Report Of The Executive Committee

Of the Michigan A. .S'. üocic'-j, l.b. S, 1843. At the return rtf"nnot!nr .ïuivèraary, your Co!iiinine are grtiilied, lobo il lo o report lo ilie Sqcípiv. fint the :: :;.: and 'i"': in ' v Ivich ivsiv tiíií'Ofi tllc "nt.nJ.s of J Littoriy ín lus Stuie. etsll continúes. So rr is :!io kriowfiifigc f the CorrrrriFitPC eximds. thè'ré is n pi:r !(.■:: ngrcon;er.t i-i ie ■::"!;■■: t Ihc principié '1 -ü ,:n;i. n'iil ml t1 :i-'!i th?y nrc ! t 1)0 ciiiicc! out. nmong nl! vho mnnires, !y thcir wrks, ihcir tntcVèöi in lbo mus oí Ihc i s'.ave. Tljfl éoi]njtpe pr,i.o=. Vo pj-ósPrii at tliis i tiinc ?od:o coiis'd'-ririin.-! :i tbc rrioasures yh c'i ■ ave !_ n U8cd Lw ubliiwii:s 3 in ibia S:atr, fo1 liu-athaiK'c-.ticiit of Ihefrcuisev witli pöpeoiol rel'e'ret3é fo lliêïr flituríTo!í?c!.'h'cy. CJILRH ACnO.V, i One inipnr'ant ngrnl ín arcoSip'ièhtfig tlic wnik of omnncipniion. is A ui n ! in ihe (..'crines ! of ♦.'(itistim: y. The Ftiiniflcr oi' thi? Cbnètran left bis doctrines on r-v;-:d r.sa guule 10 ■i()!tp. ly !ié carribd out by thc;n in tljcir npsocintpd rnpiciiy. Thr-y wc re omn niu'cd to be ihe fiicn.is of evcry virtiie. .Uc ewom oppósors of eyury .jvrotig. nss u-i.tti 1:1 i.-is cintiitucd . ilirongli ollüec-n !uui;IeJ y-ears. 1: :):■■.■ exis'n 1 in all (lu-c United Sia'.o. Bul thu lyilow-jra ai , riiii.--. n (k-r;incoof tlic cstnm'atiJs Öfitcir g'"öat LnwgSvcr. hirc rodiice a mx'.h pnrt ofti.e r own mpniber's to the condinon ot' brute?, nml conrintif to perpétrate 00 ijjetu the inoafátro .-íótfs r!bcru-o. froiii liy to ü.y. V.'h'V som e poitjon of t'nn xviiitic biitiy Iiayc dissctrt,ed :io:: iliia yickcdedocsB. il Iws l?cen j yif.e.l by liiose C!uipti.iiiB w]o perpftrivte t, nnd dcil-ni'vdcd or rxi :;-?.. by mnny of l&udmg ChijsiiaiVa 01" rite Frce Stn'cs. wiiCiice k h;s bpeij iruiv s;ti!, tliut líi ' - Americnn Clmrches are tho bulwark of Anicriciñ f!vc;y. Your Cofniol.'C rrc '.v 'i .t.v.i.-. tint ii does not boloug to Aiüi-Sir.wy S.icie'ios !o pgislütf :'.:■ ('iii'iin;: Chnichcsf. or oprraoribc tiicir terrffs of mcmbersljíp, But ij U tlíéiv pr&yín'ec to attnek süváióídtng wljcevrr i; cturcp.rhcs iiv.-ir. or.d ii'iliosr vvho rob tli'eir Íí-Uow men obtnin mëmbciinip in out cíiorch', ■■;!(! ilfus niake Clu.:3;:an' i'y ;!io í'Miiij'sor pf 'xi Lidpotia sygtein of out.):. 'o nn] wVóngs ihiá fa'CHfjira sflfijiort must be ■ (aübn w, rs'n'd hoir trttc c!i racicrs in1c !o ! nppenr in al! tlirir u;i!;c;I (!efor::)iiy. Surh is tiic j amount of iht t'iat is njv exieriflci tlrrough theAnd in in-e t.- i!u' wronjj of s!;ivcho;,üna. that the time Ii.is fnlïy co'"1, wlioii eycry c'.u'ch should declare ilnt he wh iive.s in thfj dnijy rob!ery oi' b ornan -irj -lot bc recobjz9] by hem ns n consisirni f'lr :sir:n. A 6'ea!er of men eliould np more le tok-rated ín n rlmrcli of Chnst. ilinn n stefllct if hors'-s or klior.p; "iid ihe Fo-.inder of our religión. hrút.4ixprrasly tnugh!, that a man 3 of u.ore valae tlian a bnife Whilo a pr:íj 'ïi of the cIuirHu'S in ibis State hive cxcluüeil ii;ens-ea!ers from their membersliij), a jDiicli iargrr part stül ctmAtómnicq tlie