Anti-slavery bugle. [volume], February 18, 1860, Image 1

About Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861

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BENJAMIN 3. JONES, EDITOR. 'ko VMON WITH SL A YElIOLlVEllS' ANN PEARSON, PUBLISHING AGENT' , '
'VOL. 15. NO. 27. SALEM, COLUMBIANA COUNTY, OHIO. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY IS, 1SG0. WHOLE NO. 749. . "
The Anti-Slavery Bugle.
From the Principia.
POSITION OF HENRY WARD BEECHER.
"II held that a man might hold a slave and noi
K"wrot($. This must be the case until time was
annihilated. There might, be formalities, and
whether they took seconds, days or weeks, time
most bo consumed. Such "a thing as immediate
WSnipation was impossible. There was noth
In ((tad or good per ie. A thing was bad if its
eooeequenoee were bad, and tire tersa, and all
thing were to be judged by their tendency to good
or bad."1 -'i '
-The above ii from the speech of Ma Beecher,
in tbe discussion concerning the American Board
by the Plymouth Church, Jan. 53, aa reported in
thi JV, f. Timet of the nett morning. It i the
did doctrine of gradualism ovfcr again, and stand
ing in it proper logical connection, with the doc
tvfno, 1,' that slavery "is not i per se" in other
words, is not sin in itself; and, 2, with the still
more eomprebensive doctrine that there is nothing
tbat i t per to, sin in itself; because all the tin-
fulness (or criminality) of sin lie, not at all in
Vf, To It own nature, but only in the tendency
or iptucquencei of (inning. Or, in commercial
parlance, that nothing is sinful, so long a It will
pay. ' '
'Ifo thank Mr. Beecher for hi frankness, and
we honor him for bi philosophical accuracy, in
placing these things together, where they belong,
where they can be looked at, and seenjuet as they
ar; Of gradualism we have heard enough nil
along, for thirty year past. So also of the doc
trine that slavery is not "tin perse," ein in itself.
Equally familiar have we been, all that time, with
the" philosophy pf utility or expediency, as taught
by llobbs, Ilume, Godwin, and Voltaire, as the
foundation of virtue, and with equal clearness and
acoess, by Bishop Law, Arch -deacon Paley, and
Rev7 Dr. Taylot of New Haven. We were aware,
bm'ewbat Vaguely perhaps, of the ethical affiuity
between these several propositions. Mr. Beech
bat shown us, more clearly, the consecutive rela
tion between them. His argument before an in
telllgent church, required him to do this. The
American Board was to. be vindicated. It was
bWy oh the gronad of gradualism that this could
be done.'' But gradual emancipation, involving a
Continuance of slavery, was to be justified in no
Way bol by maintaining that slavehulding is not.
111 itself sinful. And this in its turn, could be
maintained only by taking , the broader ground
tbat no practice is, in itself sinful (or blame wor-
hy)'o0 It btt account, or for what it is in itself
but only on account of the tonseqiteixcei resulting
from It. We do not suppose that Mr. Beecher, on
tbls occasion, or for the first time, or for the mere
purpose of carrying a point, adopted these several
theories. But, having before hold them, he knew
ho Id string them together for service, when ser
tic was required of them.
"Here then are his positions ;
rl.' Gradual emancipation, involving present com
tinoanne, In slaveholding j the present existence
of slavery. This he advocates in opposition to im
mediate emancipation.
' ZV Slavery, or slaveholding, is not bad, in itself.
e3: Kothing is bad lb itself, but bad only on ac
eoont'of Us bad tendencies, results, effects, consc
qaencea. '' "
Against each of these we might advance- sepa
rate arguments. Against the Bret we might bring
the heaven-revealed duty of immediate and uncon
amonai repentance ana reformation. j.ow, is
the' accepted time." "Execute judgment in the
morning" without delay. We might say, In the
use of bis own words, that failing to insist oh
this, slavery must' continue to exist, and be inno
cent; "until time is annihilated.." We might re
verse his statement and affirm that all emancipa
tion' except immediate emancipation is impossible,
and has never been witnessed. Against the sec
ond proposition we might urge, that if slavery
or if slaveholding, bo not ein in itself, then it is
not t',at all, since nothing can bo sinful out of
itself, of sinful in something else.
