Annual Meeting Of The Michigan State Anti-slavery Society

Ihe society met at Adrián, Jan. 10, 1844. The President, C. H. Stewart, took the chair. The meeting was opened by prayer by the Rev. Mr. Hamilton. - The President ihen addressed the meeting at length on the principies, objects, and measures of the anti-slavery enterprize. It was then resolved, that all persons present whose sentiments accord with the principies of the Association be deemed members of the present meeting, until membership shall be regularly ascertained. The Report of the Executive Committee was then read and accepted, and after discussion, it was referred lo a Committee for revisión, consisting of Messrs. Rouse, Treadwell, Baker, Power, and Tomlinson. Adjourned. EVENING SESSION. Society met at the Presbyterian church. Prayer by Rev. Mr. Denison. Messrs. Treadwell, Tomlinson, Power, Zimmerman and Jones were appointed a Business Committee. Rev. G. Beckley oíFered resolution No. 1, which was discussed by Messrs. Beckley, Hubbell, Thomas, Barrows, Bacon, Egerton and Jones, and adopted. Resolutions No. 2 and 3 were adopted. No. 4 was discussed and laid over till tomorrow. Messrs. Power, Zimmerman. Diamond, Hamilton and Millerd were appointed a committee on nominations. Adjourned. THURSDAY M0RNÍNG. Prayer by Rev. Mr. Tomlinson.- Messrs. Jerome Treadwell, Dr. Cowles and S, B, Noble were appointde a committee to prepare a roll of members, who preented the following: Lenawee.-r-Rev. J. L. Tomlinson,Curran Bradish, Henry Tripp, Clark Beebee. Allen Beebee, J, M. Barrows, Roswell Dudley, J. Af Reynolds,Clark Lockwood, Rev. L, H. Willcox, S. E. Peters, J. L. Peters,R, L. Hall, H. Willey, H. S. Hamilton. Jackson.- Jesse B. Adams, J. M. Dimond, S. B. Treadwell, Newell J. Fifield, Edwin W, Shaw, Thomas Janes, J. D. Cowdin, G. Chapman, Jerome M. Treadwell, Samuel Higgins, J. G. Wrieht, L. Willcox. Washttnaw.-- S. B. Noble, Rev. Guy Beckley, S. N. Millerd, Luke Beckley, lH. W. Beckley, Theodore Foster, M. H. Cowles,Chauncey Branch, James A. Ray, Sabin Felch,A. A. Copeland, T. Bancroft. M. Swift, O. R. Swift, J. Peeble, C. B. Seymour, R. Peeble. Oakland. - Nathan Power, E. H. Fairchild. Ingham. - Pliny Rolfe. Genessec.-h W. King, J. C. Gallup. Branch. - Louis Mills, Amasa Waters, J. D. Zimmerman. Livingston - Cha'rles Cowlam. Hillsdale.- Ethel Judd, Wm. W. Jackson, L. M. Brown.Wayne. - Charles H. Stewart. Messrs. Beckley, Jones, Rouse, Treadwell and Perkins were appointed a committee to draft a memorial to Congress against the annexation of Texas, who reported a form of a memorial, which was adopted, and is as follows: To the Honorable the Congress of the Unüed Slates of America, in Señale and House of Representatives convened: - Your memorialists, inhabitants of the the county of , and State of Michigan, respectfully represent: That they are apprehensive that the project to annex Texas to the United States is not yet totally abandoned, and they can imagine no measure that would be so fraught with disgrace to our national character, with detriment to our prosperity, and destruction to our still existing confederacy. That the irregular settlement or seizure of Texas by lawless adventurers and speculators, their shameless prostration of the inalienable rights of man to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in a land where, by the Mexican Constitution, human liberty had been permanently established, the singular and summary mode in which its nationality was recognized, all forbid the thought of such an amalgamation. That with these views some of the States, such as Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode-Island, Ohio, and Michigan, have through their legislatures, and the citizens of the other northern States have by means of the public press, popular meetings, and numerous petitions, repeatedly and decidedly protcsted against any such innovation. Your memorialists intend to support the constitution of the United States; and they believe that as the proposed incorporation with Texas would essentially change the conditionsof the original compact between the States, it could not be eíFected without a formal alteration of that instrument, which would be utterly impracticable. - They, therefore, earnestly petition your honorable body to oppose any attempt at an annexation alike mexpedient and unprecedented, and which must inevitably prove fatal to this Union.ft Claims against the Society were presented by N. Gilbert. and J. D. Cowdin, which were referred to Messrs. Beckley Treadwell and Cowdin for examination. They reported, that the claim of N. Gilbert be cancel! ed by transferring to him a pledge of H. H. Gilbert to the Michigan Anti-Slavery Society for $100. A collection was then taken to liquídate the claim of J. D. Cowdin, and he gave his receipt in full. The Committee to revise the Report of the Executive Committee reported sundry amendments. The Report of the Executive Committee was then amended and adopted. Messrs. Hall, Treadwell and Peters were appointed a commiltee on the best method of öbtaining and distributing Tracts. Adjourned. AFTERNOON SESSION. The Committee on Tracts reported that the President of the Society be a Committee to obtain and distribute Tracts, and recommended that the several donors be entitled to receive in Tracts the amount of their donations, provided they shall demand them within one month after notice of their being ready fordelivery shall be published in the Signal of Liberty. The