The Statesman. — London, England, 1820-05-13 00:00:00

I ... I • petiticner !Pad stated that be (the Bishop of Exe- , ter) infernwA he might refuse to countersign the testimottl i tir without adopting any inquiry: to that hr would irply, that he had never said any such thing, Oir.-Aly or indirectly. Had he been enough soliay so, his conduct would prove that he tilt the re- , terse; far he did P roceed to i.uptiry ; and it was not too mire to assiert, tEil the inveetig&iimi Writes:6*Oct] . I.:ns three sreeks. The remit of the invirstigation Laving confirmed the first acconnts he bad heard, it was in the exercise of a painful duty that be refused the application, and adopted that course which formed the subject of the petition now before their Lordships. Lord ERSKINE gave credit to the Right lice. Lord for the purity of his intentions, though he thought h.s conduct in the present instance was properly brought coder the view of the House. The mauwrr in which those testimonials were conducted was familiar to all. He believed no one would contradict him, when hr •tated that they generally ran in the following words: " We, the undersigned, do testify, that we personally know - for the last three years, that we believe him to be a person of moral conduct, anal that he dons not maintain any doctrines contrary to those of the Choral of England." But it frequently happened that a Clergyman was promoted, who did not know three Clergymen is the diocese. A son of his own had been in twit situation, bat the signature of one being pro cured, the Archbishop of Canterbury signified that hr was worthy of credit; the Bishop of Chichester dial the same, though they knew nothing of his son, and time the difficulty was got over. Ile would admit, that if a Might Kee. Prelate knew any thing disadvantage imp to the personal character of the individual, he was _ . not only justified in Oil signing the testi 44444 Mal, but bound not to sign it. Every man had a right so to conduct himself in this world, as to preserve his gene ral character, and if he lost it be must take the conse quence. Bat if, as in the presentcase, an inquiry was set on foot, not as to the general character, but a par tie.alar fact, such as the one before them, and that on the ground of that fact the Bishop should refuse to sign, he would take the liberty to say, that such con dott must prove unsatisfactory to the House. Ile woeld ask, why did not the Rev. Prelate go into the Spiritual Court, where the petitioner would have bad so opportunity of defending himself ?—(ltear, hear :) --fiVoald the Rev. Prelate undertake to say, that those from whom he derived his information were present daring the whole of the speech, for nothing could be mere unfair than to judge from basing heard a part only? The Bishops of England had always acted in a manner which rodected dignity on their characters, and nothing could be more painful to hint than that it should go forth to the world that a Bishop had refused modest a testimonial, net on the ground of general character, but on a reseat fact which did not implicate that character. Something he thought might be done by their Lordships in this case ; for be agreed with hie Rale Friend that the idea of going to law with the Beach of Bishops was not within the humble mean of a Curate.—(Hear') The LORD CHANCELLOR &leaded the power of h te p l a fht BM. Prelate to sat as be had dear. He appre that it was a most scrims duty incumbent on the Clomp and the Bishops to inquire into the chant , Ulft of the person whose testhnoulah they were required to irls°. sad maintained that the Bishops ought not to be.satialled with the signatures of the Clergy, to the exclusion of their own jadnment and opinions. It had been stated that the individual was too poor to go to law with the Bench of Bishops ; but if every man who had that plea was to have remits, to Parliament, the impiness of their Lordships would soon accumulate. If* objection of his Noble Friends was against the law gait stood, they should proceed by bringing in a Bill. which the House would have an opportunity-of diamtieleg; bat even is that case he would beg ef than, before they consinted to any enactment, to cuss alder what was the duty of Clergymen and Bishops in signing and ;countersigning testimonials. He was in ivosit to think that they had not enough before them to justify the adoption of any Immure by Parliament, for It was not a Angle case tbaj mold justify them in alimelog any change in the Ecclesiastical Constitution of the country. The 'Sari of CARNARVON said, that the present was sot a mere personal question, but one of greet prietical and. (moral importance. It