REPORT AND RESOLUTIONS,
ADOPTED JUNE 23D, 1857,
BY THE
SOUTEC-C-a.R.OIjIKrA. BRANCH
OF THE
^Zk^EZFtia-A-lsr TRACT SOCIETY
IN REFERENCE TO THE ACTION TAKEN ON
SLAVERY,
BY THE
PARENT SOCIETY,
AT ITS LAST ANNUAL MEETING,
May 1857.
A. E. MILLER, PRINTER, NO. 3 STATE-STREET, NEAR BROAD.
REPORT, &c .
The undersigned, members of the Committee to whom were
referred the Report and other papers connected with the late
proceedings of the American Tract Society, on the subject of
Slavery, beg leave to submit the following Report and Reso¬
lutions :
The American Tpact Society was established, asitis expressed
in the Constitution, (Art. 1.) to "diffuse a knowledge of our
Lord Jesus Christ as the Redeemer of sinners, and to promote the
interests of vital godliness and sound morality, by the circula¬
tion of religious Tracts calculated to receive the approbation
of all evangelical Christians."
In pursuance of this object the Society and its branches
have for thirty years acted with great zeal, harmony and efficien¬
cy in printing and distributing religious works, and their pub¬
lications have hitherto received the cordial sanction and ap¬
proval of evangelical Christians in all parts of the country.
United together in bonds of mutual love, Christians of vari¬
ous names have devoted their means, and combined their
efforts to promote this great and philanthropic work, and the
blessing of God has owned and rewarded, in a very remarka¬
ble degree their self-denying and charitable labors.
Nevertheless, for some time past, Southern Christians
have been made aware of the fact, that the same restless fac¬
tion, whose untiring agitations against Slavery have introduced
confusion and divisipn into every body which has allowed their
influence, wTere also at work in the American Tract Society,
striving to intimidate its officers, and pervert the principles
upon which the Society's operations were based, with the hope
of converting it into an engine for the promotion of their
fanatical and mischievous designs.
We saw therefore with unmingled regret and disappro¬
bation the appointment of a Committee to inquire into, and
review the proceedings of the Executive Committee, for we
knew full well from what quarter this movement proceeded,
and were satisfied that only mischievous consequences could
follow upon the least concession to these unhappy agitators.
The Report and Resolutions introduced by that Com-
piittee and unanimously adopted by the Society, at its la3t
Annual Meeting, have fulfilled all our fears. Their language,
however carefully chosen, can be shown to admit of but one
3
construction, viz: thaCt the form of domestic servitude pre¬
vailing at the South is a moral evil in itself (per se,) and as
such, that its maintenance is incompatible with the prevalence
of Christian truth ; and their recommendations, if acted upon,
will afford Northern fanatics the opportunity so eagerly sought
of assailing Southern Institutions through the presses of
the American Tract Society. Your Committee are unwilling
in a matter of so much importance to rest upon simple asser¬
tion, and therefore, beg leave to say a few words in illustration
of each point.
That the Report treats Slavery as a moral evil^er se, and
therefore as a feature in our social system which must finally
yield to the prevalence of Christian truth, and that it looks
forward to its removal as one of the results which the Ameri¬
can Tract Society may hope gradually to accomplish by the
increase of Christian enlightenment, although precluded by its
Constitution from discussing it directly, is evident from the
language of both the Report and Resolutions.
