Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-04-16


MEssRs. EDITORS There has been not a little mis-
representation on this subject and by those too who,
ought to know BETTER for it was not agitated in cor
ner. An assertion made by writer in the Christian
Advocate and sent by G. Putnam to your paper, and
published March 18th, is in substance what is often
said, to throw off responsibility, and believing it. num-
bers have their eyes closed to all the slavery in that
Church and their ears to the cry of the suffering mill
ions of our land
| Speaking of Bishop Andrews and the Church. the
writer says ave would have slaves and be Bishop
too. The Church said nay, we neverhad slaveholdng
Bishops, and we cannot have them now" If the
Church had said thus, it would be occupying no less
prosavery ground than before, but it did not take
that position. will not ask your readers to take my
word for it, but will give the resolutions of the Gen.
era Conference on that subject.
"Whereas the discipline of our church forbidS the
doing of anything calculated to destroy Inerate
General Superintendency: and whereas, Bishop An
drew has become connected with slavery by marriage
and otherwise, and this act having drawn after it cir
cumstances which, in the estimation Of the General
Conference will greatly embarrass the exercise of his
office General Superintendent, fnot in some places
entirely prevent it, therefore,
Resolved That it is the sense of this General Con-
ference, that he desst from the exercise of this Office
so long as this impeachment remains"
Concerning this we say, LIST, they did not intimate,
that slavery was sinful End. They did say the reason
was it would embarass him. This was because some,
would be dispeased and leave the church. Sd. 1t was
advice and was asserted by the Conference to be no
more IN reply to the protest of their sovehodng breth
rem They said directly, that they did not intend
legal suppression and that Bishop Andrew was Bish
op still After this action the other Bishops asked the
Conference what they should do with Bishop Andrews
name,-how he should receive his support and what
he should do, to which they gave the following reply;
l. "Resolved as the sense of this Conference, that
Bishop Andrews name stand in the Minutes, Hymn
book and Discipline formerly" Will those who
claim the opposite ground, charge the General Con-
ference with lying and hypocrisy, in asserting so ma
ny times that he a Bishop when he was not? Or
were they so ignorant as not to know the force of
words?
2. Resolved That the rule in relation to the sup
port Oft Bishop and his family applies to Bishop An
drew" In giving him the pay of Bishop, they as
sert the fact again 1t is impossible to shift it to
any other position
3. Resolved, That whether in any, and in what
work Bishop Andrew be employed, is to be determined
by his own deslsion and action in relation to the prev
GUS action of this Conference in his case"
Here they gave him the liberty to work or not, and
if he did to choose whether to exercise his Office do
other labor. The other Bishops not allowed to be
idle or do other work in place of exercising their Of
fee but the man who holds the bodies and souls of
men articles of property must be privileged one
for fear of the dspleasure of Shareholders.