THE VOI CE OF FREED OH1.
Uli.4- "
from the New York Commercial Advertiser.
The Amistad.
The anxiously expected decision of the Circuit
Court, upon the questions raised by the habeas
corpus, was pronounced yesterday morning, in
ihe presence of as many persons ns could possibly
find place in the Court-room. What it would be
no one could form an opinion ; and of course it
was listened to with deep and profoundly silent
uttention. We are enn bled to place it before our
readers almost in the very words of the learned
Judge who gave it.
DECISION OF JUDGE THOMPSON".
On the opening of the Circuit Court, Monday
September 23d, Judge Thompson gave his decis
ion wun respect to the application ot me prison
ers' consul to have the Africans discharged under
the writ of habeas coraus and denied the motion
He said the ciuestion before the Court was simply
ns.,to the jurisdiction of the District Court over
the subject matter. He regretted that the case
had not been held up for farther consideration
anl.,that he had so little opportunity to examine
the various important questions that are involved
in it, with that thoroughness and deliberation that
were desirable. He regretted this the more as
the- rnsfl is ft verv peculiar and complicated one.
It was one also difficult to be understood by the
public. He could not be insensible to the fact
that the feelings of the community were deeply
involved in the question, and he feared there
might be misapprehension of, the real questions to
be disposed of by the Court. It is possible, he
said, that there might be some misrepresentation.
He would therefore have preferred that time
should have been allowed, for him to give a writ
ten opinion. But the counsel have thought i
advisable, and he did not say it was not excusa
ble, to call upon the Lourt to dispose ot the case
.iow, and he was compelled, though much against
his wishes, to dispose of it in the best way he
could .
The question to be decided now is not as to the
ulterior rights of either party, but it is whether
lae District Court can take cognizance of the sub
ject matter that grov3 out of this case. In order
to ascertain this, we must recur to the laws of the
United Slates. The case has been placed before
the Court on the abstract right of holding human
beings in bondage, or on the general question of
s-lavery. The Court is not called upon here to
determine this abstract question, it is sufhcient
to say that the constitution of the United States,
nlthough the term slavery is not used, and the
hws of the U. States do recognize the right
f one man to have the control of the labor of an
other man. The laws of the country are found
ed upon this principle. They recognize this
kind of right. Whatever private motives the
Court may have, or whatever may be their feel
iigs, on this subject, they are not to be brought
into view in deciding upon this question. They
nust give the sama construction to the laws of
Me land, sitting in this State, as they would j
were they sitting in Virginia. It is the province
and the duty of the Court to determine what the
I iws are, and not what it might be desirable they
should be. My feelings, said Judge Thompson,
itre personally as abhorrent to the system of sla
very as those of any man here, but I must on my
alh, pronounce what the laws are on this subject.
The true question, then, is as to the law, and not
as to any of the questions involved in the case.
The : simple question to determine is as to the
right of the District Court of Connecticut to take
cognizance of the matter.
Under the laws of the United States all seiz
ures in a district are to be taken notice of in that
district where the seizure is made. The import
ant question is always as to the place of seizure,
and the question always turns upon that. If a
eizure is made within the limits of a state, the ju
risdiction of the District Court is local. If it is
made on the high seas, any District Court may
t-ike cognizance of the matter. Where, then, was
the seizure made in this case ? It seems to be
ngreed by the counsel on both sides that the seiz
ure was actually made in the district of New
York. If that bejthe case this District Court has no
jurisdiction of it whatever.-Bul if the seizure was
in fact made on the high seas, this District Court
has jurisdiction. Judge T. said he had supposed at
first, that the seizure was in fact made in the dis
trict of New York, but when he came to examine
the matter he found it was not so. Lieut. Ged
ney, in his libel, states no such thing. He says
he" was on a survey within the state of New
York, but he does not say that he actually disco
vered the schooner Amistad within that district,
and that he made the seizure within the district
of New York. All the evidence before the court
is what is set forth in the libel. The vessel, it
seems, was taken off Montauk Point. The grand
jury, in their statement, say it was a mile distant
from the shore. If this be correct, it was a seiz
ure upon the high seas, and therefore the matter
is rightfully before the Court for this district.