In the 6th paragraph of the Report, p. 225, we find re¬
corded with devout thankfulness to God the harmony and
Christian confidence that prevailed in the Committee in the
discussion and adoption of the Resolutions on the " subject of
Slavery" In the 8th paragraph, same page, the following
language exhibits plainly the sentiments of its authors with
regard to Slavery, and their anxiety that nothing should be
done precipitately by the American Tract Society, to bring
about its abolition ; " It should be constantly borne in mind,"
they say, " that the work of faith is not complete without the
labour of love, and the patience of hope. And who can
doubt that with such influences as faith, hope, and charity,
in alliance with that chastened patience, that loves to wait for
the fruit until the harvest season, this," (i. e. Slavery) " and all
other moral evil shall yield to the promised triumphs of the
everlasting Gospel" And in the 2nd Resolution, Slavery is
virtually classed with drunkenness, war, popery, as thus :—
" Resolved, that this Society cannot therefore, with propriety
allow itself to be made a special organ of any one system of
religious or moral reform, such as temperance, peace, anti-po¬
pery, anti-slavery, &fc."
Your Committee observe that such a view of Slavery, as is
here set forth, is in perfect consistency with the asssertion of
the 4th Resolution, that there are certain '■moral evils and
vicesj 4condemned in Scripture,'' and greatly ' deplored by evan¬
gelical Christianswhich 4 Slavery is known to promote." It
is to be anticipated that an evil tree will bring forth evil fruit,
4
and the Society being satisfied that both the tree and its fruit
are evil, should look forward even though it be in 1chastened
patience' of hope to its removal.
Your Committee do not question the right of Northern
Christians to entertain such sentiments with regard to Slavery,
but they do deny their right to make them a basis of action
for a Society which includes a multitude of Christians, both
North and South, whose views of Slavery, drawn as they
believe from the word of God, are essentially different; and
they are more than ever convinced of the impossibility of
committing the preparation and publication of Tracts upon
this most delicate .and irritating subject, to men, however ex¬
cellent in other respects, who differ from us upon what may be
justly called first principles.
Your Committee are also compelled to regard the recom¬
mendations of that Eeport as changing, in very important
respects, the attitude of the American Tract Society towards
the subject of Slavery, and as opening a wide door through
which Northern fanatics may advance to disturb our peace and
insult our religion. It matters little that the avenue so
opened, is at present occupied by our friends, since they have
themselves aided, we cannot but think most imprudently, in
removing the barrier erected by the Constitution of the
Society against the very evil which now threatens it. Under
the 1st Art. of the Constitution, the operations of the Society
were expressly limited to the circulation of " religious, Tracts
calculated to receive the approbation of all evangelical Chris¬
tians." Under this provision the Publishing Committee pos¬
sessed, and have hitherto exercised, a discretionary power of
deciding what Tracts were calculated to receive the approba¬
tion of all evangelical Christians, and finding that, upon the
vexed question of Slavery, evangelical Christians were at
variance upon the very first point of its lawfulness, they wisely
determined to be silent altogether ; and leave the discussion
©f the duties and responsibilities involved in the system with
their Christian brethren at the South, to whom it properly
belonged. They did not suppose that they stood committed
to Slavery, or could fairly be charged with sympathizing with
it, because they avoided it as a subject upon which their con¬
stituents were not agreed, and on which it was hardly possi¬
ble for them to publish anything " calculated to receive the
approbation of all evangelical Christians." That they should
have allowed themselves to be pressed by any urgency from
this truly constitutional platform, is to your Committee a
subject of the deepest regret. But they cannot hide it from.
o
themselves, that, this is the case. By the 4th Resolution,
already in part quoted, the Publishing Committee stand in¬
structed, that " those moral duties which grow out of the
system of Slavery as well as those moral evils and vices which
it is known to promote, and which are condemned in Scripture
and so much deplored by evangelical Christians, undoubtedly
do fall within the province of this Society, and can, and
ought to be discussed in a fraternal and Christian spirit."
If, as your Committee believe, nothing calculated to re¬
ceive the approbation of all evangelical Christians, can
be put forth by the American Tract Society, upon the
subject of Slavery, in the present disturbed state of public
feeling, the Publishing Committee, are not only authorized,
but obliged by this Resolution, to violate the fundamental
Article of the Society's Constitution. And as if to leave no
room for doubt upon this point, the attention of those who
may desire to discuss the subject, is officiously directed to
certain " moral evils" and ' moral vices' which Slavery ' is
known to promote,' which are ' condemned in Scripture' and
4 so much deplored by evangelical Christians.' The word all
before evangelical is here dropped, and we feel that it must
be dropped also out of the 1st Article of the Constitution
before a single Tract can be published under that Resolution.
