New-York tribune., 1878-01-12
DIR. SEYMOUR'S ELECTION.
LETTER FROM DIR. C.. H. HALL.


To the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: May l ask you to publish the inclosed
MSSi 1t is reply to n circular which has reached
me to-day and am anxious to have the reply in
motion as soon as possible, as the antidote.
CHARLES H. HALL.
Brooklyn, Jan. II, 1873.
Several copies of communication have been sent
to me to-day, which appeared January 10, 1873, III
The Standard Of tho Cross, signed with the INITIALS
j. c., and dated at Louisville. KY. l presume that
the same circular has been sent to all the standing
committees, as "the trusted guardians of the
truth" To them as such, l would respectfully
make the following response to this paper. l do it
partly because | take an opposite view from the
writer of the matter at stake. and partly because,
from the accident of being near the General Semi
nary, / have been present trustee, and in some
degree participant in the troubles which have
long agtatcd the minds of its friends In that con-
troversy have often voted against my friend, the
present Dean and have sometimes found reason to
express myself strongly in support of my own views
| am now of the opinion. as was in the secret ses-
sions of the General Convention of 1874, that he
has right to his expression of my views as to lis
position in this church.
The circular of j. c.. in its first part, consisting
of ten paragraphs is occupied with establishing
case against the new diocese of Springfield for
clccting DR.. Seymour. making "a defiant chai-
lenge to the Church" This, Its first act" is sui
cient III the judgment of the writer, to excite the
Indignation aud call forth the rebuke OF all right
minded persons"
The new diocese will answer for its own sins, and
accept its own responsibilities without my help. For
myself would take quito another view of the
facts.
1t Is not to be forgotten that the Rev. Dr.. Sey-
mour ,eas approred in 1874 Bishop Of The Diocese
Of Illinois by majority Of ihe iRdirdadt mcmde'S OF
the General ConrentiOR The votes stood l4J yeas,
against 1}0 nays He was rejected by majority OF
dioceses in both ordcrs-doceses voting, II cler-
Qymen voting in the Affirmative 10; III the mega
tl;c 10; divided II. OF the laity. dioceses voting.
40: ayes, l3; nays Is; divided, .. Under the
constitution of our Church he was rejected, aud
the result was accepted. Int is there any diocese,
old or new which under the circumstances, might
consider itself free TO appeal question: which had
been decided IN such extraordinary way, to the
Church for consideration, without laying itself open
to the severity of the language of this clrcuarf Is
il not rather strongly put asa deliberate insult TO
those autlortiesir Or is not the real insult con-
cealed IN the idea that those authorities are open to
such argumcnisi
DIR. SEYMOUR NOT 4 RrfCALIST
The next point 10 which | would call your atten-
ton is found in the following language:
Now the case is very different. conspicuous
leader and active agent of the RtIiastc PARTY has
given IL. in his letter 20 THE NEW YORK lKlBuNE,
the naE,s oi the three leaders ol that party IN Tue
House. IN whose interests, and on whose pehaIl,
the organization ot lie House oil D'phtles was
a,rotiy captured by thc party. lie Elect 81
Springfield Is one or the three thus auih0ntallNeN
named.
The late remarkable letter of DR.. Hopkins w0uld
probably have been passed by in silence by most
men if il had not been found of use in inst ths juno
turc. II Is the amusing aud quaint production oi
an active mind IN It's most eccentric hunor. Ihtt
worthy brother has certain pcculiafities winch
was once har-braIncd enough TO combat in his ven
cradle aud talented father, and which think, with
sufficient respect | hope for his real virtues, find
exaggerated IN hs son. Does any other man III the
Chrrch-crccpt this onc-bclievo that the excellent
urcSidcnt Of the last convention elected be-
cause al any secret leaning 10 the Etuast party,
ol rs a reward for any act Of his IN That lhIoIesli
Why taen should the statements oi his letter OF "
moneAts weight IN tlis case Aud On The othei
hand state that | have known DR.. Seymour now
for nine ycar-. during which time | have heard al-
most every rtuali-tc error charged upon him by
diviucs whose intellect has been sufficient 10 com
urehcud what those errors are. and wh1se Z'u IN
tLc controversy has not lacked ncitemeut. H. has
denied them one hy one, pont-blnk, letter ~
letter and with a degree Of feeling and an apparent
The attack has been NJ gcd Oh him along the entire
line 80 that for one am forced 10 one cOncln'io~
either that Dr. seymour l. sincerity not Edto'Di'
ar that he j. utterly lost To the common IDEAS oi
truth aud honor III the latter he h. the subtle,t
of mtii 10 be able in spit. Of the opposition which
hc has endured Ia maintain himself ~ Dean oi tue
General Seminary. ] an not disposed TO throw
down a gauilct to my brethren. but might, WIN
no great risk. call on the writcrto produce single
rtnnlstic error which would deserve place rs al
,mpcdiinent to his confirmation a. bishop winch DR..
Seymour has not rcpudIatcd fotidea rcbis. l GER
tainly am not "a Ritualist, and think understand
where the limit lies ia the matter OF tolcmiion oi
differences in the Church, aud think put 1t mad.
of the line which the Dean would draw; but sin-
cerrly believe that he is far within my own mar
rover line.
In respect 10 the specific matter of this late letter
Of the Rector of Wiansport only follow pre-
ccdcnt made by the House OF DcIcgatcsin IN 1871. i'll
living the following quotations from letter of DE-
Seymour Writing of DR.. llopkin~s letter to The
TRIBUNE he says: " II gro sly misrcpresents me. l
care nothing about Rtuasn, or any other ISM l
live and labor for nothing less broad and comprc-
hcnsive than the Church of God. Ny synpathies
are rs broad rs and my liberation rs colnp'e-
hcnsivc IA hers. dSOca HopkinS's logic and tQd-
y.ncc~ utterly. and hare syR0o'hy rih his tone
and spn. as shown in that letter.
A NEGATIVE PREGNANT.
The next important matter oi tins circular | read
with great pain How "a pen which runs 50 smooth
ly could wander into such au argument, am at IA
loss 10 conceive. call to y0ur notice that tins fol
lowing quotation is important 10 the last degree III
what the circular calls the dread issue that Is upon
u.s." For tins il the pr)Oi-thc graFaner-the very
Indictment, rs sustained. Look above ana All u
u,crc reosnuu, and nfcreuce this is the establish
mcnt of that preceding argument
Amin DR. Seymour. in one of his speeches in Tie
convention grltuiiously disclaming ltomeWard ton
dcncics. cmunaically declared that the dogma 'ol