Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-06-14
How n Reverend sIanderer got
his Dues.
tFrom the Cincinnati Gazette, 9Th instI

the expulsion from the Old School Pre.by
terian Assembly, ofthe Rev. w. M. Fel
guson, q delegate from the GAINESVILLE Pres
| bytery, but the case is one Of sucn peculia
interest as to deserve further consideration
The oRense Of Mr.. Fergurson was tn
writing ofs slanderous letter TO the Columbu
! 70. Statesman, which that paper published
The letter beaped the most bitter abus
on the Hon. Samuel Galloway, for his loya
speeeb against the rebellious Louisvill,
Presbytery. 1t also called in question th
uprightness and general integrity Of the As
sembly. Had it been writton under the i'm
pulse Of sudden passion or great irritation
there might have been little palliation fo
the ofense.
1t came out, however, during the debat
which preceded his expulsion, that Fergu
son went to tbeAssembly with the deliberate
design OF doing dirty, partisan, Copperbeat
work. The Rev. DR.. West, formerly of thi
city, read the following note from Ferguson
to the Chairman of the Committee on Hos
pitality and Entertainments:
WASHINGTON, o, April 26.
DEAR Bro: think know you personally.
Did you not once publish the st. Louis
Presbyterian If so saw you when on my
way to General Assembly in New Oaleans
some years ago. | also wrote you some
articles for your paper against utraism.
Politically, am the same yet, and am sent
By nay Presbytery to oppose the radical
measures that may come up at our meeting
in your city.
Please let my dear Bro. Brookes see this,
and to yeu and him would say that my
wife is to be with me at the Assembly, and
| ask as special favor to furnish her as
well as myself good place to stay. am
to report to two or three papers, (Ohio
Statesman. Cincinnati Enquirer and Pres
byterian, of Philadelphia,) and any favors
shown me or vile shall be thankfully received
and faithfully recorded and published to
the honor of your great city. Please answer
soon on the receipt of this. Address me
at Washington, Guernsey county, Ohio.
W. NJ. FERGUSON
Before the reading Of the communication
Ferguson had made his explanation. He
pleaded excitmeut as its inspiring cause;
said he had perhaps used stronger language
than became Christian minister; yet as
serted that with the exception Of one or two
minor points, he had told the truth. He
had personally kind feelings for Mr. Gal
loway, but had expected him to take con-
servative course.
The introduction of the letter by Dr.
West evidently diminished the amount of
credence given to the above explanation.
A protracted debate followed, in the course
of which Ferguson offered to meet with Mr..
Galloway and other brethren, and make
such an explanation as would be satisfactory
to them. Referring to q passage in Mr..
Galloway's speech, in which he told the
Copperheads to 60 away and hang them
selves like Judas, Ferguson said:
1t filled me with electricity. and afterward
brother came to me and asked me if
Brother Galloway was addicted to intem-
perance. l answered, mo, sir, he is q
strong temperance man The brother said
he thought he had Highland gill; in his
cheek. 1 said l disapproved of all these
statements, and that he is a strong temper
ance man. If have erred against the
brother, l take the error all back.
Mr.. Galloway interrupted by saying that
this charge was false and scandalous.
Mr.. Ferguson What charge?
Mr.. Galloway-That l was vulgar.
Mr.. Ferguson-I said he acted vulgarly
here.
Mr.. Galloway-No man has ever charged
me with being Incorporate or vulgar.
Mr. Ferguson-I have not done it.
Mr.. Galloway-I want no recantation ex.
cept that this charge is false and scandalous
that its publication shall be in the same pa
per as thatin which the charges were made
that 1t may go before my family and
friends as this libel has gene. Sir, will
not sit in the same Assembly with man
who characterizes me as bufoon and a
blackguard.
Several brethren of compromising dis
position endeavored, in vain, to induce the
Assembly to let them retire with Ferguson
to draw up recantation. The majority of
the members were not in a. temper to be
trifed with The highest Of the church
courts had been grossly insulted by a dele
gate, and prompt and stern justice must be
meted out. The Rev. DIR. Boardman talked
of Peters bitter repentance and Christ's
forgiveness of the disciples denial. A less
sentimental member interrupted him by
asking where were Mr.. Ferguson's tears,
and if pardon was TO be granted to the un-
repentant. Several procrastinating motions
were voted down, and that for Ferguson's
expulsion, offered by DR.. Krebs, of New
York, passed by large majority
That the offender will be eulogiZed as
martyr by the whole rebel sympathizing
press, and the Assembly denounced as given
over to Radicalism, is to be expected. No
fair minded man can, however. fail to see
that the Assembly only acted for the pro-
lection oi its dignity, just as any secular
tribunal, legislative or judicial, would have
done.