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The Christian Advocate And Slaveholder's Convention

The Christian Advocate And Slaveholder's Convention image
Parent Issue
Day
25
Month
April
Year
1842
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The Chriatian Advocate and Journal is an official organ of the Methodist Episcopal church in the United States. It has for many years leemed with the most vile and bitter things cgoinst the abolitionisfs and ospecially those in the Methodist Church. It has dealt freely with fhe private character of ministers, nnd whole Conferences , and has uöiformly refused an exph'nation or reply from those it has misrepredented and abused. Bot there is a p; ospect of refor.ii even in the Advocate and Journal. Dr. Bond is its ediior, and the foüowmg which appenrcd in that paper ns editorial on the 9th of March, will berend by niany ofourpatrons with interest We have appended a few notes From the Chnstian .Advocate and Journal. By far the most interesting matter which we have found in the Journab of theday, is the proceedings of a slaveholder's convenlion, held in Annapalis, Md., during the present session of tbe legislulure. At the time when the north and the east originated tlieir anti-slavery societies, Mary'and was steadily advancing toward a gradual emancipatiou of her slavery. A strong feeiing ogainst plavery pervaded the state, in which feelingmany of the slaveholders themeelves participated; and nothing is more certain than that alaw would have paSsed the legislature, long ere this, making all 6lnves bom after a certain day free al a suitable app, had no adverse influence from the neighhoring t'ree states arrestcd the progress of individual foeiine, nnd changed the current of public opinÍ0lV(l)r- But, unfortunately, anli -slavery associations were foimed where there were no slaves; and thewihlestand most fanatical resolutions were passed and published; incendiary publicatins, and pictorial representations, were unsparingly circuktpd in Maryland; and emissaries were sent anong our colored population, alienating them 3ven from that portion of the whites whom they had heretofore known and acknowledged as their friends, eitlior because they caild not advocate the immediateism of the aboiitionssts. irrespective of all cons-equences, or because they favored colonization. At tiiis junctun?, the awful tragedy of Southampton (2) occurred, and awakned'such alarm, that it became a díctate of pmdence, and of humamty to the colored people themselves, to cense entirely all agitation of'questions relating to emancipation, until n fairer opportunity should arrive, until the affiliated clubs, denominated antirslavery societics,sliould be rebuked and silenced by the sober and judiciou8 part of the people of their own States, and the people of the slaveholding States be allowed to manage their own affiiirs. (S). But of this pause tho pro-slavery men in Maryland took advantuge. It was a ready way to the Legislature to decry the madnet-s of abolitionists; and when there they passed law& which made the friends of humanity blusli p State, wbile every coneideration , and even the barety of the coloi m, compelled them to obsjrve a pi ■ nee. Still opposod to the who i 'f elavory, enduring it because thcy 'ofacting in opposition, without angori wbich it wts fearful tocontémplate, the great majority of the people were compelled to succumb to the dictation of a small portion, even ofi.he slaveholder--, becausp, to oppose tlipm woiild require a dange rous agitation of public feeling. Emboldened by the impnnity with which they had been permittpd to trample on the feeíings of their fellow-citizens, these ultra slnveholders have arrivel 8t n pitch of daring nnd wanton rccklenesF, which has so outraged the feelings of hutnanity, as to campe] nll who fenr God, nnd beüeve in a future state of retribution, to brave the storm, nnd oppose the mad proccedings of the slavehoider's convention, come what vvi'.l f4). We took sin'li measures as we deetned most fit, to wam the convention of the dángerous nature of the measures which we had been advised were contempluted; and though we saw in their proceedings a verificntion of the ancient maxim, that ''whom the gor's design 10 destroy they first deprive of renson," we were confident their madness would be rebuked by the legislature. What, then, wasour astonisliment, io find that a bil], in general conformity with the resolutions of the convention, had been passed by the house of delégales, and was befo re the senate for conourrence. Our consolation is, that Bnlfimore, the city of monuments, offnuntoin?, and of noble, gpnerous spiriis.has ronsed herself at this indifrnity. The Methodist., acting as a society, inemorialized the Legisla! ure, (5) and one of their deputation was assured, that there wos no (langer of the I)i!l pnssing the house of delégate:?.- But t did pass. The Rev, Rr,bert Breckenridge, ulways foromost wlipn duty calis, and npver ihe cosr, when obeyintr ite díctale?, tlnindpred from liis pulpit; (G) a meeting of citizen?, without disfinclion of party, or .ecf, wos called, to cssemble in Light-streot church: (7) a strong re monstrance was sent to the legilature; and this remonstrance was advoented by many elaveholuers, and some of the depulation appointed to present il are slave holders. The state is nroused; nnd the people, finding that the madness of the ultrnists wil force upon them dis-cussions which tliey hac heretofnre forborne lo indulge, fr m motives of prudence, will now breiist the storm, and show that they are competent to take care of the interests of the state, and, at the same time, to rebuke ulrraism, hether it comes from abroad, or shows itselfamong themselves. This mad movement of the slaveholdes' er nvention is the more sitrprising, because they must have known the difïïcnlty with which the opposite fanaticism of