The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-10-09

Il. +. C11SEmAN
PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CoNvENTIoN-This
body was opened Monday, BY prayer being read
by the Rev DR. Hankel, of South Carolina, and
Rev. Dr. Crocker, of Rhode Island.
On motion of the Rev. DR.. Mason, of Maryland,
series of resolutions directing that special COM
mittee inquire into the expsdiency of opening
friendly relations with the Church of Sweden was
carried. The committee was appointed.
Several motions were made to fix time for
taking the question upon the proposed amendment
to the sixth article of the Constitution but falling
the debate upon the subject was resumed.
Mr. John d. Phelan, of Alabama, opposed the
change with much earnestness.
Rev DR.. WaylaHd, of Massachusetts, followed
in opposition to the amendment, contending that
it would be impossible to carry the plan proposed
into execution, or of forming an uniform system
to govern communities so distant from each other
that 1t would be useless, as each diocese was the
best governor of its own interests, and instead of
being bond of union it would result in disunion.
In carrying out the last branch of his argument he
made an aiusion to the slavery issues in the figure
of black knight
The debate was further continued by Judge
Green, of Iowa, and F. B. Fogg, of Tennessee.
The Rev. James Craik, of Kentucky thought
there was no radical change contemplated by the
amendment. The General Convention. he thought,
when formerly amending the sixth article, thought
that they were granting the very powers now ask.
ed for, and the amendment only confirmed what
had been then contemplated.
hct LII. tlutOu, OI new 1OTK, cOmDateQ the
arguments of the Rev. Deputy from Massachu-
setts. He deprecated the introduction of the slave
ry question under the garb of a black knight, and
trusted that the Convention would revert to the
state of feeling existing when the question was
about to be taken on Saturday, and that this most
unfortunate allusion would be entirely forgotten
He gu. ted the words John G. Calhoun, ia speak
ing of the Episcopal Church the only Protestant
denomination that had not been disrupted by this
question.
The 6ohaf fa On tho nu osfion xvao cJoeod h,, Mr-
ray Hoffman, of New York, the Trainer of the pro-
posed penal code to be submitted to the conven-
tion in case the amendment to the constitution pre-
walls. Mr.. Hoffman made an earnest appeal in
behalf of the amendment, and besousht them not
to arrest the proposed measure by defeating the
amendment.
On the conclusion of the argument there was
an unanimous call for the question, when the
President announced that the roll would be called
by orders and diocesses on the ratification of the
amendment. The roll was then called, and the
result was announced. The clergy of l6 diocesses
had voted aye, and those Of the remaining l3 dio.
ceses voted nay. The laity representing IL dio-
ceses voted aye, while Is diocesses voted nay
One diocese was divided four others were not rep.
resented. The President therefore announced
that the amendment had failed, for want Of q con-
current action by both orders.
INTERESTING TO SEAMEN.-A Ntsc Plan far Reef
ing 1opsatts.-Mr Boss of New York has recent
ly secured patent for reducing and reefng top
sails The plan is very simple. Four legs or a
crows foot are spread along the foot of the sail
and secured to it, two on each side of amidships,
and are sewed to the sail up to the close reef
oand where they terminate in eyes. To these
eyes four ropes are bent, which reve through fair
leaners on the yard, and thence through blocks at
the mast-heads to the deck. When the sail is re-
quired to be reefed, these ropes are hauled taut,
the topsail hallards let 60 and the sail is brought
bodily up to the yard and confined there The
slack of the reef tackles IL thea hauled n and the
sail ia almost snug if 1t was close reefed The
work of hauling out the earrings, and knotting the
points, is then comparatively easy The plan, it is
thought, will soon do away with double tspsail
sails of four ships with this plan
( LONDON STATISTICS OF WESLEYAN METHo
pIsM.-The Watchman, reviewing the " minutes :
of the late Wesleyan Conference, says:
A comparison of the numerical statistics of 1855
and 1856 shows an increase throughout the whole
connection. in England and Scotland we had last
vear 60S58 class members, with IL, 620 on trial;
9le ministers in full work, not reckoning supernn
this wear We have e63, 1886 mambers-increase
1897: 1889 on trial-increase 5,2l9; 93l minis
tsrs-increase 49, but only IS preachers on probs-
ticr which indicates that moro iaborers will be
wanted. In Ireland the number In society II l6,.
qs0: the increase Of members, notwithstanding
emigration, being 203, and o. ninmtsrsa On tne
foreign missions, under the immediate direction OF
the British Conference. the number Of members IL
G5 a6i-incrsass l,654; OF minister's 274--increase
M less than S. The French Conference reports
An incresse Of go members and pastors. Tho
Canada Copfsrsncs has this year 5y sio members =
increase 1890; and 207 ministers-increase q sno
Il has recsved 65 preachers on probation, wnicn U
IS more than last year.
A serenade was given 70 Gov. Floyd Of Virginia