In the absence of absolute certainty on the
point the Court can endeavor to ascertain from
the best evidence in their reach, by examing maps
and charts, the locality of the place ; and after
making such an examination, they are of opinion
that the actual place of seizure does not appear to
be within the jurisdiction of the District Court of
New York, but upon the high seas. .The admi
ralty jurisdiction upon the ocean extends to low
water mark. Between high and low water mark
there is alternate jurisdiction between the admi
ralty and common law courts. In deciding then
that the seizure was made, in the judgment of
the Court, upon the high seas if either party is
dissatisfied, the Court can institute inquiry to as
certain the exact place, but the more regular
course is, for the party dissatisfied, to interpose o
plea to the jurisdiction of the Court, and then the
District Court must institute an inquiry to ascer
tain where the seizure was made. It is not com
petent then for this Court, at the present lime, to
say the District Court has no jurisdiction in the
ewe. Consequently this Court can not now pass
upon, the question as to the property that matter
belongs to the District Court. Should either par
ty be dissatisfied with the decision of that Court,
tin appeal can be taken to the Circuit Court, and
nfterwards to the Supreme Court of the United
States. Meantime the parties must be put to
their pleas in the District Court, in order that all
the facts, Sec, may be put upon record.
It has been said this is a question of liberty, and
therefore that this Court ought to decide the case
in a summary and prompt manner. But in the
judgment 0 the Court, this ought to have no in
fluence in the decision. The situation of the pris
oners is such that they must be taken care of by
omebodj. They did not come here voluntarily.
It it not the case, therefore, of persons coming
hereof their own accord, and being taken up by
other nersons no-ninst their will. If the District
Court has jurisdiction of the schooner, they have
jurisdiction of the persons of these Africans, and
thev are bound to provide necessaries for them.
They can provide for them ns well as any other
persons. The case seems to have been argued on
the part of the prisoners as it they ought to be dis
charged if the Uourt lias no jurisdiction. I hi
is not so. If it should be decided that the District
Court here has no jurisdiction they can decide al
so that the case be submitted to the District Court
of New York. The Court would, in that case,
send vessel and cargo, and every thing appertain
ing, to that Court. The prisoners would not be
discharged, but sent also to the District Court of
New York. No benefit would arise to them in
t. 1 r - . t . .1 . . .
uciug removeu irom 11113 10 another diMiirt. it is
therefore a matter of 110 consequence to the pris-
aners whether the question is tried here or in the
district of New York.
It has been said that the subsequent proceed
ings in filing these libels aiui claims here, were
without authority, nut if the case is within the
jurisdiction of the District Court, other libels could
be died. It is true, that if the original hills have
been filed in order to bring the matter within the
jurisdiction of this Court, the proceedings may be
irregular. If there is any irregularity, it can be
corrected by filing a new libel the case being in
the possession of the District Uourt, nowever,
it is bound to receive claims of any body. This
Court cannot decide whether these Spaniards
have a right to these persons, or whether they
should be put in the possession of the President
of the United States. These questions are not
now regularly before the Court. They must
come up hereafter, and the Court must dispose of
them. 1 he courts of the united States have ta
ken cognizance of cases analogous to this. The
question of jurisdiction is a preliminary question
and the Lourt should not decide questions of ab
stract right. The courts of the United States,
have taken cognizance of cases where foreigners
laimed the persons of slaves. But this is the first
instance where a writ of habeas corpus has been
applied for. It has never been made a question
whether they were instantly free on being brought
into the United States. The case of the Antelope
is directly in point. The Spanish and Portuguese
r-nnsnls rlnimprl thppp snhiprU ns nrnnnvtv- thp
Court said thev must show their title.
There may be an impression here, that because
slavery is not tolerated in Connecticut, the right
of these Spaniards should not be investigated.
The court, however, must be governed by the
laws of the United States, and not by the lawsfof
the state of Connecticut. Our form of Govern
ment recognized the right to import slaves up to
the year 1S03. It is true the constitution does
not use that language, but It recognizes that right
up to a certain period, and declares that till then
it was a lawful importation. The constitution
also provides for the recovery of persons that
may escape from one state into another where
service is due. it goes even beyond this, and in
terdicts the states from passing laws that oppose
claimants from taking fugiti ve persons in the free
states. Should any stale pass such laws, they
would be absolutely void. We must look at
things as they are. The eourtfeel bound, there
fore, to say that there is no ground upon which
they can entertain the motion under the writ of
habeas corpus.
