Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-08
THE CHURCH MILITANT +!
Ex citing Scenes I'm the First Presby-
terrain Church is Cineinneti-Mm.
M. Cory In n New sphere OfAcfiOn-
Election of EIders-P0Iiee Called Ina.

lCEA AAOLNI Ah
N. Cory In "a New Sphere OfAction-
Election of EIders-POIiee Called Ina.
The Cincinnati Comm erciGt, of the 9th,
gives an account of q meeting held IN the
First Presbyterian Church of that city,
last Monday evening, for the election of
Elders for the ensuing year, which was
animated by anything but a spirit of
" ~brotherly love-
1t appears that this church has been di-
vided upon the great questions and issue
that brought on the war, and for four
years agitated the entire country, andthat
it was the unsettled differences of political
opinion that brought about the scenes
which we are about to relate.
The meeting, composed of several hun
dred ladies and gentlemen, assembled at
the appointed hour in the basement Of the
| church, and an irrepressible conflict broke
out at the start over the question ofselect-
ing a chairman. The pastor of the church,
Rev. DR.. Anderson, was nominated to I'LL
the place, but Mr.. VIM. NJ. Cory protest
ed against the nomination. Several la
dies exclaimed, aust what we expected.
l1R. CORY IN PURSUIT OF HIS III
Mr.. Cory said he most emphatically
protested against DR.. Anderson taking the
chair, and what was more, he could not
take it. He knew his rights, and was 60
ing to have them. He was born and
raised in that church, and such a thing as
a pastor acting as Chairman was never
heard of. He, Cory, would call DR..
Thaeker to the Chair.
Several ladies Kissed very distinctly, and
feminine voices a~rticulated "Copperhead."
DIR. Thaeker came forward and approach
ed the contested piece of furniture, and
Mr.. Corry's pale face lit up with a smile,
which faded out as soon as born, almost,
for several gentlemen rose to their feet
and rushed toward the stand, and a per-
feet fermentation ensued. The ladies
screamed, and the gentlemen used very
strong language. The din was immense,
but high above it was the voice of Mr..
Cory crying for his rights, and reiterat-
ing that he was baptised in that church.
A lady's voice exclaimed, "Little good it
did you, you Internal Copperhead." Mr..
Cory paid no heed, but talked on. Some
one ran out for a policeman, and just then
the gentlemen had all managed to erewd
together around the Chair. There was
some scufiiing, but no blows.
THE POLICEMAN APPEARS
And asks whom he will arrest. Mr.. Cory
dared them to attempt to put him down
by violence, and threatened if they did so
he'd make it the dearest thing they ever
did. DR.. Anderson counseled peace and
quiet, and begged to be heard for few
minutes. Mr.. Cory satdown, and silence
was restored.
DR.. Anderson read from the rules of the
rules of the church that no one but a COM
municant had a vote for Elder, for it ap-
peared that the question at isaue was upon
the right of suffrage of members and
here it becomes necessary to explain that
for some time past, and during the pro-
gress of the war, certain officers of the
church were suspended in their functions
because of their rebel sympathies, and
that their friends now make an effort to
restore them. The church, during this
time, has had but two elders, and its in
crease called for the election of three
more.
There were two tickets, one a copper
Hchu t~hhlhpiohSu " Nj ColAS1 lHO OAh-
er the Irregular ticket" Mr.. Cory took
the floor and spoke for an hour, being in
terrupted frequently by Misses and re-
marks from the ladies. Mr.. Cory two or
three times absolutely descended to per-
sonal ordinations with his fair torment
ers, who in turn intimated that he was in
arrears for pew remit This peep behind
the scenes excited various effects and
called for various remarks and exclama-
tons. A general laugh was one effect;
also, a very free exchange OF remarks, and
cries of-"Oh, dear, why don't somebody
put him out, anyhow? He has no bust
ness nor no right to be here 'Yes, l
have, ma'am,' sxclaims Mr.. CORY, who
overheard the latter part of the remark,
if not all of it, "and I'll show you that l
have"
Some of the gentleman next spoke out
in meeting about the pew rent, when Mr..
Cory changed his base and cried "Order."
This was regarded as very funny, and the
grimness of the scene was softened by a
momentary sarcastic smile at the disturb
er's call for order.