The Sun. — London, England, 1830-01-18 00:00:00

tie &minty of Divan, being all either lando payers or receivers of tithes— Sheweth, That your petitioners presume to address your Right Honourable House, under the firmest conviction that the existing Tithe Laws are highly injurious to the beet inte rests of society, both in a religious anti political point of view— That they are injurious to Religion, because they are (as dilly experience evinces,) a cause of the most violent and inveterate disputes, and of destroying thlt harmony and confidence which ever ought to exist between the pastor and his congregation, and of engendering the worst feelings where the best alone should prevail. That the Tithe Laws are most injurious to tiro_ , intetests of agriculture, as they are often an absolute bar to im provement, and are at all times moat dittouraging to the farmer, as by their operation l'v it placed in a worse and different situation than any other speculator, since by em barking his capital in agricultural pursuits, he becomes liable to have the tenth part of his capital taken from him by the tithe-holder, who, withoat capital, labotar, or risk, frequently derives considerable profit, in iota:lces where the cultivator himself is a loser. That the influence of the Tythe Laws is most preju dicial to the interests of society, by deterring persons possessed of unemployed means, from using those oleans is reclaiming and improving poor lands, an ellVrtt Of the greatest importance to the public, as t h e 'result of their so doing would be an increase of eniployment for the labourer and mechanic, atonsequtat diminution of pauper ism, the production of a greater quantity of corn, which *would in a certain degree render our dependence on Foreign grain unnecessary, and produce a more extensive demand for our manufacture in the home market. That since Tythes were originally estaqished, all pro perty has undergone material changes, and particularly agricultural, by the operation of these laws, and in con sequence of an increase of public burthens within these 30 years, coupled with other circumstances, the inconveniences of them have been rapidly accumulating. That your 'petitioners have also to complain that dis putes respecting the payment of Tythes, Mt determined in a Court, constituted in a manner peculiar to itself, and withont the constitutional intervention of a Jury. That your Petitioners ask for no innovations on the principles of the British Constitution, nor for any unfair or improper sacrifice from any piny, most humbly pray that your Honourable House will, at an early period of this Session of Parliament, as the business of the nation wilt allow, take into its most serious consideration the present state of the Tythe Laws, and the effects now resulting from them ; also the changes which have oc eurred since they were framed, and that after a strict and mature investigation of the question, in all its relative bearings, it will be pleased to adopt such measures, and make such arrangeraents as shall appear to your Right Honourable House to be consistent with juslice to the Payers and Receivers of Tythes, and most beneficial to the general interests cf religion and those of the community at large. After what I have now read to you, I think you wil not accuse me of being willing to deprive any of the bene• fits of his property, or to abolish any property, with out doing justice to all ; and if, after I have gone into some detail, into which I must go, however tedious, I trust you will also do me the justice to believe that I advocate the common good of all. In the first place, then, I must tell you that I am a considerable tithe holder myself, and am closely con nected with persons who are still greater titheholders, and therefore I am anxious for the just settlement of this question; but some would say that this is an improper time to agitate this question, and that it is a mere con sequence of the Catholic Relief Bill.—(Applause.) I agree with you, and I only mention this, bec iuse that if the argument be worth any thing, it is in my favour, as now the Catholic. Relief Bill is passed, we have lei sure to attend to the present question. But I will ask, when can we here abetter time? Some persons will say, that the present is never the right time for discussion of grievances. I consider the present always the best time for reform, and this is particularly the time for the discussion of the tithe question. As the Bishop at the last visitation told his clergy that a Bill would be brought into Parliament for an alteration in the tithe laws, we therefore thought ao time was to be lost in calling a meeting. The clergy cannot complain that they are taken by surprise, as they appear to know more of the matter than we do. If this he not the right time—if you are not sufficiently distressed—will you wait till yon are in greater difficulties, and till distress shall pre vent your tilling the ground at all, and when the irn r".”