Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-10-25
The Episcopal COnvenfiOn-Dr. Ker-
fOOt's Speech.

The Episcopal COnvenfiOn-Dr, Ker
fOOf's Speech.
EDITOR CLEVELAND LEADER:
As there have appeared recently in your
paper and in the Herald, articles calcuIa-
ted to convey the mistaken idea that the
tabling of Mr.. Binney's resolutions BY
the General Convention of the Episcopal
Church, was the result of disloyalty to the
government of a majority of that body, il
will, L am sure, be gratifying to the
churchmen of Il city to see published
satisfactory evidence of what was the true
cause for such action.
The following remarks and explana-
tions, made by DR.. Kerfoot, one of the
leading men of the Convention, presents
in aprOper light the reasons whichinduced
the tabling of these resolutions. He well
says it was not a question of loyalty or as
to the merits Of or dement's of the resolu-
tions, but as to the expediency of their
present consideration.
A CHURCHMAN.
Rev. DR.. Kerfoot, of Connecticut, said
that when similar resolutions We're before
the House the other day, and a vote was
taken, he had heard the expression. "Sir.
you are disloyal - but whatever might be
the loyalty of such men, his own was ten
fold as great. The question before the
House was not a question of LOYALTY; and
he would tell the nation, through the re-
porters present, that it was not a question
OflOyalty. He appealed to the venerable
delegate from Maryland to know whether
he was not loyal.
Judge Chambers-There is no doubt of
that.
The speaker added thathe had for years
opposed secessionism, and every other ism ;
that he had been driven from his home
and his college, but was told that if he
would change his sentiments he could
save BOTH but in the face of the enemy
and their officers, when aprisoner in their
hands, he had declared his principles and
bided the issue. He expressed regret for
having introduced personal matters, but
had done SO only for the purpose of salts
flying the House that he was loval, and
would rather have died than see the re-
belliOn succeed. Heobjected to the whole
proceedings not on his W account, but
IN behalf Of some Of his Brothrcn. All
over the land the telegraph had carried
the message that he was disloyal; but he
was not speaking for himself but for those
brethren who had told him that hostility
awaited them at their homes.
The speaker added that he had not
heard q singleresolution on the floor of the
House which was not in consonance with
his own principles; but the convention
had been called together for other IL
poses, snd there were many gentlemen in
the House who much preferred that these
matters should be let alone. The House
had this morning Joined in the praise of
God; but was this praising of God to re-
suit In dividing brethren The question
was not as to the merits a dement's ofthc
resolutions, but as to the ~expediency of
their present consideration. He had made
these remarks in behalf of several clerpv-
men who were apprehensive that their
votes, when the question came to be taken.
might be misunderstood.
DIR. KERFOOT's POSITION.
The following explanation of his vote
would have been read to the convention
on Tuesday by the President of Trinity
College, Hartford, DIR. Kerfoot, had the
convention received the protest of DR..
Vinton, which we printed Yesterday.
desire hereby to record that in voting
Saturday, the l4th inst to Law upon
the table all consideration of the resolu-
ton proposed by the honorable delegate
from Pennsylvania, which called on the
Bishops to add to their proposed topics of
thanksgiving, the further topics of the
triumph of the national authority, and the
destruction of slavery, the meaning and
intention of my vote was solely to prevent
Improbable and painful debate in this
the distraction from IFS nronar
legitimate work, the grief and probable re-
moval from among us Of the representa-
of some dioceses now again with us.
and formally welcomed by an official de-
claration to q share in our work, by our
thus raising questions beyond the line of
our DUTY as an ecclesiastical body. and on
which such representatives. all must
not agree with us, and the
inevitable result, which could not but be
loreseen, that all loyal men-loyal in the
fullest sense Of the word-must thereby
seem to be put down in the record of this
convention as ndiHAEOa6 uUHe nation and
its universal freedom. l hereby mt on
record my hostility, early and late, to the
rebellion my hearty joy and thankspivino
Ior tho national triumph over all resist
ance, and my profound gratitude to God
OF ms wonderful mercy and glorious work
IN the overthrow OF African slaveryi in this
land; May rebellion and bondage of every
sort be ever banished from our nation and
The Church. May order and freedom,
and love, rule US all as citizens and
Christians.
JOHN B. KERFooT,
Of the Diocese of Connecticut.
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. II, 1865.