They fear that some misapprehension exists in
the public mind as to the effect and ground on
which the case has been disposed of by the grand
jury under the direction of the Court. The ques
tion now disposed of has not been affected by
what previously took place. The only matter
settled previously was that there had been no
criminal offence cognizable by the courts of the
United States. If the offence of murder has been
committed on board a foreign vessel, with a for
eign crew and with foreign papers, this is not an
offence against the United States. It is an offence
against the laws of the country to which the ves
sel belonged. The courts of the United Slates
have, in such cases, no jurisdiction but if the
offence be against the laws of nations this Court
would have jurisdiction. -A murder committed.
as in the case of the captain of the Amistad, is
not a crime against the laws of nations, connect
ed as it is with the slave trade.
The Court said that as they perceived there
were note-takers present, they hoped they would
be careful to make a true representation of the
decision. I.he Court does not undertake to say
that these Africans have no right to their freedom,
but leave that matter, in litigation in the District
Court, subject to appeal. And for reasons as
signed, deny this motion.
One of the counsel for the prisoners then asked
the Court if they meant to express the opinion that
a foreigner coming here with a slave can call up
on the U. S. Courts to enforce the claim of the
fereigner to the slave. Judge Thompson, in re
ply, said he did not wish to decide now upon the
abstract question. As a judge he did not feel
called upon to decide it.
From the N. Y. American.
The Captives of the Amistad. We cannot
deny to ourselves the pleasure of publishing the
following communication, which w.e find in the
Post of last evening. We honor the Rtv, Mr.
Dewey, for that he had the boldnees to speak out
when so many are interestedly silent, or clamor
ous on the opposite side and although he, as a
minister of the gospel, may ask with something
of scornful incredulity, wherein should consist
"boldness," in the expression of an honestly en
tertained opinion, we, who see more of the work
ings of this everyday world, tell him there is
boldness, and, in proportion, honor, in thus stand
ing for right that is unpopular, and truth that is
denied by time-servers, and the faint professors
of hypothetical freedom, but strenuous and earn
est defenders of actual slavery.
To the Editor of the Evening Post:
My dear sir: The following brief extract on
the case of the prisoners of the Amistad, from a
discourse which I delivered on last Sunday morn
ing, I have been requested to send for insertion to
some of the public prints. I confess that I am in
duced to do it, not more by the request, than by
the comment which I have frequently heard since
Sunday, on the boldness of the passage. Bold
ness, sir ? Has it then come to this that, from
the unhappy controversy which has arisen among
us, concerning Slavery, we are to be prevented
from expressing the sentiments of common hu
manity 1 If it be so, then I think it is time for
those who are not Abolitionists, as I am not, in
the technical sense of that word, should let it be
known that neither arj they callous to the claims
of eternal justice.
Obville Dewey. .
" What if we were doomed to take the place of
those unlortuimte men, who are now immured :n
the prisons of a neighboring city, yes, and im
mured there for the very act which has rendered
our forefathers illustrious for drawing the sioord
for freedom ! We build the sepulchres of our fa
thers, and incarcerate those who imitated them!
And I know not but the abused freedom of our
discussions, on a kindred topic abused alike
in the maintenance and in the resistance of them
has lessened the sensibility which a just and
generous people ought to feel, to the affecting
case that is presented to us.
Let me then turn from the particular subject
of my discourse to speak of it for a moment. A
company of persons are torn from their homes
and sold to the man-stealer that ever prowls about
the coast of unhappy Africa. Alas! that the in
famous traffic should still prevail, nay, and with
increased extent and atrocity. These unhappy
persons thrust into the hold of a slave-ship treat
ed with a cruelty never inflicted on beasts suf
fer all the indescribable horrors of the viiddle
passage and at length, are landed upon an un
known shore, far from their country, theirchil
dred and their homes. Their re-purchase in Ha
vana, their change of masters, their conveyance
on board another ship, alters not the case to them;
it is all one tissu of wrong, fast strengthening into
the bond of endless slavery. If the worm, trod
den on, will turn if the insect, pressed by an
anwary hand, will sting if the wild beast will
tear and rend to free himself from the hunter's
toils will not a ?nan, conscious of right in his
bosom, rise against the injustice that binds him
to hopeless captivity ? ,1 know not what the laws
of nations what treaties and compacts may de
mand but I know what humanity demands
what justice demands. And the man who will
not groan within himself, if these already suffer
ing, wronged and injured beings must be sent
back to a bloody death in Cuba, deserves not
himself to be free."
If, after this just and eloquent passage, we
were disposed to hold up to the scorn of our read
ers, one in all respects its opposite, we would take
the leading article in last Evening's Star, where
in these men of the Amistad black though they
be that have "drawn the sword for freedom,"
are treated aspirates and murderers; and the
honorable sympathy manifested at Hartford, in fa
vor of the oppressed, who, by their own right
arms, have broken tneir chains, is described as
"calculated to make a melancholy impression up
on the people of this country."
