The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1859-04-14
Slavery In the philadelphia
Methodist Conference.

Methodist conference.
Unlike the East Baltimore, the Phila-
Idelphia Conference took up the question
of Slavery in practical form, discussed
it calmly and intelligently. a commit
tee was appointed to report on the duty
of ministers emancipatlng their slaves
Their report, and u brief discussion Of it,
is thus reported by the Philadelphia Eoe-
ming Bulletin,
"The Committee to whom were refer
red the resolutions of Rev. MeSsrs. Hough
and Barton, and the paper of Rev. w
Kenny regarding the manumission Of
slaves, submitted the following report:
Whereas, the discipline requires that
when any travelling preacher becomes an
owner of a slave or slaves, by any means,
he shall forfeit his ministerial character
in our Church, unless he execute, if it be
practicable, legal Emancipation Of such
slaves, eouformidably to the laws of the
State in WHICH he lives
HAnd whereas, in some States, or at
least in one State, the legal manumission
of woman does not affect her offspring
born after the deed of manumission is ex-
ecuted, and before it takes effect;
And whereas, in consequence of sue
cessive births, travelling preacher may
continue STAKEHOLDER to the end of his
life, notwithstanding he execute deed
of prospective manumission in behalf of
each Of his slaves;
"And whereas, it is the Judgment of
this Conference that the discipline In
tends that travelling preachers should so
emancipate their slaves, when it is prac
ticable, as to cease to be Shareholders; !;
therefore,
Resolved, 1st, That, in the judg-
ment of this Conference, the offspring
should 90 free with their mother.
Resolved, I'd. That 1t is also the
Judgment of this Conference that the deed
| of manumission sh uld not fix later pc
Rod for females than the age of tlventy-
one, nor later period for males than the
age of t,oentY,f0e.
"The time was extended in order to
allow the discussion Of this Report The
question of mapumission was thoroughly
debated, in all its technical and ambigu-
Gus bearings, by the Rev. DR.. Cooper, the
Rev. j. NJ McCarter, and others. The
former gentleman objected to the resolu-
tions, because, in his opinion, they would
bring the Conference into conflict with
the public law Of our slaveholding terrific
ry, and that they would therefore do harm
to the interests of freedom, by exciting
public sentiment against the body.
CDR. Cooper also held that action on
the Report should be deferred until the
+ General Conference, which will meet II
May, 1860, an Annual Conference moi
being competent to make rule of con
duct, and subject its members to judicia
responsibility under it,
"Mr. McCarter, in most stirring anC
E, effective speech, urged the vast impor
tance of now, at once, unbinding the fet
, ters of all the slaves In the possession o
Methodist preachers, and of not oonsign
ing them to twenty-one years mare o
bondage, at the expiration of which timc
! it may be out of the power of civil law t,
release them.
/, "The Rev, P. Coombe challenged Mr.
MeCarter to state a single instance il
which any Conference had Obliged slave
I, holding minister to manumit his slaves q
E once. 1t was of no use to talk of new
, or individual construction of the law. Th,
! established usage of the Church canno
] be displaced or done away with. The diff
fculty is, said Mr. Coomhe, that we maxi
! laws for the State as well as the Church
; The Conference should be exeeedingl,
careful not to take any steps that NIGH
bring them into conflict with the oivi
. government.
; The Conference here adjourned to
o'clock this evening. 1t is anticipate,
that the Appointment of Preachers vii
be read tonight, and that the final ad
journment Of Conference will then TAX
place. The Sc sion has been an unusual
ly protracted one, and has abounded II
interest and usefulness"
5 The next days report is as follows:
] "The Slavery Committees Report wa
I again taken up, and the question cmbrac
: ed in the second resolution, of the tins
a of the manumission of the slaves oWne,
by travelling preachers of the Methods
Church, provoked long and animated
5 debate, which was participated In by tht