was with pain he, had heard melt a question ars treated I fur, up to that moment, the Right Reverend Prelate had not as signed a Aegis reason for the conduct he thought proper to pantie. By refusing to countersign the tea- Unreels!. he had taken away the character and de stroyed the hopes of an ladividual, who might, after O f turn out to be 'filament of the charge. He had dose r asore ; he had stated what he should have thought tho so public functionary would have dared to state in II(s country, that he held a discretion affecting the clamours and hopes of individuals, and the rights mail properties of patrons, which he was empowered to minim without assigning any reason. To that state lien's Isoornaliktgltbeet meaning any pommel diem spool to the Right Reieread ?relit') give the broadest and most unqualified contradiction. The Right Rev. Prelate bad said, that he did not procesel without in quiry. Sat low did he inquire ? Among those he kat', among his own friesda and neighbours, theagh he was aware that the words Imputed arose out of a aubeet upon which the minds of men were heated, sod upon which his own neighbours were as liable to be lammed as others. The petitioner bad witnesses up!' his side. DM the Reverend Prelate examine titers? Did he jati lt from a comparison of evidence? Net he proceeded an Inquisitor , to take evi dence in the dark , by his own selection. and retdied eves a heeds; so the acensed.—(Hear, - bear!) It kyl.lreas. stated 04 the three attesting Clergymen weds willing to withitaw their testimonial, but it was ifter the ilea Rev. Prelate bad refused to sign, that they Clargyinen had intimated their intention. As to th e ry clauses of the Athanasian treed, he had bald men the Right Reverend Bishop himself ii ipolato sag' to approved if them. If be did approm of ik perhaps he, might think himself a geed em astir. Church or Ragland, he would say that ha' . ' itue a Christian.—(Hear !)--His Lordship next via .11. sage from the writings of the Bishop of be la v a ' which he regrets that such clauses shills! la any lutes, cosapositiop. . Yet this poor man *alto lie rue 341 3/ haring been charged wrath earwming the sag 4 : t. meet in different language. 5 I 4 1 Al 'AMMO. - THE The Haryttis of LANSDOWN said, that he eintl4 pia abstain, u an faint calling their Lord ships' attendant to the situation in which they were placed by the right that was exercised by the Right Reverend Prelate in what he was pleased to call his principal duty. He had told them that ho felt hittatelf authorised, perhaps he was FO legally, to receive ac couitis of the character of an individual, not from the parishioners among whom he rraid, d, bat to go to a dis tance to collect testimony as to particular expressions, and on the ground of that testimony to inflict the must cruel punishment. Though there were persons, who, like the Right Reverend Prelate, might feel indifferent to all views of promotion, still he might find an apo logy in the weakness of human nature, for au unfor tunate Curate who might look forward to some ad- vancement in his humble and obscure situation.— (Hear, hear !)--But the contrary was manifested by his conduct. lie bad used his discretion to blast those prospects, merely because he had exercised his free privilege as a Briton, and without any allegations against his moral conduct, had refused him the means of contradicting the fact fur which he was to he ruined for life. But though he bad felt himself justified in re fusing the means of defence, yet oat of pars irmi-mnialrer as a limiter of feeling, had permitted him th retain his curacy. One of two things must follow, either the petitioner was most cruelly used, or the Right Rev. Prelate hail negleoed to perform his duty, which was to have removed him altogether. Ile did not see that any legal remedy could be obtained, and therefore felt indebted to his Noble Friend fur having brought the subject before the Ilous.—{Bear :) The Bishop of LANDAFF, in a low tone of voice, defeUded the conduct of the Right R d Prelate, and pi:titled that little attention hail been paid either to his feelings, or to the painful nature of the duty he had to perform. Tie Earl of CARNARVON spoke in explanation. The Bishop of EXE I KR was about to comment on the observations which the Earl of Camaro:on had ex plained, when Lord Holland called him to order. The llouse then di% ided on the question as follows: Contents, IS—NutCuntents, 3416—Majorily, Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. FRIDAY, MAY 12. Some Members took the Oaths, amongst wham we noticed Mr. John Smyth, Cambridge l•tsii ersity. Al3llll I: LTV R A 1.. )11:. lit r.sa.