But, since the first two propositions repose for
their support on tbe third, as Mr. Beecher himself
evidently understands) we may as well come di
rect,' to that point; and see whether that proposi
tion can stand. ' "
'Tnere is nothing bad or good per t," nothing
g Jo J or bad in itself and vice versa, all things are
to'be'judged (pronounood good or bad) ''ty their
tendency to good or bad."
By the term "bad or good" in the beginning of
the 'sentence, we suppose Mr. Beecher means
wrong' br right, innocent or sinful. And by the
ame' 'terms, near the close of tbe. sentence, we
suppose he mean the misery or tbe happiness re
sulting from wrong or right actions.' Otherwise
there' would be nothing intelligible in bis state
ment." ' He does not mean to say that all things
are td be judged rlgbt or wrong acoording to their
tendency to right or wrong nor tbat all things
rs to b judged miserable or happy by their teu
dencfe to misery or happiness. Such statements
would be tnere tautology and verbiage.
Tbe 'meaning then, is this, "There i nothing
fijjht of wrongper ie."' ' A thing tending to mise
ry 1r wrong, and rice tersa, and all thing are to
b judged by their tendenoy to misery or to ' hap
pine."' ':' '
Thtals equivalent to the proposition that ther
1 no 'right nor wrong, no holiness nor ein, in tbe
ntverte. 4 If 'the moral 'quality or essence of
riynrV'or of holiness, doe not lie In itself, then it
Iiesiwlr. If the moral quality or essenoe of
wrph, or of tin, doe not Inhere In itself, then it
inhere nowhere. The one cannot Inhere in hap
pinitV, tot the other in miter!. It is confusion of
laogeag a well a of idea, a confounding of
morel distinction a well a of the meaning of
word, o to identify in with (offering, and hap
wiss with virtu, a to deny the distinction be
won 4srro, and to traoafer praise and blame from
tbji:io ,th other'. ' Tbe heaven established
eoBBMtiaa between- them doe not' make them one'
and tU sasoa iking, for this ' would rsndet1 tuob
ooaxaMtion impossible. j' " i ''
TUmi wbdo atfiea aeti guilty of that
mMeVMd blamt worthy and lf eoodemned
on account of it, Irrespective of the misery that his
mean ant is likely to produce. The man who per
forms a right, a noble act, is virtuous in conse
quence of it, deserve approbation, and has the
approbation of hit own c6nncienoe, irrespective of
the tendency or effects of his action.
Ingratitude, envy, malice, revenge, are in them
selves, wrong, sinful, and blame worthy, whatever
may be the etTeot they may produce. And the
opposite ol these vices are virtues, and are lovely
and commendable in their own nature, irrespoc
tive of their tendency to produce happiness.
In other words "right and wrong," "holiness
and Bin," nre terms that express existing realizes,
having uistinot characters of their own, detorving
complacency or aversion, praise or blame, without
stopping to inquire after the coniequencct flowibg
out of them. 'J'ho thing themselves, not their
consequences merely, draw forth the commenda
tion and sympathy of Ood and of good men.
God loves tbe right because it is right; he hates
the wrong because it is wroog. From this cause,
for this teason, God rewards the right, and pun
ishes the wrong,, by connecting happiness with
the one, and misery with the other. He docs not
love the right, because be has appointed for it a
refrard; neiibir should wo. He does not hate the
wrong because lie has provided for it a punish
mer.t; neither should wo.
' Every divine threatening of punishment is an
expression of God's hatred for a temper or act
that ia wrong or sinful in itself. Otherwise he
would net punish it. For he punishes not, with
out a good teason. He punishes nothing that ia
not deserving of punishment. Every divine prom
ise of reward is an expression of God's love ol
righteousness, virtue, or true holiness; and he
loves it fur what it is, in itself? Otherwise be
would not reward it. His reward are not with
out a good reason.
There is, then, a right, and a wrong, in the na
ture of things. And human acts, have, in them
selves, a moral quality, irrespective of their con
sequences. All moral act aro either right or
wrong, in themselves, per ie. Slaveholding is t
moral act, as it ia the uct of one moral being tow-
ard another moral being. Tbat act is either right
or wrong.
It is either right in itself, or olse it is sin in - it
self; right per se, or wrong and sinful, per se. 'All
unrighteousness is sin.' If slaveholding is right,
if it be innocent, then it bhould be commended
and protected by law. If wrong, it should be
condemned and forbidden, excluded from the
Church as a sin, and suppressed by the State, for
the necessary protection of men's dearest and
most essential right.. . . - .
