Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-07-09
For TIE Rickwosd H'h,g.
THE TWO ASSEMBLIES


TUE TWO ASSEMBLIES
Rrv 7. '. Moons, D. y. --'-----------------------
Do, SIR In the interview between us at the
wbig onice o., die day preceding the psbii,<to, Of
nay reply to Dr. Hogc, the Slavcry question, aid 60
you, that your forthcoming letter VI which you gave
me notice, did not contain something su >H ss;d
should feel at liberty TO decline answering il. w"
From the tone OF your letter of tho I'd ns inter that
you supposed yourself to have the conditions upon
which reply might be expected indeed soa propose
questions which, in courtesy require answer. 20
should my tariincss make apology necessary, I
Hope the taeeot- uy having go Baltimore, on the
day Of your publication, viii safhce --' 80
Ia Casting my oyc the proportions OF your letter.
IL appear at hrst sight 70 have beginung. middle and
cnd duly laid OIL IN predatory note. main body aud
postscript hut in analysing It. IL little tortuous
oily and 6sdrrs pardon II the fault Is In nay psrcep
tion or taste aud really am almost afraid that shall
get odfsScated, III may tho elegant word which
yoar rehued correspondent SPECTATOR applies to us)
in toying follow its track. considerable part of it,
however requires no arsser indeed. you could have
restrained your hasy real to improve upon Dr. Hogss
letter. long enough 10 have seen my reply 70 him. you
might have been enjoying ice water, and economirng
'nk."
But to the work in hand. You institute ato,nai cont
drison between recorded action and your own on the
slavery question, IN which, leaving the important
oa OF 1885, ON the part of the New School" Assembly
which, srh the action OF 1850. constitutes our present
platform, guarded 10y Southern protest against even
serning isacy,taking the action Of 1850 uions and
placing by the side OF 's your sc action Of lsi6 which,
by the resolution OF your Assembly in S46 s linked
serarahly with the previous testimony OF years-you
hold this comparison view. in which both sides
distorted TO disadvantage and to your and
then say OF your drtdt asfio OF s45 that this is your
v'ongsa ssldry detioa and that the partial action
Of Assembly Detroit in $780, sour rsakess at.
1arsry dcfio7."r
mus strong express my scns- OF the iai.
LACY and injustice OF such aud while
speak only OF te comparison, and not OF irsnto,,
regard il, as do many Others supprrSsio reri,-a
ls.al -.s,l j
lead thoe who rely upon your statements for their op
ion OF the vital merits OF the main point under discussion
This, think can be made apparent the majority Of
our readers 10y simple process OF rehearsal
Passing by the action of the Synod OF New York and
Pbilsdephs in INA and 1885, aso that oil the General
Assembly in 1898 and 1915 all OF which preliminary
and incipent, we find in 1918 full and formal decara
of principles this subject which was obviously III
tended define the entire ground Of the Assemblies
tments poston and Testimony before the world All pre-
vious hcton merged in that and to that artsn the
attention of the world has probably been more fequ.nty
called than any other in the whole history of the Pres
bytrrian church in this country.
The doctrines OF 1878 have already spread out fully
and fairly in my letter of June elsi need not reca
pitnate them here In 1886, just before the cxcinding
act the subject OF slavery pressed upon the Assembly
and disposed of with brief conservative notice.
la lSI5, after ne eJssioH aud when the distinctive
title OF "OR school, had been attached 10 your body
the antsaycy element exhibited itself there m numerous
and various memorials; some complaining OF the System,
OF slavery some urging TIE repeal Of certain lars in the
savehoding states and pressing the direct point
Of ne Sinfress Of holding shares all and calling for
the eneTeiSs Of discipline. Then il that and
proper ground was taken by your Assembly, such
have already said would &sandiag by ITSELF DC accept
BILE to the, and, far | know to our brethren and
churches in the South. Wee that your platform to-
day. and yourselves peace on it, and not liable to
disturbance in your occupation Of it, there would have
been occasion for any implied ausion 10 your position
in our "S0tlern ndnifesto,' which has produced so
much fattering in your editorial chamber and type room
But YOUR sudden uueasness, grief and hasty zeal-at
the bare reading OF letter addressed not 10 yo
brethren and churches i the South ON the sub
ject OF their neres in view OF any possible dangers which
might await them ~ Uese crazy fimss-show that you
had not the calmuess of above suspicion Had YOU
been quiet in the conscious entreuchmen OF innocence
letter would have influenced only those eo II was
IN good faith addressed.
