Year: 1864

[For the News.


The Butternut Church.


1t would seem strange that a thor
ough butternut should feel any desire
to belong to a religious organization, in
view both of his political corruption
and his extreme dislike of ministers of
the Gospel. But when we reflect that
corrupt men, in all ages of the world,
have sought to hide their deformity and
masque their evil deeds with the garb
of religion, it docs not seem so strange.
II is natural too, that the butternuts
should endeavOr to establish "a new
church organization" since the minis
ters in the old are united against their
pro slavery, secession-ubetting princi.
Piles. 1t is thus necessary for them to
"slough off, and become a separate
brotherhood"


Some time ago, that pious, patriotic,
good man-tho venerable DR.. Olds-
gave notice that he would soon make a
motion to call a convention of the faith
JuI for the purpose of considering the
best mode of getting up some kind of
religious society in which they might
enjoy their rights. No doubt the at
tempt to found new church will be
made; but it is destined to be a more
miserable abortion--a more signal fail.
ure-than the Southern Confederacy,
according as the attempt to found q
church on slavery is more daringly
wicked and thoroughly infamous than
the attempt to found a political struct-
ure on the same.


Doubtless such n church would have
some adherents, for there is no theory,
however absurd, but has its advocates;
and no religion, however impure, but
has its proselytes. Even in enlighten-
ed America, Joe Smith could success
fully promulgate the lOathsome tonents
of Mormonism, and draw around him
thousands of eager disciples. And to.
this day, from all parts of the christian
world they are focking to Salt Lake
City.


But it will be only the more violent
pro-slavery fanatics that will enter the
pale of this prospective church. The
more rational ones will be inclined to
shrink from such a religious deformity


1t would seem incredible that, in the
nineteenth century, and in this land of
bibles and vaunted freedom, there
should be men so shameless as to at.
tempt the organization of church hav
ing for its chief motive the restoration
and perpetuetion Of human slavery as
it has heretofore existed in the United
States. An institution which not only
robs its victims of every right, but dis.
regards the most sacred ties. 1t rends
whole families to fragments, as the
whim or avarice Of brutal master die
tates. Husband and wife are separated
forever. Parents are ruthlossIy torn
from children that are dear o them and
children from beloved parents. Broth
ers and sisters that are endeared to
each other, are remorselessly sold to the
highest bidders, (be those bidders men
or beasts to be carried to different
parts of the country, leaving no hope
of their ever seeing each other again,
and no means of knowing each others
fate. Slavery has also fOstersd a sys.
TEN of cOncubinage quite as revolving
to the moral sense.


If the political workings of the in,
stitution are scanned, it presents moth.
ing moro attractive than in itS social
aspect. We find it claiming, as ono of
its rights, the three-ffths basis Of rep
resentation, by which men are repressn.
ted only to give their Oppressors more
complete power over them. Still, it
will not be allowed that the men who
form this basis are more than mere
chattlesl And more than all, as soon
as it conceived it had the power, with
out shade of excuse, it arrayed itself in
deadly strife against our noble govern
ment, and has drsnched the land with
human gore.


The reader will please pardon this
short digression on the character of sla-
very, But such is tho institution
which tho butternut church which is to