From all thia it is easy to educe the duties of
Churches, Ministers, and Missionary Boards. If
the American Board has treated slaveholding at
ein, in itself, and as being hateful and offensive to
God, then it ha done right. If otherwise, then ii
has done wroog. . If the Pilgrim Church in Brook
lyn, with its pastor, have regarded and treated tbo
act of slaveholding, or nun-stealing (for the terms
are.eynonymous) as Cod regards and treats it, they
have done right. If not, tboy have done wrong,
From the N. Y. Evening Post.
TROUSSANT L'OUVERTURE.
WENDELL PHILIPS'S LECTURE AT THE COOPER INSTITUTE.
CT1TVTE.
Wendell Philips lectured last night on Touts-
V Ouve ture, tbe hero of St. Domingo. The large
hall, though not uncomfortably crowded, was full
and the attention was markod and respectful.
There was some hissing, but more applause, and
the hissing was not done in an offensive manner
Mr. Phillips said his lecture would not only be a
biography but an argument. He proposed to show
that, judged by it aobievements, the African race,
mure than any other, deserves to stand besido
the Anglo-Saxon; and to illustrate this idea, he
selected a hero who was the son of a native Afri
can. and had mat a drop of white blood in his
veins. There was one quality, indeed, in which
the Anglo-Saxon race can claim superiority to all
tho world the quality of disinterestedness. It
has stretobed out its arm to give freedom to those
who had no share in its blood. The kingdom of
Great Britain gave an example of this, when by
its deoree it melted tbe fetters of eight hundred
thousand slaves in the West Indies. Reoently an
American bas given another example on ibe Poto.
moo, by laying down his life for the liberty of an
other race, f Applause and biases, the applause
prevailing.
From 1785 to 1790, Sao Domingo was tbe fa
vorite colony of Franoe, and tbo grandeur of tbe
French kings and the magnifiuence of the Romans
eould not outrival the splendid greatness of the
planters of tha settlement. There were 30,000
whites on the Island, tbe owners f land and
slaves; and as in America at tho present day, the
slaveholders freoly intermixed with the slaves.
Tbe only difference is, tbat while they acknowl
edged thoir children, here we do not. Tbey edu
cated tbeni well, sent them to Europe, and at their
death settled large fortunes upon their offspring.
Yet they labored under many disadvantages. A
mulatto eould not sit on tbe same bench with a
white boy, and if a black was riding into a oity
he would not be allowed to enter until be alighted
and led tbe horse in by tbe bridle.
Beneath both these classes surged the dark
masa of the people who were slaves. Tbe slave
trade was ia operation, and twenty-five thousand
Africans were anuatly imported. In 1790 the
Frenoh Revolution brok out, and tbe ery of "Lib
erty, Equality." readied the Island. The white
m.D beard it with alarm and tbe Slave with indif
ference, for it was fight in the upper air,- In
whib h bad no part. But tha mulattoes hailed
It as a dawn of deliverance. - Immediately
they assembled and sent a messenger to France
with six thousand livres, wbioh were laid on tbe
alter of the newKepublio, and promised tbe lime
contribution annually,- and asked only (n return1
tbat their ' equality as eitilen should be date fa red
and protected. ' Instantly tbe National Assembly
passed a decree that all mn who were' born citi
lens of Franc were eqoal uodr it's laws", and
Lafayette sent with the decree friend of bi to
promulgate and explain it to the authorities of St
Domingo, It was laid on thn table of the Legis
lature of St. Domingo, which was in sersion when
it arrived. A mtml.cr of that body tore it to pieces
and trampled it utnlor foot, swei.i ig the island
should sink before it should tie executed. A lawyer
who had drawn up a petition for a mulatto was
hung, and the mulutto whs Lung Leside biin. The
messenger of Franco was broken on tho wheel,
bis body divided into four part, and a piece sent to
four cities, The F.-onch government reaffirmed
its decree, and sent, another messenger, and tliil'
wa followed by univerval anarchy. One pnrty
appealed to the English, and seven thousand sol
dier were sent from Jmnuom. Another party
was plotting a republic and annexation to the
Uuited States. Finally fourteen thousand slaves
were armed, and when Ihey had been conquered
and ordered to lay down their amis, refused to du
so, oxoept , on Renditions favorable to them
selves. The lecturer hero went on to describe more at
fength the state of parties and the resolute acts
of resistance made by the negroes. It was about
this period tbat Toussaiot L'Overture appeared.
