USA > Indiana > Washington County > Salem > Minutes of the Salem Peace Society, 1818-1826 > Part 4
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William Hobbs, President Pro. Tem. Benjn Albertson Rec. Secy
The meeting adjourns untill the 2nd Saturday of October next at 2, o clock P.M. which the Secretary is directed to have published in the Salem Tocsin two weeks previous thereto.
Salem October the 9th 1819
At a meeting of the Salem (Indiana) Peace Society
Recd by the hands of the Corresponding Secretary from the Massachusetts & Warren County Ohio Peace Societys a form of memorial to Congress.18 David Denny & Benjamin Albertson are appointed to obtain subscribers thereto & forward the same to Congress or to Docr Canby14 of Lebanon.
12 Luke 9.56.
13 In the spring of 1819 the Massachusetts Peace Society began circulating a petition in Boston and vicinity to be sent as a memorial to Congress. The petition asked Congress to abolish privateering which was considered a violation of Christian rights. There were many such memorials sent to Congress in the next few years, including one from "certain citizens of Ohio" in late December, 1819. Presumably, the Ohio memorial is here referred to. W. Freeman Galpin, Pioneering for Peace (Syracuse, 1933), 31-32.
14 "Dr. Joseph Canby practiced medicine in Warren County as early as 1810. He practiced at Lebanon for twenty years. His name occurs in five different acts of the Legislature among the censors appointed for the examination of applicants for license to practice medicine." In April, 1814, he is listed as a member of the first Board of Directors for the Lebanon Miami Banking Company. J. Morrow, The History of Warren County, Ohio (Chicago, 1882), 466-68.
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Also recieved from the Massachusetts Peace Society five numbers of the friends of Peace, 13, 14, 15, 16, & 17, likewise their constitution & annual report accompanied by letters of correspondence &c &c.
Also from Warren Ohio Peace Society their annual report & constitution & letters of correspondence &c &c.
Salem (Indiana) October 22nd 1819
At a meeting of the officers of the Salem (Indiana) Peace Society.
Ordered that the Treasurer Purchase 50 copies of the 2nd 4 numbers of the friends of Peace, William Hobbs & David Denny are appointed to distribute the same.
Ordered that the Corresponding Secretary inform the Ohio Peace Society that if they publish 9, 10, 11, & 12 of the Friend of Peace that we agree to take 150 copys.
William Hobbs & Mathew Coffin are appointed to prepare an annual report & produce to next meeting of the Society.
This meeting adjourns untill the next immergency [ sic].
Salem January the 8th 1820.
At a meeting of the Salem Indiana Peace Society.
The committee appointed produced an annual report (to Wit) First report of the Trustees of the Salem (Inda) Peace Society made at their annual meeting the 8th of January 1820.
It being expected of us to render some account at this time, of our proceedings since our appointment, in respect to our exertions in the ap- lication. of the means proposed by the Society, for the advancing of the good cause for which we are associated and also some information of our prospects; this duty we freely perform as far as is within the sphere of our capacity .- We have attended to the important part of the service we have been entrusted with; but the funds of the Society being small when compared with their object, much more cannot reasonably be expected than evidence of fidelity in the use of such means as have been at our disposal, and to exhibit such facts as may be adapted to excite more liberal Patronage & more powerfull exertions .- We have purchased 50 copies of the 2nd 4 Numbers of the friend of Peace, which have been distributed amongst the members of the Society, and the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and the Supreme Judges of this State,15 to each a copy, and some have been sent into Kentucky; a number of copies of the constitution of our Society also a concise declaration of our motives & object in thus associating have been published .- The expences
15 The governor was Jonathan Jennings, first governor of the State of Indiana; Ratliff Boon was lieutenant governor; the supreme judges were Jesse Holman, James Scott, and Isaac Blackford.