iniquily. Your coinmir'ee vvöufd réc"nïmèj3 üint nnii-slnvory inenVlérs of c'iurc'ios of nvcrv Jeiioniiniiiion .liould liriny ihe atroeity of ihis s.va tem of wiek ed ness hoforo ihpir sevenil judicniorios. ati.'l intrent tkem to cxchiilc ih'ipc ulio will persist in ilie irr;u'ry irom ihc feliuwship and coiin'ennnce of dicir respective bodics. rociTicAi. .crios. Anothcr ngency wiiich lir.s beun effectually used for the advrjncorncat of Lifèrty piinoipls. is the power wi.icli iuin lie wiekic:] hroul; the electivo fianobtse Kvory freeinni) niay propeily nvi-i! liinisclf of this. va correcfing n:iy of the pyilsof co-nrnünjty jo wli:cli its eiÖcicy ban bc maáo io exienri. The coneeeptict] oi he p .i.icnl power of abolinonists to iht? advnnconirni :f lieir enterprize. has been tit'eniled, in al! case?, wit!1. siiTatarj; royu!;j. w'-.cn t li.na been exerted in support ot independent nominaiionsof the avowed jVier.ds of Lüier'y. it lns securod respect. It hns fitiracteij pul.üc a!:c-ro:i. h ha extended a kuvjcdge of our prUtciplw. lis iufluence hns bren A?lt n the defeat of c;tndidTtP- oi :!ie ofher pririie?. Wliilo the pniiiicn] RCtion of Aholi'tioh'5'8 is i;cpt dis) i net trom tno't of :1! oihcr panirp, wiilioiu fenr and without cónrprbinisc, its hennficial resn'ts will be ütsplajcid to n greatcr extent, and upon a Inrger field ofájíi$int. Je will bo rrnifiv.herc.l the firsi Lümny vote of üiis St;.te, a ïi t tic more iban two yonrs sincèi was 308. At tiio late elcc.'io'i ar Represent mívcs, more than twenty one hi:ndred supp-rfe'l the Lfbepfy candidatos. The vo:o was Ie?3 ihan it would othenvise hne heen. bccaue fegislative and cpunty canilidatcsonly wcre elccted. rmd. ess intcivst was thereiore feit in the e!cc:ion, and liecaiiio in severnl coniiiies. norriíríalíons wcre not naJc !iy aboütionists. nnd consequcnily no L'bertv votes wcre pollcd. Jn he freo States, the ajgregíitP LibfVty vo;e has inereased during the pasl year froni 23.0Í0 to 35,000. The present posiiion ofp liitical parlies induces the belief that the politieel power of Abolitionists enn be rcildered far more ■ ff c:ive than it hns hiiherto heen. The reat qt:estion of human liberty must yei become the piranioutit one at the polls, j The subservlcncy of both the great poiiïicol porties to the absolute dietation of bluveholders. is j (iped more and more by passing events, nnd its manifestation eycJes tlie loathingr, contempt and j abhorrence of honest rïnhde. Wlieh j tions shall cease to be t!:e noat prommeiu topics of politio.nl ngitation. and the one grnnd issue beween Siayery nnd Libert} shall become n.itional, no one can doubt the uluniate resulr. who has jbserved the gene-al tenduncies oí ihfi nge. or who belicves that the onward progresa of hiimnn fredomje inaco.dartcc wiih the mercifut designs ! of Heaven. PÉTITIO.VS. Anoilier means of idv:incing the anti slnvcry 1 eause has bren by pcihioning our Nutionul and State Leglslatures. But Oew petitions have been f.irwai.liij from ihis Statf to Congrcss during the present se3sion. Oi;o reason probably is, that j mnny of our ci;izons are indiuposed Iongcr lo