The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-09-19
DIOCESAN CONVENTION.

ilt!cEatr al SIIQ convention
DIOCESAN CONVENTION.
The annual convention OF the Episcopal
church Of the Diocese of Illinois met at
Chicago on Tuesday the attendance Of cler
~ and laymen being unusually full, doubt
les, from the fact that one of the first duties
devolving upon the convention would be the
election OF IA successor to the lamented Bishop
Whitchouse. The convention met in the
Cathedral church, which is still drapcd in
deep mourning in memory of its late distin'
guishcd occupant
After gooG deal Of outside consultation
or "caucusing," as the politicians would call
it. the members Of the convention, realizing
that little of the ordinary business Of the con
vcnnon could be satisfactorily disposed of
until the great question was settled at an ear.
~ stare fixed the time for clccting a bishop
'at2 O'Clock T.. 81, on Wednesday, AT the pr.
waite consultations the principal candidates
whose claims were urged for the episcopate
were DR.. De KovCn, Of Racine; Dr. Hunting.
ton, of Mass: Dr. Seymour, OF New York
DR.. sullivan, of Chicago, and few others.
1t was soon found, however, that DR.. De
kovcn could not be elected, and carly on
Wednesday morning, DR.. Locke took occa-
SION to Withdraw his name from the canvass,
and to hope that in al subsequent discussions
his name might not be mentioned.
When, at O'Clock, the time for proceeding
To the election had arrived, the names of Sey'
mour, sullivan and Huntington alone were
,pnt in nomination, and then, in a brief dis,
cussion, the qualifications of the candidates
were freely canvasScd. From this discussion
il became evident that DR.. Huntington and
/ Dr. sullivan were supported by the party that
inclined 10 low churchiSm, and DR.. Seymour
/ by the high church party-using the term in
the sense in which Bishop Whitehouse was
called IA high churchman or "ritualist." The
first and only formal vote was then taken as
follows, by thc laity:
Whole number, Neutrality-suspicious.. ......G 81
I Necessary 10 choicc,... ......,3l
DR.. Seymour $780,. ...,..... $3.50. ~
. Dr. sullivan 80. ..... :
Dr.. Huntington. .................0
The announcement OF the vote vote was re
ccivcd with prolonged applause.
The Rev. Clinton Locke then announced
that the name of the Rev Dr.. Seymour was
by the vote cast nominated by the lalty
Then the vote of the clergy was taken, and
resulted rs follows:
Whole number of votes cast .............1,
NecesSart to IA choice ........ ......, ~
DIR. Seymour. ....... ...... ........,... j@
Against him. ................' ,..........s -
. Consequently the Rev. George +. Seymour,
/ d. D., was formally declared bishop elect of
the diocese of Illinois, and the secretary OF
/ the convention was authorized tDapDrisc him
of the fact by telegraph
Dr. Geo. Fox Seymour, who has thus been
elected Bishop of Illinois, is at present rec
tor of 81. Marks church, in the Bowery, and
Professor Of ecclesiastical history The Gcn.
cral Theological Seminary, New York city.
He is said to be an able and eloquent preacher,
and full of the missionary spirit" His aye
is Il little over 50. In person, he Is. as DR..
Powers said somewhat acrimoniou>iy in lis
speech against his election small in stature,
with bent shouldcrs.' He was born in New
York city, and is a member Of the well known
seymour family, though not, a> We have seen
it stated elsewhere. u brother of cN,;Ov Scy.
mour, but nephew or cousin
The next important question to come be
tore the convention is that Of the division OF
the diocese, upon which it i generally he
licvcd final action Will be taken Il! th" pres
cRt session.