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of these together with postage of letters and pamphlets recieved by our Corresponding Secretary in behalf of the Society have taken considerable of the money which was in fund, yet a small ballance [sic ] remains in the hands of the Treasurer .- Although we consider all that we have yet been able to effect, but a little compared with what our brethren, the friends of peace have done in several others of the United States, and also in Great Britain, yet we hope that none who devote their service to this precious cause will lose their reward of inward peace.
By accounts recieved from other peace societies, the prospect is very encouraging; those which have been associated a considerable time, are still increasing, and new peace societies forming, one of which has lately been formed in Raliegh [sic] North Carolina, divers of the members whereof are said to be very respectable characters, also one lately formed at Honey Creek [ ]16 County in this State .- Numerous publications have been exhibited on both sides of the atlantic, adopted to the disseminating of the principles of peace on Earth and good will to men; which there is reason to believe have much attracted public attention .- In an extract from a letter of an Intelligent Writer17 appears the following remark- "The un- reasonable and unchristian custom of war, was perhaps never so generally a subject of consideration as at the present time, and it should secm that Intelligent & accountable beings, have only to examine the question fairly, to become the friends of peace .- ["] In this view we may be encouraged to hope that from the standard of strife & misery, not only Individuals but Nations will flec, to rally under the Banner of good will and love.
We believe there are many respectable citizens who have not yet taken an active part in this work that are well wishers to the cause; and we trust, as the Illuminating influence of the Gospel of Peace shall more generally spread and prevail amongst mankind, that the doubts which many have entertained of success, will vanish in the bosom of evidence, and that they will see it in a clear point of view, to be their duty to lend their aid toward the advancement of so good a cause .- One Publication18 in opposition to the object of peace societies has appeared; but the author had not the confidence to expose his proper name, and his assertions were so erronius [sic] & false, and so evidently exhibited his confusion, that we did not deem it worthy of a particular answer .- Froin accounts well authenticated, it appears, that notwithstanding the opposition arising from the prejudices of education &
16 The document has left space for information that was never added. Presumably this is Honey Creek Township in Vigo County. H. C. Bradsby, History of Vigo County, Indiana (Chicago, 1891), 647. The Friend of Peace, II, vi, 39, reports the formation of a peace society in Vigo County, Indiana. Another society in Wayne County, Indiana, called the Whitewater Indiana Peace Society, was reported in the Friend of Peace, II, vii, 37.
17 Neither the writer nor the source of the quotation has been identified.
18 There were actually many criticisms in newspapers from 1817 to 1826, and several pamphlets had also been published against peace societies. See Galpin, Pioneering for Peace, 28-30. The particular publication referred to here has not been determined. Possibly it was a local criticism in view of the context.
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custom the prospect is very animating .- We are informed there are two peace societies in London, with a considerable number of auxillaries in different parts of the Kingdom, also one in Scotland and that they have published many Thousands of tracts on the subject of universal peace, some of which have been translated into the German language .- There are many peace societies organized in the United States and yet increase .- To these may be added a conference of the methodist reformed Church in the State of New York, which has assumed the character of a peace society.19
Bible societies which have for their object to place in the hands of the poor and the destitute the Blessed instructions of the Gospel; we consider this to be conducive to the great end which we propose, that of disseminating the principle of love and peace which the doctrines of the Gospel inculcate .- Now let the friends of peace be encouraged to persevere in this good work; for we believe that the spirit of the Gospel which is that of ["] peace on earth, good will toward men,"20 by the blessing and kind providence of him who is the infinite source of pure love (without whose aid the effects of men are ineffectual) will more & more spread & prevail to the completion of those ancient Prophecies, "He shall Judge among the Nations & shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into Plough shares, and their spears into pruning Hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against Nation, neither shall they learn war any more," Isaiah II.4, Micah IV.3.
We have no doubt of the accomplishment of this for the word of Jehovah is ever sure.
Which was read approved and 500 Copies directed to be printed together with the constitution in form of a Pamphlet. Doctor B. Bradley & William Hobbs are appointed to attend that service.
