New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-08-22
THE REPORT UNFINISHED.

CONSULTATION OF THE COMMTrTEE-DEIAY URGED
TIE REPORT TO BE PRESENTED NEXT WEEK.
Members of the Plymouth Committee of Inquiry
met the Examining Committee Of Plymouth Church
at the residence of T. G. Sherman, Clerk of the
Church, at Orange and Hicks-sts., Brooklyn yester
day morning. The formal report of the isvestgat
ing Committee to the Examining Committee was
simply one of progress" 1t was determined to
delay the presentation of the Committees report to
the church till next week. The members of the
Committee stated that it would not be given till the
next Friday evening meeting, but the Clerk OF the
Church suggested that it was not impossible that
special meeting would be called for next Monday
evening to receive the report. Soon after noon
several members of the Investigating Committee
met in consultation at Mr. Winslow's office, No. Is
Nassau-st., but took no definite action. The MEN,
bers of the Committee who were asked for the
reason of their sudden change Of intention with
regard to the time Of presenting their
report denied that anticipation of the publication
of Mr.. Moutons statement had anything to do with
tho postponement. On the preceding day several
members of the Committee including the Chair
man, had said confidently that the report would be
presented last evening. All the members of the
Sub Committee favored an early presentation of 1t,
and one of them said yesterday afternoon that he
believed a majority Of the whole Committee wished
that the report should be made last evening, but
that a part of tho Committee had not had time to
examine the testimony and to form sufficiently
deliberate conclusions. There can be little question
but that the men who most desired delay were
Messrs. White and Storrs. Some of the committee
men said yesterday that during the delay there
would probably be no extensive changes made In
the draft Of the report submitted by the Sub
Committee, and that 1t was very likely that their
work would be finally adopted in its present shape.
1t was learned that there was division OF sentl-
ment in the councils Of the Committee. Some OF
the members insisted on having more time to inspect
the evidence IN its completed FORM About the in
tent of the report as exculpatng Mr. Beecher there
was no dispute; the discussion was only upon the
form and fullness Of the report Some members of
the Committee argued for fuller and more detailed
summary of the points in the evidence than had
been prepared and declared that there would not be
time for that before the meeting last night. As the
report could not be prepared for the business meet
ing of the church last evening in face of these objec
tons il was thought best by the majority of the
Committee to put it till the next weekly meet
ing as Mr.. Wnslow and Mr. Cleveland, and possibly
other members Of the Committee, were to be absent
from the city for several days. and the rest were to
be so occupied to preclude their finishing their
work of consideration of the evidence within short
time. 1t was decided for these reasons to have no
meeting OF the Committee before next week.
When Mr. Moultons statement came out 1t was
eagerly seized upon, and when it was found to con-
tain no letters of Mr. Beecher hitherto unpublished,
which had the appearance Of supporting the theory
of Mr. Beecher's guilt the members of the Commit
tee were evidently pleased.
In the latter part of the afternoon about a dozen
members of the Examining Committee of Plymouth
Church met at Mr. Shearman's house, in accordance
with previous arrangement, TO see if the Inyesti-
eating Committee might then be ready to report.
Mr.. Shearman who had been present at the Inyesti-
eating Committees consultation at Mr.. Winslow's
office. represented that body, and stated that they
were not ready to report.