But your action OF lsi5 "6ldI" and does not
truly define your position for has been already shown
the element Of antslavery feeling rife in your
semby in 1896 when "a collection OF petitions aud
MORALS the subject OF slavery received and refer
red aud when the committee Of your Assembly reported
a. follows;
-" Our church has from time 10 time during peri-
Cd ~ edrfy SIg years. expressed its views the sub
ject Of slavery During all this period il has held and
| uttered Substantially the SANE SENTIMENTS. Believ-
ing that this uniform testimony Is True and capable
OF rHdiedf'on tTom tie cord Of God the Assembly is
the time clearly Of the opinion thar t has already
deliberately and soennly spoken this subject with
fcisHt ctedReSs therefore
Resolved, That further action upon this subject is
at present needed
No~h the Rev. r. " White, whose " smoking RESP
luton" brother Hoge has immOrtsized, had been
thsre p IL his resolution had bern acted Do,
the Assembly Of 1916 did make oe in all the fresh.
Of that day aud 10y all the worth aud force Of s dec
Idrdi9E The atehts Of 1915 with each aud ecery act
during oil she period Of n,driy sirtv years.
am willing TO indulge you aud your colleague in the
odium you ne 20 heap the 'sneskng resolution OF
Mr. White in the oily suggc ton that his resolution
tsas run hrough s Aksby one dan bV piece Of adrot
nraHdgehiS'f and rhick simply asserts, that he rro,u.
ton Of 1913 HotiRtenddto deny rescid prerious
feVio,oy his subject In all this am willing, and
afford TO indulge you and vet go" held fast for Mr.
Whites resolution Is not essential TO the argument
H. you say the action Of the Assembly Me- Whites
resolution had not the force Of rasseron aud rcafr
nation Of the sentiments Of 1919 answer that the Assem-.
by dill and rear those sentiments IN the adop.
ton % the minute reported by the Committee above
quoted
Referring directly the past oetion, for "neary sky
years. prominent IN which is the action Of 1915 the As
semby declared s belief that This uniform testimony is
fc and capable Of vindicaiio1 FROM the word Of God
And lest there night be doubt about the doc
OF 1918, a. If they oHgM he modified, the committee
followed mp their report with resolution,"R
That ne further acfo5r upon this subject present
needed" Nos, my gcnerou. friend thank YOU Tor
the information which it much pleased you To supply,
a. when you assure that you "a membef Of the
Assembly 81 lS4G, and m0Hbcr of the committee Of bills
and ovetuc- that reported the resolution Of that year
That little piece OF information is Just in time aud in
point; and have % ask does the Mr. Moore who
mcinber Of me committee Of the Assembly In 1876
pointed To the pat action OF tile church for co yes
fr's, and capable Of r.ndedton from the word Of Cod
urtu nriiDcrhtelN anu sOlenuD spoken, WIN
snibSsut iuness and ceArness 80 that nO tec dsAop
this subject is present needed" docs the sumo Mr.
Moore tell Hoa in hi- letter OF July ID that bis sscH
by "hns of rensscrtc aud rc-afrmedu The sction vi
ISIS? Docs hS say that the acton Of 1878 proves o.
the opinion ot the ~ that DAY and hot Of tho7.
1866" or Of 1892 Does ~ say that 'tho action g..
only oppressed What pure conservatism then a.
would be radcairrh now p aud that the As,er eli wv
did MT f.rirn she action Of BIS beoa 80 ~ ~ io4
% would MT express their opinions nor q" ''
ma, me Assembly OF $40 only tnJ need n ,cc; se,io
% ne assembly IS and doc. he .t n
Il charge him with holding evc,y ,eutirr an, J 49,
ng every word Of the actor of issyr and doss bo
! he y ''perccily sure onpso 1t roi ~ '' '' wv ~
n"," 8"f"H'"' "". rbirA ,oor,I IL L me inoure cam
Under ln' silent mer 90, repsrvaonY Did che commttc
sf, y" ~ q""sdon-hOw far the endorsement etten,
eu anu "uerc II was inOpcrativcY
man oOlds AZ pld aoie, that might be 6auaw.d al
WI L's Wy your Endorsement gsdir aud no com,
oEg bSr pAyiSent, L win hardly ofoi yopto Ten hi
Jon "oh5 endorsed II sbsfaRifdfg" n he asks Won r
ihe fHorf and you answer he can have the obi etut
snso,y asking him "if he can think Of holding Won r
sPOnabtc Tor cueTy seAfsent and orsrV roydr would
not thinE yod thains orwicidshS An4eq,agi eos,;o
sads nyountarly and unexpectedly % ,orfuons ap1
mint You do a. well doubtless as any body can h,
ysa Sanno u'an'an your position against even an in