The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-11-12

/ bud 1iioted Inn correctly. DR.. Brown said
he would not interrupt Dr.. Baird now, but
would reply IN due time. There was 9
conference at Richmond, Mr.. Mod.
orator, at which you were present.
heard there was, no crime alleged
against me by the brethren assembled
to consider the affairs OF the committee.
DR.. Hogs said with tears. In Savannah,
that the committee had confidence In me.
/ have this upon the authority OF DR.. Lett
witch. DR.. Baird said he was urged to write
the annual report for the General Assembly.
After the condition Of the affairs were made
made known, Judge Ould, Mr. Fitzhugh,
and Mr.. Word testified that he had an
swered everything openly. DIR. Baird then
alluded with much feeling to the distracted
state OF his mind when he wrote the paper
on which he was tried. He cannot bear to
read it. It shows him that he was
BORDERING ON THE MAD-HoUsE.
He described the fearful state OF his mind
when, at the Suspension-B Bridge Hotel, at
Niagara. he saw his sentence in the New
York Herald!
| DIR. Baird handed the cash-book, which
| has been so often referred to. to the Moder-
ator, that he might see that there was no
secrecy about it. In his morbid state OF
mind he had deniedthat there were mistakes
| in the book. He had since examined it and
found many mistakes against himself. He
did not owe as much by $4,000 as was al
| legged. He should not be surprised If he did
not owe the committee anything.
3. DR.. Baird's third ground, that the
charges are ambiguous, mistreating, and in
sufficient, was next presented. The charges
| do not define his crime. Members OF the
| H. bod ~ fyy n
fraud. and he supposed, If Intercepted, all
would now testify to the same effect. There
is the book; not one entry in ninety-nine is
in my handwriting. DR.. Baird spoke OF
bis life as having been persistently devoted
to the Church. He had sacrificed his
family and himself. The charges are in
sufficient They do not charge moral OBJ
iquaty.
1. The whole proceedings were unconsti-
tutioDaI.
Accusers were not held to responsibility.
Presbytery itself occupied this position.
Presbytery was accuser and prosecutor.
The trial was pursued under the pro-
visions OF the book that apply to one who
is contunacio,ls, who may be Judged for his
contu1nacy. had no opportunity to con-
front witnesses, &c.
Counsel were appointed to take his place
excellent gentlemen; but no one on earth
in his absence could properly examine the
witnesses. The prosecutor, who according
! to one theory represented common fame,
and according to another the Prcsbytery,
was allowed to sit as judge. The case re-
minded him OF certain persons in this court,
whose object was not trial, but conviction.
One most important witness was not sum-
moned. The testimony as published in the
| al Rnirf1'c only nP n
| formation-was contradictory. His indebt-
edncss by one calculation he made from that
paper was 49,, 900. On the subject OF hearsay
| Testimony Or. Baird said that Judge Ould,
after having given his testimony, published
| in reply to criticism from DR.. Baird that
he had not examined the book. DR.. Baird
read to Synod entries OF the amounts re-
ceived from Dr.. Rutherford. None OF this
money had stayed in his hands five minutes.
The checks were endorsed and handed to
the treasurer DR.. Baird read 4 letter from
Mr.. Sleight correcting his testimony about
this money. Mr.. Word says that DR.. Baird
afforded him every facility, and without his
assistance he could not have ascertained the
balances.
| He CONCLUDED BY SAYING
that he loved the Lord and Saviour, who
| bought him with his blood, and appealed to
| his brethren to decide in his case without
| fear, favor, or affection, as they shall DC
| Judged at that bar before which we must al
appear.
THE ANSWER OF PRESBYTERY TO DIR. BAIRD
DR.. Armstrong, DR.. Pryor, aud Mr.. John
| L. Marye were the committee OF Presbytery
| to Dresentits case in Synod.
DIR. ARMsTRoSG's SPEECH.
He said his position was painful and I'm.
sought, but being placed in it he should en-
deavor to discharge his duty conscientiously
and in the fear OF God. He should not fol-
low DR.. Baird in all the details which he
| had presented. Many OF them DR.. Arm.
strong did not understand, and they could
not be understood by this audience. He
should mention great and leading facts.
DR.. Baird cannot and does not deny that
he used the money Of the committee. lie
confesses also that he used his official name
to raise money for his own purposes.
| DR.. Armstrong did not mean that Or.
Baird desired to lay up money. Ambition
| more than avarice miSleadS many who seek
money. DR.. Baird confessed that he owed
the committee $4,000. You may have no.
ticed that the testimony was brief. It's use
was not to substantiate the charges, but to
interpret the paper, which was he would moi
say cquivocal, but ambiguous.
A confession is OF facts. He did not con-
ceive that DR.. Baird could ask the Presby'
| terry to take both his statements of the facts
and Judgment. We took his facts, no others
and found our oUn judgment.
Our book provides that in some cases
man may be tried in his absence. The rlgh
OF presence. then, is not right which can
not be parted with. He was absent, and W.
knew not where he was.
So much for the irregularity alleged in thu
cases.
Here are the facts, and we are calico
70 form our Judgment OF them. NO"
AZ to the criminality. What is the wa!
in which the eighth commandment L
| usually broken? Not by directly takln!
another's property, but in Just such trans
actions as these. DR.. Armstrong was amazed
tkat DR.. Baird tonight spoke as il he hat
been guilty of no crime. Is it no CRIME Il
take the money of the Church!
DR.. Armstrong asked the Synod 10 pace
itself in the position OF Presbytery, ant
remember that this is the way in which I'M
| eighth commandment is broken all over th'
| land.
DR.. Armstrong next proceeded to detin
the difference between the civil and the &c
clesiastical court. The ends OF the ciVl
court is punishment and the protection O.
society.
The Church does not in this sense punish
The ends of discipline are the removal OF 9TH
GERS, the vindication OF the honor OF Christ
and the good Of the offender. The, Churci
is to wait till the sentiment OF the oommu
nity demands restoration before it restore
q minister, though satisfied Of his repent
ance. ...
| Dr. Armstrong spoke OF DR., Baird rs