Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-05-26
Ms,hoal.t Debate on she slavery Quss,iOa.

Methodiat Debate on the slavery Queation.
The 'suepressible conflict has been re-
moved from the Democratic National Con-
vention at Charleston to the Methodist Cen
eral Conference at Buffalo, on the question of
IN The change Of Tie General Rule on the sub
jsct Of Slavery The total number of petit
TONERS for a change is 1887. The number
who ask that no change may be made is 3 $685.
Thirty Of the Conferences within the bounds
Of the General Conference have demonstrated
against change, and the members from the
border slave States oppose the proposed change
unanimously. The Conference largely favor
St but it IS hardly probable that the required
vote can be obtained to effect change.
The majority report adopted in the Com
mittee by a vote of so to IL, recommends
change of the present Rule, 50 that it shall
read as follows:
"The buying, or selling, or holding of men,
women, or children, with the intention to use
them as slaves"
,e The report also recommends the suspension
Of lhe 4th restrictive rule. and the insertion
lin the chapter in regard 70 slavery of the
e,lowing clause
afler the words ''evil of slavery and insert
flqn The following I'VE believe that the buying,
selling, or holding Of human beings as chat
tells Is contrary TO the laws Of God and nature,
inconsistent with the Golden Rule, and with
that rule Of our discipline which requires all
who desire to continue amoug US to "do no
? harm, and to ''avoid evil Of every kind. =
We therefore affectonately admonish all the
preachers and people to keep themselves free
from this great evil and to seek its extirpa-
ton by all lawful and Christian means.
The debate on the majority report
opened with spirit on the 22d. DR.. Kingsley,
Of Cincinnati moved that the FIRST resolution
be adopted, and deprecated prOtracted debate.
He was willing to let the report speak for the
majority of the committee before God and
the people, The speeches, limited to half an
hour each, were earnest and compact. Mr..
COOmbe, Of Philadelphia, opposed the change,
stating that all who advocated it are from the
free States, and denied that the old Rule was
obsolete, as alleged by the minority report
The proposed new Rule, which makes slave
holding equally criminal with slave buying
iA- or selling, Nh. O. claimed would place the
border States in an antagouistical and defiant
position towards the laws Of those States
He cited Maryland, where, after the 4th of
June next emancipation win be impossible.
M Moody, of Cincinnati followed in support
Of the report in a powerful speech. DR..
Wilson, Of Baltimore, replied for the cOnSer-
vasives, and produced strong IMPRESSION
The Hall IS crowded to listen to the able
debates, which are continued from day to
day r1
4 On Thursday Dr. Durbin Of New York, in
troduced compromise measure as substi-
tute for both of reports presented by the Sls-
very Committee. Instead of establishing an
arbitrary rule with regard to slaFeholding,
the substitute recommends that the admins
istration of the Discipline shall be made in
each state to conform with the ant-Slavery
@ principles of the Church, 50 far as It is posi-
bic under the laws of the State. The substi-
tute was tabled, yeas 1876, nays SO.
The Committee have reported against ex-
tending the time from two to three years Min
dIg h isterial service. IE8EI r-feT b