---Lord T 1: E prr arntrd .ix petitions from the Occupiers of Land in die enmity of Buckingham, complaining of the depressed state of the Agricultural Interests, and praying kn quiry. thi the motion for their being laid on the table, Mr. I UME stated, that observing the daily inert of these petitions, he could nut avoid saying, they appeared to bins calculated to aggravate the neral distress, by calling at such a time for the lye sitivo of additional restrictions on thy Impart:idol the eom►nmalty. Relieving the Mime sterket to be the most beneficial ► the manufacturers , had an equal in terest in the prosperity of agriculture. Lord TEMPLE said, that the petitioners asked only for inquiry—they did not presume to point out the means. Mr. Censvmr and General Osseous' explained. Mr. RICARDO was not disposed to refuse inquiry to those petitioners, though he thought, under the present state of the country, such a question ought not to be moved, but under the soundest discretion. The labouring classes throughout the kingdom were reduced to the greatest distress. That was not the period, than, when measures should be taken to in crease the price of corn. The agricultural interest had its depression, but still it was to be considerd as one class, whose prosperity ought not to be forced at the sacrifice of the general good. '1 here was no more im portant question than that of the Corn Laws. Nothing►, I in his mind, was.better calculated to afford general re lief than the lowering of the prier of corn. It was the first step to that great remedy—the making labour productive. Mr. CALCRAFT hoped, that as long as the peti- Gotten approached. that House in moderate and re spectral language, their application for ifiquiry would be attended to. When the measure for increasing the importation price of corn was under the conside ration of Parliament, he had voted sgainst it, but though he did not feel himself bound by that conduct to oppose inquiry, he never bad viewed, and indeed he believed it was the very general opinion of the Members of that House also, that this question could not he viewed as one where the interests were divided. Agriculture and commerce had an equal and a coin won interest in their respective prosperity.—(Hear, hest!)—lt was also to be recolle..ted, that the whole burden of the 'poor was' thrown upon the agricultural interest. That his Hon. Prienil ( ter. Ricardo) hail, on a former evening, admitted to be a question worth of investigation. Taking that, as a great concession from him, was it not deserving of iii.,niry to ascertain whether any relief could be afforded, even on that point ? Lord NUGENT stated, that lie could roach fir the unegniv•:cal respertabil:ty of the petitioners. In their allegations as to the Poor Laws, he agreed with them; in many other respects he differed with them, most particularly as to the extension of the principle by which the price of corn WWI raised. Such an unna tural increase directly went to raise the price of Is hoer, and add to the pressure of the poor rates. It was, however, not to be denied, that the distress amongst the occupiers of laud was excessive. Many farmers, who were is possession of property, were ac tually living on their capital, and those who bad saved nothing, or but a little, were totally ruined. The *Gantry, in fact, at the present hour, laboured under a stagnation of all Its leading ittieresta- lb* limes were, to him, pki• and *Woes—they were au !m -end grain. Could any man, acquainted with the country manse debt - a fictitious paper current]: The met propose any measure likely to increase the notatioual sures adopted by that House, relative to the return to sufferings of the commercial and manufacturingelassesi i cash payments ; were but in operation , and durinti The extent of those su ff erings requited of that Hasse l their process be should have no objection to a temp t° give the fillip to industrg, by the remora it Orgary Ineasar* of relief. commercial restrictions; and he was the more our. ! Mr. HUSKISSUN deprecated the continuance . f prised at the course to which these petitioners =esti- any premature discussion on a question which every featly inclined, when it was now well known that the i Reuther must feel to be one of peculiar delicacy. He late Corn Law had altogether failed as a measure of therefore suggested that the similar petitions which relief to the body fur which it was intended. were to be presented, should he allowed to be placed Mr. CURWEN observed, that the Honourable Iles- on the table without discussion, peedeniarly it the ber who sat down, was quite mistaken in his illen. Member had already given lattice of emotion