The Treasurer produced a report which was satisfactory.
The bye [sic] Laws being revised were approved and appear as fol- lows21-to Wit,-
1st Our meetings shall be held open for all who behave orderly to attend, tho, none except members shall be permitted to speak without leave of the meeting.
2nd The President shall be Speaker & may debate but have no vote except when a tie, in which case he shall give the casting vote, he shall call to order when decorum is not observed & sign all writing going forth from our Quarterly or annual meetings with the recording secretary and at the request of any one of the Trustees he shall call a meeting of the officers.
1º The declaration of the conference of the Methodist Reformed Church is printed in the Friend of Peace, II, ii, 33-35. It has not been examined by the editor. 20 Luke 2.14.
21 The revisions in the bylaws are minor and usually consist of changes in wording. The major addition is a provision for a president pro tempore in the seventh article.
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3rd The Recording Secretary shall make entrys & keep records of all business the Society may direct, the Corresponding Secretary shall keep copys of all letters sent by him to other societies & keep a regular file of them with those he recieves, for the inspection of the Trustees.
4th The Trustees shall make moderate compensation to the secretaries for their trouble & expence.
5th When any person is about to speak he shall rise on his feet & address the Speaker; neither shall but one speak at a time, & no one shall speak more than thrice to one subject, without leave of the meeting.
6th When a motion is made & seconded & a proper time allowed for debate it shall be put to vote & a majority shall always carry.
7th The hour appointed to meet shall be strictly observed, at which time the President if there shall take his seat (& the Secretary proceed to business) but if not present the Secretary shall open the meeting after which they shall choose a President Pro. tem.
At an Election of Officers the following were chosen for the present or ensuing year (to Wit) Beebee Boothe, President; Nathan Trueblood, Treasurer; Benjamin Albertson, Recording Secretary; Burr Bradley, Cor- responding Secretary; Mathew Coffin, David Denny, William Hobbs, Jonathan Lyon, Samuel Lindley, & Zachariah Nixon Trustees.
Previous to this meeting the following additional persons were recieved members of this Society (to Wit) William Cox, William Reddick, Solomon Reddick, Benjamin Overman, John Oneal, Isaac Hollinsworth, Samuel Price, & John Bray.
Salem April the 8th 1820
At a meeting of the Salem Indiana Peace Society.
The Committee appointed to have 500 copies of the annual report & constitution printed report its compiled with. The Trustees & other officers of the Society are directed to distribute them among the members of the Society & els [e]where as they may deem proper.
Salem July the 8th 1820
At a meeting of the Salem (Ina) Peace Society.
Ordered that the Secretary have published in the Tocsin one month previous to next meeting, a request for the members generally to attend at next meeting pay in their annual enstalments [sic], & recieve such Books & pamphlets as they are entitled too [sic].
Salem October the 14th 1820
At a meeting of the Salem (Indiana) Peace Society
Ordered that Samuel Lindley & Elisha Hobbs be appointed collectors for the Society & that the Treasurer be directed to furnish them with a list of the members & the respective sums due by each.
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Salem January the 13th 1821
At a meeting of the Salem (Ina) Peace Society.
The President being absent David Denny was appointed President Pro. tem.
The Treasurer produced an account whichi is as follows-(viz) The accounts with the Treasurer stands nearly as they did last year there has been little or nothing recieved or paid out.
The Trustees produced an annual report which was satisfactory.
On motion it was ordered that the 4th & 5th articles of the constitution of this Society be struck out & also that the following be inserted in the place & stead of the 7th article (now the 5th) (to Wit) 5th There shall be an annual meeting of the Society on the 2nd Saturday of May in ea[ch] year, at which time the trustees & Treasurer shall make report, and the Society may be convened at other times by order of the President when the officers of the Society may deem it necessary, and in case of the absence of the President at any of our meetings the members present shall have power to choose one to act as President Pro. tem.22
The next meeting (which is to be the annual meeting hereafter) to be held at Salem the 2nd Saturday of next May at 2, o clock PM.
