THE result of the great debate in the Lane Seminary, in relation to Slavery and the American Colonization Society, presents one of the noblest exhibitions of the power of truth upon the hearts and consciences of man, that the world has ever witnessed. The letter of Mr. STANTON, giving the particulars thereof, is remarkable for its simplicity, ingenuousness, and moral excellence. The Rev. Dr. BEECHER is the President of Lane Seminary; and the institution itself is second in importance to no other in the United States.

The speech of Mr. JAMES A. THOME has made a very powerful impression upon the public mind. This young gentleman is the son of a slaveholder in Kentucky; and the attitude assumed by him, therefore, is truly sublime. The abominations of the slave system which he discloses, are of the most painful and dreadful character, and clearly show that there is no other remedy for them than the immediate and utter overthrow of slavery.

Great weight will be given to the Rev. Dr. Cox's letter, inasmuch as he is one of the most distinguished clergymen in this country, and was for many years the steadfast though mistaken advocate of a Society, which he now utterly repudiates.

This pamphlet merits a wide circulation; and it is hoped that the friends of bleeding humanity will assist by their means in putting it into every family.

GREAT DEBATE AT LANE SEMINARY.

LANE SEMINARY, Walnut Hill, near Cincinnati, Ohio, March 10, 1834. BROTHER LEAVITT-Many of your readers are undoubtedly interested in whatever concerns this rising institution. Therefore, I send you the following. Slavery and its proposed remedies-immediate abolition and colonization, have been subjects of occasional remark among the students, since the commencement of the late term (June). A flourishing Colonization Society has existed among us almost from the foundation of the institution. Our interest in these topics increased gradually until about the first of February, when it was resolved that we discuss publicly the merits of the colonization and abolition schemes. At this time, there were but few decided abolitionists in the Seminary. The two following questions were discussed, separately:

1st. "Ought the people of the Slaveholding States to abolish Slavery immediately?" 2d. "Are the doctrines, tendencies, and measures of the American Colonization Society, and the influence of its principal supporters, such as render it worthy of the patronage of the Christian public?"

Our respected faculty, fearing the effect the discussion would have upon the prosperity of the Seminary, formally advised, that it should be postponed indefinitely. But the students, feeling great anxiety that it should proceed, and being persuaded from the state of feeling among them, that it would be conducted in a manner becoming young men looking forward to the ministry of the gospel cf reconciliation, resolved to The President, and the members of the faculty, with one exception, were present during parts of the discussion.

go on.

or less in slave States, besides several who had travelled in the midst of slavery, making inquiries and searching after truth. We possessed all the numbers of the African Repository, from its commencement, nearly all the Annual Reports of the Colonization Society, and the prominent documents of the Anti-Slavery Society. In addition to the above, our kind friends in the city, furnished us with Colonization pamphlets in profusion. Dr. Shane, a young gentleman of Cincinnati, who had been out to Liberia, with a load of emigrants, as an agent of the Colonization Society, furnished us with a long, statement concerning the colony; and a distinguished instructress, recently of Hartford, Connecticut, now of Cincinnati, sent us a communication from her hand, which attempted to prove, that Colonizationists and Abolitionists ought to unite their efforts, and not contend against one another.These were our materials. And, sir, it was emphatically a discussion of facts, FACTS,

FACTS.

evenings, in presenting facts concerning slaThe first speaker occupied nearly two very and immediate emancipation, gathered

from various authentic documents. Conclusions and inferences were then drawn from these facts, and arguments founded upon them favourable to immediate abolition, during the two next evenings. Nearly four of the remaining five evenings were devoted to the recital of facts, in regard to slavery, slaves, and slaveholders, gathered, not from written documents, but from careful personal observation and experience. Nearly half of the seventeen speakers, on the evenings last alluded to, were the sons of slaveholders; one had been a slaveholder himself; one had till recently been a slave; and the resiEach question was debated nine evenings due were residents of, or had recently travof two hours and a half each; making forty-elled or lived in slave States. From their five hours of solid debate. We possessed some facilities for discussing both these questions intelligently. We are situated within one mile of a slaveholding State; eleven of our number were born and brought up in slave States, seven of whom were sons of slaveholders, and one of them was himself a slaveholder, till recently; one of us had been a slave, and had bought his freedom, "with a great sum," which his own hands had earned; ten others had lived more

