The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1877-06-13
DIR. PLUMER's SPEECH IN THE NORTH
ERIN ASSEMBLY.

| In the course of Dr.. Van Dykes speech
on the report of their Committee concerning
Fraternal Relations" he referred to the
fact that DR.. Plumer was present in the
house, and said he had been obliged to con-
tradict a report that he Or. Plumer) had
come accredited to that Assembly as dele
gate from the Southern Assembly and was
refused. He, DR.. Van Dyke, declared that
if DR.. Plumer had so come he would have
been cordially received. A member there
upon moved that DR.. Plumer be invited to
address the Assembly on the subject under
consideration, which was carried. Some of
the papers say it was by scant vote but
that is not material; it was carried, and DR..
Plumer came forward from aremote part of
the house, and took position on the floor,
near the Moderator. We omit the graphic
scene which the reporter has given, as
well as many of the compliments paid by him
and DR.. Van Dyke to the venerable speaker.
Dr. Plumer began by explicitly declaring that he
was not there as delegate from the Southern AS
| sembly, that he came solely to see once more old
and cherished friends. He then said:
The second remark wish to make is, sir, that |
fully and cordially estimate the embarrassing con-
dition in which | am placed. If say anything
say it solely for myself and on my own account
| am not deputed here by anybody, by letter or
otherwise.
And, thirdly, wish to say that in my heart do
glory in the truth conveyed to me in his last letter
By one of my old teachers now in heaven. 1t is
this: II would not give one hour of brothery love
for whole eternity of contention" Applause
That is my sentiment. God in His mercy grant
that we may all reach that conclusion. One hour
of brotherly love is worth whole eternity of strife
and pickering.
He then referred to the condition of the negro
population in the South, and the necessity of doing
all that was possible for their salvation That part
of his address which relates to the special question
of difference between the two Assemblies is as fol
lows:
Suppose, brethren, by the grace of God, you
were enabled to say what will at once forever ST.
leuce all contests and bitterness, can't you say it 2
| would give anything if you could. And yet you
must Judge for yourselves We have workers
there. Why, there is gentleman here from Ten
nessee who knows how all these things work. He
is on the committee who reported the resolutions
he knows how it works. see brother here who
lives thirty-six miles from me- in South Carolina
He knows how it works. Cannot something be
done2 One brother says the time is not yet Mr.
Moderator, did you ever know an old wound or an
old sore to get well by letting it alone? Ii never
done. know not what the vote Of this house shall
be; but one thing is certain; Jesus Christ will this
day be greatly houored or dishonored by this body
and this body must Judge whether its action is to
honor or dishonor the Saviour, and not l.
Another thing wish to say is that this body
will candidly, have no doubt, to-day vote as it
has done hitherto-candidly vote what it wishes to
say 1t will be understood it will be settled.
would love to see these hlndrances removed In my
time; but there will be good many things done
after my head goes down to the grave. And il
God denies me that privilege, be it so? Can you
do it? There is not man in the Southern coun
try who does not desire fraerna re ations on terms
equal and honorable. Applause There is not
man in the southern country who wishes this
body to humble itself or abase itself before any
body. But this is true: Ii | have stated, Mr..
Moderator that you are not gentleman, 1t is due
to met is more due to me than it is to you
to say that ought not to have used those words
Applause, We ask no regrets in the sense OF re-
pentanceS nobody asks that There is not man
in the South that would esteem any man more if |
he were to humiiste himself. That is not it. But
sir, might say if Dr. Dixon had said Of the Mod |
orator something unhandsome, [ might truly say
to DR.. Dixon" II am very sorry, Dr. Dixon, that
you said that of the Moderator; [ regret it, do |
not repent it." Cant you say that? One thing
is clear: if the resolutions reported BY your COM