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Show APPENDIX. No. I. hnn~DIAT£LY after the burning of the Hall, the Executive Committee of the Pennsylvania State Anti-Slavery Society, for the Eastern District, issued the following able and eloquent ADDRESS. By a resolution adopted at the last session of the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, during the memorable wee\.: just elapsed, the Exeeutive Committee of the Ea::;tern District was instructed to address the public in relation to the events which led to the adjournment of the Society before the completion of the business which had been presented to it. In discharging the duty thus laid upon them, the Committee have prepared the following statement of facts, which, with the comments suggested by them, are commended to t?e careful perueal and attentive consideration of the people of Pcnnsylvama. In pursua11ce of a regular call from the Executive Committee, the Society was convened in Philadelphia on the 16th inst. at the Pennsylvania Hall, a splendid building which had just been added to the architectural decorations of our city, and hut two days before been opened, and dedicated to Free Discussion. Our hearts were cheered with the fact, that here, in a city where we had so long sought in vain for a convenient place in which to plead for the oppressed, and vindicate the rights of the poor, men of various opinions on political, religious and moral questions-on tiJa~ of slavery and its proper remedy, among others-had erected a noble edifice which was at once an ornament to the city, and a refuge for the spirit of Liberty-an arena where mind might freely grapple with mind, and, to use the l:mguoge of Jefferson, even "error of opinion might be tolerated, while reason was left free to combat it." \Ve rejoiced, for we felt confident that our principles, in the fair field of open argument, must triumph ami prevail; and that we needed, therefore, but an opportunity to bring them fully before the minds of the people, to ensure the eventual approbation and co-operation of all whose favor and aid are truly desirable. \Ve had attended the previous meetings of the week, and witnessed the solemnities of the tletlication by which the Hall was consecrated to Freedom, and we fdt it in our hearts, while we gave thanks to Freedom's God for what our ears heard and our eyes saw, to congratulate our fellow citizens that they were the first to found a building specially designed fur the free expression of opinion on every controverted subject. Of such events of the week as preceded our meeting, we should eay nothing, were it not that they are all so clo5ely connected with each other and with the final catastrophe, as to render it neces~:~ary to the full understanding of the portion more particularly coming under our cognizance as the organ of the State Society, that a brief recital should be given. On the morning, then, of the 14th inst., a vast concour~e of people of the_ city and adjar.ent country as8embled at the first opemng of the newly fimshed Hall, and as soon as the meeting was called to order, the Secretary of the 19 |