testimony, the following facts and premises were established, to wit: That slaves long for freedom; that it is a subject of very frequent conversation among them; that they know their masters have no right to hold them in slavery; that they keenly feel the wrong, the insult and the degradation which are heaped upon them by the whites; they feel no interest comparatively in their master's affairs, because they know he is their oppressor; they are indolent, because nothing

they can earn is their own; they pretend to, so far as a multitude of facts could establish be more ignorant and stupid than they really them. On the two last points, the following are, so as to avoid responsibility, and to shun was interesting and decisive. the lash for any real or alleged disobedience to orders; when inspired with a promise of freedom, they will toil with incredible alacrity and faithfulness; they tell their masters and drivers they are contented with their lot, merely through fear of greater cruelty if they tell the truth; no matter how kind their master is, they are dissatisfied, and would rather be his hired servants than his slaves; the slave-drivers are generally low, brutal, debauched men, distinguished only for their cruelty and licentiousness; they generally have the despotic control of the slaves; the best side of slavery is seen; its darker features being known only to slaves, masters and drivers; [upon this point, horrid facts, in regard to the whipping and murdering of slaves, were developed. God sparing my life, they shall be given to the public.] The state of morals among slaves, especially in regard to licentiousness, is sickening! This condition is attributable to the treatment they receive from their masters; they being huddled together from their infancy in small apartments without discrimination of sex; and oftentimes being compelled to steal or starve; the influence of slavery upon the physical condition, and mental and moral character of the whites, is decidedly and lamentably pernicious; the internal slave trade is increasing, and is carried on by men distinguished, even among slave-drivers, for their cruelty and brutality! No class in the country have stronger social affections, than slaves; nevertheless, the ties of parent and child, husband and wife, brother and sister, are torn asunder by this bloody traffic. A husband has been known to cut his throat deliberately, because this damnable traffic was about to separate him from a wife whom he tenderly loved. The horrid character of Louisiana slavery, was developed in some degree by one who had resided there. The planters in that State, when sugar commands a high price, do not hesitate to kill a few of their negroes by overworking, if by that means they can bring more sugar into a favourable market; in consequence of this, one of the usual prayers of the poor negro is, that sugar may be cheap. Multitudes of slaves are being carried into that State from other slave States; blacks" are kidnapped from this State, (Ohio,) and sold into slavery; slaves are decidedly hostile to Liberia, and only consent to go there to escape from slavery; masters are generally opposed to their negroes being educated; that the blacks are abundantly able to take care of, and provide for themselves; and that they would be kind and docile if immediately emancipated. These points, with many others equally important, were established,

James Bradley, the emancipated slave above alluded to, addressed us nearly two hours; and I wish his speech could have been heard by every opponent of immediate emancipation, to wit: first, that "it would be unsafe to the community;" second, that "the condition of the emancipated negroes would be worse than it now is; that they are incompetent to provide for themselves; that they would become paupers and vagrants, and would rather steal than work for wages." This shrewd and intelligent black, cut up these white objections by the roots, and withered and scorched them under the sun of sarcastic argumentation, for nearly an hour, to which the assembly responded in repeated and spontaneous roars of laughter, which were heartily joined in by both Colonizationists and Abolitionists. Do not understand me as saying, that his speech was devoid of argument. No. It contained sound logic, enforced by apt illustrations. I wish the slanderers of negro intellect could have witnessed this unpremeditated effort. I will give you a sketch of this man's history. He was stolen from Africa when an infant, and sold into slavery. His master, who resided in Arkansas, died, leaving him to his widow. He was then about eighteen years of age. For some years, he managed the plantation for his mistress. Finally, he purchased his time by the year, and began to earn money to buy his freedom. After five years of toil, having paid his owners $655, besides supporting himself during the time, he received his "free papers," and emigrated to a free State with more than $200 in his pocket. Every cent of this money, $855, he earned by labour and trading. He is now a beloved and respected member of this institution.

Now, Mr. Editor, can slaves take care of themselves if emancipated? I answer the question in the language employed by brother Bradley, on the above occasion. "They have to take care of, and support themselves now, and their master, and his family into the bargain; and this being so, it would be strange if they could not provide for themselves, when disencumbered from this load." He said the great desire of the slaves was liberty and education." And shall this heaven-born desire be trampled in the dust by a free and Christian nation?

