Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-10-13
The Slavery Question in the Easasaz,o,
ShuFcnes,


Inc logic OF events has at length forced the
sl1'e1y Contr0YeFsy upon the churches Of Washing
.on, az y s highly probable that we shan have
thes IN several Of the principal congreea-
Ions eelore many weeks pass over our heads-
The Unitarian Society here has alv-u,s besn moro
% l9.s anllsaEeFy, and although &c dismissed =
OfdllaRt yeung preacher, some wears ago for the
sAaDeT snce OF his zeal in the cause rather than
~. H. ne shuTch has never 50 far &c
can 70, had settled pastor who yas NOT r,.,1s
cay opposed to slavery. The innajists psrTna-
len successor OF the rejected pastor came here
VIE lls reputation Of having preached q Kansas
y n2slhzing sermon 20 bis former CONVERSATION IN
- VEL ana While there be kabitualy aYoRed his
senumfat4 from the bBlpit But the covert acti7 OF
ms society WGl committed yesterday in the call OF
sue heY " IN u Claiming to the past0rate after no
had praached two decided anr-sisverv. ssruoona--
ne ree4lVsd l"ehty-nine cut Of thirty eight votes
me nine opposing totes being east for other eergy
men Ct known anti slavery views Rrt T 49, 1ce
alluded 10 this church as illustration Of the
remark that great religious controverv il arisin
on slavery. The fact is, the Unitar.ns only dfFsP
as to the mode Of treating the subjstt
But the controversy to which now wish to can
attention arose on Fast Day in the street Baptist
church, OF which Nh. Samson is pastor Some sew
en- or eight years ago be vas regarded as rather
"unsound on the slavery question, in the Southern
sense Of the word, and this impression nav kavs
been strengthened by the fact that Mr. Sumner IoIg
cd IN has louise at the time Of the assault apop him
0Y Mr. Brooks. Subsequently, however, Mr.. Sam
son became President Of Columbian College, an in
stitution located on the outskirts Of the city which
IL chiefly patronized By the South. Since hia &C
cesslon to this post bis views appear to have UNDER
gone change, and IN May he went down 10 Rich
mond- This was regarded BY many si the time as
virtually gong over 70 the enemy but be never
tneless returned after remaiuif tome weeks, and
have never heard that he eOmDlslnad of bis treat
ment while there, or that he was Compelled 10
leave. The college under his control has itself
been brought into suspicion by his connection with
IT. and real and imaginary rockets have been seen
70 emenate from that quarter, which were surmis-
ed to be signals TO the enemy.
On fast day the Union prayer meeting was helm
IN De. Samsons church During these meetings it
Is the custom for those present to address the audi
ence briefly on religious topics, and, the ocea-
SION referred to, MF hamhn, Of Maine, near rels-
i've OF the Vice President spoke upon the duty OF
eonfessng national as well sspersOaRl sins in order
to secure the forgive mes and bcnedie ion of the Al
mighty After adverting to Cod dealings with the
Jews, he proceeded 70 say:
That the sin Of slavery is an sbomiuatioa in the
sight Of God cannot be questioned, and that this
nation, as such, is guilty Of il Is equally clear. It.
therefore, the people Of God do not confess and de-
plore it most deeply and sincerely, our beloved
country may be visited with Judgment as severe a.
those OF the Jews, and the day of retribution may
be near st hand"
At this point the chairman, Rev. DR.. Samson, in
-errupted the speaker, saying that he had intro
iuced topic forbidden BY the rules Of the meeting
Anu NOllu pe k4OHeQ 70 90 On clAFefy - re-
,Ognizsd by the Constitution and cannot therefore,
be discussed on this occasion.
Mr.. Hamlin, unwilling to disturb the solemnity Of
he meeting, briefly rejoined
IF slIUsTy Is recognized By he Constitution q is
none the less sin and Z IS none The less dary 70
'ORfssS and fOrSdks IT,
Rev. DR.. Peter Parker, late missionary to China,
,ut now a wealthy citizen Of Washington, here in
exposed and remarked with some feeling, 81 That
inless these foreign exciting topics were kept out
# the meeting no good would be aec0mplished"-
And thus the gag lGu applied BY DR.. Samson was
ustained by DR.. Parker, and slavery was sustained
IS an institution too sacred 20 be questioned.
But learn from Mr.. Hamlin that he was APP
,roRched after the service over, by one Of the
most distinguished and talented ministers in tina
ity, who assured him that he had for some tims
'een debating the propriety Of speaking out this
ueshoa--that his feelings entirely in eOinci-
enee with those Of Mr.. H., and that he with diff
ulty constrained himself to silence for the present,
Int favorable occasion should arise for speaking
ut Other distinguished clsrgymen, Presbyterian
nd Episcopal. are known to be strongly anti
lavery, and occasionally give no uncertain evi-
ences that they are heart and soul against the
Institution"