nnérnpriaizi) a body froiii whoni thcy have ' :eivcdojily nontumcly nnd scorn, iiiwü iliy cüii j nake their seneo of tho irentniem lltey have ' :eived feit at tbo ballot box. Anoiher renson ! ,vi!l be fonnd 11 the ihet thnt Mfi higori: since her ïxistenoc os a State, hns never yet had a delégate n e.'ther House of Con'res3, who potsofse 1 liie lisposition, or sufiicient ability. or uflíciexít :ourage to utter ooe word in defencc of thiiri slaveiy consiitucn;, hn ïhey hnve ron ihoir "petitions trampléd urvier foot wiili the ni bí abject ond silavc-like tawcness. : Pc:i!ions f' otK Ft.ite Leg níteroiiün of thc Constitution as wíl! eaiend t'ic ■ flcclive franchise lo thé colóreS freeme of this i State, havo been pteijftiitcd frmn !cgnl votcrs in the cou'ntícs of Wa'yue, Wnslitenaw. KnlamozoC ; Monroe, Ingltflffl apa iierrien. Tíiu c.loted liahiiniití of the Sta-e have a!so pctitioned in I tliei r own helmlf. Wial actíon llie present islniure "iül t;ike upon ibis sui;jcct. cannot now i óe known: lm mi that public; sontimeñt j is tnudi inore favor.iblu tq such un aitemnon o tíie Ooiistituiiüii llian it lms been a; any Jornicr perioil. i .'LDICIAI. DKCíSIQSS. Tho recent decisión öf thc Snpreme Court of the Unúeci Staios. by wliich Slavery s exicmled over èvcry Sinte hnd Telíítof'y n the Union, an'd ! by which slaveholdcrs nre authorizpd to exccuie their brutal violcncc upon thc persona oí liioir victiuip, befure thc cyes of tlmse vvho ablior and execrniu tlicir syslcm of robbery. is proilucing us nppr.)priatc efiects. Whíle there are heings in limnan lorni. whonre so loot to rveiy viiine as o betray the opjrcssed iivo ihe hamlí o t'n; maitc.-.l er. and while not n íew intcrested polkicinna nre ready to jtiatify the crimp, yot t)c grea! n::rP of OUT free poputatiön look upón the conmtion of tl;e i fugitivo from Slavery u-iih cötnpa'ééiön, and on the cond'ict of bis master wilU deíoslntion -- Tilia íeetiní.' manifests iiselí in thr aiii afftQ nssistanee that is evnry where extended to tho fugitivo, and ii!ko by eouníeracting and dcfeaiiiii: the ncforions atiosupis of bis mester íbr his recíip'ro. It iá stalor] tliat o;it ólsonic t1ious:md3 wlio ve esenped from slavery into tho freo States j during the pr.st year, il is not known thnt moro j ihan sevrn have been reiuriied into bondngo. - , Thc Jaw by which the free Statos me roquired to rf -ens'avc thosc who hnve fled from tbe Southern prison-houae, is coutrary to Huninnity, to Natural Justico, nn! to the Revéale;] Will ol' God, and can thcreíoio, have no binding toree upon nur riuzens. The indications now ate, that it vviii eoon'üieiH i lio fate it deserves, and be entirely disregarded. I.KCTIRKS. A Lectnrer has not been empioyèd by tl;e Execulivc Commine?. dnring ihe mst yenr. rs thr-y !ad r.o funda for hi support. ' Nor is it nclyisnble that ecturers shoulri be eniploycil by thc Sociejy i n future, ns the Liberty principios nre now so widely spread, that püáo;:.s living ir; the diflbrent lncaüíica wliere lectures arc-npededeau bcet mafce thoir own airangements. Bit a considerable ! nuniber of gentlemen have Ieciurpd in cliflerent