At the close of the ninth evening, the vote was taken on the first question, when every individual voted in the affirmative except four or five, who excused themselves from voting at all, on the ground that they had not made up their opinion. Every friend of the cause rendered a hearty tribute of thanksgiving to God, for the glorious issue.

At the next evening, we entered upon the discussion of the second question. Here, there was a much greater diversity of sentiment. But we entered upon the debate not like blinded partizans, but like men whose polar star was facts and truth, whose needle was conscience, whose chart the Bible.

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emigrating to Liberia. He talked with some thirty or forty, all of whom except one, were incorrigible in their preference to remain in their native land, rather than to emigrate home" to a foreign shore. This shook his faith in the entire practicability of the scheme. Still he arrived here, the warm The witnesses summoned to the stand, friend of the Society; and so continued, unwere the documents of the Colonization So- til this debate, in which he intended to have ciety. They were examined at great length taken an active part. But before he had an and in great numbers. We judged it out opportunity to take the floor, facts pressed of its own mouth. There was no paucity of upon him, (he was always open to convic-. testimony; for, as I before observed, we had tion,) he changed his views, became the deall its "Repositories," and nearly all its Re- cided opponent of the Society, has left the ports and Addresses, in addition to which, Institution for the purpose of commencing a we were benevolently furnished by friends school for the education of the people of with numerous collated witnesses, whom we colour in Cincinnati, and has devoted himof course had the privilege of cross-exam- self to the elevation of the free blacks on ining. Notwithstanding the length of this our own soil, and to the making up of a part of the discussion, but two individuals public sentiment favourable to the abolition spoke, one on each side, and another read of slavery without expatriation. I would some testimony in favour of the Colony, give you his name were it not that he is Several individuals at the opening of the de- about to present to the public some interestbate, intended to speak on the affirmative, ing facts, bearing upon slavery and emancibut before it was closed, they became warm-pation, which he has collected within a few ly attached to the other side. Others were induced to espouse the cause of anti-Colonizationism, by examining documents of the Colonization Society, for the purpose of preparing to speak in the affirmative. Most of the Colonizationists who expressed any opinion on the subject, declared their ignorance of the doctrines and measures of the Society until this debate. They cannot find words to express their astonishment that they should have been so duped into the support of this Society, as a scheme of benevolence towards the free blacks, and a remedy for slavery. They now repudiate it with all their hearts. Is it not a fact that the great majority of the supporters of this Society have never examined its doctrines, its tendencies and measures? Do not nine-tenths of the Colonizationists with whom you come in contact, express incredulous surprise at the announcement of almost any one of its prominent doctrines, and meet you with the reply, "This cannot be so ?" Is it not the "immediate" duty of such men (benevolent, and scrupulously honest, no doubt,) to examine this subject?

I will state a fact. A member of this Institution was a member of the Oneida Institute, during the Colonization debate held there last summer, and took an active part in that discussion. An anti-Slavery and a Colonization Society were the offspring of this debate. My worthy brother was placed at the head of the latter Society. He was a sincere friend of the negro, and what is quite as rare, was a consistent and practical man. About five months since, he left Oneida, and came to Lane Seminary. On his way hither, he took great pains to converse with every negro he could find about

weeks among the free people of colour, in Cincinnati, in the course of which he will probably allude to the facts stated above by me. This, sir, is what I call practical anticolonizationism.

At the close of the debate, the question was taken by ayes and noes, and decided in the negative with only one dissenting voice. Four or five who did not regularly attend the discussion, declined voting. Two or three others were absent from the Seminary.When the debate commenced, I had fears that there might be some unpleasant excitement, particularly as slaveholders, and prospective heirs to slave property, were to participate in it. But the kindest feelings prevailed. There was no crimination, no denunciation, no impeachment of motives. And the result has convinced me that prejudice is vincible, that colonization is vulnerable, and that immediate emancipation is not only right, and practicable, but is "expedient.”

