The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-04-01
THE GREAT EPISCOPAL SCHISM.
To the Laity OF the Protestant Episcopal
Church in the Diocese OF New York.


To the Laity OF the Protestant Episcopal
Church In the Diocese OF New York.
The undersigned respectfully beg leave to ad.
dress you in relation to subject OF paramount
importance to the peace and prosperity OF the Church
was notorious that the pursued by the Editor of
The hman," in relation 10 the ordination at St
as aS a. %ah S s
large and respectable body OF Churchmen whose attach
men to the welfare and principles OF the Church Is above
censure When the Bishop, therefore, before the assem-
bed clergy and lay Of the diocese by passing high en-
comum that journal virtually sanctioned its course
and recommended it to the support OF the church, IL was
not to anticipate that those Who regarded
1.-THE Churcman" obnoxious to censure, rather than
from the opinion Of the Bishop the place and with the
publicity that opinion was given. Under the clrcum-
stances the mods adopted Tor this purpose seemed me
debate, and avoiding attempt to commit the Conve
ITEM or its members except SO FAR as they might div
dually choose to become parties TO the act
The following document signed by several Of the clergy
and aity was accordingly presented and read oy lay
this Diocese the address delivered by him to this
venon has expressed in strong terms OF commentator
his appreciation of the and sentiments of the re
gions paper called The Churchman,' published in this
city and whereas the undersigned members OF the clergy
and lay, now in attendance on this convention enter
tanning sincere conviction that the doctrines maintained
in the said paper and the spirit and tone in which the
is conducted, do not ene to the confidence and
support of Protestant Epscopalans they do therefore,
most respectfully dissent from the opinion so expressed
by the Bishop Of the Diocese and do hereby that
tered on the minutes of this convention"
To surprise many this mild and nofensive form,
in which several members OF the convention sought to
their opinion met on the part OF the President
OF the convention, by an assumption oil prerogatve,
equally startling and unprecedented Declaring that he
sat there in double capacity, Bishop and as Pres
dent he in substance that he would not allow
the document before the House, or be made a
matter of discussion he entered the minutes OF the
convention, that he would yield the principle only with
his life and the ayman who presented it, rising to
address him, declined to hear him. and peremptory or
him IN hp eaatpI
transaction evident that in the case alluded to the
right of member of the convention to address the chair
appeal the decision of the Presidents and the
ofthe of determining what shall come before
them be discussed and entered their minutes were all
positively denied by the President of the convention who
these several points in referred to- made himself
the sole judge and arbiter.
The undersigned respectfully suggest IN reply 10 these
unonnded claims that the Constitution Of the Church in
this Diocese (which the convention is the
ture strictly On artificial form OF government specih
officially defining the powers rights duties and mode of
formation of the convention, and that no color
can be found in, OF deduced thereirom and for
this they confidently appeal to It's letter and
spirit In no case do its terms afford shadow OF
possessed by the President OF other deberave bodies III
analogy to which the convention is manifesly formed
The find ground therefore, in any case for the
presiding officer assuming suppress freedom Of motion
debate-to restrain the action of the convention
proposed by any OF its membersor to control the
power Of the convention the minutes OF its proceed
ngs. II such claim be exercised in one case, they see
why not be exercised at the pleasure OF
the Bishop and il tolerated in instance may event
uay be tolerated in ALL and what in its origin was usur
PATTON may become law by suierance to the destruction
othe usefulness character and dignity OF the nvenon
the prosperity of the church, the stability OF the consu.
on and the permanence OF religious freedom. Content
with this bre statement the points at issue this i'm
portant question and conscious that they plain
matters Of common right needing no appeal put to the
common sense good Judgment ana enighenea CHRISTIAN
feeling of the aity the undersigned refrain from iuIher
argument on the principles involved
While they have deemed it their duty to present these
hrah
they wish to dscaim any intention to derogate In the
least from the just rights OF the Bshopand to express
port him in the exercise OF all his legitimate authority
Warmed however by the experience OF the ra.i ana
solemn responsibility which now presses prominently
upon the aity to permit quietly constitutional privi
s to be violated they earnestly appeal to tine lsy e Of
lions by securing proper representation from their re
spective churches will lead to Free full and firm
preston OF opinion at the next Diocesan Convention
the important topics referred to- and TO the adoption OF
such measures under the blessing OF Providence
the privileges OF each member of tho convention
and the dignity and independence of the whole body
Signed
John stearns Thomas j. Oakley p O. Stuyvesant, John
L. Lawrence. William Nelson John Duer. John G Ham
ilton, Gcrardus Clark, Cambreng, l.. Woolley,
$ Winston, Thomas b. Lippht Edward d. West James
Clark John Nelson, Jr b II. Winthrop james Heard
Van Rensselaer,, NJ D., Hiram Ketchum Van Nosnand
s. Van Duzer, w. III. Johnson, Stewart Brown, L.
Morris Robinson George G. Thomas, II II. Ludlow Ma
than Babcock Richard Norris, W. NJ Benjamin Joseph
Petit, ID. T. Baldwin, George Clark George Hastings
William Nelson, Levi Cook, William A. Spencer, j.
shapter Charles d. Marvin Joseph Ketchum, Concklin
Brush, d. NJ. stebbns N. j. Becar, j. Rspelye Joseph
Tucker, Isaac Carow. James w Domnick, Jacob Aims,
Stuart f. Randolph Frederick T. Peet, Herman lie Roy,
Fred De Peyser, j. Il. Van Rensselaer, Henry r. VIM
hrop Samuel Ward, Jno. H. Hurtn, W. n. seymour, G..
s Benedict Jared L. Moore j. Van Nostrand Corn. Du
Bois Jr A. b. Nelson George N. Titus Alfred Seton,
Meigs d. Benjamin, J. b. Herrick Walter Rutherford,
Arch Russell, Henry sSili, George d. Woolsey, L. G.
IIamraersey, Denning Duer, Jas. Van Nostrand A. ~
Gouveneur Philip Kefrney, j. Depeyster Ogden Jno.
Winthrop Jr j. w. Perkins, James Murray, Edward S
Gould, o. II. Gordon John Benjamin, Jacob r. LIE Roy
John ?. Coffin, Robert II Morris Peter Lorard, Jr.,
Geo. Bruce, r. NJ White, j. A. Perry. d. H. Arnold, Eli
sha Harrison Charles A. Jackson, Russell sebbns, Geo
i. Thomas Lewis H. Sanford.