Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1903-01-28
The Next General Assembly and
the President.
I CeHfTaI FtcS6yleIIdH.
The Alexandria (Va.) Gazette
of the 10Th inst. says editorial,y:

Another instance Of lack Of self
respect on the part of some Southern
people was shown on Saturday when
q delegation called at the White House
and invited President Roosevelt to
attend the annual meeting OF the
General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church, South, to be held in Licking
ton, Va, next May. Accompanying
that invitation were letters Of invi-
tation from President Denny, OF
Washington and Lee University; DR..
Whaling, pastor of the Presbyterian
church of Lexington, and DR.. 5. l..
Morris, Secretary of the Home Mission
Board OF the Southern Presbyterian
Church. The invitations not only
request the presence of the President,
but desire an address by him on
Home Missions. But a few days
before these invitations were received
by the President the latter had de-
liberately, and with malice afore-
thought, deeply offended the white
people of the South by appointing a
negro to a prominent office in South
Carolina, and by closing a postoffice
in Mississippi because the negro post
master had become so Objectionable
that she had been forced to resign.
There was time when Southern
people would have resented such
insults, but now il seems that some
of them at least like to kiss the hand
that strikes the blow. Truly times
change and men change with them.
Now, we have nothing to do
with the structures this editor
passes upon the people of Lexing-
ton, Va. But we have "a great
deal to do with the statement of
the fact that certain brethren of
our Southern Church extends such
an invitation to the President. The
editor of the Gazette tells me this
state nent was telegraphed all over
the country as "Press Dispatch, "
as an item of news. If this "1ele-
CATION" (so-called) did wait upon
the President and invite him as
stated, then it is simply an outrage,
for the following reasons:
First. Under our constitution
no such "delegation" could exist,
for no living soul has the power to
appoint such a"delegation, except
the Assembly itself, and the Assem-
bly, has not appointed any such
"delegation." So, if the state
ment is true, it was an entirely
unauthorized assumption of power,
and this is an outrage against the
Assembly.
Second. 1t was, therefore,
practicing a fraud upon the Presi-
dent, as the delegation" whic h
presented the invitation had no
authority to do sos and this was an
outrage against the President.
Third. 1t is "a well-known fact
that our church believes in the
absolute separation of Church and
State; and, therefore, even the
Assembly itself could not consis-
tently extend such an invitation
to the President of the United
States, the Governor Of Virginia,
or any other official of the govern
ment, as such. As an individual,
who was regarded as possessing
information the Assembly believed
it ought to have, it could invite
any one it pleased, but not as an
official. If the Assembly could
not extend the President of the
United States such an invitation
because he is President, how could
a few men do it, who are not yet
even members of that body? 1t
will be remembered by members of
the Synod of Virginia at Lynch
burg in 1901, that Governor j.
Hoge Tyler came in and some one
moved that the Governor of Vir-
ginia be introduced to the Synod
Immediately a number arose to
protest, when the excellent Mod
orator checked them at once, and
said in substance: GAS Governor
CT Virginia, the gentleman has no
right on this floor; but as he is Il
member of this Synod, he is entitled
to all the privileges and courtesies
If the body
We do not question the right of
the citizens, or any number CT them,
of Lexington to invite the Presi-
dent, or any one else, to visit Lex
ington at any time they may see
fiji, even while the Assembly will
be there. But we would like to
know by whose authority this
delegation, and the loved and
honored brethren whose names are
mentioned, invite the President to
attend the meeting Of the General
Assembly and address the Assembly
on Hcme Missions, or any other
subject? DR.. Whaling will be
the most hospitsble host of the
Assembly, but he knows, as well as
| do. that that position does not
confer the power to extend such an
invitation. At least we suppose
he does, for he is II learned brother.
DR.. Morris will be there 10 make
his report as servant OF the
Assembly, but even he has no right
TO address the Assembly unless
that body invites him, or unless he
should be elected commissioners
To it hereafter. If Dr.. Morris has
zone this thing, for one would
like to know why he did it, and
upon what authority. Ivoted for
him in the Assembly of 1901, but
he is not the man took him to be,
if he has done what the papers say
he did. honor the President of
Washington and Lee University
and love that institution, but.
pray! tell me what right has he to
invite anybc dy to attend and
oddrass the General Assembly ?