Phenix Gazette

GREAT PUBLIC MEETING.

THE AGITATORS DEFEATED!—The CONSTITUTION Triumphant!

The citizens of New York, ever true to the Constitution of the country, and determined to put down the desperate band of fanatics—whose aim under the specious plea of ameliorating the condition of the Southern slaves, is to sow dissensions between different sections of our prosperous and happy country—assembled in some thousands in the vicinity of Clinton Hall, to mark their detestation of any attempt to organize a society in this city, fraught with danger to the Union and based upon an open violation of the Constitution of the United States. Information was there given, however, that the Trustees of the Hall, with the exception of Arthur Tappan, conscious of what was due to their fellow citizens on this occasion, had prohibited any such meeting as had been contemplated by Garrison and his associates; and in consequence, those who had assembled quietly to vote down these disorganizing fanatics, organized and adjourned to Tammany Hall. The large room of the Wigwam was soon crowded to overflowing with the most respectable assemblage of citizens we have ever seen assembled within its walls, who stamped the seal of disapprobation upon the mad scheme which the ignorance of a few obscure individuals has dared to thrust upon the public, by the resolutions which we give below.

Not less than five thousand persons were present, and the unanimity of feeling they evinced, cannot fail to have a salutary effect upon those who have sought to throw this firebrand into the community at the hazard of deluging the country in civil war. Let them take a lesson from the proceedings of last night, and avoid tampering with the feelings of an outraged and insulted community.

We said yesterday that the Tappan and Garrison call had been announced from the pulpits of our Presbyterian churches on Sunday last. We spoke of this fact accompanied with an expression of regret that such had been the case; and it is now a source of unmingled satisfaction to have it in our power to add, that the very respectable assemblages to whom it was read almost unanimously disapproved of it, as a most dangerous and incendiary proceeding.

We rejoice that this opportunity has been presented to the inhabitants of our city to convince their Southern brethren of their determination not to countenance, in any manner, the interference of Tappan, Garrison & Co. with their slave property.

PUBLIC MEETING.

On Wednesday evening at 7 o'clock, a large concourse of the citizens of New York assembled at Clinton Hall, in pursuance of the following notice:

The friends of the immediate abolition of Slavery in the United States, are requested to meet at Clinton Hall on Wednesday evening, 2d October, at 7 o'clock, to form a New York City Anti-Slavery Society.

Joshua Leavitt,
WM. GOODFLL.
WM. GREEN, Jr. Committee.
John Rankin,
Lewis Tappan,

The assemblage being informed that the Trustees of Clinton Hall had closed their doors against any meeting which might convene under the foregoing notice, those present organized in the passages of the building, by calling General Robert Bogardus to the chair, and appointing M. C. Patterson, Esq. and Mr. P. P. Parsells, Secretaries.

On motion, it was then resolved to adjourn to Tammany Hall.

The large room in that well known establishment was soon filled to overflowing; when the following resolutions were introduced by F. A. Tallmadge, Esq. with a short but appropriate address; and being seconded by John Neal, Esq. of Portland, Maine, who also made some pertinent remarks, were unanimously and enthusiastically adopted.

Resolved, That our duty to the country, and our Southern Brethren in particular, render it improper and inexpedient to agitate a question pregnant with peril and difficulty to the common weal.

Resolved, That it is our duty as citizens and Christians to mitigate, not to increase, the evils of slavery, by an unjustifiable interference in a matter which requires the will and cordial concurrence of all to modify or remove.

Resolved, "That we take this opportunity to express to our Southern brethren, our fixed and unalterable determination to resist every attempt that may be made to interfere with the relation in which master and slave now stand, as guaranteed to them by the Constitution of the United States."

Resolved, That the thanks of this meeting be presented to Messrs. Howard and Lovejoy, for the gratuitous use of their room on this occasion.

Resolved, That these proceedings be signed by the Chairman and Secretaries, and published in all daily papers.

ROBERT BOGARDUS, Chairman.
M. C. PATTERSON,
P. P. Parsells,
Secretaries.

Since penning the above remarks and after the hour of midnight, the proceedings of a meeting purporting to have been held at the Chatham street Chapel, and to which is prefixed the names of some of those who convened the meeting Clinton Hall, have been brought to us for insertion as an advertisement. It will be seen that when driven from the spot to which they had first ventured to call the citizens of New York, these men silently and secretly assembled in another place where alone and in defiance of public opinion they persevered in their blind and desperate purposes. Some rumours of their intention reached Tammany Hall—we could not credit them—but after the meeting there adjourned, we hear that vast numbers left the Hall and proceeded to Chatham street Chapel to ascertain the truth; that the lights were then extinguished in the chapel, and the people assured the meeting there was held for a different purpose. Such is the course of bigots and fanatics; they persevere, though encouraged to it by no other promptings than their own misdirected zeal, and in spite of the unequivocal indignation they excite. They are now, however, perfectly harmless; confined to their own little circle, they can effect nothing, and their acts ought not and will not excite any other feeling in the breasts of our Southern brethren, or the community at large, than that of utter contempt.—N. Y. Cour.