Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-02-04
"A Presbyterian's" Answer to Dr.. Taylor.

Editor Spectator.
ask space in your paper for few words
OF relolnder to DR.. Taylor's reply to my cemmu-
nication published in the indicator.
Or. Taylor admits the error of his quotation
from Foote; but attempts to show that If Foote' S
language was not applied to the Presbyterians,
it WAS applicable" to them. And how does he
show that Presbyterians were for IAN ill-defned
liberty of conscienceY' By quoting from their
memorial OF 1776 passage in favor of volunta-
~ contributions BY individual support of reli-
gion!
Dr. Taylor says that, with the exception of tn
quotation from Foote, have not "contradicted'
any of his statements. True, | did not use the
word contradict in any of its forms. 1t savors
of rudeness, and DR.. 7. is personally and official
~ entitled to courtesy at my hands ! did, how
ever. indicate and refute the leading errors In
his remarks about the Presbyterians. Among
other things he asserted that the Presbyterian
clergy generally favored an assessment by law
for the support of religion. I showed. from their
own ecclesiastical records. that they were oppos-
ed to that measure I now understand, however,
| that DR.. Z. has abandoned the broad charge re-
| ferred to, and only alleges that Presbyterians
were sometimes divided and sometimes Waver-
ed" If he had originally said this and no more,
l should probably have said nothing
The evidence that Presbyterians ''wavered" is
| found by DR.. I. in their memorial of 1884, to
which alluded in my former communication.
That memorial is not in favor Of the proposed
assessment bill. 1t appears to regard the passage
of some bill Of the kind as inevitable and sug-
gests certain safe guards The Presbyterians
had previously protested most earnestly
against any such measure; but the Legisla-
ture was apparently determined to adopt it, and
therefore they say, should it be thought neces
| sary" to pass bill, we ask, &c. This seems to
me the fair construction of the paper.
| Oh, but Mr. Madison administered "a scathing
rebuke' to the Presbyterian clergy for their re-
creancy to the cause Of religious freedom I'M
| agine the scene-the Venerable divnes nneekly
standing before the young stateman to be scolded
f0rt hair c1o Inv CrInt Rnt hold cd
ison did not say word to the Presbyterians on
the subject, nor to the public at large. He
merely alluded to the matter in letter address
ed 10 Mr.. Monroe, then, presume in Philadel-
phia. hat a pity the clergy did not receive
the benefit of the rebuke They never heard of
| it, for all of them died long before it appeared
| in print From DR.. Taylor quotations, it seems
that Mr.. Madison had gotten the impression that
the Presbyterian clergy favored the assessment
bill. Their sentiments, however are to be ascer-
tanned, not from the representations of other peO-
pie. IN private correspondence or otherwise but
from their own declarations and acts. Mr. Mad
lson's "rebuke" is contained in letter dated
April II. 1885; in May following, the Presbyte-
rian clergy lin blissful ignorance of the letter,
which, II not MD away in Mir. MOnroe's pocket,
was still slowly travelling to Philadeldhia) re-
solved unanimously that they were opposed to
"any kind of assess ment," sc. and appointed one
of their number TO appear before the Legislature
and in their behalf resist the measure
DIR. Taylor closes his reply with an expression
of hearty good will to "A Presbyterian to all
Presbyterians, to all christian people,. I fully
reciprocate the sentiment.
A PREsBYTERIAN.