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T HE 0 0 U N T R Y MAN. 22 I,twills ts. itinerants. “The following is from the Alabama Journal of Feb. 5th, 1830, to wit: (From the Spirit of the Age.) MessBs. Editors :—As you appear disposed to present to your readers whatever may be in teresting, I am induced to forward you, for pub lication, a copy of the proceedings ofa'conven- tion of Methodist local preachers, held*, some years ago, in Georgia, which, in my opinion, contains some principles of interest, to all the friends of religious liberty. It is not the less interesting, because it relates to proceedings which transpired twelve or thirteen years ago. The coincidence of views which it exhibits be tween men of standing in the church, then, and the reformers of the present day, gives to the document, in my estimation, peculiar interest. A Subscriber. „ ^ (a COPY.) For the Bishops of the Methodist Eplscopa’ 1 Church, composing the General Conference, to be held in the city of Baltimore, on the 1st May, 1816. We, the undersigned, local preachers, resi dents of the State of Georgia, being, for years past, convinced of the necessity ot a greater degree of union, and equality, between the itinerant, ahd local ministry, and attributing defection to the existence of certain grievances, Occasioned by a privation, or unjust reiusal of privileges, to which the local ministry is un- 'questionably entitled, upon grounds of gospel liberty—having met, according tc appointment, in the name, and fear of Godj and united our selves together, under the title of “ Tbe Geor gia Powelton Association of Methodist Local Preachers for the purpose of petitioning the body of itinerant preachers, composing the general conference, fora redress of grievances, and not to insult their feelings, nor diminish their legitimate authority, nor with a design to bring about a schism in tbp church ol God, but for the purpose of asserting what Wfc con ceive to be our rights, and obviating the in fringements which constitute our grievances, and resolved to be content with our rights, and believing redress cannot but tend to establish our union upon better grounds —do, therefore, earnestly petition our brethren of the general conference, to grant that redress, and arnenda-. fion, which we are, as freemen, entitled to de mand, upon every principle of justice and pro priety, and which, w6 believe, would promote t>he general interest of the church oi God. The first grievance to which we would call your attention, is that of the power of the gen eral conference, being the minority, te> make laws controlling the body of local preachers, members ©f the same body, being the majori ty, without their concurrence, by representa tion and vote, and the regulation which sub jects the local preachers to a trial by the itiner ant ministry—whereas, the itinerants arc tried only by their fellows. Second grievance'. The rule which obliges the local preacher to record his name on a class paper, thereby prostrating him from his rank as a miuister, placing him on a level with the laity, and subjecting him, in addition to the an nual examination, by the presiding eider, to the weekly examination of class leaders, and hall-monthly examinations of itinerant preach er—whereas, we conceive their names should be printed, at the expense of district confer ences, as the names of the .ciders, deacons, and preachers, or recorded on the steward’s hook, subject to examination, and inspection of the proper authorities. S^Third grievance : The rule which vests, in the itinerancy, alone, the right of admitting members, hoidiDg love-leasts, and watch-nights —whereas, the ordained local preachers hold tbe keys equally with the itinerants, they be ing authorized, iu virtue ot their ordination, to administer the ordinance of baptism, which is •held the initiating rite, and the door into the church. Fourth grievance: That the local minister, in his probation, is kept back from ordination, a period of time, as long again as the itinerant minister: that the quantum and necessity of service, and not his qualifications, are made the criterion of right to ordination ; and that the right of election is wrongfully claimed, and improperly exercised, by the annual con ference—whereas, we believe that qualifications, and usefulness, in the first instance, constitute his right to office in the ministry : and, iu the second, that after probation, aud election, by the quarterly conference, untrammeied by the annual conierence, such election Ought lo be deemed a sufficient warrant, to the bishop, to ordain him to the holy office. Fifth grievance l The practice that requires ttie rejoining into tire church tho/e children baptized by our order, who have never been ex pelled by any exercise of discipline, and the rejection from church privileges, of such chil dren, in opposition to our own arguments, when we vindicate their right to baptism, and consequences flowing therefrom. Sixth grievance : The rule relating to slave ry—A more uniform administration of its ap plication generally, through the southern states, or a suspension, modification, or abolition of the rule. The