The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-06-01
A VOTE AGAINST BRIGGS.
The General Assembly SuStainS The
Appeal Overwhelmingly.

&nE NOLE 9AOOu 600 " 4 ~ AAAS ~
fessor Can Be Punished in Any One
of Five .Ways-An Explanation of
the Nature of the Case Before the
Assembly.
Washington, May 31.-In the Presby-
terrain general assembly this morning
sitter the opening dcvotons, fifteen min
ties were exhausted in desultOry discus
sion of the order of procedure, the result
sf which was that the assembly ordered,
with an evident confusion and Lack of UNI
5erstanding of Just what they were doing,
the roll to be called. The commissioners
as called were to give reasons for their
votes, the speeches to be limited to three
minutes. This soon became mOnotOnous
AMI tiresome, and shortly before noon,
when Kansas had been reached IN the call
OF synodS, the moderator arose and sad:
DIR Briggs is very weary OF TINS pro
ceeding and he has asked that he be eX-
cused by the moderator from further
attendance as party. IcheerfullN grant
his request" DR. Briggs then left the
church amid q buzz from the galleries.
He looked tired and sad, and seemed glad
TO get away.
STATUS OF THE CASE.
As there seems to be, even in the best
informed quarters, some confusion as to
the present position of the Briggs case
and the exact question before the general
assembly, a succinct statement of the
position may be of interest. Under the
rules of the church governing trial such
as the present there are four parties hav-
ing a right to be heard.
l. The prosecution. which in this case is the
> The defense. which in this case is the APP
pellee. Or. Briggs.
3 The commissioners to the general assem-
bly, from the judicatory, whose Judgment is
being appealed from. which in this case Is the
presbytery of New York
T. The members Of the superior judicatory
trying the appeal, which is the general as
sembly
The first three parties have been heard
and the fourth is now having its innings
The general assembly is calling the roll
by synods and those who desire to be
heard are making threeminute speeches.
IL is equivalent to a consultation among
the Judges or Jurors, whichever one may
please to call the commissioners. At the
Z noon recess to-day twO-tifth of the synods
had been called and had expressed their
opinions and had occupied two hours and
a half in so doing.
When this roll is completed the next
step viii be the presentation of motion
to the house: Shall the appeal be sus-
tained2
There are five grounds of appeal and
thir6v- four specifications Each of these
specifications will be voted upon singly.
Al the end of the voting on these the roll
viii be called upon the general question:
''Shall the appeal he sustained" Should
the appeal be not sustained the voting on
the specifications win go for naught.
Should it be sustained it will be equiva-
lent TO a verdict Of guilty against DR..
Briggs. A committee viii be appointed
to prepare a minute for submission to the
general assembly prescribing the
punishment to be melted out. There
are five things the general assembly
can do in such a case. They can admon-
ish, rebuke, suspend, depose him from
the ministry or they can eXpel him from
the church. In the case of conviction one
of the three last courses is likely to be
followed.
THE VOTE.
Washington, May 81 II p. NAT S:45
O'Clock tonight voting began upon the
first specification, in substance that the
presbytery of New York on objections
made by Dir. Briggs, require the prosecu-
ting committee TO amend the amended
charges and specifications by striking out
charge four. The specification was sus-
tanned by vote of 2S2 to 1870 This vote
showed that the attendance was seventy
seven less than the number present when
the vote was taken on Friday on sustain
ing the appeal, the vote on which was 4O5
ayes to l44 nays.
The second aud third grounds of appeal
were sustained with all their specifica-
tions.
The fourth ground of appeal alleged
manifestations of prejudice in the con
duct of the CASE And of its six specif-
cations, the Briggs men carried two and
came within two votes of carrying an
other.
The fifth and last ground of appeal con
tanned eleven specifications of error, and
it charged mistake or injustice in the
decision" The specifications were all
sustained.
The vote then REQUIRED on the main
question, Shall the appeal be sustained"
which was adopted. Before beginning
the roll cali the moderator announced
that the form of answers would be- "sus-
tainedN or mot sustained" and
that the commissioners might vote
to Sustain in part" but that such
vote would be counted as part of the
total to sustain the appeal. The roll was
then called in the midst of an almost
painful stiffness, the spectators in the
gallery rising to their feet in their anxiety
to catch every response. The vote was
announced at 1915 O'Clock by the stated
clerk as follows: Whole number of votes
cast, 400; to sustain the appeal, 29S; to
sustain in part, So total to sustain the APP
u neal 3S.3. moi sustain 1I6