But Mr. Dewey, as a preacher of the gospel,
is honorably laboring in his vocation, and the
Star, as the advertised friend of the South and its
peculiar institutions, is laboring in that which it
has chosen.
A Voice from Maryland.
The following cheering extract is from a letter
which we have recently received froSI intelli
gent gentleman in Frederic co. (MA.)-Penn. Free
man.
Whilst I am writing I would inform you that the
anti-slavery cause is gaining ground in this sec
tion of the country. Jhree years ago an aboli
tionist, an amalgamationist, fanatic and insurrec
tionist were interchangeable terms, and an aboli
tion paper would havD been a prodigy. But now,
arm-slavery papers are read regularly by our re
spectable and intelligent citizens. The pcrsecu
tions of the the abolitionists, the death of Love
joy, the violation or the freedom of the press, the
burning of your Hall, the rejection of petitions
are beginning to have their legitimate effects, and
have in the very nature of things done more for
the promotion of the cau-e they were intended to
crush than the united efforts of its friends. Thus
does God make the wralh of man to praise Him
But still the cause is unpopular: I probably am
making sacrifices in subscribing for your paper;
there are many who would not risk their interests
by subscribing for anti-slavery papers, who still
wish lo read them, and the public mind is yet de
plorably ignorant on the subject of human rights
We want light. The Colonization Society is one
of the strongest barriers in the way of abolition
principles, by affording a rampart behind which
the secret friends of slavery (who wou.d not advo
cate the soul-destroyiiig system in all its atrocity)
may fortify themselves.
J3ut 1 must close. 1 Did you tiod speed in
your glorious undertaking. You have done
much good. Already has a wound beed given
lo the monster which must prove fatal, if not per
mitted to heal. Be not discouraged if in the ag
ony of the dying hour he should grasp his victim
still closer. Remember that on the efforts of the
friends of liberty depends not only the happiness of
two millions and a halt of fellow beings, but also the
securing of our liberties, and the salvation of our
country.
Yours in the cause of the slave.
Frederic co., Maryland.
Mr. Birney.
Mr. Birney lectured at Cincinnati, Sept. 10th,
in the 6th Presbyterian Church, to a crowded au
dience. The Philanthropist says, it was one of
his best efforts; a clear, strong, calm. and conclu
sive demonstration of the nature of slavery. Ex
Senator Morris followed, in an address of an
hour, in his usual fearless and energetic style of
exposing the encroachments of the Slave Pow
er. We regret to learn, by a letter from the West,
that our brother has met with another accident,
that will prevent his lecturing as extensively as he
intended in Ohio, preparatory to the special meet
ing at Cleaveland. We understand that his health
was much improved on his journey to Cincinnati ;
but on going hence to Louisville the boat ground
ed.'" After tryinar to set her off for three or four
hours, they succeed about half-past nine o'clock
in the evening. All the passengers had got out
of her in order to make her lighter, and were on
board of another boat, grounded also just along
side of her. They were all to bo returned to their
boat, which had dropt below into deep water, in
the ya tvl. Mr. B. went the last trip in the yawl
it was overloaded ; and in the impatience of many
to get out first it was upset , filled, and went down
under the guard, feeven or eight, besides Mr.B.,
had to swim to shore (about forty or fifty yards)
for their lives. Mr. B. was much exhausted ;
and the fatigue brought back the daily visitation
i-U- -1 r r ... '
01 ia Biow icver. jumancipavcrr.
THE VOICE OP FREEDOM.
MONTPELIER, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1889.
State Semi-Annual meeting.
A Somi-Annual meeting of the Vermont Anti-Slavery
Society will be holder) at Montpelier, on the 17tli
day of October inst.
Business meeting wilt commence in the Frco Church,
at 10 o'clock, A. M. and public eiercises will be held at
2 o'clock, P M.
All Auxiliary Societies are urgently solicited to send
delegates; nil persons who are avowed abolitionists and in
favor of the great movement now rna'ung to a considerable
extent throughout the civilized world, to do awav slavery,
are invited to participate in the deliberations of the Society.
A general attendance is requested at all the public exer
cises. It is expected the session of the Society will occu
py most of two days.
J. A. ALLEN,
See. of Executive Committee.
Middkbury, Oct. 1,1839.
State meeting.