The result has convinced me of another thing, which I hail as the bright bow of promise to this holy cause. It is that southern minds, trained and educated amidst all the prejudices of a slaveholding community, can, with the blessing of God, be reached and influenced by facts and arguments, as easy as any other class of our citizens. To be sure, they will not endure blind and unintelligent denunciation; and what rational being will? But after being thoroughly aroused by facts, they will receive rebuke, remonstrance, and entreaty, if kindly offered, with that frankness and honesty which have ever marked the southern character. And when thoroughly converted, they manifest an ardor in behalf of the deeply injured black, which astonishes while it delights. Almost all of

our southern brethren are engaged in color-born and brought up in the midst of slavery, ed Sabbath schools and Bible classes. Some or who now resides in a slave state, with one of them have devoted their lives in doing exception, is the advocate of immediate abogood to that oppressed race. Let me state lition without expatriation. [The opinion of one or two facfs on this point. The son of one who was absent from the seminary dua slaveholder has just left the institution on ring the debate, I do not know.] There has account of ill-health, with a determination been no necromancy employed in this work. that he will not cease his efforts until his pa- Prayer, the Bible, the condition of the slave, rent is induced to liberate his slaves. An- and the documents of the Colonization Sociother said, until this debate, he had ever con-ety, have been the instruments. When a sidered slaveholding right, but now, being brother resolved to use these means faithconvinced it was wrong, he should exert an fully, we had no anxiety as to the result. influence accordingly. Another entered this Would not the use of these measures by institution last spring the owner of two every Christian in the land work wonders in slaves. Having been taught to look upon the American church? Alas! how few slavery as a necessary evil and not a sin, he Christians have prayed over, and talked hired out his slaves where they would re- about, and examined a system which crushes ceive kind treatment, intending that the pro- into the dust two millions of their brethren ceeds of their labor should aid him in his and sisters, and consigns them over to oppreparations for the ministry. Towards the pression, to caprice, to lust, to brutality, to close of the last session, facts were pressed ignorance, to degradation, to death, to damupon his conscience, his duty was pointed nation. I thank God that the night of torpor out, he saw it, returned home to Kentucky, is past in this institution; that prejudice has liberated his slaves-and now, instead of been buried in a dishonored grave, and that their working to educate him, he is working the persecuted blacks, bond and free, have a and studying, and educating them. I need place in our sympathies, our prayers, and our not add, that, on this occasion, he took the labors. side of immediate abolition, and anti-colonization. This, sir, is what I call practical 'immediate emancipation.'

Some important facts in regard to the character of emancipated negroes, and their ability to provide for themselves, have reIt is the decided opinion of our brethren cently fallen under my observation in the from the slave states, that if the plan of ab-city of Cincinnati. A large majority of the olition proposed by the friends of that measure, could be kindly spread out before the southern community, and the entire practicability of the scheme illustrated and enforced by existing facts, slaveholders would embrace it as the only rational remedy for slavery, and would come over to the cause of immediate emancipation in crowds. They have somehow got the opinion that abolition is an infuriated monster, with a thousand heads and ten thousand horns, panting after blood, and ready to gore to death every slaveholder in the Union. And is it wonderful that they should receive this impression, when we consider the tone of the Colonization journals of the north? Our southern fellow-citizens should be disabused on this vitally interesting subject. Depend upon it, the people, (I speak not of politicians,) the people of the south are not devoid of reason. I know that facts and reasoning have prevailed with them: and until truth loses its power, they will continue to prevail, overcoming prejudice, reaching the conscience, and changing the mind. I am acquainted with intelligent gentlemen residing in this country, not professing Christians, who are intimately acquainted with slavery in all its details, having lived many years in slaveholding states, who on principles of potitical economy, are the decided advocates of immediate emancipation. Look at the facts as they exist in this seminary.. Every member of this institution who was

adult blacks in that city, are liberated slaves. Many of them earned with their own hands and paid six hundred, nine hundred, and some nearly fourteen hundred dollars for themselves individually, for themselves and their families. The majority of these have likewise acquired considerable property since their liberation. Many of them have already purchased their friends out of slavery!—and it is probable that at least one third of the adult blacks in this city, are employed in earning money to buy their friends and relatives now in slavery. And this too is accomplished under peculiar embarrassments, heaped upon them by the oppressive laws of this state. They hold a debating society for mutual improvement every week. A lyceum in which lectures will be delivered two or three times a week, and male and female schools, are being established among them by abolitionists of the institution. Many of them meet in Bible classes, and Sabbath schools. And yet, these industrious people, have to be constantly on the alert to avoid being kidnapped, and sold into slavery, to supply the New-Orleans market! It has several times happened to these persecuted people, after partly paying the ransom of their relatives, that the master has sold the objects of their toil to slave-traders, who have carried them into hopeless bondage. This was the case recently in regard to a wife, whose husband had paid in part for her