The Washington union., 1857-11-20
THE WASHINGTON, UNION.


passive ignorance which il perpetuay made an instru
cplc of evil which is perpctally misleading them The
presumption of ignorance at least equal TO that Of
knowledge and there Is no dangerous man in the
community than a shallow, hair-braned lawgver, who
Is incapable of coprehendng the practical consequences
OF his blunders If he has any rival IL Is one who while
aware of the consequences dregards them entirely In
pursuit Of personal political pecuniary objects have
spoken thus freely this subject because know full well
that thepurty ofesaton entirely depends the
of the great experiment of self government and that the
liberties of people represented by ignorant or corrupt
legislators rest on foundation of sand.
Such Mr.. Gushing, though standing alone in
body like the wildcat Legislature of Massachusetts,
may, and have doubt will do much good He may
be out-yoed but cannot be out-agucd and men must
be under strong temptations when they shut their
ears to know of instance of a party, how
powerful that able to bear up for
any length OF time against decided superiority of talent
even In a small minority. Men become both tired and
ashamed of opposing the convictions of their understand
ing. 1t is rowing against wind and tide, and, though
truth may encounter many obstacles and suffer many de
eats il is always making progress, and is sure
quer at last Every triumph over error is step
wards Its downfall Success, by clearly cxemplify
Ing its consequences and making 1t bold and reck
less only the more glarngly exposes its defomes aud
nothing Is true than that If you give plenty OF
rope il will most assuredly hang itself.
For these reasons cannot but anticipate important
benefits from Mr. Cushing taking his seat in the legisla
tuc Of Massachusetts, He will necessarily exercise the
influence of master spirit there and though probably in
perpetual minority, yet the triumph of mere numbers
in opposition to and argument neither sures the
benefits the honors of victory His arguments will
go forth to the world contasted with those of his oppo
IN bp
such insure victory outside if not inside the hall
Of legislation The people, at least will become enlight
ened by the lessons of TRUTH wisdom, and experience
and TO the people look for the remedy which il in their
hands alone
1t is earnestly to be wished that the example of Mr.
Gushing may be the of melting others Of similar
qualifications in the different States come forward and
lend helping hand to them from the domination
of ignorance, corruption, and fanaticis In station
they confer greater benefit their country or
richly merit the gratitude Of their couhtrymcn.
A RETIRED STATESMAN.
Incidents Of The National Episcopal Deegoe Co,yertioa at Pha
delphia IN 1856 CA.f Juaice Rt,feld, Of Hemaon.
Mr. EDITOR 1t In the last speech of our late Ia
mented Calhoun before the Senate in 1885, that he al
uded to the several faernal bonds Of national union
created by spiritual and ecclesiastical organizations
Veal shall remember his sad orcbodngs Of evil he
merted the breaking of these ties after another the
Methodist, the Baptist, and all but few sraps Of the
Presby had given way. One cord remained "The
Episcopal church " he said, the only Of the four great
Proteaa denominations whch remain, mbrosa md eni,s
The Importance of this solitary tie would have been
more apparent than to Mr. Calhoun had he lived
witness the late presidential 1t my fortune
to be present lay delegate at the last national
bly, Of bishops and delegates at Philadelphia in October
1856. Madness rampant in the North for the cleo
ton Of Fremont Pennsylvania, in her State election
seemed almost drifting from her anchorage Many of
friends from southern States almost feared from day
to day, lest unskiIfd brand might fall upon the
sensitive Of goody mother church in convcn
ton, composed, as 1t was largely of northern men
Days had passed without jar daily converse was ma
king brothers indeed in fact 1t gathering Of
patriot Christians.
But at length, upon the question of fixing the rule Of
evidence for the trial Of bishops throughout the Union
the basis OF the civil law courts in the several States
Rev DIR. Randall Of Boston, moved proviso ''0qt no
diseriminaicn maae Of ccor" " and delivered
speech of considerable warmth and effect.
Judge Chambers, the able deputy from Maryland i'm
mediatey arose, and began by saying the reply to that
speech should from the South " and was going on
to reply to the Boston divine in terms somewhat potent
as well ardent. Excitement kindling. Just at
this stage Judge Redfeld of Vermont arose. and having
addressed the chair turned toward the delegations facing
him. and quietly said hc regretted exceedingly the state
of feeling into which the convention fast tending
and he felt certain that if the convention would listen to
him five minutes he could srange the motion SO etfectu-
ally that it world be heard OF again. '.Iear
Judge Redfed earnestly from the several delega-
tions of North Carolina and South Carolina and others
seated them "Go on, go on. At this point Judge
Chambers very courteousy yielded the floor to Judge
Redield, who proceeded And never were words more
nh, .~~.. -
were, on breath. But brief argument from one 80
eminently learned and just-of the North and of Nsu
England too-soon said to the rising elements "be siU
In substance the Judge urged his approval OF the same
rule of evidence as adopted In the respective civil
courts for the that they understood the matter bet
ter than ne did He urged the Importance of having
some rule that well understood alluded to the diff
culties felt in former trial Of bishop arising the
unsettled state of rules Of evidence He protested
against any attempt to carry reform the subject of
slavery into State where it existed. He earnestly be-
sought gentlemen to reflect and not render that great
convention of the only truly Catholic body Of Christians
among Protcstants, which could sit In convention with
equal representation from every State Of the Union
of strife and contention He hoped and trusted the
gentleman proposition to amend would be voted down
unanimously
With hearty response, il done ; and with the
utmost good feeling and -heartodness the conven-
ton proceeded to the regular business of the day So ended
the first and may it prove the last dscordan notes in
this synod of true and true churchmen 1t was graf
ifypr reasons reAecta ,rov