The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-11-04
DIR. LANAHAN's SUSPENSION.

The Book Committee, we are informed by
telegraph, have suspended DR.. Lanahan, with
a view to the trial of charges against him.
Nine of their number voted for suspension,
four against and two were absent The charges
are mainly those which were before the COM
mittee last June. One more specification of
fact has, if we are correctly informed, been
added. The effort to secure suspension has
been conspicuous since the meeting of the
committee in November, 1869. A conside-
rable part of the investigation in February,
1870, was directed to the ascertainment of
grounds forsuspending. In June last the COM
mittee assembled for that object, but their
courage failed them. They have since become
reassured, and have consummated what one
of their number, in February last, spoke of as
their original purpose" Grave doubts are
entertained by some of our best legists whe-
ther the Book Committee have authority to
receive charges against General Conference
officer. 1t is held that the committee not
being judicial body, are only authorized to
act upon facts which come directly to their
notice, in the process of their examinations.
The power to suspend is deposited with them
to be used solely in view of immediate peril
to the interests of the concern. Of course,
no such peril is now pretended. The charac-
ter of the concern, moreover, makes both the
agents corporators, and specifies the duration
of their Office as from one General Confe-
ence to another, without reference to
an intervening book committee. The
legal aspects of the situation-both under the
terms of the charter and the phraseology of
the Discipline-will need to be carefully con-
sidered. The time chosen for suspension is
singularly inopportune. The senior agent,
DIR. Carlton, has just presented to his confer
ence Qhe Genesee) a glowing account of the
prosperity of the Book Concern. He claimed
that its business was good and its credit un-
limited. The sales for months past have been
satisfactory. DIR. Lanahan was proving HIM
self more and more to be vigilant and en-
terprising administrator. The list of valuable
publications was increasing as it had never
before in the same space of time, and the
literary men of the Church were beginning
to feel a just pride in the growing book
list of our publishing house. The charges
will, of course, be looked at by the Church
in their connection with the history of recent
events. They come at the end of persistent
effort made by DIR. Lanahan to explore and
correct what he deemed to be the Irregular
ties in the administration of the Book Con-
Germ. The committee, at the close of their
first investigation, SO far agreed with him
that they found "great naismanagement and
serious losses in one department of the busi-
ness. This was, of course, an ample justif-
cation of DR.. Lanahan's proceedings By a
strange mutation of events, the committee
have changed front, and DR.. Lanahan finds
himself the subject of charges for what he
has done. This is not a very cheerful
history, but it is history nevertheless OF
course be will meet the charges like brave
and honest man as he is. The bishops have
been requested to determine who and how
many of their number shall preside. The
law provides that ''by the concurrence of the
bishops present and majority of the COM
mittee, he (the accused officer) may be re-
moved from Office in the interval of the Gene
raj Conference" An early date has been
determined,for the trial. We now ask that the
trial be an open one. 1t is unjust that the
room in which the investigation is held should
be filed with attaches of the Book Concern.
As far as is consistent with the convenience
of the court, the proceedings should be as
omen as the daV.