New-York tribune., 1868-02-03
THE CsorCHErs or 4 CONTENTION

THE C6OTCHETS or 4 CONTENTION
| The emancipation of the blacks does not seem
to have materially altered the character Of tho
| old fashioned Anti-Slavery Conventions. 1t
would not require any very exhaustive proce"
to demonstrate logically that, inasmuch as there
is no such thing as Slavery, it is quite impossi-
| bic to carry on an Antl-Slavery Society puro
and simple; but this would be little supererog-
atory, because the truth is that, excepting,
perhaps, the old scmi-Quaker organization in
| this State. an Anti-Slayely Society, sticking to
! its legitimate business during all the stormy
| discussions through which have passed, hsas
/ been something possibly 10 be- desired, but
! something. unfortunately, which we really have
| not had. We do not mean TO say that tho
| American Ant-SlayeFy Society was not natu-
| rally led into many OF its alterations from iis
| legitimate track II thought the Constitution To
be pro-SIayery in its spirit, and it denounced
the Constitutions Ii found parties inclined To
ignore the great suhject, and il refused TO en-
gage in political action. It conceived tho
Church tn be remiss in its duty. and il washed
its hands of oil ecclesiastical alliances. Then
number Of its most efficient workers were
women, and it took up tho subject of
Womans Rights. As most of its members were
of the teetotal persuasion, it occasionally dis
cussed Total Abstinence. Mr.. Garrison and Mr..
Burleigh were anti-Sabbatarans, and good
deal of time and wind were expended IN con
, sidering whether the First Day OF the week
should be religiously observed or NOT. Hang
ing came in for its share OF attention, and 50
did War and the whole principle OF Non-Re-
sstance. The connection OF many OF these
subjects With Slavery was extremely remote;
but it will he easily seen that when these men
and women, accustomed all their lives to
forensic skrmishing, found Slavery abolished,
their habits of debate and of difference would
not be easily laid aside. 1t is not 10 be hoped
that Mr.. Phillips, who is by far the ablest Of
tho company, will over be satisfied with the
condition of things in this miserably imperfect
world. He has a habit of dissent and his dis
satisfaction is chronic. We no not censure him,
for we really do not believe that he can help
it. He is nothing if not combatiye.
We have been led to make these remarks
by reading digest of tho doings of the Mas
sacbusetts Anti-Slavery Society in Boston last
week. There were, it is true, some very good
resolutions sustaining Congress, and calling
loudly for Gen. Grants opinions. Then can,s
S. S. Foster, who wanted the suffrage for
women. Then came Mrs, Foster who found
Swazey, who was for supporting the Repub-
lcan party. Then came a Mr.. Everett, who
charged ministers of tie gospel with pusilla-
nimity in not supporting this mcyement"-
the nature of the movement, as usual. being
left entirely unexplained, and being, perhaps.
nexplicabe. Then came Mr.. Phillips, with
little supplementary and sharp resolution
against the Church for refusing to aid this
movement Then Mr.. SwaZey begged Mr..
Phillips not to be SO severe upon Gen. Grant.
for which, no doubt the General will be CRATE
full. Then came Mr.. Putnam, who did not
think the Church and Clergy worth noticing.
Then came bulletin from MIS- Stone. an
nouncing that her health was better, and that
she was working busily for "female suffrage"
Then Nr. Foster announced that he would bG
more faithful to the Church in future" And
then the Society adjourned.
When Slavery was legally abolished. Mr..
Garrison, the leader of the great moral cru.
sade against it, retired formally from the agi-
tating scenes in which his life had been
passed, for which he has been roundly abused
by many of his former followers He felt, un-
questionably, that the moral element Of the
question at least had been eliminated; and as
he had rcsolutely refused all his life 20 havo
anything to DO with politics, he surrendered
questions of reconstruction to practical states
men. His associates, some of whom lad never
voted, and some of whom thought I. sinful to
vote under any circumstances were left in
possession Of the Society and of !ts remaining
newspaper. They transferred their attention
from Shareholders 10 Members of Congress.
They were not practical statesmen, and they
were not even practical politicians, but they
criticised acts of Congress as if they had passed
their lives in drafting them, and in pushing
them to n third reading. Hardly anything
pleased them during Mr.. Lneons Adminitrs-
ton; hardly anything has pleased them since.
Now, Mr. Phillips is good enough TO declare
that Congress is showing new temper
Let Congress thank God, and take cOugagel
"MoRE ALMANACs.'-Ihe Nec- York Herald
OF yesterday says: "sines recent notice OF THa
TRIBUNE ALMANAC. have received and ere SIN reeeiY-