The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-05-23
Rithmond 9ispatth.
Protestant Episcopal Ch"rcn Q,
ginia-The ColOrcd Congrcs"
The Division of the Dtoccse.
sjstant bishop Reunion wiz" INV
l.hnrch In the United Stnies'
c,xros,onaence OF the Richmond Dispatch

nishcd by our reporter; yet the following
communication from prominent member
If the Council will be read with interest
The Protestant Episcopal Council of Nir
rinia closed It's laborS on Saturday last.
Is the pcoplc of the State and of the
south generally have been anticipating It's
session with considerable interest, sketch
Of its deliberations and action may he
rcliShcd hy the readers of this paper. IL
was known that several questions OF great
importance were inevitably to be met
questions in the solution of which great
care and wisdom would be required.
Apart from their religious and eccic-
SiaStical bearing, the feelings OF the clergy
and laity in Virginia could not be
otherwise than deeply engaged by the
social and political aspect OF these sub
iccts. The first of these questions,
and the one perhaps Of least difficulty,
was the course to be pursued towards
THE coLoRED CONGREGATIONS.
II is known that from about 1850 until
the collapse of the Conicdcracy, the Episco-
pal Church was very energetic III the en-
dcayor To establish African churches. The
fact of emancipation SO changed the rcla-
tionS of the races that many of those who
were willing TO give and to work for the
slaves appeared TO lose all interest In the
"frccdmcn." Still, many of the enamel
pated clung to the Episcopal Church, and
were anxious 10 share all its advantages.
According to the theory of this church,
there would hardly he separate organlza-
tions for whites and blacks as in other
churches, and ST. the question must he III
/ course of tmc-how shall the Colorcd
churches be represented? AT present the
question is not practical one, nor VIII IL
/ hc for a long time, as years Will probably
/ pass bv ere the colorcd churches can com
plv with all the requirements of the canonS
of Virginia. Still i'm order To encourage
/ the colurcd churches, il has felt that some
special provision ought to be made for
them in the way of representation. To
meet this necessity, the Council appointed
a standing committee of clergy and lalty,
who shall he charged with the duty OF at
tending to the interests OF these Congre-
cations and OF representing them i'll the
Council.
Another question, somewhat anticipated
before the Council met, but lost sight OF III
the debates on other matters, was
THE DIVISION OF THE DIOCESE.
When the proposition was broachcd, the
Council was evidently little startled. II
was resolution Of inquiry as to the cXpc-
liCncy of the measure, and was passed
without debate, Ucnt. CON. NcXtd day, how
ever, after the resolution had been slept
upon, some OF the older clergy seemed to
think they had been rather surprised into
acguieSccncc, and, in order TO bring the
matter up again, Il resolution was intro
duced the following morning to enlarge the
committee appointed under the former re-
solution, and to extend the scope of the
inquiry so as to consider the cXpcdicncy OF
having an assistant BiShop i'll lieu of di-
viding the Diocese. The author of the
latter resolution, DR.. Pendlcton, took occa-
sion TO protest against any course upon
our part as churchmcn that might appear
to countenance the wrong pcrpctratcd upon
| our State by the erection OF the western
portion into a separate sovereignty. Inc
/ Council generally agreed with him that,
! however desirable a partition of the Dio-
! ccSc might be under ordinary circum-
! stances, il would not do to favor such an
idea at present.
The great question, however, to be de-
cided was that of diocesan independence, or
reunion with the Church in the United
! States.
This matter was introduced at an early
stage of the proceedings in Il brief rcsolu-
tion by Mr.. Cassius F. Lee, of Christ
! Church. Alexandria. The floor was imme-
diatcly taken 10y the Rev. John Grammar,
of Halifax, the patriarch Of the Council.
! He spoke of the many years he had at
tended these annual gatherings, and Of his
presence now, where he had come, against
the pressure of great age and heavy intirmi-
tv, to aid his brethren i'll settling this lm-
portant question. At his suggestion the
deliberations on this point were begun with
silent PRAYER by the Council. The address
of Mr.. Grammar was unreServcdly in favor
of reunion, and evidently made great i'm
preston. One suggestion, however, ot
this venerable man found no favor at all.
He seemed To think our failure to achieve
indcpcndcncc was verdict of Heaven
against us. Here hc was met with earnest
protest. "PrinciplcS," said DR.. Andrews,
i can never he settled by force. Nothing
can be decided by gunpowder except that
two pounds are stronger than one. God
NAV pemd what he does not approve, and
whereas HOW llc HIS tuoNtH w ptf" Nv NO
S7tLmi."
Upon the ground of plain necessity, the
leading minds in the Council felt con
strained to adopt this view. Still there
was a determined struggle long maintained
hy a few in the effort to postpone action
for year; and OF those who gave in re-
luctant assent to reunion, many took oc-
caSion to declare with DIR. Qate GencraD
Pcndleton, persuasion of the justice of
our principles as strong and AS clear at this
time as when those principles were first
affirmed.
The vote was large one; and 10y
majority Of more than three TO one the
resolution was adopted. After the trans
action OF other and less interesting b'lsl-
ness, the Council adjourned. The session
was an earnest, but an entirely harmonious
one. All seemed anxious to do right-to
meet as they ought the heavy RESPONSE
bility of their position. No doubt the
Church in Virginia will acquiesce in this
deed of the Council Us the best that could
be done under the circumstances.
FrNERAL-FEDERAL OFFIcERs.-The re-
mains OF Lieutenant William Henry Hay
wood reached this city on Friday night.
Tbn,, ,.,a ,,,at OF tho lanof Inv la roc