The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-01

sp, cial mention. Ii is this. In the course of
those polemio heats engendered by discussions
as TO the sin of slavery, the Methodist Epis-
copal Church divided into two branches,
called respectively the M. Il. Church North,
and the NJ. X. Church South. Succeeding
this schism, q controversy arose as to the
ownership of property held in the name OF the
Methodist Church, the branch North claiming
by fee-simple in all such property, aud the
branch South contending that ownership was
to follow possession, or that the Northern
communion should hold that portion of the
original church property in the free States,
and the Southern communion that part lying
South. With this point indeterminate, the
war came, and when at its close a civil
government became operative in Virginia,
the Legislature thereof at it's. session of
1867, passed an act vestiDg 'all church
property in the several congregations" BY
this act, where the congregation was in oom-
munion with the M. 4. Church North, the
property went virtually to that body, and
where the communion was with the NJ. K.
Church South, went there. Almost immedi-
ately after the passage of this act, civil gov
eminent was swept away in Virginia by the
initiation of the scheme of military recon-
structioD, and, on the framing of new con-
| stitutiOn by the persons employed by Con-
| gress to that end, there was inserted in the
| instrument provision intended to entirely
do away with the settlement arrived at by
| The provision reads;-
The rights of ecclesiastical bodies in and to
church property conveyed to them by regulor
decd OF conveyance, shall not be affected by
the late civil war, nor by any antecedent or
subsequent event, nor by any act of the Leg5-
lature purporting te govern the same; but all
| such property snail pass to and be held by the
| parties set forth in the original deeds of con.
! veyance. or the legal assgnees of such original
| parties holding through or by conveyance; and
| any act or acts Of the Legislature In opposition
thereto shall be null and void"
Or, in two words, the M. Z. Church North
is to have all the property of the NJ. 4, Church
South, and this though ninety-fve (95) per
cent of the Virginia congregations are 10 the
latter communion. When, on the 18th inst,
this matter was before the Reconstruction
Committee, Mr.. Beck, of Kentucky, asked the
solicitor of the M. L. Church North whether
that body ''had any congregations to take
| possession of these churches" and received
the response that "they had no congregations
at present, but if they could get possession Of
the churches, they had strong hopes of being
able to build up congregations" Such is the
church issue as presented by the proposed
reconstructed constitution OF Virginia.
The "new movement" in, this State like
wise assumes a startling interest. We have
heretofore stated this TO be an effort on the
part of few prominent Virgiuians to procure
the ratification OF the proposed constitution on
condition that the restrictions on suffrage and
Office holding be stricken out; but, in the
light of fuller information, are reluctantly in
cliued to believe that, while this was at first
the animus of the movement it has now
degenerated into something very like 'ringp
to build up radical party within the State OF
better material than has gone to the formation
of that organization heretofore. The editor OF
) the Richmond Wing, which sustsins the
, movement as originally meant, writes to
5 his paper from Washington that it is vitally
t necessary to it's success that General Grant and
+ the Republican leaders be convinced that the
= people of Virginia will not use their enfran.
= chisement for purposes OF proscription-wh
u s all very well-'or to build up party to
r antagonize General Grants administration, or
o TO fill the public offices with men offensive to
y the Washington authorities" which is not SO
WELL being Ia fact plain matter of bargain
and sale to the effect that Virginia may come
in on guarantee that she sustains Grant, right
or wrong, and puts none but radical prot6g6s
in power. 1t is proper to say that the editor
IS of the Wing does not indorse this, writing
o only for information but the facts narrated
It by him show very conclusively that, however
/ honest and patriotic the intentions of those
t gentlemen favoring the movement" it ia not
a the purpose of the rogue Congress to even
l. consider it save at the price of direct ad
: this abasement, or that, If consented to, the
people of Virginia will ratify it, are things We
do not believe.
: AS another matter of interest in the Old
: Dominion, it appears that the 1864 offices Of
= the State are soon to be shared out among
/ such loil aspirants as shall have certified theii
d eligibility by joining the radical party. Out
! side of this attempt to build up branch Of
IS that organization within the State, there is nc
i reason for thus subverting the whole fabric O
8 State, municipal, and county organization; but
6 there being that reason the most skilful anc
|. experienced public servants, from the judges
It of the Supreme Court down to tobacco in
spectors, are forthwith to give place to inter
o Looping vagabonds or domestic sneaks. The
:. government Of cities, conduct OF courts, pro
% bate of wills, collection Of taxes, in one word
d the entire domestic economy of the State, is to
Q be forthwith put up as the pay of the partisan
IL and price Of the apostate. Such is q brie
IS view of Virginia. There is no need to moral
l. ize on it. The land will never know peact
3 till radicalism fall.
l. What Shall we do with the MOrmOns
L From ne N. Y. Journal Of Commerce.
q The plan to crush out Mormonism by cut
4, ting up Utah and distributing the pieces Il
States and Territories adjoining, is indirect
IS tricky, unworthy of a great and powerful
70 nation, and will not work. The only public
n general objection to Mormon SIN is to it
|: polygamy. That is an oaense against Chris
u tianity and morality, which civilization mus
80 cope with and overthrow. 1t is no defense o
70 polygamy to say that it is better than the free
W love associations which flourish unchecked il
p this and other Northern States, or than tn,