long forbearance of the local preachers, under these grievances, might warrant a sup position that a redress may be refused, without exciting dissatisfaction : but the undersigned conceive that a love of justice, influenced by piety, will induce the general conference to grant to U9 those rights, and arnendatibns, for which we petitions ahd that, thereby, the bond of union may bts strengthened, aud perpetu ated, on principles of impartial justice. We are fully persuaded that these sentiments are not confined to the undersigned, but that a large majority of the local preachers, of the southern conferences* crncur with us: and their names are not found here enrolled, be cause they have not the opportunity of sub scribing the same. That the Great Head of the Church may in (luence your minds, and hearts, in ail your de liberations, and decisions, as shall tend to the prosperity of Zion, is the prayer of the under signed. Samuel Cowles, Chairman. D. L. White, Secretary. Peter W. Gautier, Moses Andrew, Robert L. Kennon, Daniel Duffy, Thomas Anderson, Richard Holmes, William Arnold, Samuel Ansley, John Hodge, Johu Hannton, Myles Green-, , Michael Durr, William Hardwick, Charles L. Kennon.’’ The foregoing is from a Ms. of the late Wil liam Turner, oi Putnam Co. The last- three names are partially effaced, by the ravages of time, but we believe them to be hero printed correctly. Richmond, March 26.—“The following ' received last night: Headquarters, March 25- 11.20 r. .v Hon. John C. Breckinridge : f At daylight, this morning, Gen. Gordon a: saulted, and carried, the enemy’s works, i Hare’s Hill, capturing several pieces of nrtille ry, and ri^ht mortars, between five and s hundred prisoners, among them one Brigadi General, and a number of officers of lowi grades. The lines were swept, for a distance lour or five hundred yards, right and left. Tit efforts made to recover the captured works, wer handsomely repulsed, but it was found that ei closed works in the rear, commanding the en my’s main line, could only be taken at gre saciifice, and the troops were withdrawn their original position. It being impractical) to bring off the captured guns, owing to tl nature of the ground, they were disabled, at left. Our loss is reported a3 not being hcav Among the wounded is Brig. Gen. Terrv llesh wound—and Brig. Gen. Phil Co rm. V All the troops engaged, including two ades, under Brig. Gen. Ramsom, behave moat handsome conduct. Sharpshooters of Gordon’s corps, who 1 eault, desefve the highest commendation^ This afternoon, th?.re was skirinishir the right, below Pickett’s lines, with v\ success. At dark, tbe enemy held considerable oi lines farthest in advance of our main work R. E. Le A Soldier’s Wish. “ *Tis not that.I scorn the wreath, A soldier proudly wears— ’Tis not that I fear the death, A soldier bravely dares. When slaughtered comrades round me lie, I’d be the last to yield : Yet, I do not wish to die Upon the bftttle field. When faint, and bleeding, in the fray, Oh ! may I still retain Enough of life to Crawl away, To this sweet vale, again : And like the wounded, weary dove, That Butters to-her nest, Oh ! may 1 reach my own true love, And die upon her breast.” ‘True cloqueace consists in saying all that is necessary, and nothing more.’ ‘Adversity is the true touchstone of merit.’ ‘Religion is the best armor in the world, but the worst cloak.’ New Papers.—We have received, and rel ly place upon our exchange list, the Weel Montgomery Mail, a new paper, just started Montgomery, Ala., by Hollifield & Iloopel names not unknown to the editorial fraternil Their paper is published on a sheet of go\ size, is neatly printed, and well filled with el tertainiug matter. We anticipate the luxui| of reading many u racy article from Jonce pen. * <_ We also welcome to our list of exchanges! the Russell Register, published weekly at Crawl ford, Ala., bv B. II.'Baker & Cc., editors anij proprietors. It is successor to the East Ala( barman, formerly published at Girard. We wish it all success in its honorable aspirations to dispense useful knowledge, and general in telligence, to the people. We hove also received tlie first number of the' independent Press, published weekly at Eaton- ton,tJa.; j. A. Turner, editor. Verily, if ttie schoolmaster is not abroad, tbe newspapers are.—Columbus Enquirer, 1854. Richmond, March 25.—“An order from the Adjutant General, relative to the recruiting of eelored troops, in the confederacy, says : That officers will be assigned, or appointed, in each state, charged with the enrollment, and disposition of all recruits. No slave will he accepted as a recruit, unless with his owner’s consent, by a written instrument, confirming, as far as he may, the rights of freed men. The appointment of officers to com panies, formed of recruits, will be made by the president. Officers, employed in recruiting, tare enjoined to be pro vident, considerate, humane, and at tentive to whatever concerns the health, comfort, and discipline of troops; to the uniform observance of kindness, and forbearance in tfieir treatment of them, and especially pro tect them from the injustice of op pression.’’