The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-05-02
The Methodist Church Case.

The Supreme Court of the United States at
Washington was. last week, engaged in hearing
arsargument in the case of f"Smith ct. al. vs.:
Swormstedt ct. al" TLis was an appeal from
the decision of the Court in Ohio, whereby
that portion of the Methodist Church case.prop-
erty which existed in estimated
to be worth $780, ,000-was declared the prop.
erty of the Northern division of the Church,
the Southern division receiving no share of it,
although contributing largely before the sep
Grafton, towards the funds from which it arose.
Against this decision the Southern Church ap
pealed, and eminent counsel argued the qies-
ton most ably before the most august tribunal
in the land. -
To any one regarding this question uninhu.
enced by feeling or prejudice; it is matter OF
surprise that it should ever have been permit.
ted to coms before Court. The rights of the
Southern division of the Church tosa share OF
the property are so plain that it is astonishing
they should ever have been disputed. From
the time the Methodist Episcopal Church be.
gan to exist in this country, its Southern mem:
bers contributed freely to its religious and
charitable establishments. Up to the time OF
the separation ofthe Church North and South
there could have been no claim made by any
portion of the whole Church body to exclu
sive possession of any portion of the prop
erty. But the moment the separation took
place, the Northern division set up special
title to the property, and in Ohio the Court,
through some extraordinary delusion, affirmed
this title; thus depriving the Southern division
of every particle of interest in the property.
To an Indifferent observer, the matter seems
extraordinary, but it is infinitely more so to
those. who heard, as we did, the able argument
of Mr.. Stanberry before Supreme Court. That
dispute that seems capable OF such easy ad.
justment, by the common code Of morality,
should have been permitted to become SUBJ
ject of vexatous litigation, should have been
decided, at last, in way so opposite to the
common sense views of the community, is one
of the marvels of this enlightened age. If any
however, had doubted the rights Of the South
to share Of the property, those doubts would
have been removed on hearing the arguments
of the learned counsel in the case. For there
it was shown, as clear as day, how utterly un.
tenable were the grounds on which the North
refused to give up a share of the fund in ques-
ton.
The protracted and discreditable litigation
in reference to this matter has been the means
of utterly wasting from twenty. five to thirty
thousand dollars of the church funds in coun.
sci fees and legal COSTS So much money, con-
trbuted in good faith, for the service Of religion
and charity, has thus been worse than thrown
away; for it has been diverted to an improper
purpose; has deprived a large religious body
of its rights; has brought discredit upon the
church, and has helped to foster hostile feel
ing between the North and South utterly ire
concilable with all Christian feeling. From
the impression made by the arguments of the
counsel we have no doubt that the decision of
the court will show that for period of eight
or ten years, the Southern portion OF the
church has been deprived Of its just rights and
is fully entitled to fair and equal portion Of
the property so unrighteously monopolised by
the Northern Church.-Philadelphia Bulletin.
The TREATY.-We mentioned on Saturday
that the "Gadsden Treaty. had been ratified
by the Senate. This, according to the annex
ed paragraph from the official paper, was hard.
ly acorrect designation. 1t was not the "Gads-
den Treaty" proper, it appears, but modi6-
cation of that instrument, or nearly new prcjet
of treaty, to which the Senate consented,
and recommended to the President for his ap.
proval and renewed negotiation with Mexico.
CaroHniah.
6erstood that the delberation of the Senate
in regard to our relations with Mexico result.
ed yesterday in recommending 10 the Presi-
dent the. projet of a treaty which settles all
the questions of difficulty between the two
Governments, if it shall be ratified by them
We are not able to specify the terms of the
proposed settlement with absolute certainty,
but according to the current understanding,
the Messla valley difficulty is arranged, the
boundary so fixed as 10 authorize eligible routes
for railroad the abrogation of the llth arti-
Gle of the treaty of Hidalgo, and the recogni-
ton of an interoceanic transit.way granted in
February, 1853, over the isthmus of Tehaun.
tepec; for all which our Government pays to
Mexico ten millions of dollars. - Washington
Union.
We learn that the Senate, on Wednesday,
refused to remove the seal of secrecy from the
proceedings h2d on this treaty.-Nulional In.
teHigencer.
LAMENTED DEATH.-pur' District has sus.
tained great loss in the demise of our aged
and highly esteemed fellow citizen, Mr.. VIII
liam W. Bradley ST., who died at his residence
in this District on Tuesday the 25th inst
His whole life had been characterised by firm
ness, probity and plain honesty, and in good
old age has been gathered unto his fathers, !"
leaving behind him large number of sorrow;