Year: 1876

PENDLETON, August 18th, 1876


Rev. DR.. WILLIAM BROWN, Editor of Cen


traI Presbyterian {:


My Dear Brother,-Your remarks on my
review of the debate at Savannah on the
Pan Presbyterian Alliance have just reached
me. They place me in position towards
all my opponents and especially tOOar1s DR..
Heqe, which | must hasten to disclaim, and
which think it due to me that should have
the opportunity to disclaim as publicly as
imputed, and through your columns where it
has been so imputed. Certainly l did not
design to signify, and do not admit that
did signify, that Dr.. Hoge occupied the
silly attitude of being on neither side of the
great question before the Assembly
that he displayed any want of either ''sense"
or "honesty." Oa the contrary hold as l
have no doubt the Assembly held, that his
speech was full both of ability and candor,
and in fact that it was his speech which set
tied the question as it was settled. And so
| gave him credit, as be well deserved, for
courtesy, wisdom and effectiveness, as well
as eloquence. Indeed it 80 happens, if
must publicly declare it, that my heart was
drawn to DR.. HOge personally at Savannah,
by the tenderest cords. Not word did |
say in his honor which came not a6 imo pee

tore, and especially was my soul knit to his
in sympathy, because some how | got the
impression that he is man who has known
the depths of human sorrow, and whose spirit
has been chastened and purified in that cru
cible Feelings therefore of the highest re-
speet and the tenderest brotherly regard
would have forbidden me, had been for any
reason so disposed, to insult him in any thing
| said. And l consider myself very un-
Justly treated by you in your so misinterpret-
ing me. How strangei it is that with the ex
alted estimate have of his talents and
worth, and especially of his whole conduct
and behaviour at Savannah, l should be
called to defend myself against the charge
of publicly depreciating him


1 have to state then that when l said he
was so "perfectly of neither side, did not
have in mind, as you suppose, simply what
he said about two sides as to the effect of
the action to be taken upon our own har-
mOny, but referred more generally to the
position which he certainly did occupy of be-
longing neither to the side of the out and out
advocates of the Alliance with it's Constitu-
ton and all, nor yet to the side of its Oppo-
nents. Both in private and in public DR..
Hoge took middle ground between the two
extremes, and to say that he did, is no dis
honor done him. Certainly he was the man
who hsrmonized our body, and now could he
have done this, had he been, or been held to
be, absolutely and unquahfedly Of either
side? | conceive that the position placed
him in was anything but a dishonorable one.


AS to that word "jugglery," it was not
fair to take it out of the innocent connection
in which | used it, and then represent it as
something very bad. To speak as did of
"the iugglery and magnetism of his elo
quent appeal" was by no means to insinu-
ate that he was dishonest A gallant gen
tleman speaking enthusiastically of any lady
might make mention of "the witchery of
graee" with which she had fascinated him,
and it would be simply ridiculous for her
friends to complain that he called her a
witch.


Then, as to the unparliamentary adgan-
tage "taken by the majority you must
remember that was not my own phrase, but
one which l borrowed from Dr. RobinsOn)
do maintain that, m what was agreed
should be the "last speech. on a paper
long under discussion, no changes made in
formally by the speaker and no new propO-
sitions informally substituted by him for the
precise thing under debate could be "ir
order" and the introduction of such might
give great and unparliamentsry advan
tage to either side. But l am quite willing
to accept your explanation, speaking for th'
majority, of the course which things took
Certainly did not think of insinuating tina
the majority played any trick, nor yet tina
my brother HOge did; rather my belief was
as has been evinced by you as well as my
self, that the majority (so called) becam
satisfied that they could disarm the Opposi
ton only by ceasing to urge our adoption q
the constitution Of the Alliance, and declal
ing formally that it was to be no additions
court. Both these things DR.. Hoge brough
out very impressively in his speech, and s
the majority are led at the very close
adopt a new attitude; which enabled US
meet them, and saved their proposition frOr