Your Committee think it due to the great body of Chris¬
tians at the South, whom this Society represents, to add, that
Southern Christians are not unwilling to consider their duties
in regard to those whom the Providence of God has placed
under their care and government; nor do they shrink from the
discussion in the proper place and manner of any evils inci¬
dent to this, as to other social and family relations, in the
present fallen state of humanity. But they utterly deny that
Slavery is more or otherwise an evil than poverty, or other
forms of servitude; and they cannot listen to teachings, which
are based upon the unwarranted assumptions that lie at the
bottom of this Report. Had the Society recognised Slavery
as an existing social institution, upon the lawfulness or merits
of which it did not feel called to pronounce,—had it then
resolved 4 that it was within its province to discuss the moral
duties which grow out of its existence, and the temptations to
which both master and slave are exposed, as those duties and
those temptations are exhibited in Scripture'—your Com¬
mittee might have questioned the expediency of such a Reso¬
lution at this time—and trembled at the dangers of this per¬
plexed navigation upon which the Publishing Committee were
instructed to enter—they might have anticipated little practi-
6
cal benefit to either Master or Slave, from the well meaning
attempts of men, who, however zealous, were unacquainted
with the relation as it actually subsists at the South—but they
could not have denied the Society's right to publish even on
this subject, anything which, according to the 1st Article of
the Society's Constitution, was "calculated to receive the appro¬
bation of all evangelical Christians." But when the very Re-
port, which asserts the right and duty of discussion, proceeds,
under the sanction of venerated names, to stigmatise our whole
social arrangement as a ' moral eviV and 'promotive of moral evil*
ranking it consistently enough, with war, popery, and drunken¬
ness, and when the same Report, having laid this platform of
operations, goes on to invite the aid of every fanatical scio¬
list towards the great work of reform—your Committee feel
that nothing but ' strife, and every evil work' can possibly
ensue from a discussion so inaugurated. And }rour Committee,
must add moreover, that their confidence is greatly impaired
in the discretion and impartiality of those who could see
nothing in this Report and these Resolutions injurious to the
rights and position of their brethren of the South.
It is an additional ground of alarm and suspicion that
speeches of a most dangerous character*—incendiary both in
phrase and spirit, were delivered on the occasion, and embodied
by the Publishing Committee, in their Annual Report!
Under these circumstances, your Committee have felt very
much at a loss what to recommend. Their first feelings of in¬
dignation, prompted them to advise an immediate separation,
at whatever cost, from a Society which had so grossly disre.
garded their rights, and wounded their sensibilities, but vari¬
ous considerations have at length prevailed with them, to re¬
commend another and more moderate course, which they trust
this body will find it not inconsistent with its dignity to
adopt.
Before submitting the resolutions which they have prepar¬
ed, they would briefly advert to some of the considerations,
by which they have been influenced in coming to this con¬
clusion.
First: It seemed to be more consistent with the spirit of
that holy, meek and patient religion, which we profess, to
err rather on the side of long suffering and forbearance,
in cases like the present, where no further aggression or injury,
is likely to be the result of a reasonable delay.
Secondly : They entertain the highest respect for the Chris-
tain character of the Executive Committee, and feel much sym-
* See especially Mr. Carpenter's Address.
7
pathy for them, in the trying position which they have occupied
for several years past. The recent action of the Society, was
your Committee believe, almost as unacceptable to them, as to
ourselves, and we know that they are earnestly desirous to re¬
pair any injury likely to result therefrom. TJnder these cir¬
cumstances, your Committee feel unwilling to embarrass them
by any precipitate action, which would only tend to throw
them irredeemably into the power of the abolition faction.