on sentstiou of the objects of the petitioners. H ad these petitions for a future day. given himself the trouble to attend to the prayer of Sir T. Winetnetott presented a similar petition those real, or to the allegations of the many that had from certain occupiers of land in the county of Mot been already presented, he would have found tha seiner, and Mr. Bens from the county of Middlesex, they abstained from stating any specific, measure *high were ',reeved to-be laid on the table. relief, but prayed generally fur an inquiry. Was A new writ was ertiare4 for the Borough of Tanis that inquiry to be refused by the House of Commons? cock, in the room of Mr. Fasakerley, wile bad accepted lie trusted not ; and when it took place, be was con- the Chiltern Headreele. winced it would appear that the object was not to put PARLIAIIIIINTART 1111101111111. . s money into the pockets of the landlord or the fanner, Sir M. W. RIDLIT said, be held in his hand a pe • but to enable them to give employment to laboir.— '; thine from the Merchants, Bankers, and Tradesmen of (Hear, hear !)—lit the present distressed state of the ; the county of the town of Neweastle-upoo-Tyne, in agricultural intemt, be knew, and he said it with ; favour of Parliamentary Reform. Ilse petition was plain, that it was made the object of both the landlord i signed by 3,011 persons, and for the respectability of and the farmer to abstract rather than to employ la. i their characters be could vouch his own personal Mar. lie would be very sorry that any premature' knowledge. The meeting, at which the petition was discussion on the subject should take place, and there- agreed to, was conducted with the greatest quietness fore it was that he regretted that a Uallobt mu s t Hos. 1 and unanimity. It was the first meeting held under .Piernber (General Uascoyne) bad, on a former tight I the restrictive laws passed by the last Parliament. It Jupded an alarm on the question. There could be sprung from that middle class of life, the respectability no separate interest between the great branches of the of whose characters and station in life, placed their public. The mechanic was as interested is the pros- motives beyond suspicion, and was the surest glares perity of agriculture as the farmer himself. Let it tee of their good conduct. These petitioners look for not, therefore, be sent abroad, that relief was sought the correction of the evils under which the country alone for the landed interest;—in the alleviation of now suffers, to a shortening of the duration of Perlis that distress the public creditor was deeply interested. meats, to the extension of the suffrage from decayed He feared that nothing was calculated to afford actual and notoriously dependent and corrupt boroughs to relief, hut a diminution of tasation—that, loamy great populous tows,. The latter principle bad been al extent, the demands on the public income did not bold ready acted upon, and he hailed it as a preliminary out any hope; and, is his conscience, he believed no- step in the successful progress of a constitutional Bir thing could be effectual until the interest of the debt form in the Representatioa. The petitioners begged - ' ' not to be considered as the advocates of any obleetsiev ,aaleggriaes--i.melt as Universal Su ff rage and Annual .. ... Parliaments. -----• On the motion that the petition be brought up, Mr. LAMBTON concurred with the lieu. Baronet in stating, that the petitioners were most respectable individuals. They principally behooved to that den of society which bad net hitherto taken so great a share in the consideration of public stairs, as he was persuaded it would be highly advantageous to the country they should de—he meant the middle class. The original requisition fur the usestieg was signed by Mty respectable tradesmen of Newcastle. With this requisition, although (as we understood the Hen. Member) supported by as eminent banker of Komar tie, the Mayor of that tows refused to simply. The motives of that Headsman for kis reseal he wasid sot pretend to state, bet be toast be allowed to tspeses his regret that he had withheld his official sanction Ie a meeting for the oesititstioaal purpose of petitioning the House of Commons. Under those eiresmotasess the nestle' was held without 1 and be believed be might say, that hs respectability was sot dieeinhesa. The lion. Beremet who bad just preserved the peeking Wooded and o:perused his sentiments. He (Mr. Lambkin) hoped this else* mid be felleerni, and that those respectable ladieiditals boatmen to the middle class of society, who percrired how semi* the sondltioa of the country was affected by the