The meeting adjourns accordin [g]ly.
Salem Indiana May the 12th 1821
The President being absent, Samuel Lindley was called to the Chair to act as President Protem.
The following were Elected officers for the ensuing year, (viz) David Denny, President; Henry Wilson, Treasurer; Docr Burr Bradley, Cor. Secre- tary; B. Albertson, Rec. Secretary; James White, William Hobbs, Toms White, Nathan Trueblood, Zachariah Nixon, and James Trueblood Trustees.
On motion Toms White was appointed assistant to the Treasurer to collect what Money may be due and also to collect what may be subscribed by free contribution & report.
The Meeting adjourns untill next in course (viz) the 2nd Saturday of next May at 2 o clock PM.
Salem Indiana May the 10th 1822
Report says collections of funds &c agreeable to appointment are of small amount.
The Trustees produced an annual report which was read &c.
22 The action removes the necessity for approval of published materials by members (No. 4) and drops the requirement of an annual one dollar subscription for member- ship (No. 5). The meeting once every three months (No. 7) has been replaced by an annual meeting (new No. 5). Subsequent entries indicate that a fifty cents tax replaced the subscription.
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John Cox is appointed to inform the Treasurer that its his duty to give a reason for not reporting to this Meeting agreeable to constitution & also to report to next annual Meeting.
The following officers are Elected for the ensuing year (to Wit) David Denny, President; Henry Wilson, Treasurer; Burr Bradley, Cor. Secretary; Benjn Albertson, Rec Secretary; Micah Newby, William Hobbs, Toms White, Nathan Trueblood, Benoni Morris, & Zachariah Nixon Trustees.
The Meeting adjourns untill the 2nd Saturday of Next May at 2, o clock P.M.
Salem Indiana May 10th 1823
At the annual Meeting of the Salem Ia Peace Society
The Treasurer reports the papers were not in his possession at last meeting & therefore no funds in his hands at this time.
The Trustees produced an annual report which was read & recieved.
On motion it was recommended that the officers & other members of this Society as many as feel a freedom so to do, to open free subscriptions to raise funds in order to publish & circulate some tracts in possession of this Society & for other uses, and also that the members of this Society be requested to pay into the hands of the Treasurer a Tax of Fifty cents (ea) for the same purposes.
Recieved & Read to satisfaction the 5th annual report of the Ohio peace society accompanied by a letter from their Cor. Secretary.
On motion William Hobbs & Henry Wilson are a committee appointed to place in the Salem Library one of the copys of the numbers of the friends of Peace & see that the other copys are in the hands of the Cor- responding Secretary & report to next meeting.
The following members were Elected officers for the ensuing year-(To Wit) David Denny, President; Henry Wilson, Treasurer; Benjn Albertson, Rec. Secretary; Burr Bradley, Cor. Secretary; Micah Newby, William Hobbs, Toms White, Nathan Trueblood, Benoni Morris, & Joseph Moore Trustees.
The meeting adjourns untill 2nd Saturday of next May at 2, o clock P.M.
Salem Indiana May 10th 1824
At the annual Meeting of the Salem Indiana Peace Society.
The President being absent Nathan Trueblood was called to the chair to act as President Pro. tem.
The committee appointed to place in the Salem Library one copy of the friend of Peace, report its not fully complied with that committee is continued & to report to a future meeting of this Society.
It appears by the Treasurers report that this Society is now behind in payt of demands about seven Dollars, the members are still desired to pay
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in the tax of Fifty cents each agreeable to last years request to meet the present demands & for publishing the Pamphlets as proposed at last annual Meeting.
The Trustees produced an annual report which was satisfactory.
The following officers were Elected for the ensuing year-(To Wit) David Denny, President; Henry Wilson, Treasurer; Benjn Albertson, Rec. Secretary; Burr Bradley, Cor. Secretary; Willis McCoy, Micah Newby, William Hobbs, Toms White, Nathan Trueblood, & Joseph Moore Trustees.