He was an ignorant and untutored man, of About
fifty year ofuge. His only skill was as an herbalist,
and ho was very well known ns a sort of country
doctir. His first act on taking part with his coun
trymen for liberty was to see to the safety of his
master and mistress, whom be put into a vossel,
after having loaded it with sugar, coffee, ia.. and
be then sent them to Baltimore, and never forgot
to send them the constant means of support each
year as long as they lived. I Loud applause.! The
lecturer'then at somo length detailed instances of
magnanimity in the negro character, showing bow
Dessalioes had stood by his master in sickness,
and with his own bands dug his grave at his
death. The exciting scenes of the rovolt of the
negroes was depicted by Mr. Phillips, and tbe
firm an I courageous demeanor of Toussiant,
from the beginning of the outbroke to the time
when sixty French vessels appeared before the
port of St. Domingo, was eloquently described
amid great applause. When the last expedition
from France camo to the island, the native com
manders warned tlmm not to approach, for if they
did they would burn the city, poison tbe rivers,
and show uo mercy. The French did land, how
ever, and DcSsalineS kept his word, applying with
his own hand the torch to the door of a magnificent,
palace furnished for him by English architects,
and in forty-eight hours the town lay in ruins, The
French were beaten at every step. The French
men, -finding they wore beaten in the field, had re
course to lying profelamatloils. LeClero grououn-
cea louBfaint a knave, and said be did not come
to enslave the Haytiaos, but to deprive Toussnint
of authority. He invited tho t'lock chieftain to
come from tho mountains, promising him protec
tion. Toussinnt submitted, telling Le Clero that
his only motive was to save bloodshed. Le Clerc
sworo on tho cross inviolable protection to Tous-
saint, upon vliich tbo latter retired again to
the mountains to practiso the arts of peace, 'as
tranquillity once more reigned in his country.
But August was approaching, bringing with it its
fevers, when Le Clero knew that many of bis sol
diers must perish. In such a prospect Toussiant
vras too powerful a man to be ruffered to remain
at largo. Accordingly he was summoned to a
council, and, relying on tho word of a French gen
eral he went. ' Toiissaint has been accused of
credulity in going, for he might have known that
he would be deceived, ond, therefore, should have
stayed away: but that only showed that the white
man ciuld lie more glibly and smoothly than he.
Perhaps he reasoned that, as was suspected, if he
did not go he might be seized, and that if he went
bis confidence might disarm his enemies. At all
events, it would be no worse and so he went
Phillips than proceeded to show tho trustwor
thiness of Toussaint. II is word, he said, bad nev
er been broken, and so perfectly honeruble was he
in this particular, that his bitterest enemies im
plicitly trusted him. He illustrated this by a well
known story. Toussaint bad an engagement to
meet General Maitlund, the British Commander.
While on tho way, the General was informed that
tbat be was betrayed; still lie went, and when he
arrived Toussaint placed two letters in his hand
one from tbo French commander, offering him any
sum of money to deliver Maitland to him, and the
other hit answer: "I have promised that be shall
go home. At another time he was offered a lord
ship and unbounded wealth, hy George III., if be
would transfer the island to Great Britain, but be
refused to break bis plighted faith to those he
served. Returning to tho summons of the Coun
cil, Mr, Phillips sa id, when Toussiant entered the
Council chamber all the officers drew their swords
and declared bim a prisoner. He looked sorrow
ful at the announcement, but not surprised. He
was sent on board a ship, with his family, and
conveyed to France. As the island faded from
his view he said: "You think you bave plucked
up tbe tree of liberty by tbe roots, but I am only
branch. The foots are planted deep in the
hearts oftbe people, and you must tear them out be"
fore you oan destroy thoir life." On arriving in
Franoe be was imprisone din a dungeon at the foot
of the Alps, there to die. The ice was thick upon
the floor iq winter, oni the water lay an ituh deep
in summer. At first ho was was allowed five franc
a day; but Napoleon Boueparte, who subsequent
ly scolded at the parsimony of the British govern.
