The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-05-24
Correspondence OF the Cleveland Herald.
General Conference Of the Methodist Episcopal
Church.

General Conference Of the Methodist Episcopal
Church.
ISpIANApoL1s, May 0, 1856.
Dear Herald-It is conceded on all hands
that slavery is tie great question in Tie pre-
sent General Conference. More than two
thirds of all the Annual Conferences through
out the connection, have memor:alized the
General Conference on this subject /; and
more petitions have been sent up from
Quarterly Conferences and from the private
membership on this than on all other subjects
together. A large committee, composed Of
one member from each Annual Conference.
chosen by the delegation representing each
Conference respectively, was appointed at
the opening of Conference, to when all these
memorials and petitions have been referred.
That committee meets daily, and will bring
in an early report but what its precise
character will be cannot yet be determined !,
but whatever it is, it will be, with perhaps
4 few amendments, adopted by the Confer
ence-for the Committee embodes the real
sentiments of the Conference. AS near as
can now be calculated upon, onc-third of the
committee are opposed to any alteration Of
our discipline ON the subject of slavery-one-
shirl are in favor of an entire new section
'uding from tie church all shareholders
without regard to circumstances-while
about one-third desire new astringent law.
discriminating between n ercenary slave
holding, and slaveholding for the benefit OF
the slave, prohibiting only the former
Which Of these parties will finally triumph is
a matter of great interest, both here and
throughout tLe.entire church. By many it
is feared that another division, similar to The
me in 1914, viii take place. If either Of
the extreme parties triumph division in
the church is inevitable, with all the sad ef-
ects that followed the former separation !;
md if 1t could take Place along the line oi
slavery, it would be rejoiced over by multi
tudes but in tais instance the Con-
ierences all along the line of slavery
in the free states e,ill be the great
battle ground. There is but little ex-
element as yet iu the C".e:trence, as moth
.s, ...,, las yet come up to excite discussion in
md determined and one week more will
bring in the report of the committee, which
by general agreement will take precedence
Of all ether business.
Since my last was written, two represen-
tatives from the Canada Wesleyan Confer
ence have been introduced and have ad-
dressed the Conference. They are Rov. DR..
Byerson and Rev. Mr.. Jones. They repre-
sent the correctional interests in Canada in
highly prosperous condition. Also, two
representatives from Ireland have been in
troduced, one of whom Rev. R. Scott, spent
few days in Cleveland last fall, setting
forth the object of his mission to this coun-
try. The Irish Conference has determined
ON establishing mission and school in each
destitute portion of their country, and have
sent two representatives to this country to
solicit aid financially. Fifty thousand dol
lars have already been secured, and it is ex-
pected that the amount will be increased t.
one hundred thousand before they return.
A CORRESPONDENTS.
The income of Ohio last year was about
four and qnsrter Millions of dollars, and IFS
expenditures three millions and half. 1t
has SoO miles OF canals, 600 of navlgable
rivers, and 2,0o0 miles of railroads. Its
wheat crop last year was 10000 900 bush
els, and corn $4,000, 900 bushels.
| ENA A letter from an officer Of the e. S
ship Independence, at Honolulu, Feb. Is, al
lludes to the destruction of Hllo by the lava