Shall there not be a strong rally of the friends
of freedom at the State meeting on the 17th of
October ? The time is at hand, but if our friends
in every quarter will act in a spirit worthy of them
selves, the meeting will be one of thrilling inter
est. It is not important that delegates be formal
ly chosen by societies, but there ought to be a gen
eral rally of the anti-slavery host. Subjects of
grave importance, having an important bearing on
the cause, are to be discussed and decided. We
appeal with earnestness to our brethren residing
in this and adjacent counties. Those who live in
the neighborhood of anti-slavery meetings, surely
ought not to fail of attending unless prevented by
a positive providential hindrance. Remember,
remember the meeting on the 17th of October.
Important Testimony.
We have just had an interview with a highly
respectable Baptist clergyman who has recently
returned from tie South, after a year's sojourn in
the States of Virginia and North Carolina. Ou
friend has been in circumstances which enabled
him to make pretty extensive observation of " Sla
very as it is," and to note the prevailing senti
ments of the more intelligent and influential men
in those States in reference to the great question
of the day. We hope to have the opportunity, ere
long, of publishing some interesting statements
from his own pen. From the present interview
we feel warranted in laying down the following
propositions as the result of our informants ob
servations in the South.
1. That slaveholders, especially professors of
religion, are taking a more lenient attitude on the
question of abolition. The leaven of free princi
pies is diffusing itself among the people.
2. As a general fact, the Colonization enterprise
is sustained in Virginia and Carolina on the ground
that it is favorable to slavery and opposed to enian
cipation. Our informant knows of no case for
ming an exception this remark.
Characteristic. The anti-colonization papers
are quoting Liiberia advertisements of Rum and
Brandy, dated seven or eight years ago, in order to
make an impression unfavorable to the temperance
of the colonies ; while they know or ought to
Know, lor ample evidence of it has been before the
public for years that, in regard to the traffic in
& use of ardent spirits, those colonies are very far
in aavance ot ihe state of Vermont, (a) Is there
no news about spirit-drinking and spirit-selling ol
later date than 1832, that will ansiver their pur
pose ?(b)
By the way, the Voice of Freedom acknowledg
es that " there is reason lo hope that a belter cur
rency than tobacco, rum, &c.J has since come in
to use," 1. p. since 1S29. And is it no achieve
ment of humanity to have introduced a better cur
rency on such a coast ? Does not such a change
in the currency essentially and most beneficially
influence the habits and character of the people ?(c)
Vt. Lhronicle,
(a) If the laws governing the people of,the
Sandwich Islands " seven or eight years ago," had
been framed by a Board professedly benevolentjor
religious, and the chief magistrate had been ap
pointed by the same Board, would it not have been
marvellous if they had permitted the traffic in
brandy, rum, powder and spear-pointed knives ?
(b) There is much more " news" on this subject
than the Chronicle will care to publish. The
Rev. Mr. Wilson, a missionary of the American
Board, in the Missionary Herald for September.
1839, gives an account of an excursion along the
coast for the collection of information with a view
to the enlargement of the mission. Under date of
March 3, 1S39, Mr. Wilson describes his visit to
the town of Krako and his interview with " the
most important man" of thertown. Mr. W. says,
' We visited him and found him very hospitable.
His dwelling is constructed in native style, but on
a larger scale than usual. It is of an oblong square,
perhaps about sixty feet long nnd twenty or thirty
wide. L is partitioned off into apartments of equal
size, ihe hrst, through which we passed, is used
as a store room, and was supplied ui h a puncheon
of 7-um, a case of ?nuskets,B. few teeth of ivory, Sec.
The next apartment is an open hall, with no fur
niture except a swinging hammock. The next is
occupied as a sleeping room, and we were forth
with introduced to it. In one corner of this stood
a plain pine cupboard, which was well furnished
with decanters of water, rum and wine."
"The general style of building here is very simi-
ar to that in the vicinity of Cape Palmas; and the
character and habits of the people too are also very
iimilar."
Is this " news" late enough for the Chronicle ?
(c) If the character and habits of the colonists
have undergone any marked improvement, how
happens it that the missionaries of the American
Board have not made the discovery ? Mr. Wil
son, in a letter dated Feb. 7, 1S39, says, " I think
both Cape Lahouand St. Andrews inviting points
for missionary operations." Why? "Their be.
moteness from European and American Settle
ments is not one of the least encouraging circum
stances to make them so."
Does the Chronicle exchange with the Mission
ary Herald ?
Montpelier Tempcr.inco House.
