of an evangelical
literature, | have been referred to by name,
| with the expressed intmation that | had
joined the society ION purpose to take part
| in making disturbance This ungeuer0us
and unworthy impuation, this disparagement
! IF my motives and my character widely CIR
| culated through their official channels, IS the
| penalty Of a conscientious fidelity t0 Inv
convictions Of truth and duty; it is the
! penalty of an honest dissent from the man
ayers Of this society, or rather Of the calm
and christian expression Of that opinion. It
! is the punishment of that presumption which
/ led me 20 offar, at the last meeting, reoolu-
/ tion touching the slaye-trade. that the
! publication of a suitable tract against the
! Slave Trade which might be approved by the
| Publishing Committee, would be pleasing 70
| rhe Society.
offered that resolution in good faith and
! with conscious integrity; | offered il in the
spirit ot Christian N deraton, wish a sin
| cere desire d suJSarye those ''iniercsts of
/ vital godlmeS> and sound morality which
| ,.Is society was organized to prom 1te; | off
! errd 1t as true friend OF the society, ana
with an earnest desire To aid in fulfilling the
wishes and the aims Of its founders. The
clamor of opposition which 50 unexpectedly
greeted it, was succeeded 10y the unwArrIut-
able suppression of the resolution, and of tie
s)ciety's action upon Ii. nd also OF another
resolution based upon 1t, offered by a yener-
| able pastor Of tins city, together with the
society action upon that. IN the uticid re-
cords of the meeting.
And then lowed the circular le ter ot
The Secretary, W ich l should not transcend
the bounds of truth in cbaracterising as an
official libel upon myself and the honest
b. ethren with whom was associated.
| cannot believe that there l. another
ciety n the land, which draws up n tie
caari les of the churches, that in lis official
! publications takes such liberties with the
! good name of ltS members; which thus stig-
mat.zcs them and seeks t. excite universal
| JdIum against them, tor yenturDg t. t4ke
/ part In in its business discussions, without
/ consulting the managers and cou>entinE
/ 10 carry out their Programme! THIS
mas been my only oileuse. And shall such
i cause sue .led IN frightening Us from ouI
/ proIriety2 Shall this policy Of dlSrar'g"
/ mcut and intimidation De submitted 70 not
/ 1y the minority Of the Society, 1nt the MI
/ nuIity present at its annual meeting? Sl"i
! IL be resisted
This is the question which meets Us To-
I J. .ifr+ - tt
/ en- tor once aud flreyer-and 1t Is embodied
in the words Of the great apostle -" To
whom we gave place, by subectJn, no, not
/ for an hour - il there were no other reas-
| on than this, it would be decisive. It is our
duty to vindicate right which has b,-n
traupled upon.
\ second reason for passing these rtsolu-
/ tious, Is to maintain unabridged, the proper
/ sphere Of this society responsibility and
controlling agency. \ labJred attempt
WAS made, at the last meeting, to merge ~
! its executive committee the functions which
are properly inherent IN the society rs Il
| whole.
\ learned lawyer Of this city pat forth an
elaborate plea, to the effect that the Society,
as an eleemosynary institution exhausted Its
powers IN the act of choosing its officers, and
that the discussion alike Of principles and
measures at its meetings, was Irrelevant and
uncorstit ,tional The author OF the novel
plea paid to his opponents the graceful com
pIiment aud courtesy of cutting off, by his
own motion, any reply to his own argument
| lie is understood to have uttered on that
OCCASION the continent Of the managers.
This speech was recognized as d senl-othclal
| exposition of their views, and as Sach It has
! been scattered through the land.
These resolutions are presented as chal-
| ienge and a contradiction to that sJphlSm.
They recognize the fact that the charter from
which we derive ali our powers therein nam
ed, land all such persons as now are or may
hereaft,r become members OF the American
Tract Society, are constituted body corpo-
rate by the name Of the American Tract So
ciety, for the purpose Of printing and circu-
lating religious publications.
Tue members are the body corporate, and
have met as such today. The officers Of the
society are merely its servants; they cannot
legally be 1t, masters. The stream does not
run higher than the fountain. The Society
makes It's own constitution and can repeal 1t,
or define it. By its charter it is restricted
only to Religious publications. In It's
constitution it has seen fit to add the restrict
i've clause calculated to meet the the appro
baton OF all evangelical Christians Inc
meaning OF this phrase has been disputed
we define it in the resolutions, or rather rescue
it from the perversion Of a modern gloss, and
restore it to its original and historical signln-
cance.
We are not, as a society. in the haggard
and helpless condition in which the special
plea of its present management would place
US. The curse Of all impotency IS not thus
upon us And if there were no other reason
for adopting the resolution, than that the
right of the society 10 discuss, and decide
upon, its own principles and measures had
been denied in such a quarter, and with such C.
a sanction, that would seem to me sum
cent.
The third and remaining reason which has
prompted me to offer these resolutions, Is the
necessity Of correcting the present policy OF
; the Society, and elevating it to more scrip
,rral c.opdard will not dwell upon this