At the Virginia Conference of 1810 this important question was asked: “Whether the bishops had a right to form the eighth, or Genesee Conference?” The bishop had no difficulty in answering this question in the affirmative. It will be seen, however, that the “right” was questioned. Bishop Asbury, after the first session of the Genesee Conference, makes the following record: “If the cry of ‘want of order’ came from God, the appointment of the Genesee Conference was one of the most judicious acts of the episcopacy. We stationed sixty-three preachers, and cured some till then incurable cases.” The New York Conference took action on the subject and nobly vindicated the bishops. I cannot withhold their preamble and resolutions, which do them so much honor, especially as they never have been published: “Whereas, doubts have been entertained in the minds of some of our brethren respecting the constitutionality and necessity of the Genesee Conference. Our opinion being requested on the subject, after mature deliberation, we are of opinion that the constituting of that conference is perfectly conformable to the spirit and letter of our form of discipline, and calculated to facilitate the work of God, and spread the Redeemer’s kingdom, in the convincing, conviction, conversion, and establishing immortal souls in the precious truths of the blessed Gospel; and also we are of opinion that our venerable superintendents have acted judiciously therein, and entirely under the authority our discipline has vested in them, and therefore recommend the adoption of the following resolutions: “_Resolved_, 1, That we consider the appointment of the Genesee Conference to be perfectly consistent with the spirit and letter of our form of discipline; and that the superintendents have assumed no illegitimate power, or forfeited any of the confidence reposed in them.” Carried. “_Resolved_, 2, That, considering the extent of the Philadelphia and New York Conferences, and the great increase of circuits since the bounds thereof were defined by the General Conference in 1800, which is about or fully double the number, we consider the appointment of the Genesee Conference proper and necessary for the good of the connection.” Carried. “_Resolved_, 3, That we therefore recommend or advise the continuation of that conference, and that we do pledge our mutual support to our bishops and superintendents therein.” Carried. At the General Conference of 1812 an address of several preachers of the Genesee Conference on the subject was presented by Bishop M’Kendree on the 6th of May. A committee of eight was appointed, one from each conference. Ezekiel Cooper was chairman. The next day, May the 7th, the chairman presented the following resolution: “Moved, that this General Conference do consider that the Genesee Annual Conference is a legally constituted and organized conference.” It was carried unanimously.