mont because it allowd him only six thousand dol
lars a month, ordered tbe miserable pittance
allowed to Toussiant to be reduced to two franos
a day. But as he did not die, tho jailor was ordered
to Paris, and to take tbe keys of the dungeon with
bim. He was detained in Paris four days, and
and when he roturned the work bad been finish
ed. Toussaint L'Ouverture was starved to death
Mr. Phillips' then spoktofthe veogsanoe D'esea
Hnes subsequently took on the French; bow be
onoe banged five hundred of them', to avenge the
doath of his slaughtered countryman and born
a he (the lecturer) was, within sight' of Bunker
Rill, be would say, Destalinei did right; how the
negro chief fired red-hot cannon bait's to sink the
ship in wbioh tbe Marquis do Roebambeaa was
about to fly, bol forgave 'bim, at the Interces
sion of th Britiib. From this be deduced lbs
I
fact that the hrgro was not deficont In true cour
age, referring the audience to several events in
history, the last of which was the reoent outbrake
in Virginia, Ho then compared Toussnint to
Cromwell, Washington, Napoleon bd1 other,
awardiog the palm to the negro chief. Mr. Phil
lips concluded nearly in tho following word-!
; "People to-night might think him a fa
natic, because tl.y read history with their preju
dices and not with iheir eves. But when anmn
future historian, some TnoituA. comes to write, ho
will take I'iioc-iiiu as the noblest model of Greece
Brutus, of R ime Hampden, of England
Lafayitte, of Franco Wabii)gtun, the brightest
star of the last generation, and John Brown, of
Harpor t Ferry, for this loud hisses nnd cheers
and with a pen dipped in the sunbeam, will
write above them all the name of the patriot and
martyr Tuutsainl L'Ooerlurt, (Applauso and
biases.
From the Northern Independent.
$1000 REWARD.
Ran away from the subscriber at Fairfax Court
House, Virginio, Tuesday, Decomhor 27th, 1859,
a Mulatto man calling himself Lewis Lee, 28 or
30 years of bs, about five feet high, spare, tut
well built, active, rjuick in motion and speech. and
very polite in his mannnrs. Very light mulatto,
straight, sandy hair, and light grey eyes. I will
give the above reward for his apprehension and
return, or if bdged in Jail so that I can gel him
a9"in. N. B. WATIilXS.
January 8, 1860.
REPLY.
LEWIS LEE, TO N. B. WATKINS.
Ye have stolen all elso from the African man,
But the color God gave bim to wear,
The South now is stculing that fast as it oan,
Infusing light color and hair.
If your grandsire stole mine on the African coast,
And stole him to make him his slave,
The right that gives you, sir, to mo, is at most,
But the right of tbe robber and knavo.
Or, if my father was your grandfather's son,
Aql yuur father enslaved bis half brother,
Am I mado your slave by the violence done
To the chastity of my grandmother?
Can one-fourth of my blood a slave make of me ?
One your Courts bind you not to respect,
Still, three fourths of my blood declares I am free,
Aad your cluim to my service rejbet.
.i. r
Tot ar'oft o one pound of my flesh you can claim,
My right to throe pounds is far better,
J list a good as your right to your body or bathe,
A God glv'n right to the letter.
Now Shylock, if you your one pound can get
Without a drop of my blood, nor give pain,
Your slave code would allow you to take it,dnd yet,
My own right to myself I maintain.
You advertised me, kt me advertise you,
That "JEHOVAH no attribute hath,"
"Can side with oppressors," His justice is due,
And man-stealers inherit bis wrath.
LEWIS LEE.
Underground R. R., Jan. 22, 1860.
Thcio wore several slaves acS'impanjing the gen
tleman from Tennessee and Kentucky; vl ho visited
us last week. They were permitted to pollute
with thoit tread tho immaculate soil of Ohio.
Tboy touched this soil and their shackles did col
fall. They touched the rotunda of our State Cap
itol, and the genius of Liberty did not appear in
the shape of au officer with a a writ of habeas
corpus. They crossed the Ohio that "Thread ol
silver," so eloquently described by Jul go Storer,
with their masters, and are to day in bonds, and
all that sort of thing. Cincinnati Commercial.
The unmolested presence of these sluves in Col
umbus, at the Black Republican festival given by
the Legislature of Ohio to tbe Legislatures of Ken
tucky and Tennessee, is one of the most curious
incidents of the times. Heretofore, C'baso & Co.,
have acted as if they felt it to bo a sacred duty to
aid in stealing from bis mas'.er every slave who
was caught within Ohio. But now all of a sudden,
our Ohio Republicans bave become so good na-
tured and so fraternal, tbey not only feast thb
slaveholders themselves, but absolutely entertain
their niggers as tbe guests of the'State ! Newark
Advocate.
Commend us to Charles O'Conor of New York!
