Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-10-30

from MS PuiPA1 eHoe A~
rendered his resignation to the session, and
requested that the church unite with him
in calling a meeting of the Presbytery for
tia purpose1o of dissolving his relation as
IF the Second Presbyterian church.
It's s~naounesme9t took the congregation
by surprise, as they had not
anticipated anything of the kind, and SEN
timents of regret were almost universally
expressed at the course the Doctor has seen
fit to pursue. Many of his flock, includ-
ing some who are unused to the melting
mood, gave vent to their feelings in tears.
Ehs-rsAsons advanced by Dr.sHawksfor
taking the step he did, were that the ses-
sion hadconveyed to him an expression, of
dissatisfaction with him, for the alleged
reason that his voice was not sufficiently
powerful to fill the church, and that he
did not attract the young men The
course pursued by the session certainly
does not meet the views of the very large
majority Of the church society, We might
say nearly all of that body. The state
ment of the session can be answered most
summarily by the factthat never in thehis-
tory of the church was it more prosperous
than it Is now, ithaying the largest Protes-
tant congregation in the city, one hundred
and two members having been added since
the:commeneementof the Doctors ministry,
five and a half years ago, being only two
less than the number that have Joined the
First Churchs, dhring the same time. The
action of the session to say the least is un-
fortunate and unwise.
1t is to be hoped that the Doctor NAV
be induced to suspend his resignation till
the wishes of the society be ~ascertained.
1t would certainly be unjust that the feel
ings of a majority, and a large one, too,
should not be consulted in the matter.
The church, as we'll as the religious com
munity, could lily spare the services of so
accomplished and learned a man, n who
S universally beloved by those who
have come in contact with him, and one
whose usefulness is so apparent by the
very large additions that have been made
to his church since his connection with it.
He is a model Christian minister, devo-
teddy attached to his profession, an emil
nently social and genial gentleman, and it
will be difficult to I'll his place.
We hope for the sake of the church and
the u of religion, that the session will
reconsider It's iH-adYised action, till the
wishes o fthe congregation are ascertained,
which we.sre sure Will be in favor Of re-
tanning their present pastor.
What Earl RusseIIs Propositions
Amounts To.
1t will puzzle many people to understand
why the English government should object
to referring the claim concerning the Ala
bamato arbitration by a foreign power, and
are yet willing to submit the case to a
commission; or why our government,
while proposing arbitration, should, ashley
doubtless will, refuse to aceede to Earl
Russelrs suggestion. They will be at a
loss to see why a joint commission of Brit
ish a American subjects cannot deal with
the question as fairly as any European
power-especislly as every one of these
powers is chargeable with precisely what
Mr.. Adams especially complains of in the
case of England, Uiz. the unprecedented
and Precipitate recognition of the /" con
federacy." This, however, is not the point
IN dispute between the two governments.
The proposal of Earl Russell is for the ap-
pointment, not of a commission to consider
the claim against the Alabama, but one ito
which will be referred all claims arising
during the late civil wal qohich the
fico Doareas -
niiSsioners.- Following in immediate
sequence, as it does, on Earl RusselTs
very decided and abrupt refusal either
to pay our. claims or to refer them to for
eign arbitration, and his statement that
the question involved the honor of the
British government, of which it is sole
guardian, and the requirements of British
law, of which the law officers of the crown
are the best Interpreters, the clause which
we have italicised is especially significant.
1t is to be inferred that the refusal of the
British government to make reparation
and compensation for the damages done
by the Alabama is absolute, and that it
will consent to refer to this commission
only the host of minor claims in respect
to pirates, blockade-runners, &c, on our
part, and-the counter claims for the prop
erty of British subjects destroyed during
the war. Such is the Interpretation put
on Earl Russeils letter in England.
Should our government accept the pro-
posal, the English government would re-
fuse to refer this claim to the Commission,
as they would have a right, according to
the specified terms, to do. Such an accept
ance, therefore, on the part of our govern
ment, would be a complete surrender of
our position, which our government will
certainly not consent to. ~
Death of DR.. Worcester.