The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1866-03-27
From the St. c~lairsyille aazette.l

lngton a few days since, passed through
here on Friday last to be inferred al
Flushing. Truly, I'm the midst of life
We are in DEATH About a week before
he passed through here in the full vigol
of life on his way to Conference, in com.
pany with several other preachers, and
engaged in an animated discussion with
a gentleman in an omnibus on the sub.
ject of the politics of the day, and as an
indication of his bitter feelings towards
the people of the South, he said: "The
entire people of the South ought to feel
thankful that they were out of hell!'--
Vengeance is mine; | will repay, saith
the Lord" Fanatical preachers and big
OTIS should take warning. In response to
the question whether the Conference
would remain ''loyal" to the Govern
ment" by generous support of the Presi-
dent, he said: "You will hear from US,
sir" In this connection we were not
permitted to hear from him, but have
heard from Conference through the Wash
ingten Examiner and Review, as follows;
The M. e. Church ON President
Johnson.
On Saturday morning the NJ. Z. Church
was crowded to overaowing-it having
been given out the evening previous that
the report of the Conference Committee
on the state of the country was then to
be discussed. 1t is true that it smacks oil
the worldly, particularly of the political,
for a professedly religious body to appoint
a committee on the state of the country;
but they claim the right to regulate their
concerns in their own way" and we will
not interfere. As previously promised
the committee reported a series of reso-
buttons, the sixth of which condemned
the conduct of Andrew Johnson--that is
to say, the Government" That resolu-
ton being regarded as a little too prickly,
a member, one degree lower than the
Committee in radicalism, offered a sub
stitute which simply proposed to condemn
the aforesaid Government" for "intem-
perance of speech" Upon this substi-
tute there ensued quite a spirited and
Congress- like debate. The principal OPP
ponent of the substitute was Rev. G. A.
Holmes, who, with repeated boasts of his
own "loyslty," and without dissenting
from the sentiment expressed in either the
rough resolutions or its smoother substi-
tute, argued solely on the grounds of pol
icy. The substance of his opposition
may be condensed into the statements
that the Methodist church has a great
work before it in the South, aud the in
fuence of high Government officials was
a great assistance in advancing their ardu-
Gus labors: hence, the policy of securing
favor with the President;-that there was
a pressure being brought to bear upon the
President to break him away from the
party which elected him, and the speaker
appealed to his brother ministers not to
contribute to such a disastrous result
The Democrats wanted the President, but
be (the speaker) didn't want them to &c.
him. a number of speeches were made
pro and con, those in favor Of the sub
stitute %ccntending that the conduct Of the
President merited the r%eprobation Of
Christians, and it was not only their right
but their duty to pronounce upon sins Of
al. kinds, whether in high or low places.
It's opponents, as if by understanding in
previous caucus, invariably prefaced their
remarkt with loud and emphatic claims Of
individual "loyalty,n and then pursued
the line of discourse laid out by Mr.
Holmes; adding, that politicians were
looking upon their. proceedings, and one
of them stating frankly that he had been
approached by a leading politician of this
town and urged to oppose the condemna'
ton of the President.
A remarkable feature of the whole
discussion was the circumstance that al
the arguments were purely of a worldly
and political character; and the opponents
of the resolution, were its opponents out
of purely political considerations. Both
the substitute and the original resolution
were defeated; but We feel perfectly secure
in declaring that they were defeated by
the lobby exertions of our borough poll.
%ticians. Not a single member of the con.
ference had a kind word to say of Mr.
johnson, although it is but a short time
since the same body almost unanimously
resolved that the President was the "Gov-
ernment." From the Bishop down, the
whole discourse was based upon policy
political policy-the question of right OF
wrong being totally ignored. 1t was open.
ly proclaimed, Ono doubt inadvertently,
that, in defeating the resolution, the con.
ference was acting under the dictation o.
politicians. One speaker was indiscree
enough to say that the passage of the
resolution might injure "our party
What hopeful ambassadors of the Mos
Hight Afraid to condemn what they pre-
tended to believe was wrong, simply ant
solely through fear that they might EN-
barrass their political masters in the ap
preaching important election! If TIT
conduct of the President was wrong
(Which they, with one accord, declared,
and they have the right to condemn al
sin, (Which they unanimously claimed,
then it was their duty to tear themselye'
away from the politicians who throngec
the lobby, and take their bold stand il
favor Of christian right. Alas that relig
ion is entrusted to such unworthy repre-
sentatiYesl 1t is humiliating to thinl
that an a~ssemblage of protested men o
God are the supple servants of politica
tricksters; that they have neither enougl
of manhood, nor enough of alteration TO
the Almighty, to proclaim a sentiment t.
q SHINING people, without first consulting
political masters to learn what effect i
would have in a nendino election.