Other objects, accompanied by a pledge of peace, are stated in the third article of the Constitution,—­

“This Society shall aim to elevate the character and condition of the people of color, by encouraging their intellectual, moral, and religious improvement, and by removing public prejudice,—­that thus they may, according to their intellectual and moral worth, share an equality with the whites of civil and religious privileges; but this Society will never in any way, countenance the oppressed in vindicating their rights by resorting to physical force.”

“7. By what means and by what power do you propose to carry your views into effect?”

ANSWER.—­Our “means” are the Truth,—­the “Power” under whose guidance we propose to carry our views into effect, is, the Almighty.  Confiding in these means, when directed by the spirit and wisdom of Him, who has so made them as to act on the hearts of men, and so constituted the hearts of then as to be affected by them, we expect, 1.  To bring the CHURCH of this country to repentance for the sin of OPPRESSION.  Not only the Southern portion of it that has been the oppressor—­but the Northern, that has stood by, consenting, for half a century, to the wrong. 2.  To bring our countrymen to see, that for a nation to persist in injustice is, but to rush on its own ruin; that to do justice is the highest expediency—­to love mercy its noblest ornament.  In other countries, slavery has sometimes yielded to fortuitous circumstances, or been extinguished by physical force. We strive to win for truth the victory over error, and on the broken fragments of slavery to rear for her a temple, that shall reach to the heavens, and toward which all nations shall worship.  It has been said, that the slaveholders of the South will not yield, nor hearken to the influence of the truth on this subject.  We believe it not—­nor give we entertainment to the slander that such an unworthy defence of them implies.  We believe them men,—­that they have understandings that arguments will convince—­consciences to which the appeals of justice and mercy will not be made in vain.  If our principles be true—­our arguments right—­if slaveholders be men—­and God have not delivered over our guilty country to the retributions of the oppressor, not only of the STRANGER but of the NATIVE—­our success is certain.

“8. What has been for three years past, the annual income of your societies?  And how has it been raised?”

ANSWER.—­The annual income of the societies at large, it would be impossible to ascertain.  The total receipts of this society, for the year ending 9th of May, 1835—­leaving out odd numbers—­was $10,000; for the year ending 9th of May, 1837, $25,000; and for the year ending 11th of May, 1836, $38,000.  From the last date, up to this—­not quite ten months—­there has been paid into the treasury the sum of $36,000.[A] These sums are independent of what is raised by state and auxiliary societies,