The weekly Anglo-African. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1859-1861, 1860-03-10
THE GENERAL CONFERENCE.

Mr.. EDIToR:-On Sunday evening, the
18th of last month, Bishop Quinn preach
ed in The Wylie street church, Pittsburg,
and after preaching, announced to the peo-
pie that the General Conference of the At
rican Methodist Episcopal Church in the
United States would meet in said church
on Monday, the 18th of May next. With
the announcement, the Bishop gave the
people some wholesome advice about max
ing timely and suitable preparation for the
entertainment of the members during the
session of the Conference. He cautioned
them against needless extravaganza, but,
at the same time, exhorted them to the ex.
ercise of that good-hearted and prudent
hospitality which is always more accepta-
BILE than anything else to the true minister
of the gospel. And from what have
heard and seen since, believe that the
people and pastor of the church are zeal
ously carrying out the advice of the
Bishop, and are making the best prepare.
lions for the entertainment of the Confer
ence, of which their present numbers and
means will admit In concluding his ad.
vice, the Bishop reminded the people Of
the fact that when the General Conference
met at Pittsburg in 1874, the manner in
which the members were entertained was
matter of universal admiration; and he
hoped that they would SO acquit them
selves at the approaching meeting, SO as tc
lose nothing of their former well.earned
fame.
But, since 1874, an event has occurred
which has seriously affected both the mum
Der and the means of the colored people O.
Pittsburg. | allude to the passage of the
fugitive slave law of 1850 At least foul
hundred of our people were the direct vic
tins of that law, and those by marriage
and otherwise were connected with as many
more, rendering them indirect victims, Sc
that when safety was sought in flight, We
lost, from first to last, perhaps one thou
sand of our population. From all that
have been able to learn, Pittsburg has suf
fered greater loss of population by the
fugitive slave law, in proportion to hel
numbers, say less than four thousand, thar
any other city in the nation. The numer
Gus settlements of fugitives in Pittsbure
was induced by two causes. First The
generous and benevolent spirit of her citi
zens generally. In uttering this, do no
think | can be charged with exaggeration
for | have heard those well qualified tt
Judge, call West Pennsylvania, of which
Pittsburgh is the metropolis, the Switzer
land of America. Secondly:-The mora
worth and consequent responsibility o
many of her original colored inhabitants
the names of Richards, Collins, johnson
and Vashon, constituted tower ofstrength
in which the fugitive from bondage could
rest without fear of molestation. Among
our fugitive population were many of oul
good livers," as Bishop Quinn called them
and these, more than any others, will be
missed at our approaching General Confer
ence, and to supply the lack of these is the
main object of this letter Hence, let oui
brethren and friends in all the circuits and
stations throughout the Connexion, raise
their full share of the monies necessary to
defray the expenses of the members in at
tending the Conference.
Pittsburg, with her accustomed warm and
generous hospitality, will doubtless be
able to entertain the members of the Con
ference during its session; but to expect
her, in her present crippled state, to raise
monies to send many of them back to Their
homes, as she did in 1914, is expecting
too much. Having called the attention Of
our own brethren in each of the stations
and circuits throughout our Zion to this ne
cessity of their raising monies to defray the
expenses of members both to and from the
General Conference, l deem it prudent not
further to enlarge; for, although I have
been Methodist since 1916, it is, never.
theless, with much difidence that | would
venture to advise. L. W. wooDsoN.
PTTTsBURG, March l, 1860.
----S-<>WDse-e--
A PHoToGRAPH OF Rev. FL. H. GARNET