South Congregational Church history and catalogue, 1852–1865 · scan page 146

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136  THE    EX-PARTE   COUNCIL.
previous  meeting  and  declared  to  be  settled  by  a  decisive
vote,  but  in  the  mean  time  matters  had  assumed  a  diflferent
aspect.  Mr.  Carroll's  summary  silencing  of  tlie  bell  while
ringing  for  the  victory  at  Vicksburg,  had  induced  many  who
had  before  been  his  supporters,  to  believe  that  he  was  not  a
loyal  man,  and  they  were  ready  to  unite  in  the  call  for  his
dismissal.  It  was  under  these  circumstances  that  the
Standing  Committee  assumed  their  "discretionary  powers,"
and  standing  between  Mr.  Carroll  and  the  Church,  refused
to  allow  the  latter  to  pronounce  its  judgment,  which  it  is
nearly  certain  would  have  condemned  him.  But  the  Com-
mittee went  further  than  this.  The  petitioners  addressed  a
respectful  memorial  to  the  Church  (in  the  customary  form)
requesting  them  to  unite  in  calling  a  Mutual  Council  to
advise  in  regard  to  our  respective  duties.  This  memorial
the  Committee  suiypres'icil, — refusing  to  allow  it  to  come
before  the  Church  for  their  decision.  In  this  they  claim
they  exercised  a  reasonable  discretionary  power,  which  nuist
be  vested  somewhere  to  prevent  the  constant  agitation  of
the  Church.  The  rule  of  the  Church  under  which  this
Committee  are  appointed,  and  act,  makes  no  mention  of  sucli
discretionary  power,  but  on  the  contrary  implicitly  forbids
it  by  prescribing  their  special  duties,  and  ends  by  stating
that  they  shall  attend  to  such  other  matters  as  may  be
referred  to  them  by  the  Church.  As  the  call  for  a  meeting,
and  the  memorial,  had  never  been  referred  to  them  by  the
Church,  it  is  clear  that  they  had  no  discretionary  power  in
the  matter,  but  assumed  a  power  without  right  or  authority.
Upon  the  question  of  female  voting —
The  Committee  say  "  that  the  right  of  voting  by  females
has  never  been  denied  by  the  Church."  Very  true  ;  neither
has  the  right  been  affirmed  by  the  Church,  which  would
seem  necessary,  as  the  custom  of  Congregational  Churches
forbids  tlie  practice.  It  was  the  usual  practice  in  the
Church  to  vote  by  raising  of  hands,  excepting  in  the  case
of  officers  wlio  were  elected  by  ballot,  and  female  votes
were  rarely  oft'ercd  or  counted.  No  instance  is  known  in
which  females  voted  by  ballot  previous  to  the  meeting  when
Mr.  Carroll  was  settled  by  female  votes.  At  that  meeting
some  of  the  females  had  such  an  expansive  idea  of  their

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Silent Grounds Collective, Church Burial & Death Records, CH-P004-0146. South Congregational Church history and catalogue, 1852–1865, printed page not verified, PDF page 146. Hallock, Gerard, 1800-1866; digitized copy contributed by University of California Libraries https://archive.org/details/historyofsouthco00hall/page/n150/mode/1up Accessed September 8, 2026.

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