i parts of tlie Stare, with n:uch success. FISAXCE.It -will beseen by :he Treneurers report, thnt the totnl reeeipts of the pisl }'ear have .imounted to $,2J7 A'i: wln'e the to:ui exnenditure have been $L,öoo 1 4 : Jeaving n Finiance due the Treasurer oí' $825 71. Tl) is balance includes aïso a debt reporten at the last nrini versa ryj which ilio society ove] for paper for t!e fust volume oí' íhe Siiinal. To meet iliis dein therenre pledges end unpnid subscriptiou3 to the nmount of $471 3') leaving n balance actuillydue the Treasurer of $354 32. THE PKS5S. Din ing the pnst year. the Signa! oí Lihoty hos been issucd every week. lts present number oi subsoribers is about 1J5). The circulation in fiiis State exteners ttiroiigli twenty iour bconnties. The very low price of produce, and ihc extreme sc.irei'y nf ntoncy, hnvo prceludcd gront Rumbera from becoming subscribers, and , liavj so dcniimsheu the res(.i,H8 whic!) werc due tl:e socio;y upon subscripti.ine The co!itr;ict made wiiii }h Suliivan, the forI ntor publisher of this paper, expired on the 25ih of April last; and upon caüing a rgu!nr meetiug of the Fxecuiive Comniitteè, the members were raiilling to pledge lucir personal responsibiliiv on any ncw contract for the publication of the second vohimo; and witlout that responsibiiity, the pnpe: could not be piibüshed: In this stató ! of rhiags, to save the Sigml frorn i pretnnture Lrrave, tvvo membirs of the conimitiee. !iy ti:eadv;cc and with the consent of the remainder, have published tlic paper io the present tune, on their own peci'.nia;y responsibiiity. From tliis brief review of the ptesent stnlc of our criiis-e and of liie agencies by which t has leen promotet'. it will beseen thsl we have anip!e reasons for encoiirngermnt and future exertion. God iias smüed upon our eflbrls hiiherto inbehnlfof downtrot'den hiimnnity; aVíH while thegreat lnw by which He governs the aflhirs of niPii, thnt suceess, on the whoie. shall bc proportioned to c.xertion, applies to this. ns wtll as to al! othcr I)inr.an enterptizes; He has-also given tl)O most positive assurancea that the objects we seck are perfectly in accordance witli bis wil), and thnt, tliiough al! opposing obstaclcs. they sha!! yet be bronglu to n happy nnd giorious consuniiriation. The taak of changing Üie long establiálieJ and Iegalized oustoms and insiitutions of society, is noï, indeed, an easy one. norcan iibe accotnph'shed in a d.ij'. All histo.-y admonishes us that great moral and mental changos can be made to pervado eociely only by the long ' ued and perseverlng disseminntion öt' trufh - But the sanie histoty alío teaches, that no olent enterprize was ever yet undertr.ken from ! right motives, and pursueJ with wis iom and per eevornhee but that it was fniaHy sticcefbful.'- i Wliether, then, we look at tlie past or the future, ! nt the objects to. be accomplished, or tho ! clcs to be overeóme, we find ampie reason for unnbatlng confidencoand uneaasin ií? rí. being i wel! assured. frorn the bislory of human afuirs, bs wcll osironi the declaralions of Hcavcn, that j we shf:ll reapiii dae time, iï we faint noi.