The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1868-05-14
CHICAGO CORRESPONDENCE.

CHICAGO, May IL, 1OOo.
Probably no topic with which 1 could
open my letter of to-day, would be more
generally interesting than the Methodist
Episcopal general conference which has
now been in session here ever since the LIST
inst. Representing as they do the inter-
ests of the largest religious denomination
in the northwest, these quadrennial
coferences have always borne great i'm
portance, but the one now in session de-
mands an extraordinary degree Of public
attention, from the magnitude of the
various topics presented for its delibera-
ton and decisive action. Almost the
whole of the first week was spent in pre-.
paratory action, the reception of creden
tials. appointment of committees, hearing
of the bishops address, reading of various
reports, ETC., but now they have got into
their serious business. and are attacking
it with an energetic verbosity which bids
fair to leave little if any leisure time out
of the whole month set apart for their ses
sions. The first and most important ques-
ton before them has been the admission
of the delegates from the conferences of
the NJ. f. church of the south, concerning
the status and rights of which there have
been grave doubts in the minds Of some of
the members, owing to the irregular man
ner of their organization. 1t was at first
proposed to admit them to the floor with all
privileges except voting, and on this a
number of speeches were made, lengthlly
debating the matter. The latest develop
ment was substitute offered by DR.. Hes
sE fer The s5iGH resign If grt nss ea sad
delegates and admitting them to all the
rights of regular delegates. This is still
being speechi6ed upon, but significant
indication of the probable action of the
the conference was afforded by vote ia
ken on Saturday last, upon motion to lay
this substitute upon the table, which was
lost by the small majority however of 90
to 80. One thing which they have already
partially settled is a sad blow at one of the
most cherished institutions of Chicago.
They have instructed their committee of
revisals to inquire into the propriety of
introducing into the book of discipline
specific enactments against the marriage of
parties divorced contrary to Christ's
law" How wide margin that will leave
for the relief of the victims of unhappy
marriages, and how far it will infringe up
on the advancing spirit of the age, are Sc
rious subjects for consideration.
The new line of onuibusses on Wabash
avenue, from Lake street to 22nd, is now
in operation and seems to find liberal and
ready patronage.
When Col. j. ii. Logan, the able north
western commissioner was over in Paris,
at the exposition, he made very impor-
tant feature Of our system of free
schoo OILS, and rather opened the weather
eye of al Europe with his revelations of
the magnitude of our efforts for the spread
of knowledge. His practicable mind ena-
bled him to grasp just such facts and fig
ures as would touch every person and i'm
press them with due respect for our sys-
tenn, and be successful in enlisting the in
terest of all the prominent educators of
France and Germany in the adoption of
such notifications of the American com
mon school system as could be applied to
their public schools. There is good deal
ofquiet grumbling about the appropriations
now required for the support of our Chi
cago schools. The estimates for the year
now begun amount to s795, 500, and it is
some what doubtful if this will cover all
the expenditures for the erection and fur
nishiDg of new buildings projected, and
the running of schools now in operation.
If that is not pretty liberal for city OF
ESQ, 900 inhabitants, it would be pleasing
to know how much more it would take to
reach the mark.
One of the new industries recently es.
tablished here is large terra-cotta manu-
featuring establishment over on Blue Isl
and Avenue, and its products bid fair tc
revolutionize great part of the presen,
building business of the northwest. A
practically inexhaustible bed Of clay suit
able for the purpose has been found in
southern-Illinois, and is pronounced by
competent judges the best "a this country
The articles made from it are almost Of
hard as glass; dense that weather does n OF
affect them and as is proven by the re
mains of the Etruscau period found il