The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-26


bighly Important Case The .Methodist Episcepai
Church Norm and South-Rsiigio" and Slavery.
SECOND DAY. Continued
THE REPLY TO THE PROTEST.
Mr.. Faucher asked permission for the Rev.
DIR. Peek to read the reI The court as.
scented, and the reverend gentleman proceeded
to read the reply to the protest, from Which we
make the following abstracts:
sFrom the first institution OF the ZIP scoprcy
If the Methodist Eris.opa church, no slave
holder has been elected to that dignity, though,
IN several instances, candidates, otherwise eipi-
nently fitted for the station, have failed OF sue
cess solely on account of this impeachment.
Since the period referred to, nine bishops have
been elected, who were natives OF the United
States. OF thess, only three have been North
err men, while six were natives II sIaveho ding
States. Not one however, was slaveholder-
remarkable fact, which shows very clearly,
that while much more than their Just clam has
been conceded to the saveb1lding portions OF
the church, a decided and uniform repugnance
has, from the first, been felt and manifested to
the occupancy of that high office by a slave
holder
at is known and acknowledged by all
Southern brethren that Bishop Andrew was
nominated by the delegates from the South
Care lima and Georgia conferences, as South
ern candidate fer whom Northern men might
vote, without doing violence to their principles,
az he was no stakeholder Bishop Andrew
himself perfectly understood the ground OF his
election. and often sqid that he was indebted to
his poverty for his promotion. Since the year
1889, the anti-slavery sentiment in the church,
az we'll as in the whole civilized world, has con-
stantly and rapidly gained ground; and within
the last year or two, it has been reused u
special aid most earnest opposition to the In
PRODUCTION of STAKEHOLDER into the episcopal
oiiice-an event which MANY were led t. fear,
bv certain limitations published in the SOufhern
Christian Adrocate, the Richmond Christian
Advocate, and perhaps some other Methodist
period lcals The opposition produced the pro-
foundest a xiety through most OF the non
~aveholding conferences. The subject was
discussed everywhere, and the dreaded event
universally deprecated as the most fearful ca
Iamity that ever threatened the church. Many
conferences instructed their delegates to use all
possible means to avert such an evil Other
conferences, and many tho' sand ayn en-, sent
up petitions and memorials to the same effect
to the present general conference. Such was
the Mate of sentiment and of apprehension in
the Northern portion Of the church, when the
delegates to the general conference learned, on
reaching this city, that Bishop Andrew had be-
come a Shareholder. The profound grief, the
utter dismay, which was produced by this as
founding intelligence, can be fully appreciated
only by those who have participated in the dis
tressing scenes which have slnce been enacted
in the general conference.
"When the first emotions of surprise and sOr-
row had so tar subsidized as to allow of sober
~ ou1 ipuu IL w aSrprtuIOpd that
Bishop And ew had teen a STAKEHOLDER for sew
eral wears. Soon af er his election to the Epis-
copacy, lady of Augusta bequeathed him fe-
male slave, on cond tion that she should be sent
to Liberia at nineteen years Of age, if her con-
sent to emigrate could be Observation-Disclosures
she was to be made as free as the laws Of GeOr-
gia would permit She refused to emgrate, has
since been married, and is now enjoying all the
privileges provided for her in the will Of her
former mistress-she is, and must be, slave
she and her children-and liatle to all that may
befall slaves Another slave Bishop Andrew
has inherited from the mother of his former
wife, and by his recent marriage he has become
the owner of lit was said on the floor of the
general conference) fourteen or fifteen more.
These belonged to Mrs. Andrew in her own
right before the marriage. That act, according
to the laws of Georgia, made them the property
of Bishop Andrew, to keep or dispose of as he
pleased He conveyed them TO trustee, for
the Joint use of himself and wife, of whom the
survivor is to be the sole owner. This convey
ance was made for the security OF Mrs. Andrew,
and with no view either to satisfy or to mislead
the opinions of the Northern church. So much
at least, Bishop Andrew was understood to say
to the conference. His known integrity forbids
the suspicion that he would attempt to disguise
the real character of the transaction.
"The question presented itself, how the case
If Bishop Andrew could be so disposed of as to
preserve this itinerant general superintendency
If the general conference had even been dis
posed to evade it, the consideration Of it was
forced upon them by the Episcopal address it
SELF
GA diversity of sentiment existed ms to the
proper method of treating the case
'Some, at least, believed--perhaps few
doubted-that sufficient ground existed for i'm
parchment on charge of improper conduct
under the express provisions of the discipline.
The opinion was certainly entertained, in several
quarters, that it was important for the shep-
herd and bishop of eleven hundred thousand
souls either deliberately or heedlessly to place
himself in direct and irreconcilable conflict with
the known and cherished moral sentiments Of
large majority of his vast flock. Such, how
ever, was the prevalence of moderate counsels,
that no proposal was made either to impeach
or punish and such the controlling influence Of
forbearance and kindness, that it is believed not
one v ord was uttered during the entire debate
of nearly fortnight derogatory to the charac-
ter, or Justly offensive to the feelings of Bishop
Andrew. The transaction which had brought
such distress upon the church, ard threatened
such extensive ruin, was dealt with merely as
fact--as practical difiiculty-for the removal or
paliation of which it was the duty Of the general
conference to provide. 1t was in this spirit,
and for such ends, that the following resolution
was passed -
Resolved that il is the sense of the general
conference that he desst from the exercise Of
this Office so long as this impeachment remains
~ he act on Of the general conference was
neither judicial nor punitive. Itneither achieves
nor intends deposition, nor so much as
legal suspension. Bishop Andrew is still
bishop; and should he, against the expressed
sense of the general conference, proceed in the
discharge of his functions, his official acts would
be valid.
"Such are the facts in the case Of Bishop An