The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-06-01
AGAINST DR. BRIGGS.
The Appeal Against His Acquittal
Sustained.
THE CASE GIVEN TO A COMMITTEE.

whether the Professor Shall Sever His
Connection with the Church.
WASHINGTON, June 1.-The fate of Pro-
fessor Briggs, so far as his connection
with the Presbyterian church is concerned,
is practically in the hands of a committee
of fifteen. On the report OF this commit
tee will doubtless rest the decision of the
general assembly. 1t was after 10 o'clock
Inst night when the assembly, by vote of
375 to Ill, decided to sustain the appeal
against the decision of tho New York
presbytery, and an hour later before 1t
was decided to place the matter in the
hands of q committee.
1t was 845 o'clock when the moderator
put the question, "Shall the specifications
of error be sustained?" and DR., Roberts,
the stated clerk, read the first specifica-
tion, in substance that the presbytery of
New York, on objections made by DIR.
Briggs, required the prosecuting commit
tee to amend the amended charges and
specifications by striking out charge 4.
The specification was declared to be sus-
tained by vote of 2S2 to 100.
Specifications 2 to IL, inclusive, under
the first ground of appeal, all relating to
Irregularities in the proceedings of the
New York presbytery, were sustained
seriatim, some by tally and some merely
by viva voce or rising vote.
The second ground Of appeal alleged the
receiving OF improper testimony, and was
based lupon three specifications. They set
up that the defendant should have been
sworn; that the statements and matter in
terpolated by the defendant into the
record were permitted to remain; and that
the quotations and extracts offered were
received as evidence without his having
been sworn. On the first specification
division was taken, the result being that
the specification was sustained-262 to 1856.
The others were sustained by viva yoce
votes.
The third ground Of appeal was that of
"declining to receive important testimony"
with two specifications, that charges
and be stricken out, thereby prevent
ing the proving of the charges These
specifications were sustained without
division.
The fourth ground of appeal alleged
manifestation OF prejudice in the conduct
of the case," and of its six specifications
the Briggs men carried two and came
within two votes OF carrying another.
Specifications 2, 8 and 4, alleging that
the presbytery did not try the case on its
merits, attempted to terminate it without
attaining the ends of discipline and evaded
| the issue, were sustained by viva voce
votes.
Specification 8, alleging that Revs. Fran
| els Brown, Henry NJ. Field Thomas S.
| Hastings, J. Hall McIlvane and Henry
| Van Dyke, members Of the Presbytery,
| voted to sustain the accused after they had
been charged in the appeal with prejudice,
was lost by viva voce vote
| Specification o alleged that sundry direc-
tors, officers and professors Of Union The
illogical seminary voted to acquit the ac-
cused upon each and every specification
and charge after they had approved of DR..
| Briggs inaugural address, which con-
tanned the alleged erroneous doctrines. A
viva voice vote was followed by count,
and tho stated clerk announced that it
stood 1856 to 234.
The fifth and last ground of appeal con-
tanned Specifications of error and II
charged Mistake or injustice in the de
csion." The specifications charged error
in the failure to convict the defendant on
competent charges.
| The votes on these specifications resulted
in declaration that each and every one
had been sustained.
| This part Of the proceedings having been
disposed Of Rev. w. G. Young, of Ken
lucky, moved that the roll be called and
the assembly vote upon the main question
"Shall the appeal be sustainedf" which
was adopted The vote was announced at
1915, as follows To sustain the appeal
375; not to sustain, III.
4 After the result had been announced
Rev. ]. T. Smith, of Baltimore, moved th,
appointment of a committee of fifteer
commissioners, OF which the Rev. Thomas
A. Hoyt, ID. D., of Philadelphia, shall bt
chairman, to bring in an explanator.
minute This was carried. The mod
orator was authorized to appoint the com
mittee
The explanatory minute to be prepared
by the committee will express the sense o
the assembly as to the action that shoult
be taken upon the Judgment of the pres
bytery of New York-whether it shall b,
reversed or modified-and what penalt,
should be imposed against DR.. Briggs, i
any. The report of the committee will
doubtless provoke some discussion, ant
with the other important matters still ol
the docket for consideration promises
continuation of the assembly IS sessions un
til tomorrow night.