Excerpt from Speech of Mr. John Duer: Delivered in the Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Diocese of New York, on Friday, the 29th of September, 1843, in Support of the Resolutions, Offered by the Judge Oakley

That the proposed resolutions have grown out of a re cent transaction in this city, the unfortunate cause of so much agitation and controversy in the Church, is riot de nied. It is apparent on their face - it was confessed by themover. As this transaction has suggested the measures now proposed, it is from the circumstances that attend ed, and the consequences that followed it, that our chief arguments in their favour must be derived; but, in ur ging these arguments as applicable to the merits of the resolutions, it is not at all necessary to inquire into those of the transaction itself, still less to express any opinion on the propriety of the decision that resulted in the or dination of Mr. Carey. The topics are in themselves err tirely distinct, and that distinction, if I am permitted, I mean carefully to observe. I cannot, indeed, say, with my learned friend who moved the resolutions, that, from the confused and contradictory nature of the evidence, I have been unable to form any opinion on the real character-of the transaction in question, or on the propriety of the final decision. The materials for forming a judgment are, 'it is true, in a measure imperfect, and involve some, at least, apparent contradictions; yet their careful examination, I must not shrink from avowing, has led me to form a very definite opinion, which, should the necessity arise, I am ready to express and prepared to maintain; but from an)r intimation of that opinion, or any explanation of the grounds on which it rests, I shall resolutely abstain, unless forced from my reserve by the course that others may adopt. For myself, I do not merely deprecate, but earnestly pro test against the introduction of the extraneous topics to which I have alluded. Their discussion in this place is certain to be productive of serious evils, and in no possible result can lead to good.

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