exist. ildelleal General OASCOYNE noinwedett-tima4,- shg able Member, who wished tact often to disease- a pub lic question in detail, had either mot heard hipt, or had misunderstood him. 1p place of sounding any alarm, he had implored the House to pause, before, in the present state of the public mind, when too many wets irritatell without cause, it afforded any gronnd for in creasing that agitation. What other object could these petitions have, all drawn up almost in a similar manner, and all complaining of the impartation of Cori, btu to raise the price of that necessary article? He had that day received a letter from a most respectable manufacturer in the neighbourhood of Manchester, requesting his opinion of the propriety of calling meet ings and off petitioning, for the purpose of meeting these agricultural petitions. His answer was, that it were better to wait until the objects of the petitioners were a little betterdefined, before thatstep was taken. Sir J. NEWPORT considered that the Gallant Ge neral had not a little contributed to that agitation which he deplored. having takes, in the earliest stage, the opportunity of giving a very &titan 4/Jaime en the object of the petitioners. He trusted the deers of that House would never be elated against say closet the people who* oneeived themselves aggrkvet, wham. ever they approached it with temperate and respectful language. He deprecated the doctrine, that the agri cultur4l body had a separate intertat from the rest of lag state of the representation, would come forward without delay, and distinctly declare their sentiments. l'elees they did so, neither himself nor other K n. Members who thought with him, would feel m en , raged to make the efforts which the importance of the case demanded. He had himself given notice of a motion on the subject, and when the prope r time came he should be prepared to show, that the prevaili ng dissatisfaction must inevitably increase unless so n * 'try, were promptly and decid e dly t a k en to di minish tt The petition was then brought up, read, and or dered to be printed. petition from the M er . chants, L° t rd s, H SE m irr otek ° re N prese persannted a d other inhabitants of the town of Liverpool, signed by nearly 4(10 individuals, and was persuaded, that if the Right Honourable Oen. tleman opposite would look at those signatures, he would allow that they were of the highest respe c t a bili ty. The petitioners stated, that they observed a BM b a d been brought into the House of Commons for the re. gulition of the Civil List, and they hoped, that in pre. ceeding to the consideration of that national object, the Haase would bear in mind the existing national distress. The petitioners particularly ativessed • the subject of pensions, and described the bed elltet on the public mind from the lavish and indiserimiaate manner in which they were bestowed. 'they hoped that the amount and disposition of these punkas would b e c l ear ly d e fi n ed by Parliament; and they also hoped it might be mode the law of the land,that no part of the pension fund should ever be granted by the Crown to a Member of the House of Commons ; or, if so pasted, that that Member should no longer retain his seat. The petition was brought up and read. Oa tie motion that it be printed, Mr. BENNET took the opportunity of giving no. tire, that whenever the Civil List Bill shook! come into the l'ommittee, he would propose the iatreduction of a t louse, providing, that Members of the Dome of ('onittivos who should receive from the Crows any such grants as those alluded to in the petition, should vacate their seats. The petition was then ordered to be printed. Quin A it. Mr. HOBIIOUSE said, he held in hie band a pe tition from certain inhabitants of the town of Oldham, in the county of Lancaster. It appeared that the is habitants of Oldham had been for three mccesalre tunes subjected to certain excesses on the part of the military ktatioued in the neighbourhood, which mili tary h..d, havens., been subsequently removed, and replaced by other troops; so that the Inlialdmiem could not discover who the soldiers were by whose misconduct they had suffered, and were conampseatly left without the means of obtaining redress. Un fortunately, in that part of the country, a easplcies existed that there was little hence of obtaisletyjdmiti from the Magistrates. The Petitiours declared that they would much rather prefer their mon M the Commanding Wiese of tie tamps le dot to say individual Justice tat die hate, or to the emelebty at the New Bailey. Mao more did they lao . pafik atlas don from that tribeen4—tite douse of Comesue. The petition was eigzt i t