Rev. Mr. West's Positions: For The Signal Of Liberty

The mam points in the Rcv. Natbaniel Wcst's cotnmunication in the Signal of the 10lh inst. are so fully answered in your editorial of the same date, íhat I hesitóte to add another word, and more cspccially since the Rev gentleman has not condescended to meet in theremotcst degree my argument; whieh was to show, or endeavor to show, thot the General Aesembly.. of which he was a member, had acted on the slavery qncstion in gross derelicüon of "their acknowledged powers and almo3t invariable practice in similar cases," as for instance in the matter of Dancing, at the present Bession. I endeavorcd further to show thatMr. West's argument in Assembiy for interferencc wiih slavcry, was juat as applicable to dancing as to Slavery, and led to the most absurd conclusión.- To th'u the gentlemen makes no reply, bot goes off apon two or three incidental remarks. In reference to Mr. Duffield, I said that he made a capital anti-slavery speech and followed it up with a pro-slavery vote." To show the inconsistency of this gentleman's course, compare the resoluüons of Mr. Kellogg, to which he epoke and which he ably sapportcd (in argument) with the preamblc and resolution of Dr. Dickenson for which he actually voted. A more flat contradiction in terms and spirit can scarcely be conceived. Notv what is Mr. West's defence of hls friend, (no lessafriend to the wnter than to him.)- "Dr. Duffield did not give a pro-slavery vote," (a mere matter of opinión.) "He voted with the majority believing that on the whole to be the best way. His speech and his voie might appear to so-ne as irreconcihble; butcverywise man, in final decisions. will taKe me wity which appears to him best, all.things considered, whalever tcay hc may speak." The itálico are our own. Herc wc have something more than a tacit adnussion of the very thuig ciarged - and in conclusión we are told tlmt "Dr. Beecher took the satne course." The argument Uien is ihat all wise men spcak one wayand vete anothei without deiguing to give a renson (to captious scribblers we suppose) for their incoasistency; a ml the clincher Í3 that Dr. Beerher does the same. Verily we ougnt to have known before that what Doctors 6ay is not to be disputed, - unless peradveuture when tbey happen to disagree, which by the by was not the ense in this inetance, being all to a man on the pro (begging Mr. West'e slavery side. Mr. West says, "it is nofc true thal Mr. West argued out and out for non-interference with the question of Slavery eitlier on the part of the Assembly or the church. I did give it as my opinión that the General Assern bly circumetanced as matters were ought m.t to interfere." My remark was ubut the northern man, we regret to say who most signalized himself by an out and out advocacy of non-inlerferei.ee wilh tlavery in the churches in any form was our Mr. West of Monroe. He went the length of opposing a"l ecclesiastical action whatsoever, either in General Assembly or in the churchea at home." I quoted Mr. West'e own words as reported in the New York Evangelist, and Mr. W. does not say incorrect ly. They were, " do not bdieve ice vuist act through ecclesiastical organizations to gel ut slavery."" The best way for the ckurch is iwt to intcrfere." If this is no out and oul advoca cv of non-interference with slavery in the churcheB, I humbly ask Mr. VV. what is? Mr. VV. would havo U3 to understand that the Monioe Presbytery upproves his course in General Assembly. Ifraü courtesy I must say, I cannot believe it. However, when that respectabie body shall publicly endorse tlie Rev. gentleman's course and arguments it wil! be time enough to notice it.In conclusión, Mr. W. mtorms us ne can guess the gcntlemen's name in Detroit, wbo wrote thearticlein your paper in qiiesüon, andexpresses a mock Bvmpnthy with him for Borne eupposed disappointment. I can assurc him that the only rcason for withholding ït from the public is its utter insignificancy. Had it a D. D. at the tail of it, there can be no doubt it would have been wise to lia ve given it, ae then it must have commanded instead of eympathy, the Rev. gentlemairs unqnalified