"The Tables Turned" A Letter to the Congregational Association of New York, reviewing the Report of their committee on "The Relation of the American Tract Society to the Subject of Slavery"

The Congregational Association of New York established a committee to investigate and report on "The relation of the American Tract Society to the Subject of Slavery". The report of that committee was made in 1855. The conclusions drawn are not clear, for it had been the policy of the Society to not take any position on slavery, since they believed it was not a proper religious issue. In any event, one member of The Congressional Association wrote "The Tables Turned" -- A Letter to the Congregational Association of New York, reviewing the Report of their committee on "The Relation of the American Tract Society to the Subject of Slavery", By a Congregationalist Director taking issue with the procedures, actions, conclusions and writings of the Committee.

This letter writer did not wish to identify himself other than by the nom-de-plume of A Congregationalist Director. He expressed his dissatisfaction, however, with words such as "...The facts are these: the chairman of your committee, whose name alone would entitle it to general credit – never saw the report, till weeks after your meting had been held, and was absent from the meeting at which it was presented...And the further fact is stated, without fear of contradiction, that the acting chairman of your Committee, whose multiform duties have required him to pass almost daily the door of the Tract house during the year of his appointment, has in no instance, within that period, made an inquiry of any officer or Committee-man connected with the institution on any point embraced in the Report, while there is indubitable internal proof in the document itself, of a total lack of investigation of the public documents of the Society...".

The letter is contained in a 44 pages string-bound booklet, with a front paper cover but no rear cover, that measures approximately 5 ¾ x 9 inches. The pages are tanned, and there are pencil notes in the margins of a number of pages. The text is clear and easily read. There are markings on the front cover related to the prior ownership by the Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio. The booklet is a first edition, as published in Boston by Crocker & Brewster and in New York by Edward P. Rudd. The booklet is in good condition

The illustrations accompanying this description show the booklet's front cover, the first page of text, and a typical 2-page spread of further text.