report was adopted. Messrs. Treadwell, Beckley and Wilcox were appointed a committee to revise the Constitution of the Society. They reported several alterations, which were adopted. The Committee on Nominations reported as follows:PRESIDENT. S. B. TREADWELL, of Jackson. VICE PRESIDENTS. N. M. Thomas, of Kalamazoo, E. Hussey, of Calhoun, C. Gurney, of St. Joseph, M. H. Cowles, of Washtenaw, R. B. Rexford, of Jackson, C. S. Youxgs, of Branchy Morrison, of Oakland, G. L. Crane, Lenawee, C. Cowlam, Livingston, W. Canpield, o Macoml, A. L. Porter, o Wayne, J. W. Kino, q7 Genessee. executive commitïee. Sabin Felch, S. D. Noble, C. J. Garland, G. Beckley, Treasurer, T. Foster, Secretary. The next annual meeting was appointed to be held at Jackson in February next immediately after the adjournment of the State Temperance Society. Adjourned. EVENING SES8I0X. The Society met in the Presbylerian Churclí. Resolution No. 4 was discussed at length and adopted. The Business Committee roported further resolutions, which were adopted. The cordial thanks of the Society were voted to the Presbyterian Society of Adrián for the use of their new and elegant house, and to the citizens of the villnge for their hospitality to the members of the Society. After which the Society united with S. B. Treadwell in ïmploring the blessing of Almighty God upon their counsels and efforts, and then adjourned. C. H. STEWART, President. T. Foster, Secretary. RESOLUTIOXS. 1. Resolved, That the American churches are the buhvark of American Slavery. 2. Resolved, That to talk and pray against slavenr, and then vote for it, by voting for Southern Slaveholderp, or what íb equally as bad, Northern men witb Southern principies, ought rather to be called inmoral, than "moral suasion." S. Resolved, That Liberty party abolitionists should never be out-done by slavcry-party aboiitionÍ8ts in their zeal and activity in firing "moral powder" at slavery. while they take good care to superadd to. their powder tbat frightfu! executioner, the ballot. 4. Resolved, That while we witness the atnu8i'r)L spectacle of whigs and democratB mutually contending that there is an astonishing difference between votíng for a Southern man with Southern principies, and a Northern man with Southern principies, Liberty men can see no essential difference between thern, so far as regards the aboüüon of Slavery. 5. Resolved, That the plan of atinexing Texas to the Union, threalens both the extension and perpetuation of Slavery, and proves the necessily of unceasing vigilance on tbe part of every friend of Liberty. 6. Resolved, That a Committee of five be appointed' by the cbair, to draft-a memorial of this Convention to be forwarded to each house of Congress, and aliso to prepare another for gpneral circulation for signatures among all the friends of freedom throughout the State. 7. Resolved, That we sensibly feel the vaca ncy in our ranks occasioned by the recent death of our highly esteemed and fellow laborer, Jabbz S. Fitch, of Marshali, who wae our first Liberty candidato for Governor of this State, 8 . Resolved, That agreeable to ihe Declation of lndependence, all the privileges, rights and imtnunitios of white citizens are justly due to the people of color, who are and ever have been, willing to contribute their full share to enrich and to defend our common country. 9. Resolved, That the moet lamentable and humiliating fact that the old po'kical parties, as usual, seem determinad at all hazards to support for the Presidency either a slavehold?r or a northern man with strong slavery principies, onght to alarm the American people, and convince them that the fearful prediction of John Randolph, concerning the north in the memorable Missouri struggle is fully verified. 10. Resolved, That it is no wonder the chivalrous" slaveholders, hold the character of northern people in so low estimation, vhen they have so long witnessed their pusillanimoup, not to say hypocntical, conduct in loudly denouncing slavery in the abstract," and at the same time, constantly clevating ulaveholders to the highedt places of power in the iiation, and in the meantime voting for 7 additional slave states and refusing to vote for the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbiaand Territories. 11. Resolved, That the often repeated appeal of whigs to old party prejudices, that to vote for the Liberty party is indirectly to vote for their political opponents, though povverlesg upon true überty men, is doubtless ovenvhelmincr to all such as can be easily caught with a clat hook, bait or no bait. 12. Resolved, Tliat in view of the most humiliating fact that tho slave states with less thon half the free population of the free States, and paying than but g of the national revenue. have held the office of Presiden t 43 out of 55 years, the President pro tem of the Senate 61 times out of 77 elections for this office, the Speaker in Congress 28 out of the lest SO years, 27 out of the last SO fureign ministers, 28 out of the last SS foreign consuls, 47 out of thé Jast 52 principal naval officers, 27 out of the Jast S6 principal officers of thearmy, and other important officers of the Government nearly the same ratio, ought at once to alarm the American people, ind a waken them to their true condition, that the judgment of Heaven is already upon Ihem for their oppreesions, being governed bv i slaveholding arislocracy, deceiving and béng deceived by the specious names of delemocracy and whiggery.