He states the issue fairly. He puts the defenca of
Slavery upon its only logical and bonesl basis-
its rightfulness. Jobn C. Calhoun did the same
thing in bis day, and be was the most respectable
champion of tho "institution" tbat ever combined
statesmanship with Heaven defying audacity.
U Uonor says slavery is "just" "beniflcent," "hu
mane" "and right." Honor 10 O'Conor, say we!
"To thie complexion must it oome at last," and we
are properly thankful for it. Slavery is either
right or wrong. If right, it should be perpetuated
if wrong annihilated We trust the day of com
promises is past tout we are not u.uob longer to
be cursed by the huckstering statesmanship which
is constantly trying to outwit the Ruler of the
world by "splitting tbe difference" between right
and wrong tbat, in short, Liberty and Slavery,
are coming to the death-grappl in a Olear field
without disguise, and with no chance for 'quarter'
on either side. True American,
Aw Incident or the Pe66lia Institution.
Passing along Pine street, between Fourth and
Fifth streets, yesterday about twelve o'clock, onr
attention was attrao:ed to a orowd which stood on
the south side,' and being of Ibe inquisitive order,
we resolved to see w'ba't was tbe matter. W as
certained the eause of tho excitement to bo as
follows:' A negro woman, aged about fifty years,
arid her two children, neither of whom were over
twelve years ofage a boy and a girl relioes o f
a largs family badjusl bean sold tbo mother to
one individual and tho ohildren to another, on of
th purobsrer living id tbil oity and th otbtr in
the southern portion of the state. The mother vrai
id grief-stiictten at the iJeA, of parting with
her little ones that she kept firm hold of their
handr, and with tears in ber eyes absolutely re
fused to let thorn gi from ber. The children look
ed Into their mother's face and burst out crying,
when the latter affectionately kissed them both
li'iJ told them to walk along with her. The man
who had tho in in charge scarcely knew what to
do under the circumstances, and finally Accom
panied the three unfortunate back to the place
from which he starte j, and we did not learn how
the matter Wis finally arranged. St. Louis Dem
ocrat. U. G. R. R. Operations. Tbe Underground
Railroad is doing a paying business while the
Sooth in Congress is holpiug II el per. No loss than
than twenty-six passengers bavins safely
passed ever the Albany line, Stephen Myers, Super
intendent, during tho month of January. An
Albany lotter says ''it would astonish some por
tion of the public amazingly to know the class of
people who contribute regularly to the funds of
the 'Underground' such as staunch Demoorats
who swear by Mr. Buchanan, the Fugitiv e Slavo
law, and the Drcd Scott dicta but then, when
they hand over their contiibutiori to Stephen, they
tell him to use it in sending slaves back to tiieir
hind masters, where they are sure they are m uch
better off than in tho froxea regions of tbe North
From the Liberator.
PLYMOUTH CHURCH SUSTAINING THE
AMERICAN BOARD.
itonry Ward Beecher has long had the credit
(with those who aro not abolitionists of being an
abolitionist. To thoo who really hold that
ground, it ha been very plain that he litis never
taken it. Ilis occasional sharp hits against slave
ry, like his occasional sharp hits against ortho
doxy, and for heterodoxy, shows merely what tbe
combination of liis internal feelings, with bis ex
ternal surroundi rigs, put it into his head to utter
at tbat moment, but wh oever expects to hold him
the next day. or the next week, to the position in
dicated by those utterances, will probably he dis
appointed. He is sentimentally opposed to slave
ry like every man or humane feelings and a sense
of natural justice; and thus, when he speaks of it
without bias from professional considerations, he
is lihely to speak against it; but, in the eyes of
clergymen, the credit of the clerical body is more
important than justice, more important than hu
manity; and in th great debate which has just
closed in tho Plymouth ohurch at Brooklyn, tb
question was whether confidence should be with
drawn, and cash withheld, from a body so Rever
end, pious, and venerable as the American Board,
niorely because it was pro-slavery; whether, in
short, tbe fruit of a Christian life, as well as tbe
leaves of a high 'profession,' should be demanded
of that fnuch-profeBsing Asssociarron; and wheth
er, in failure of such fruits, toe Plymouth church
snouia Bay plainly, ol and to the Board, that it
was weighed in the balance and found wanting,
and that, therefore, the stewardship which it bad
misused should be taken from it, and given to an
other.
