The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-06-05
Methodist Church Case in New Yorl

- SIXTH DAY.
U. s. CIRCUIT CoURT.-Before Judges Nelson
and Belts. Henry b. Bascom and others us, Geo.
Lane and others.
The courtroom was densely crowded at half-past
nine o'clock this morning, both on the floor and in
the galleries. Every inch of standing room was
occupied and hundreds were unable to obtain ad
mittance Judge Belts entered about ten minutes
past ten and after shaking hands with Mr.. Choate,
and congrstulating him on his recovery, took his
seatupon the bench. Court was opened at quarter
past ten. Judge Nelson appeared on the bench in
ten minutes afterward, and Mr.. Choate imme-
dately commenced his argument
He SAID that he felt extreme regret that he had
been obliged so largely to avail himself of the kind
ness OF the court in adiourning the case for his
convenience. lie did not design to attempt an
answer to Mr.. Lords speech, but should confine
himself to statement of the defendants case 1t
IS mere question OF property, and it would rather
embarrass than enlighten the court to refer to the
causes OF the difficulty in the church. History
would attend to that subject better than it could be
treated at this bar. From what had been said on
behalf of the plaintiffs it might be thought that the
defendants did not stand here in very graceful
position. Simply in justice to them he would say,
that they received the property in question as trus-
tees Tor particular purpose and that thew had vet
seen nothing which could authorize them in paving
over the funds to any one not remaining in con-
necton with the church prescribed by the rules of
the trust
OF the nature Of that fund.- of its origin and of its
appropriation, he would have enough to say in the
course OF this discussion. He would show that the
Plaintiffs by their own admission in the course of
the documents they have offered in evidence here,
are nothing but mass of secessionists.
He averred that when the Annual Conferences
IN 1914 and 1915, voted on the subject of modify
ing the sixth restrictive rule, every unpreudced
observer had hopes that the matter would be AMIGA
bly, arranged But the language OF the South was
exasperating, and they provoked the unhappy DIFF
ferences which had occurred Mr.. Choate here
cited the resolutions on this subject, passed in the
Missouri and Arkansas Conferences.
He also referred to page IS of the Book of Proofs
no. l, to prove that an arbitration was proposed
The Annual Conferences were fast giving their
consent when this amicable plan of settlement was
interrupted by the bringing of this suit.
whether the proceedings of the General Con-
ference OF 1914, in relation TO Bishop Andrew,
We're competent or not, he could not admit that
the defendants in this case were to blame. He did
not believe that the dsmemberment of this church
was an inevitable necessity. Excellent reasons
have been given for the dissolution of the Union,
and the dissolution of every thing else The will
and reason of one generation made this church,
and the Will and reason OF another might have
kept it together He knew the prodigious ability
with which he was to be followed, and the elo-
9uence which would be heard on this subject of
Union, but he was as good Unonist as any man,
and would be to the last pusalion.o of his heart and
desired distinctly to put it on record here that il
there are any moral delinquency on either side of
this controversy, they are not with the defence.
Applause
He referred to page 81 of the Book of Proofs.
No. i, and 10 the discipline of 1886, reciting the
same reasons, totidem uerbis, to show that the mat
ter of Bishop Andrew was, in fact, the sole cause
of the separation, and that the so much talked of
agitation Sin some Of the Northern Conferences"
had nothing to do with the injury of the South. Ii
was no more likely TO affect them than the over