The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1867-06-11

a
iacs that We cannot only compute tho size Q
this yulture that has fed on our firsh, but We a
ten the color Of his piHmdge.r Yes, sir; herei
lies the whole secret Of this most unwarrantabl
proceeding. These gentlemen Of the prosecution
unfortunately mistook themselves for eminen
nhurhlisn. Not being very experienced IL
such adairs, they found something they supposed
TO be the toe lone Of some horrid bird Of prey
and with enlarged imaginations and lofty hope
Oh coming eminence In a naturalistic way, they
diligently set themselves 10 work, not mind you
70 Ind the other bones--fhs facts in t1e oa,s
but to build up with imaginary bones and sinews
some grand new specimen Of ornithology which
| should amaze and astound the assembled nAtu.
| raists OF this whole island. Why, sir they pre.
,umed even to show the color Of the feathers In
THIS new bird tail. It's wonder that the shades
OF Cuyier and Audubon, who mover once dreamed
OF such an achievement, did not arise to haunt
them and drive them 10 despair In their wild
efforts. But cir, they went on unappalled and
1ndsmaysd, and now very sorry vulture, in.
deed, they have to present hero tonight. And
am tempted to inquire whether they admire the
color OF the plumsgs Of this nsw.foInd buErard.
For one, do not envy them the glory Of their
constructive skill. They have In fact given Il
up, and acknowledge that II Is no bird at ali;
and fear II must ever remain nothing more
than some inglorious What Is it"-a pitiful
nondescript, at only for some retired spot In the
great and solemn oemstery whore stand the sad
monuments which mark the last resting.
place OF so much inventive genius nipped
by the early frost. So much sir, for youthful
aspirations. There Is an old proverb which runs,
me 'Mtor ultra erepidam"--Let not tho cobbler
venture beyond his last. It should be remen.
bered that the part Of the fowler Is rather to kill
- ----.-.-I III. r..lh.r.J c,a.,jon N.
Moderator, the case Is fairly REPRESENTED BY t6iS
unfortunate illustration, ridiculous as II may ap.
pear.
Tho prosecution went into this case and urged
IL on for months, tcithoHn srer having e1dminei
INTO the facts to see whether their cause was true
or false. The whole thing was the bastard child
Of their fertile Imagination. They come here in
the midst Of the trial with the declaration that
thoy have found nsw evidence which will not
warrant them 10 proceeding further in tho prose.
eution. Whose evidence Is IL, forsoCth; that Of
Mr.. Foley! Tho defence, sir, has had an affidavit
Of Mr.. Foley on hand for nearly month which
covers oil tho essential points 10 this evidence
they confess to have newly discovered. Why.
sir, Mr.. Foley was the lawyer Of Mr. Page before
and during the time when Mr.. Heron YVES Mr.
Pages confidential agent. or all men, he know
more Of the facts in the case than any one else
excepting Mr.. Heron. Confessodly, bc was the
first, the pery fret, one they should have con-
suited when their suspicious were aroused before
they advanced another step or spoke ono word
upon the subject TO any soul.
But, air. they did not 60 TO him at all. II
they had done go, all this difficulty for others
and disgrace for themselves and trouble for the
church would have been escaped. They are 70.
,Popsible for 1t all, simply because they urged
the matter from the FIRST to the very midst Of the
formal prosecution, without having sought to
discover whether the facts of the case would war.
rant them in II or not. As said, thoy chose
rather to build bird from i'm agiuation than to
hunt for Its bones and SEQ whether the toe bone
belonged to bird or boast, or whether II were any
toe bone at all. And In view Of such remarka
bic proceeding as this feel bound to say that
more thoughtless, wicked, and utterly unjusti.
liable disregard Of the sacred character Of a fell
bowman, n more indefensible attack upon the
interests Of the Church Of Christ, represented In
her consecrated officers, q more ungraterul pur.
suit Of men who had proved thomselyos to be
generous and faithful to an unusual degree,
have mover heard Of in all my days. Tho case is
utterly without a parallel. It's results should
stand as q warning to all time Now, sir In
view Of this matter may say, with regard to tho
defendants, that Mr. Hetron mover was, In any
sense the agent Of this church. nor Of its pastor,
as alleged In the speech of Mr. Fowler. lie was
simply tho agent Of Mr.. Page in tho settlement
oil his whole estate, and was responsible 10 no
ono but to Mr. Page Mr., Church never was the
agent OF Mr.. Page. He only rallied with Mr..
Heron, In generous self sacrifice, to the rescue
Of the interests Of the church, which were imper-
He'd In the condition Of the property feeling as
sured that unless he did so the church would not
secure anything at all. This they both did re-
and with simple desire to advance
the interests Of the church. And for this they
deserve the thanks Of all the friends Of the
church. For this they have received at the
hands Of the prosecutors the treatment which has
been developed before you. These gentlemen
also stood ready to show that had the original in.
tention Of Mr.. Page been carried into effect the
church in oil human probability would not have
received as much as 1t has in its possession this
day, 1t being only conditional donation. And
now, all that they ask Of this Presbytery Is such
ayindication OF their character as they would
have been able to mako had the testimony with
which they were prepared been permitted TO be
opened before you. They harbor no feelings Of
revenge. They have no dosire for tho inaiotion
Of punishment upon those who have done them
this moIt cruel and unprovoked injury. They
only ask that they may stand perfectly clear in
tho eyes Of all those before whom they have
stood accused.
And, my brethren, l leave 1t for you to say
what shall DO your utterances In this case. 1t
seems to me that may justly say that something
10 due In this matter to our own Christian char
Acters. You may SO loave this case that men
may be encouraged In this sort Of thing, and your
character and mine may be recklessly slandered
for long months without show or shadow of proof;
and We as ministers DO left Mt tho mercy OF any
niomper OF tho congregation VINO may choose to
attack US upon mere Suspicion or the elders Of
our churches be exposed to long days Of anxiety |
and suspicion through the weakness and thought |
essness Of any indisoreot and gossipping pastor
Sir there 10 silent partner In this transaction,
'tanding behind the scenes, Of whom we have
'efrained to speak, for his own sake, at tho re-
quest Of these gentlemen We represent or the
,art which that gentleman has taken In this
amontable affair from its inception to the draw
ng up Of those tremendous articles Of indict-
nent, nearly as long and quite as formidable as
he military bill, We refrain from speaking.
must here express my cordial recognition Of
he impartial and kindly manner In which the
ounsel for the prosecution has conducted his
ause, and Of his honesty In abandoning q case
'hich he discovered to be unjust aud incapable
II defence.
As for these gentlemen they may we'll say
nth the PsalmiSt, Our soul is escaped rs q
'ird out Of the snare Of the foWlers; the snare
9 broken and We arc escaped" And II II
would not sesm ungOnsfous at this time, would
seRll 10 the prosecutor the words Of his own !
tut more applicable for his own case az the
resent moment "Sir, tre'nble as this uni
ulty unfolds itself for TaDl'H.'rr n6I GOS -
Ust father lei me- suggest that the broken
r the oOntrits heart God will not despise.
The following was then offered by Rev. John
hester. which ELECTED q long debate, after
Ihich the preamble and re. o ution were adopted
Whereas this Presbytery has devoted five oven
ngs to apAtient investigation Of the charges pre-
erred BY +. T. Fowler against Messrs HERON and
hurch and in view Of the fact that said T. T.
'owlsr has not been able to Substantiate them
D whole or In part, but has made an unequivocal
etractiAn Of them all; therefore,
ReSoivsd That our decision as q Presbytery Is:
hat these charges are false, from beginning