The meeting adjourns untill the 2nd Saturday of next May 2, o clock P.M.
Salem Indiana May 14th 1825
The annual meeting of the Salem Ina Peace Society not being general by reason of unfavorable weather.
Therefore some members met in May 1826 & adjourned to the 15th July 2, o'clock P.M. in order that notice might be given of the annual on that day.
Salem Indiana July 15th 1826
At a meeting of the Salem Indiana Peace Society.
The following officers were Elected for the present year (Namely) David Denny, President; Henry Wilson, Treasurer; Benjn Albertson, Rec. Secretary; Burr Bradley, Cor. [Secretary];23 Micah Newby, William Hobbs, Toms White, Nathan Trueblood, Joseph Moore, & Benoni Morris Trustees.
Ordered that every member paying in one Dollar annually shall be entitled to four numbers of the friend of Peace, the amount of money or Books obtained thereby over & above 4 numbers to belong to the Society for distribution. William Hobbs is appointed to recieve subscriptions of s[ai]d money.
A meeting of the officers ordered 1st monday in augt.
The general meeting adjourns to the 2nd saturday of may next at 2, o'clock PM.
Appendix
The four annual reports of the Salem Peace Society which follow were received after the preceding document was set in type; therefore, they have been added in the form of an appendix. Editing has been done from xerox
28 The document has this list in column and has under "Rec. Secretary" what appears to be "do" for "ditto."
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copies of the handwritten documents, which are in the collection1 of the Washington County Historical Society, Salem, Indiana. They originally belonged to C. M. Hobbs of Plainfield, Indiana, and were made available for publication by Miss Lulie Davis, Secretary of the Society.
Essentially the editorial practices used for the minutes have been main- tained with these reports. Differences necessitated by distinctive changes in the writing style are noted for the individual reports. Although the spelling in the first and last reports printed here is poor and inconsistent, all of the reports have been reproduced verbatim. When there is a question regarding the transcription of a word, a bracketed question mark has been inserted. The headings for the reports in all cases are located on an outer fold; they have been positioned initially here for the convenience of the reader.
2nd Annual Report2
The Second Anuel report of the trustees of the Salem Indiana peace Society
The funds of the Society has not enabled your comittee to make any publi- cations the pas year tho we have reason to believe the reason of the delinquency of Subscribers is oweing to the scarcity of money and not to a disposition in them to desert so noble a cause as that of peace on earth and good will to man this principle we believe is gaining ground among us & by accounts received from other peace Society it is spreading fast both in Europe and america there has been Many tracks distributed [?] in England and a daily increase of members to the Society in london and Several new ones formed & by the last report of the Masachusetz peace Society it appears they have increased considerably in the course of last year as well as Road Island & New york & since last year there has been a respectable Society formed in Wain County in this state which make three now in our state. we hope therefore under these encouraging prospects that we Shall still press forward against all the oposition that may be raised throug prejudice and long custom let us recollect that our cause is the principle of the Gospel and will stand byond the grave
I propose that the fourth & 5th articles of the constitution be araced [?] instead of the Seventh article adopt as follows.
There shall be one anuel Meeting of the society on the 2nd Saterday of May in each year at which time the trustees & treasurer shall make report
1 Miss Lulie Davis reports that the following additional items regarding the Salem Peace Society are in the collection: an issue of the Tocsin containing notice of the first public meeting; one page regarding the December, 1818, meeting; the declaration of the society from July, 1819; the printed constitution; the first annual report; data from meetings in May, 1822, December, 1829, and April, 1830; several miscellaneous letters; and newspaper clippings from 1912 and 1921 about the society.
? This report is referred to in the entry for January 13, 1821, on page 316. The writer's capitalization is clear although not regular, and no changes have been made. There has been no attempt to introduce punctuation other than the few original marks; but spaces have been left, where it seemed advisable, to increase readability.
