The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-11-11

made their report, and appointed
DR. Hargrove prosecutor, they we're
discharged. It was not competent
for the Bishop. or even the Confer
ference, to appoint even another one
of this committee OF three to prose
cute the case, much less to appoint
one of the Conference generally to
prosecute.
Reporter-Was the trial before
the committee of thirteen secret or
open?
DR.. Hanner-It was strictly Sc
eret, against which secrecy 1 had
valid reasons for protesting, and
am under no obligations not ''to re-
veal"
Reporter-Please state, then. if
you know, the history of the voting
on the various specifications.
DIR. Hanner-Credible witnesses
state that the vote on the first spec
ification stood seven to six. The
Chair ruled, in substance, that the
committee must consider what was
in the mind of the writer-not the
influence ofthe letter upon the lady.
The six then changed their vote,
and the vote on the first specifica-
tion was thus made unanimous
The second specification was the
main question and the vote was sew
en- to Ska majority of fone. One of
the seven moved to expel me, and
another seconded. Only these two
voted for expulsion. This was the
worst they could do. They did the
next worst thing, and did it in the
worst possible way. "McTyeire's
manual of the Discipline" page 9s.
says: Suspension should be lin
tied by time or terms, therefore
the sentence must specify when or
on what terms the penalty shall
cease. An annual conference can
not suspend q member for a time
longer than a year. When a pzeach-
er has been tried in an annual
conference and suspended for one
year, the conference cannot, at the
expiration of that year, expel him
for the same offense, or continue the
suspension for another period"
The committee of trial suspended
me Internationally. Bishop Wight
man pronounced the same sentence,
and so it was published by the
press. The public, many of the
preachers, and large proportion of
members of the church do not un-
derstand this. They infer that the
suspension is unlimited. If the
committee and Bishop Wightman
designed that it should be so un-
derstood, and the Manual is correct,
then a constructive wrong has been
done, a false impression made upon
the public mind. There was no
need to overdo the thing; for. in the
estimation of the humane public, the
/ penalty is too severe as it is, being
out of due proportion to the ofense.
No matter what the merciless think,
I, as the sufferer, knowing exactly
what the fault was, can but feel that
the punishment is unjust and cruel.
When the offense came before the
committee of trial, it was 50 veiled
in mystery and enigma, 50 marked
and stamped by Bishop and com
mittee, so feebly supported by the
imperfectly developed testimony OF
the prosecution, that the court
could not tell what it Was.
Some thought it one thing; others
? thought it another thing. 1t was
simply impossible for them to un.
derstand it; SO they voted seven to
six. The votes of the seven on
the second specification discredits
the recorded testimony of the lady
Bishop McTyeire, who heard ths
evidence, knows that 1t proves there
was nothing clandestine about the
appointments" mentioned in the
letter; that they were made in tho
presence of other persons, for nc
other purpose than that Of friend
ship and playing croquet, and ac
cordingly wrote the specification
sshe offered to crafty" He might
have said also. sand did not offel
himself to gratify" the passion
which the letter never did or could
arouse. According TO his theory
the lady was to decide the question
of qualification, and appoint th'
time and place, a theory worthy on
1y Of brothel, not a brother. Til,
: very idea is enough to kindle indig
nant scorn in every pure mind. DR.
, Hargrove's''suggested arrangement
and prepared plans" was a still
grosser conception, which Bishop
MeTyeire apparently thought thl
evidence of the lady did not sus
tain. But 50 thought not the seven
Reporter-Dr. Hammer, were al
t Of the committee who tried you IN
t biasedS
DR.. Hanner-It was known tha
0 two OF the seven had openly ex
J, pressed the opinion that ] was guii
c ty, before they took their seats il
E the box as jurors.
o Reporter-What is your genera
idea Of the matter?
DR.. Hanner--The whole affair
e a stupendous folly. It began i
foolishness. and nobody IS hurt, ez
/ cept facetiogs old man and hi
4 friends, a Methodist lady. seventies