The record-union., 1892-05-30
Special to the REcoRD-UN1oS.

PORTLAND (Or.l, May 29.-The week
and the Briggs case have ended together,
SO far as the General Assembly is con-
cerned. By vote which under the law
of the church is to be reckoned as 429 to
81, the appeal from the action of the
Presbytery of New York in dismissing
the case has been sustained in whole or
IN part. Final action is deferred until
Monday, but the action then will be only
formal, as the constitution prescribes
what it shall be. Papers in the case will
be sent back to the Presbytery, as it will
be ordered to proceed with the trial which
it voted to discontinue.
The interest manifested in the hearing
was sustained until the very end, and the
house was packed through all the pro-
ceedings. The most lively contest of the
day was over allowing the members of
the Presbytery of New York who were
not Commissioners to speak in defense of
the action of the Presbytery. The signfi-
canoe of the decided vote by which this
was allowed is in the fact that it es-
tablishes precedent in the practice of
the church. The final result of the ap-
peal has been a foregone conclusion from
the first, and 1t causes little surprise, now
that it is concluded.
The six grounds of the appeal, with
their twenty-five specifications were
read and voted on separately. Each
specification was sustained. The final
vote upon sustaining the appeal was then
taken, ayes and noes being called. The
vote was under the following heads.
Sustain" sustain in part" and mot
sustain" and resulted as follows: Sus-
tain as Il whole, 302; sustain in part, lZ7;
not sustain, 81. The whole number of
votes cast was 5l6.
As soon as the vote was announced
Judge Taylor offered the following rcso-
luton:
WHEREAS, The appeal in this case has been
sustained by this assembly, be it
Re$OLrcd, That the verdict OF the Presbytery
OF NeW YORK be reversed in all particulars;
ResoIued, That all papers in the case be re-
turned TO the stated clerk of the New York
PTcsbytery, and that the Presbytery be or
dered TO proceed TO the trial of the case on its
merits.
The resolution was referred to a COM
mittee OF five, with instructions to report
TO the assembly Monday morning. The
assembly then adjourned till Monday.
With the ending of the Briggs case in
the Presbyterian Assembly comes the
question, how is it regarded by those
affected? The prosecution are iubiIant
because they have got all that they de-
manded. They are satisfied, and will re-
turn TO New York TO renew their work
with Vigor, though they disclaim that
they have any ''zeal' in the matter. The
position Of the conservative men is that
OF partial satisfaction, some Of them be-
ing dissatisfied because the case was not
brought to all absolute decision on the
spot.
In conversation, DR.. Briggs called at
tention to the anomalous position which he
occupied in the appeal case The real
defendant was the Presbytery of New
York, though tor reasons entirely tech
nical he was compelled to appear and de-
lend the action, which really damaged
him. Being the second Original partyu
in the case he had TO resist the appeal
which was brought by the other original
party, although the appeal was not
against him, nor anything which he had
done, but solely against the Presbytery's
action. He eXpf eSSed his desire that the
Presbytery should proceed with the trial
under proper and sufficient charges and
specifications, but to those to which he
had been called to plead he had grave
objections.
The vote to sustain the appeal was so
large that the general sentiment is that of
satisfaction, but those who for constitu-
tiOnal reasons voted against the appeal in
toto are preparing formal protest, which
will be largely signed, and will be en-
tered upon the minutes.
The business of tomorrow in the
Briggs case is only formal. A resolution
disposinG of the case will be offered early,
and it is not expected that there will be
much discussion, but the wording of it is
regarded as important, and the interests
of all parties will be carefully guarded.
The orGer for 10 o'clock is the supDle-
mentary report of the Theological Semi
naries Committee. 1t is almost identical
with the report submitted some days ago.
ana will scarcely be conducive Of har-
mony, which was desired. 1t is self-con-
Trajectory in its proposals, and will be
assailed on this ground. The rest of the
business of the session will be hurried
through, because OF the growing desire OF
the Commissioners to return to their
homes.