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to[?] and they may be convened [?] at other times by order of the pesident when the oficers of the Society may deem it necesary & in case of the absence of the president at any of our Meeting the members present shall have power to chose one to act as president protempore
4 annual report of the S. I. P. S. made the 10th of 5th mo. (May) 18238
The fourth annual report of the Salem Inda P. S.
The Trustees are aware of the trust which this Society have reposed in them, that by the Constitution they are bound to make annual reports to this meeting.
Although not much can be said to have been done the past year for want of sufficient funds, yet we hope & believe that by the circulation of the numbers of the friend of peace & some other tracts in our Possession as also by the examplary conduct & conversation of some of the members of this Society, that the prejudice formerly existing in the minds of the opponents to this Society have been removed or very much diminished, which evinces a growth in the good cause of peace
Therefore for the farther information & encouragement to the members of this Society we Recommend them to the Seventh annual report of the M.P.S.
We would also recommend to this meeting to consider the propriety of laying a small Tax on the members in order to enable the officers the ensuing year to publish some valuable tracts now in their Possession to distribute amongst the members circulation
Which we submit to the meeting.
5th Annual report of the S. Ia P. Society May 8th 18244
Agreeable to the Constitution of this Society the present annual Meeting will consequently expect some report from the Trustees.
We regret that but little have been done the past year by this Society, owing in part to a deficiency of funds in this time of pressure yet we have a lively hope, grounded on information from annual reports recieved from Peace Societies in other states that the cause is gaining ground & that several new Peace institutions have recently been formed, also that Pacific principles gain ground in some parts of Europe, and since the formation of this Society we have cause to believe the minds of many (in the vicinity of this place) have been wholly changed in favr of Pacific principles.
3 This report is referred to on page 317. The handwriting appears to be identical to that of the minutes in this report and in the fifth annual report which follows.
+ This report is referred to on page 318. The discrepancy in the date is unexplained.
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still forming. Severall in the New England States and one in orange County N. Carolina we have also latly heared of a peace Society formed in Owen County in this state which proposes to become auxilery to ours. It also appears by the tenth Anuel report of the London peace Society that they are doing much for the advancment of the cause. they have forty nine auxileries. and dureing the last year had destributed 31750 tracts. there is also a peace Society in Ireland called the Hibernion peace Society Several have also been formed in Noviscotia & in Canaday there is also a society in France called the Society of Christian Morals enbracing several objects one of which is the abolition of war.
Thus we see that with in twelve years more than one hundred peace Societyes have been formed in Urope & America which are doing much in almost every country where the Christian Religion has been embraced. & there can be no doubt but as the dictates of Christianity is attended too it will intirely erradicate the Spirit of war.
We may also observe with Satisfaction the Manumition Society of N Carolina is spreading fast. at their General asociation in March last there appeared representatives from more than forty branches making in all more than two thousand members some of which are of the first order of tallants in the state. If the influence of the Gospel when given way too does open the eyes of men who have been blinded by education & Interest to see the unjustness of holding their fellow beings in Slavary why not believe that peace Societies may also by divine aid be mad useful in opening the eyes of mankind to see the inconsistency of Christians encouraging the Spirit of war which is so disolating not only to the morrals but the lives and hapiness of each other.
We would therefore invite all the members of the Salem Indiana peace Society to more deligunce in the cause in which they are engaged remembering that we and all we possess are at the desposal of the divine Master let us then be willing to contribute a portion of what he has given us to his Service
At a meeting of the Salem Indiana Peace Society held the 12th of may 1827
The trustees of the Society Produced a Satisfactory report which was ordered to be published
The following oficers were elected for the ensuing year David Denney, President; Henry Wilson, Treasurer; Benjamin Alberson, R Secretary; Burr Bradley, Cor Secretary; Micah Newby, Wm Hobbs, Nathan Trublood, Toms White, Zachariah Nixon, John Cox Trustees
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