Thirdly : They feel the profoundest unwillingness to destroy,
or even hazard the existence of an organisation, which has ac¬
complished so much for the souls of men, and the spread of
Christian truth. That Satan and his emissaries should achieve a
triumph like this, is hateful to their minds, and they earnestly de¬
sire to be, in no degree whatever, responsible for such a result*
It is their hope and prayer, that the Society, which numbers in
its ranks so many of the truest servants of God, when made
aware of Southern sentiment upon this matter, will in the same
spii'it of Christian forbearance and candour, withdraw from its
recent position, and return in good faith to that platform of the
Constitution, from whence the affairs of the Society have been
so'peacefully, happily, and successfully administered for the
last thirty years. But since this cannot be done, until the next
annual meeting of the Society, they recommend that no final
step be taken, until after that meeting has been held. There¬
fore :
Resolved, That we will take no final action on the question
of separating from the Parent Society, until the opportunity
has been afforded it, by the recurrence of another Anniversary,
of receding from the unconstitutional position assumed at its
last annual meeting.
Resolved, That the Board of Directors of this Society be
requested to enter into correspondence with the officers of the
several Southern Agencies, for the purpose of exchanging
views and concerting measures, looking to the formation of a
Southern Tract Society, in case the Parent Society shall refuse
to render us the justice we demand at their hands.
Resolved, That in the meantime we deem it necessary under
the circumstances of the case, and to prevent the dissemina¬
tion of books and tracts, which might be objectionable, to ex¬
ercise a general supervision of the Society's work, within our
territorial limits, and to suffer no tract or book to circulate
without the approval of a Committee appointed for that purpose
Resolved, That we will henceforward elect our own Secreta¬
ry, Depositary or Treasurer, and General Agent; the election
of these officers for the present,being subject to the approval.
of the Executive Committee of the Parent Society, who shall
jointly with ourselves, endorse their certificates of appoint¬
ment.
Resolved, That we will consider all applications within our
bounds for Colporteurs, and will commission those appointed,
subject to the same restrictions as above. And that each
Colporteur shall be furnished for his protection with a list of
the Society's publications, certified to as unobjectionable by
the Committee on revision.
Resolved, That all monies collected within our bounds for
Colportage, &c., shall be paid over to our own Treasurer or
Depository, who shall keep an open account with the Treasur¬
er of the Parent Society, render to him a quarterly statement
of the accounts paid in, and have the same acknowledged in
the American Messenger.
Resolved, That this Report and these Resolutions be publish¬
ed in all the papers of our city, with the request that papers in
the country, and in our sister States, will also copy and pub¬
lish them.
It is in the most friendly feeling to the American Tract So¬
ciety, as originally constituted, and with a deep interest in
the work which lies before it, throughout our whole country,
and with a desire to restore the confidence which has been so
much shaken by the unconstitutional course pursued, that we
propose this plan for the future prosecution of the great work
committed to us as the only one that appears to be practica¬
ble; and we would represent to our friends at the South, that
as all the Colporteurs now in the field in South-Carolina and
the adjacent States, are under the superintendence of the
highly esteemed officers connected with the South-Carolina
Branch of fhe American Tract Society ; as these Colporteurs
are themselves Southern men; as no works or tracts are cir¬
culated, which do not pass through our Depositary, and it is evi¬
dent from the foregoing Report, that no interference with the
subject of Slavery will be permitted through any agency of
the American Tract Society, we indulge the reasonable hopd
that the operations of the South-Carolina Branch of the Ameri¬
can Tract Society, will receive undiminished and even increas¬
ing support, confidence and co-operation at their hands.
GEQRGE A. TRENHOLM,
WILLIAM E. MARTIN,
DANIEL RAVENEL.
THOMAS SMYTH, D. D.
JOHN BACHMAN, D. D.
JAMES H. ELLIOTT.