The Liberty Convention At Salem: For The Signal Of Liberty

ine ijoiiveiiuuií mui oepi. 10 pursuani to previous notice, and was opened by prayer by Rev. Mr. Hamilton. John Peebles was calied to the chair, and T. Foster appointed Secretary. The meeting was thenaddressed by Mess. Chandler, Borns und Gawles, on the inefficiency of moral suasion in ilself, to accomplish the aboliúon of slavery, - the absurdity and inefficacy of the old qiestioning system, - ld the proslaveiy characler of both the great politica! parties. Dr. Barns comparad the use of moral suasion alone, to one of those sham fight?, which were formerly socommon in Mssachusetts. The whole country would be preparing for battle for days previous to ihe appointed time. Every old musket would be newly burished, every lock examiaed, every iiint tested, and every cartridge box replenished wilh the best of ntnaiunilion. When the period of this awful cantest arrived, the parties met face to face, with fixed bayoneta and frowning looks, and with deadly aim and courageou hearts, they poured forlh the oontents of Ihe weapons of death. Officers were seen riding over the field ,wiih drawn 8vords and foaming chargers, shouling to the comba tants, and urgingon the tide of war. Artillery also was used as an auxiliary in the work of carnage, and while the brazencannon vornited ibrth its tremendous contents to the riglu and left upon the impetuous foe, the hcavens beca me blacks ened, Ihe very earih trembled, and the heart of the fearful quaked wiriiin him - When thesmoke had rolled away from the field, and the resul ts of the victory were ascerlained, it was found that nol a hair of any one'd head had been hjured, and theonly damage that could be discovered was seen in the spiled upnarel and srautty and blackened faces of the combatants. - - There was all ihe appuralus of war in complete order and energetically applied; afld yet no exocution was done, because no bullets were used! The indispensable article for the use of which all the other preparacions were made, was thrown entirely aside.Dr. B. then öhowc J that moral suasion without political aclion would never accomplish the object that we seek, the aboiition of all proslavery laws; and that it was indispensably necessary in owentcrprise that we come to the contest wel! pro vided wilh bullets! He deraonstrated thntwhat bulléis were in the fight, votes were in the antislavery cause, and that if vewill only use it, "We have a weapon, firmer eet, And better than the bayonet: A weapon that comes down as stiil As enowflakes fall upon the sod; Yct executes a freeman's will Ab lightning does the will of God!" The aflernoon session was opened by prayer by Eider Bebins. The house was well filled, and was addressed by Dr. Eowles, who related many interesting fact8 which had come to his knowledge during his residence at the South. Afíer a full discussion of the financial power of slavery, as manifested especially in the distribution of tle Surplus llevenue, andof the proceedsof the public lands by which every freeman in a slave state receives more than each freeman in a free ítate, (and in some cases more than twice asmuch,)the Rev. Mr. Hamilton moved theudoption of the following resolution, vhich he eupported at considerable Jength. Resolved, That the history of our causo furnishes ampie proof that political action is both consistent and indispensable tosuccess, our enemies themselves beingjudgÍ3. He said he had been an anti-slavery nan for ten years, and had observed the progresa of the causo with much attention. S írent into a higtory qf the causO from=■- m- Maní mi n Éiiiwii i .l the time that Garrison first commenced : his eflbris till ihe presant time, and mentiouecl many inslances where the moral suasion eiïbrts of abolitionists had been met and rebuked by ministers and church es with the exhortation to carry tlie cause into politics, whcre it properly belonged, and without the aid ofwhich it could never suceeed. ín the proprieiy of this course Mr. II. fully believed. Moral suasion and politica! action must go hand in hand. - Every individual was under solema responsibiliiies to do all in his power for the reiuoval of' every evil that aiïïicts huinanity. He alluded wilh feeling md eloquence, to his own connection asa minister of the Presbyterian chureh, standing there and taking an approving part in the proceedings of a polilical convention. He well knew ihat sucli a course was contrarv to the feelings and views of nearly or quite al! tho ministerial brethren oí" his denomiiiaüuii in the Stilte. Yet how could he do les? Ho feit obliged to pray for the deliverancool'thü slave every sabUath day as well as in the prayer meeting and aroundthe family aitar.nnd he cij ined tiie saine duty upon lus people. Iow if an oppurtunity offered, whereby, in eonjnnction withoihers, he could act for the cause of the slave, and, as he believed, act efficienlly and succcssfullv, why should hc aolaci? ín such a case, how could he consislemly pray (hat the slave might be set Iree, and yet refuse to use the very means timt Gud hai put into h s hands to procuro thal frecdom? Mr. II. siiid he was not on!y a minisier bul he was a man, a brother, a son, a l"aiher and a citizen endowed witli poütical invileges, which he was Imuml to use for the good of mankind. In bocoming a minister, he had nol become divested of , theresponsibilhiesor privileges whicli pertain ed to him as a Iniman bcing, and a citizèri of the United States. In assuining the sacred profession, hé had only mlded one more responsibilily to those whioh previously pressed upon him; and in receiving 'his, he had lost none of the others. Il devolved on him still to use his voice, his influence, hÍ3 example and his vole to secure to his relativos, his neighbors and fellow countryrnen, iheir rights, tiieir liberty, their safety and happiness. He in common vviih his fellow citizens, liad a voice in setecting the Representativos and rulers of the people,and when he believed thal his vote and his example would add one single item to that influence which would do away any of the evils of humanity, how could he refuso to malie nse of his vote and influence for the benefit of men, and in a cause which, he was wel!' issured, had received, and would continue to receive, the !i;iproving smiles of Heaven? He could not refuse, when he believed thut good might be done, he must act. He clcsed by showing from many considerations. thut public sentiment may be corrected, and that polilical action, united with moral suasion will be surely successful, and heavowed his deterrnination fully to sustain, in both these hearings, the antislavery enterprise. The resolulion was adopted. A subsenption was then circulated to raise funds to assist in susiaining the Signal of Liberty, and aftcr uniling in prayer the Convention adjourned.