Anniversary Of The American A. S. Society

The anniverearj of this Eociety was held at the Tabernacle on Tuesday May 11, Dr. Lindley Coais President of the so. ciety in the chair. The 15th. Psalm was read by Mr. Garrison, after which an abstract of the aunual report waa read. The following persons constitute the ex ecutive committee for the ensuing year. James S. Gibson, Lucretia Mott, T. Van Renssalaer, Lydia Maria Child, Charles Marriott, Abigail H. Gibbons, David Lee Child, Oliver Johnson, Wm. P. Powell, Roswell Goss, Isaac T. Hopper, James Hudson. The meeting was addressed by Mr. Gar rison with much eloquence. He was followed by Alvan Stewart, N. P. Rogers and C. C. Burleigh. We give the substance of Messrs. Garrison and Stewart's remarks as they were reported. Mr. Garrison then addressed the assem bly. He remarked that the lighest epithets against oppression were too heavy for the ears of tyranny. I know, said he,tnatever since 1 have been engaged in this cause, I have had occasion to lamen t that the English language was so poorly inadequate td express the emotions which must naturally arise in every honest heart whcn the horrors of slavery are contemplated. 1 have been accused of using hard íanguage. I think it far too soft for the occasion and the theme. Mr G. then offered the following reBolution. ''Resolved, That the abolitionists of the United States have no reason to be ashamed of their cause or their company; that the opposition arrayed against them is not ovving to the manner or spirit in which they conduct their sacred enterterprise, but to the principies and doctrine which they advocate; that the adoption of those principies and doctrines by the Amer ican people is essential to the peaceful overthrow of slavery, and the triumph of chrisiianity; and that those persons who are cpposed to the immediate liberation of their enslaved country men, are to bede nied the moráis and character ofchristians and pronounced destitule of the principies of cominon hurnanity." If the American people are to be taken at their word; ifvvhat they say in regard to the rights of men is to be credited; if they love liberty as they profess then I shall expect, in advocating such a position as I here assume, a cordial and unquestioning sympathy. But I know the American people are not to be taken at their word; I know that they are liars, and the truth is not in thern - tbat they do not revere the principies of their own declaration, but trample them in the dust. 1 know that they hate those whose hearts are smit ten with the ove of liberty - that the very name ofabolitionist is one of hprror and reproach - and that towards the large part of their brethren, who are 'guilty of skin not colored like our own,' there is a most unrighteous and hateful prejudice which knows no cessation or mercy. I know that I ani far more notorious than popular - ihat from one side of the land to the olher, I am held in detestation. But I confess that I am proud of this detes tation. I covet the hatred of those who hate liberty. Jt is in such circumstances that I rise to assert that abolitionists have no reason to be ashamed of their cause or their company. As to the cause - what is il? It is the cause of liberty. ís there occasion to be ashamed of that? - the sacred cause which Teil, and Hampden,and Sidney, Lafayette espoused? Jt is the cause of human happiness andment, the cause upon which all man holds dear entirely depends. I need not expatiatc upon this. Our own history is proof ofits worth and its glory. Our fathers have shown their estímate ofits value - They aro willing to spend all - life, wealth peace - for its attainment. All whohave ever lived whose memories aro cherished have been in ils favor. And who are opposed toliberty? none but the enemies of God's creation ! None but tyrants, and the abettor3 of tyranny. None bu{ the lawless and profane, the reckless mobocrats, - or what is worse, the Pharisee and the bigot. These disown the abolitionists. But have abolitionists any reason to covet their company or their applause? I say, Fharisaismand the bigotry of the law are arrayed against the anti-slavery enterprise - the lawless and violent of the land - the slavehoJders and their npologists are arrayed ogainst us. But the slavesare for us. Yes, theheart and the testimony of the slave - his sroans and his prayers arewith us. The free colored man is with us. Good raen, the world over, are with us. - The providence of God is working for us. I have sometimes undertaken toshow in what estímate the abolitionists of this cou ntry are held by :he great and good men of England. The testimonies which havo been freely and frequently given are not new. But, while the trial ia pending, in whose issue íb involved the character ofi abolitionists, we have a right to adduce the testimony of such as these. Theyare the expressions of men whose opinión can not be disregarded. [Mr. G, here read extracta from speeches and writings of Dr. Madden, Thomas Campbell, the poet, W. T. Alexander of EdingburgO'Connell, the great champion of freedom; the champion of mankind -and John Angelí James, commendatory of the cbaracter, principies, and conduct af" American abolitionists. Alvan Stewart, of Utica, asked permis Jaion to speak. He carne forward and aaid he did not come to tho place to speak, but when he heard the resolution read, and witnessed the noble spirit with which it wa3 maintained, he feit his soul pressed to lend his little strength in its support. - He hoped no clergyman would be offended by his reference to our Saviour's illus tration of the man who fell among thieves . We are here to day, said he, for the purpose of raising up that poor man, who has been robbed all his life long, and lies woundedand prostrate and halfdead. The alaveholders have robbed the slave ofevery thing, robbed him of all his rights, crushed him down ; eyes dug out light cut off; all this done by the forcé of law, sanctioned by divinity, under the grace of republican government. This poor man could not have lain so long in such a situation, had nol the preistand the Levite for a hundred and fifty years,passed by on the oiher side, and no man bowed down to listen to his moans, or to enquire after his name, hiscondition,his feelings, or his necessitiesjto give him consolation, sympa thy, or aid. We abomionists, if we are true to ourprotession, are leaning over this poor rob bed man, pouring oil and wine into his wounds, saddeningour heart to take him to the Inn, where we intend to tako good care of him, and pay his bilí. Why has the priest passed by so rnajestically? Oh, he is going to attend the Presbytery, or he is going to a revival meeting, or he must stand by and defend some high point of scholasticdivinity, and his callingis superior to the vvork of humanity, he cannot stoop to thatpoor robbed man. Then the Levite, the servant of the priest, answering to our elders and deacons, the holyguardof our ministers, he is so afraid the community will find out that there is a robbed man down yonder, that he will not let the notice bc read in the pulpit, that there is a convention of men or ofwomen, or children, going down to lift him up and rescue him. Mr. S . refer red to a want of a good spiri'. He said it was generally charged uponus when we give some of the astounding facts respecting slavery. Forinstance, if we bring out the fact that the President of the United Siates has a group of crouching bondmen thronging his palace halls - that he keeps elaves, and flogs them andsells them, and never pays them wages for labor j it ia well we have a bad spirit. God multiply such bad spirits?