Daily national Republican., 1863-11-25
stJ The Draft In Bsltisnore. .rrl.,ag
The draft is going on quietly in Baltimore
Reply to the Address Of the Confederate
Clergy ON slavery. - fS'hs

Reply TO the Address OF the Confederate
Clergy ON slavery. - fS''fs
The following Is reply by ministers Of the
churches In Scotland to the Address 10 Chris
tians throughout the World, by tho Clergy of
the Confederate States Of America :"- a.
& We, the undersigned ministers of the church
es In Scotland, in reply to the appeal made TO
us In the address to Christians throughout
the world" recently pnt forth "by the Clergy
of the Confederate States OF America" feel
bound to give public expression to our views,
lest our continued silence should be miscon-
strued, as implying either acquieseence In the
principles of the document, or indiference TO
the crime which II seeks to defend. We refer,
of course, to a single topic-that OF slavery
as It is handled In the address. We dssIre to
say nothing Inconsistent with our icountry's
attitude of strict neutrality a regards the war
raging across the Atlantic. We do not discuss
any Of the political questions connected with
its origin, progress, and probable issues. We
offer no opinion on the measures adopted on
either side. No- are we to be regarded as shut
ting our eyes to the past and present sins and
shortcomings Of the North In relation to the
African races. The one object we have In view
Is to express the deep grief, alarm, and indig-l
nation with which we have perused the plead
ing on behalf of slavery In general, and Ameri-
can slavery In particular, to which SO many
servants of the Lord Jesus Christ have not scru-
pied to append their names. With the fsshlest
possible incidental admission of abuses"
which they I" may deplore In this rs In other
relations of msnkind," We find these men
broadly maintaining, iD the most unqualified
manner, that "the relation Of master aud
slave -" among us )" they add, to make their
meaning more explict-"is not Incompatible
with our holy. Christianity" They thank God
for 1t, as for missionary institution--thc best,
as 1t vetldsAini aud the most successful In
The yA1( hey HEY hold it To be their peculiar
evidently contemplate the formation OF the
Southern Confederacy upon the basis Of slavery
as one of It's fundamental and permanent prin.
cipes or elements, not only without regret, but
with entire satisfaction and approval. Against
all this-in the name of that holy faith and that
thrice holy name which they venture 70 Invoke
on the side Of system which treats immortal
and redeemed men as goods and chattsis, denies
them the rights Of marriage and OF home, con-
fines them to ignorance Of the 6rst rudimeuts
of educution, and exposes them TO the outrages
of lust and passion-we most earnestly and
emplatically protest. We do not think II need
ful to argue. The time for argument has for
many year been regarded by the whole Of en-
lightened Cbristendom as past and gone. Apol-
ogists for slavery, attempting to shelter them.
selves and II under the authority of Gods Word
and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, are to be de-
nounced as really, whatever may be their in
tention, the worst enemies of both. All reason
able allowance, no doubt, should be made for
the circumstances of Christian ministers called
In Providence IN labor where slavery exists
Some soreness, even, on their part, under what
they regard as unjustifable aud dangerous
movements on the other side, might be excused
us not unnatural. And II we saw them man.
fully lining their voices on behalf OF universal
liberty, and setting themselves to aim at the
instant redress of the more hagrant wrongs in
cident TO q state Of bondage, We should be pre-
pared calmly to listen to their representations
AS to the best and llkeliest practical methods
of promoting the present amelloration OF the
condition Of the slaves, aud securing, within
the shortest period consistent with safety, their
complete and final emancipation. We are re-
luctant To abandon the hope that, upon recon-
sideralion, and iu view of the sentiments now
unanimously held and expressed on the subject
everywhere else, all over ChristendOm, our
American brethren may yet be induced 10 take
up position more worthy of our common faith
than that which they at present occupy. But,
at all events, the obligation lying upon US, as
things now stand, towards them, towards our
, selves, towards the Church and the world, to-
wards the Bible and the Gospel, is to record, In
the strongest possible terms, our adherence Of
the doctrine on the subject of slavery which the
Southern clergy teach, and upon which they
act; and to testify before all nations that any
state, empire, or republic constituted or recon
structed, In these days of Christian light aud
liberty, upon the basis of that doctrine, practl-
cally applied, must In the sight of God be re-
gardsd as founded on wrong and crime, and as
deserving, not His blessing, but His righteous
wrath.
Signed by nearly one thousand ministers of
all denominations l. OctO pr, 1858.