sim asar MIS inhivightmer ls prayed lit atria of the tecuiresess which it described. -tad fir toe dbelmition of the btandiag army. He elntaid now betel, beg for Ism le Wag the petition up, with a view to its Wise tabs into conolderatiou on mane Wait - day.. On the nation for bringing tip the Ph** _ Me. X CLIVE begged .to say a few weak ?St petition in lam don. he rather believed, was *awe up by a vestals sotations Individual, who was tie SEW' of The Meireheeter Ohaereer, and betrayed • strong delineation se -exaggerate the whole trammed's. tio i version* had received very dilfrrest ammo. of the affair; and by the. amours it appeared, that oa Monday, the 24th of April, the day appointed foe the celebration of the King's birth-day, some aellithey, at a public-heuee in Oldham, were insulted by a very im proper toast given in their presence; and the sett day, at soother pablie-house, the toast was The toast was, " May the 'hie of every teysi torn off his back, to make a drain for the Mimes te beat to arms upon." Who mild bear sack a toast se this without having recourse to some seine tf twiny ing his disapprobation 71 bore were five es ell soldiers) and about twenty other persons in the room. Oe a remonstrance being made by the soldiers, lisp were immediately attacked. Out of them get of the Ahem and called some of his comrades to pretest their friend. from warder. In the nuns tine the bug was filled wilt minuets. Ten or fifteen seMiere af terwards got is by braking down a barricade; mad a nraelepe, of persons were wonaded, and others smart Certainly the eahliers one not submissive to ineele. They received blows. and they gave them. than lice matter would have ended, bat for the teweepeepie, is comegneuee awhile* repeuesetatiose the Cestanadiug Meer ordered the detaihmest to be toweed, tats iv givenprassil wish to the eigleimamiwi that the utmost par that, t : oushor ehooM ssi be . 41," or saWatamille dispraise who bad miseendoeled themselves Await be publied. Slate that OA the, Atailahtio Eat or4Vred an inquiry is be em!! Into the subject. es mai - - I die House mould cookidet it neeeseary to mew investigation. Os the inostion " That the petition be WO. up," there owe eeveral " Noes." The *lan' she filmdom Wale, whoa Sir 1. lIVRDILIT test to express his aikekleleild that any Hos. Member should oppose she a a petition like this. It surely arguksid 107 17 Awes the redden had been Anton shankl Wised Walt k extraardisary the Mime to take far greased the asserdous c os individe4 although a bleatkor of the Hesse. agakme do aloe dons of tie whole body the lababitants et do sea ,1 sad anlghloiurhood whence the petition peosedsk. enstionting as nearly 3,ra pumas. • blerthers he" appeared to be at such $ description, that its Oswald dal hineself reedy anisettel of detVeen le set to pews kw their huustigotioa. At the raise Names% loswerte, he Nay rose tie say, that he iisosolsol it lora/Ude do Bowe mild shoe te tisedvit t Wok without as, rows sislised. pig 4 1 161 1 . 1 " .1 2 kande. Ito aria& It sawed am dr alla 61111816119 pet at the imarealer were aireptilikow ed part..nail the mot gnerareal, the searused kids& ! He repeated his eouvictiita diet tbe wi townsman'. Ten or fifteen ashliers ef• got in by breakiag down a barricade ; owl a r ponies were wottaded, and others mewed. the soldiers were not submissive to Wait. ived blows, and they gave thew. there the aid have ended, bat for the townepmple, is ice of whose repressatatioas the Cessuanding hoed tie detadlimeat to be runorod, aid es. a wish that the utmost publicity skald be be eirettmenranse,in order that, Astir, eel- nrasateo, the maims who had saimortlntani should be punished. Siam that pelted. lad_aatred an laquiry So be soh abject, sirmMoirrnvolordly4l l o l o *sold cauldder it necessary to Ortst a the question " That the podtion be beseglii r wove several " Noes." The Spoirker pot ru affsia. when IVRDICIT nee to express his isSishient los. Member should oppose the hatlliLt vs like this. It surely erguilled w lagog , the petitien had been drown tt t I. Ind think it extraordinary if the Mow W , r greeted the asserdoas of ens I number of the House, agaiost do aloe whole body of the inhabitable olds sea • hearbood whoaco the peddles prigngek . r a tarty SAN perms.. • hierdesee used m be of each a description, that I binesolf grossly neglaethi of ladle/own pass for their hnostlgotioa. At the poise swim he may rem go may, that be eloseigol Ile the tw at meld ream to Mike 1 60 6111 sa satillode sal l 406 " is he teas. It sewed that die NO 1 101 INS et the emeseeley trete ahrieto. oBo .' si the mot gonadal, the aserused Ile repotted leis ossektioa diet the