theanii-slavery societies wns snppressed in the free staies (3). To cast this firebrand mto the yet smoiildering materials is beyond the ordinary fullv and wickedness of men. We were adir.onished, by the colonization convent ion, that some such exces? was to be spprehended, and the convention most earnpstly deprecatrd the evenf. And well it might; for noihing could be more fatal to colonizntion, than the enactment, by the lei.slature, of the measures recommended by the holders' convention. To our brelhren we say, and to all whofear God we say, You are released. The slave holders'convenfion have taken offyonrstraiirh: jückets (9). Wiih an eye sinrle to the glory of God, do your duty (10). If we have at any time compromised too much, we did it undera conviction of duty. We do not repent .that we havo Itít our moderation be knovvn to all men. The questions which we were told it was dangeroua to discuss are now forced upon us by those who conjured us to be eilent, for the sake of mercy and humanity. And, with the biessing of God, we will discuss them to the heort's ronlent of the slave-holders' convention (11). We forbear to give a synopsis of the biH whirh passed the house of deleg-ntes. We should be mortified to see the paees of the Advocate stained with it. We find, omong the nnys, some whom we knew would be tbund there. We were thinking, that when we hear of the nction of the senate, we would ass:gn a prominent place in our paper to the publication of the names of the noble opponents of iirjustice and Ity, nnd keep the form standing, so as to givtí one iuertion every yeur, making them familiar to our numerous readers, as deservjng to be had in everlasting remembrauce (12). 1. Tiiig is an old story, and has been repeated by the en.3mies of abolilionism a thousand times, twice told. We believe it to be totally and absolutely false; for we have never seen a partiële of evidence to substantiate the assertion but the mere ipse dixit of those who made it. 2. The Doctor here commits an egregious error. The Southampton tragedy occurred in 1331. which was before any Slavery societies were organized, and before the agitation of this question has attracf.ed any special attention, North or South. As our societies were not formed, our resolutions not pnssed, our incendiary publications and pictorial representations not in existence until 1833 or after, it is difficult to determine how these things, however exceptionable in themselves, could excite the slaves of Southnmpton to insurrection and bloodshed in 1831. Will Dr. Bond explain? 8. The Doctor is getting rather meddlesome. He seems now nclined to interefcre in the subject and aid the slaveholders in "managing; their own affairs." 4. Ve admire this bold and fearless stand. It is just as it shüuld be. If the Advocate had taken this ground years ogo and maintamed it, who can teil but ere this time the Methodist Episcopal Church in theü. S. would have been purified from the deadly curse of slavery.- Maik the language, the "ultra' slaveholderd' wanton recklessnessand mad proceedings must be opposed, come what will' tac. &c We subscribe to this doctrine every woid of it, especial that part which declares that duty must be done "come tvhatwUl," but let us hear no more of abolitionists pursuing their course, "reGARDLESS OF CONSEQUEiSCES " 5. This was a revival of ancient Methodism. And for this "dabhting in politics," as it has been called, Methodist Abolitionisls have been, censured and condemned, again and ogni, in' the very paper, and by the ven, mn,who now opprovesofmemorializing the Legislattire, to prevent the passage of cruel and nnjust laws. And why not petition for the repeal of all suc as have been passed, and use our suffra for the appointment of such men to office will hear our prayers. and do justice in the premiees. 6. So should every minister of Jesus Christ, north and eoutb, "thunder from bis pulpit" 'a. ainst elavery, and all its complfcated wrong -let the sound vibrate through the emir land, and the old Bastile will eoon crumble ia mins never more to disgrace and curse out world. 7. No desecration in the house of God of couree in the Doctor's mind-thongh to occupy a church for in Anti-Slavcry Toeéting, haf by the Advocate, been considered & departure Trom the rules of proprietv. 8. We were not aware that the "fanaticistn of the Anti-SIavery Societies," had been aUppressed, unless t were in the columns of tho Advocate; but silence is there broken, and surely our prospects were never better for tho speedy overthrow of elavery than at the present. 9. Glonous proclamation this- we have long since eaid, and longer believed, that thousands in church anl State were held in check on the subject of fchvery by the ivouïd be rülrrs. but an emancipalion is proclaimed fo our Methodist friends, who have been under Bond or "in Bonds," their "straight jacket.," are tnken off, n general jubilee has come, and we confidoutly expect that theredeemed willshow themselves worthy the high boon con'ferred upon them Let them ('open their ntoutlijor the dumb, and plead the causr. of the poor and needi." 10. To tliis we respond a hearty Amen- let all do their luty anti the work is done- the church punfieil and the ration redeemed. 11. Free and fiiiil discnssion is all that ia necessary to show up the iiislitutipo as.it is Thisdone, an jndignant people will make an end of it ut once. 1L. Do it, Dr. Bond, Ve shall rejoice to sce the Advocate out once a year, if no more, in favor of jusdce and equal righte. On the wliole, we are pleasrd with Dr. Bond's remarks. We should be disposed to receive a "moderate correction" without murmuring each week, if it could be followed with such u burst of indignation ngainst slaveliolders and slavefy as wo find in the above. We wish the Doctor 6uc Cess in his ■.vnr tiar.r, slavery. -

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News