Having had ample opportunity to test the char
acter of Col. Carter's Temperance House, we can
confidently adopt the following commendatory par
agraph, from the last Rutland Herald :
We often hear about this season of the year, tho
inquiry, who keeps the lest public house at Mont
pelier? Now it is not always easy to understand
what meaning the inquirer himself affixes to the
word best: as it will admit of various applications,
according to the habits, temperament and circum
stances of him who asks such a question neither
are we about to say which of all the public houses
at the seat of government is the best ; for on this
point even honest men might not exactly agree".
Butthis much we will say, lo all sober, sedate, quiet
people, like ourselves, about to go to Montpefier,
go to " Carter's Temperance Hons ," and if you do
not lind as good a table, as good attendance, as
good beds and comfortable rooms, and as much
quiet as the particular circumstances usual at the
commencement of " the session" will admit, and
all upon as fair terms as at any other public house,
we are mistaken that's all.
What Southerners think of Colonization.
The editor of the Georgetown Advocate (speak
ing of Henry Clay) says : " The fact of his being
President of the Colonization Society is enough to
convince the most fastidious that he is no friend of
abolition; besides which, he is a slaveholder him
self. The Colonization Society is in our opinion,
strengthening the interests of the slaveholder, by
sending the lazy free negro out of the way of the
industrious slave, thereby preventing the bad in
influence of their associating togelfur.'
The Empire State.
The Friend of Man brings us a cheering ac
count of the annual meeting of the New York
State Anti-Slavery Society, held at Utica on the
lSth nnd 19th ultimo, Gcrrit Smith, Esq. . in the
chair. The attendance was quite equal lo that of
any of the former meetings. The subject of polit
ical action seems to have been the most prominent
topic of discussion. The President, Gerrit Smith,
introduced a proposal for amending the constitu
tion of the Society in such a manner as to pledge
its members not to vote for pro-slavery law-makers.
The Friend of Man observes that " this elic
ited an animated discussion, though ihe measure
was opposed by only two or three of the members..
Only two, we believe, opposed the amendment on
principle, (if principle it may be called, that de
cides such questions on considerations of expedien
cy.) After a long and patient discussion, the a
mendment was carried with only one dissenting
vote. We regard the measure a very important
and timely one."
The receipts during the year were $19,769 6S ;
disbursements, $20,554 65.
Instead of taking pledges on the indefinite plan
formerly practised, blank noies were circu
lated, to be filled out and signed by individuals,
who are held personally responsible for the pay
ment, without subjecting the sot i.-ty to the expense
of sending agents to collect the amount in their
respective neighborhoods, but with the understan
ding that the signers are to make those collections
themselves from their neighbors. The amount
thus subscribed, including a small amount of mon
ey, was about $1700. In addition to this, the
President. Gerrit Smith.gave hischeck for $478 53,
and also became responsible for the support of the
editor of the society's publications, during the com
ing year. bo that the amount of definite sub
scription and contribution may be stated at up
wards of $3000. This we are persuaded, is worth
as much as three times the amount pledged in
the tormer manner.
The Anti-Slavery Lecturer, subscribed for at
the annual meeting, a year ago, and paid for in
advance, will terminate with the December num
ber. Upwards of 25,000 "copies are thus in pro
cess of distribution, and a few thousand copies re
main on hand, for future use, 30,000 having been
printed. It is thought best to terminate the pres
ent series with the December number, so that af
ter that time our friends will be unsupplied with
any cheap publication of the kind from this socie
ty. Under these circumstances, and considering
the very limited circulation of our weekly paper,
the Friend of Man, in comparison with the large
number of abolitionists in the state, a proposal was
ntroduced by the Executive Committee to reduce
the size of the paper to half its present dimensions,
and publish it once n fortnight, at 50 cents per
annum. After much debate in the annual meet
ing, it was finally concluded that the paper must
be published weekly, at the reduced sise, at $1,00
per annum. A few aubscribers were obtained on
the spot, and each delegate was appointed nn a
gent to procure subscribers in his own neighbor
hood, and receive & forward payments m advance.
A spirited effort on the part of our friends will
thus spcure a much greater circulation for the pa
per at the reduced price, than it has yet received.
The change will be made as soon as our Exec
utive Committee can make the necessary arrange
ments, The volume of the Anti-Slavery Lecturer, no
ticed above, has been published monthly in the-
newspaper form. Wrhen completed, it will com
prise the very best series of anti-slavery lectures
extant. W.e hope to see the whole embodied in,
a bound volume in due time.
We close our notice by copying some of the
most important resolutions adopted by the Soci
ety ;