The question wbotber tho money raised by" the
Plymouth church for Foreign Missions should ie
entrusted, as heretofore, to tho American B. ard,
or given to some Association free from complicity
with slavery, has been debated in that church,
with intense earnestness, for a month past. When
the close of this dUcujsloc approachod.the friends
of the Board in that church found themselves so
hard pressed by the reformatory party, under the
leadership of Mr. Theodore Tilton, that they sent
for Mr. Beecher, their pastor, (who was fulfilling
some lectuiing engagements in Boston,) to oome
to their help; and bo went at once for that pur
pose, breaking his engagement to preach at (he
.Music Hall. Providentially, the gap thus mado
was filled, at the last moment, by a preacher equal
ly eloquent and rhore Christian, Mr. Wendell Phil
lips, but many of the 23th Congregational Society
were astonished to hear that it was to labor in de
fence Of slavery that the eloquent Brooklyn prea
cher had broken his promise to them,
I have, from tbe Brooklyn Daily Eagle, and
other sources, an account of tbe final meeting
(Wednesday evening, 25th inst.J for tbe discussion
of this subject, which was attended by two thous
and persons.
Mr. Tilton bad the floor, to reply to Mr. Beech
er' argument on Monday evening; but Mr.
Beecher interposed bis request that expressions of
applause and disapprobation might be refrained
from, as unsuitable to the character of 'a church
of Christ.'
Mr. Tilton bestowed high praise upon Mr.
Beecher, as bo is accustomed to do, but said be
did not join in tbe opinion which soemed to be
gaicing ground, that a pastor oould do no wrong.
He called their attention to the fact that this Board
was the representative of a combination of Amer
ican churches, whose complioity with slavery was
so direct and so extensive, that their ministers and
oburch-uiembers are now holding 60.6,000 human
beings in bondage. He reminded them that tbe
member of tbe Indian mission cburcbo had al
ways been allowed to hold sluves, and that their
missionaries had always refused to direct church
discipline against ibis sin, and yet tbat tbe Board1
had never evet required tbe exclusion of slave
holders, still less dismissed tbe missionaries for
so prostituting their office. He expressed his sur
prise that Mr, Beecher oallecT tbe Board a 'venera
ble' institution, after such oonduot as this; and
that he would ruffer its age and it reputatation
for piety to counterbalance (uch direct violatiou of
Christian duty, lie wondered that Mr. Beecber
should single out from praise that missionary who
had declared it 'impossible to exercise discipline
for tb buying or selling of slaves.' Ho wooder-
ed yet more at Mr. Beecher's advocaoy of th
adciusion of slaveholder to cburoh communion.
Why not make tbe door of the church so narro
tbat a slaveholder eould not enter it carrying a
slave with him f And, as to tbo claim that tbe
owpersbip in question was for the good of tb
slav, why not ask tb slat himwlf to testify 1 It
was impossible for a man to be either unwillingly
a slaveholder, or innocently a slaveholder.
Mr. Beecher bad repeatedly advocated th ap
plication of religion td politics lo the pulpit I Why
did he now uphold tbe missionaries and ths Pru
lential Committee in refusing to make uqh an
BDDlicatio'ri In tii'e Indian churches ? Mr. Beeoli-
er'a father and I rotlior standing in th minority
in an Annual Meeting of tbe Board) had 'opposed
the withdrawal of Dr. Blanchard's resolution con-
lemnine elavcrv ! Would Mr. Boecher now sus
tain the Board in voting down that resolution f.
Did he not know that tho 'South side View of
Slavery' was every year tc elected a member of
the Prudential Committee f Mr. Needier cl. 'med
that tho Board spread the Gospel 1 What hind of
Gospel wd it f He claimed, too, tbat the lioard
wa gradually improving t If the improvement i
so very gradual as not to encourage us to expect
the needed amount of change in our life-time, why
should we wait for it ? It was said, too, that tho
Board bad no control over tbe missionaries!
Could they not cut off their supplios.and end their
connection with them T Cut', instead of clittih
off the Choctaw missionaries, and sending better
ones.Pboy had cut od" the mission; and they still re
tained the slaveholding Cherokee mission.
Mr. Tilton ventured lo flDt-lv the araunienlum ai
6niinem to his pastor, once to hi language, ami
once to bis action, and in each case with such
pungont appropriateness as to call forth hearty ap
plauses from tbo church, in spite of the pastoral
prohibition. In regard to Mr. Beecher's state
ment ttiit 'in the Providence of God' be was ab
sent from the earlier debates upon this subject,
Mr. Tilton snid he had supposed this absence to
be 'under the extraordinary dispensation of $100
per night,' ai.d that tbe ways of providence war
indeed mysterious. Finally Mr. Tilton exhibited
a Sharpe's rifle one of twehty-Evo wbicli had
been subscribed for and sont td Kansas by this
very church; under the fervent appeals of the pas
tor, and which had been used effectively against
the border ruffians, this particular weapon havirjg
been three months in the bands of John Brown
and made on impressive appeal to Mr. Beecher,
urging that, it" tbe defence of freedom in Kama
needed the application of tuch means of resistance)
he should at least send to tbe Amorioan Board,
and to their Cherokee missionaries, some effective
verbal protest, some energetio testimony agaicst
their continued oom pliciiy with tho sin of slavery,
and against tbe disgrace and corruption. tRence re
sulting to the Church.
If Mr, Beecher had kept within tha bound i
truth in bis reply to this speeoh, the impreseiO ,
of it could not bav'o been effaocd, its argument
would have ro'mained unanswered, and
tb vote of tbe church must have gone against tb
Board. If tbe report of bis reply in tbe Eagle bo
correct, he uttered repeated and flagrant viola
tions of the truth, Haniely i '
1. The only fault he found with Mr. Tilton'
speech was, tbat 'it had nothing to do with th
subject under discussion.' (1 !)
2. The American Board bad kept pace with th
times, 'and now atand upon a Christian ba
sis.! !) This is just what Dr. Pomeroy said ia
Eoglimd.' f
3. 'When' the Choctaw missionaries refused t
teach an Arjti Slavery Gospel, tbe Board out them.
off.' I Here three deceptive ideas are condensed in
to one short sentence. .
4. 'Now the Cherokee missionaries bad promis
ed to fulfil tbe instruction qf the Board.' Hr
two doceptiv ideas are condensed into one sen
tence. 5. 'For tho last fifteen ycais, the American
Board had been progressing had been drawing'
its bands tighter and tighter against the expedien
cies of slaveholding.' The only progress th
Botrd has made in regard to slaveholding hat
been in increasing tbe number of its hypocritical
expedients to seem to be moving, while it stood still.
It has never prohibited slaveholding. either in it
Choctaw or Cherokee churches.J
Thie long delate ended by the vote of a very
large majority of the church to sustain tbe Amer
ican Board. All tbe accounts agree in ascribing '
this voto to the personal influence- of the pastor.'
If Mr. Beecher had supported Mr. Tilton1, tho1
vote would have been unanimous agafast th''
Board. As it was, tbe reforma'ory party gamed
everything but tbe vote. The'y diffused import
ant intelligence upon the subject, of which th
church, through tbo fault of its pastor, had! tiif
thon remained ignorant. They made a strong5
moral impress'TOn, bringing oat the faots which'
Mr. Beecber bad smothered in silence, and show
ng the direct manner in which the Cburoh, the '
ministry and the Board fortified the position, of
the mass of vulgar and cruel slaveholders. ' Thi 1
mpression was to strong and so pervading, that :
nothing lees than the sophistical eloquence of th '
pastpr, backed by the prestige of his station, and '
the magnetism of his personal influence, oould
have given the voto its final direotion. ' '
Mr. Beecher bas had the opportunity, In this '
transaction, to do a work of immense importano' '
towards the reformation of tb Cburoh aoifth''
overthrow of elavery. He bas ohossn n'oi only'"
to throw away this opportunity, but to' turn' hi
influence actively in an opposite direction. ' It is
wel'i, at least, that b ha effectually dispelled
the delusion of thos who counted him ao abo-"
litionist. " - ' 1
Mr. Tilton a.nd hi friend's have now their choic ,
to make, between two mode of energetio proteat
and persistent labot against thi unchristian atti-'
tuda of tbe Plymouth church. Will tbey fiiXett
by withdrawal from th cburoh, or by Inoreaieo?
and concentrated effort within it? Surely the
will not now hiiuk from it fcfrther duty toat' '
lie bfor" them !' '
C. K. W.
MaCauLat' I.ITII11V Rivimi ' Tl ... . lU.i'
tha lata I.nrit Mnnl. hm. r,nt Ur, .... . i.
additional vol urn of his "History of Eoglapd"
oom pie ted. It is said that hi brothar-in-Uw, ir
Cbarle Trsvelyo will floish th work. Hi abili
ty, to do to worthily, i wU vouched for.
sia