‘'"'"' r''- to liuror" . ---" --- ~ cultivated,' nu the titheholder of his t. utk.. HA together. I h a ve been thirty years in this county, eighteen years of which I was in Parliament, but nei ther here nor there hare I ever heard this question dis enseed. Why it should have so long slept, I cannot tell; and I see no reason why it should sleep any longer. I am told I am holding out false hopes to the country ; I do no such thing, I only request the Legisla ture to consider the subject, proposing no particular mode of alteration, but reserving to ourselves the right Of peti tioninh against it ; all we want is discussion ; let each men think for himself. The difficulties of au alteration of the laws are objected as a reason for not meddling with them, and because Mr. Pitt, alter investigating the sub ject, admitted that it could not be done. That great Mi nister, unfortunately for the country, is now dead, and another, a less able Minister, has beea able to pass the Catholic Relief Bill, which the great Mr. Pitt found also beyond his abilities. It is said that the distresses are not occasioned by the tithes. I admit it ; but one part of the property of the country is very much injured by the tithes, and land is affected by it, by grievances not applicable to any other species of property, in being subject to tithes, by which a portion of the property is, as it were, trans ferred to a stranger. All other payments are in money ; but tithes have this peculiar property—that the tithe holder may choose to be paid either in money or in kind. Whatever disputes arise between the parties, reference is made to the Ecclesiastical Cow ts, where, without the in tervention of a Jury, a Judge generally presides, who has not been bred to the Law, and who is most frequently chosen because he happens to be a very good divine.— (Here the Hon. Speaker was interrupted by frequent ap plause, and by cries of " It's the Inquisition." " Relics of Popery, &c.") The farmer may plough, if he chooses, he may expend what labour and what capital he will on his land, but he is forced to enter into a partnership with the tithe-holder, who is a sort of sleeping-paitner. A sleep ing -partner indeed he is, for be contributes neither mind, body, or capital, to the concern ; though he comes in re gularly enough to take his share of the profits, only one little tenth—moderate enough !—( Laughter and applause.) —He has no share in the difficulties, he has none in the risk. But then, I do the saine.—( Loud cheering.)—l am as bad as the rest of them. But suppose I, or any other wise partner should say to the farmer, I am hungry, Plough; and the farmer shoidd say, I won't plough.— You know we can't force him. Again it is objected, that a commutation is impracticable, because you cannot please every body. I grant it—but do you not know that nothing is so common as an Inclosure Bill, and with that Bill have all parties been pleased. And yet can any one 'fame a single Inclosure Bill, in which the Clergyman and Landowner, were not each benefited. In ease of a dispute between the clergyman and the farmer, where the clergyman takes his tithes in kind, he has no power to compel the farmer to plough that he may have his tithes—and I remember a case in Hampshire, at Lamport, near Andover, where a gentleman was the owner of the whole parish, and on account of a quarrel, he took the whole of the parish in, and threw it out of cultivation, and I well remember that, as a boy, I caught many a hare oa the property, but found nothing that was titheable except the thistle,. The evil effects of the sys tem on the growth of timber, and on coppice woods, is not the least part of the evil. A friend of mine in the north of Devon has a large timber estate, yet he will not emit his coppice, in anticipation that the present unjust law must be altered ; and yet the timber is going back, and he is losing the interest on his money ; and so both lie and the titheholder are suffering a loss. One word more, if farmers are in debt they will be unable, by extra labour, while the prevent tithe system exists, to get out of debt. It cannot be done, because the titheholder comes and takes the principal part, and sometimes all the extra labour. There was no tax in Ireland on the growth of tobaccco. In Enniscorty the farmers took advantao of this, and planted tobacco; they paid my brother, who was their landlord, 401. per acre, and as it was an -uncertain crop, the titheholder took 61. per acre, and still they netted 1001. per acre by the crop; and paid off their debts; but in consequence of the tithe laws, they have not since thought proper to renew so desirable a culture. One word more, on a point I had almost omitted, but which has just been suggested to me by my Hon. Friend. I meant to allude to an Act of Parliament applicable to Ireland only, and I will read the preamble of that Act to you, as that Act may be, for aught I know, quoted as a precedentora tha.present occasion. The Act of Parlia ment is the 4th Geo. V. cap. 99, and it recites that— ,' " Whereas i:ariona ,ciretOpstances relating to the agricul ture and population Of I lid, and whal does not apply to GreaVPritithii: 4 reatte l— 't peculiarly expedient that for i - 1 the purpoik„ofifurtliiir couraging the industry and en terprise of others, far , ' and occupiers of land, and ma tiering the incomes arising frOm tithes there more certaii, in amount, and more eaty of collection, and of avoiding controversies respecting the same, provision should be made nr the authorising compositions to be made for tithes in Ireland only to endure for a tittle to be limited." That Act cannot apply to England, from the difference in the nature of l',Mantcy. In England the tenants hold for sariatis lengths of time. In Ireland they almost al hold for 31 years or one life. Mr. Fellows concluded his speech, by moving that the petition be bad read be adopted by the meeting. In ceMjni forward to second the petition, C. P. I-1.0 , .1.4.14, Esq. said, he could not but entertain some ap prehension, lest the share he had had in calling the meet ing might subject him to the imputation of hiving acted with presumption; but as however it was proved, the , there were, at least, 1,100 persons in the county who were ankions that it Should be called, he trusted, that he should not only obtain pardon for what he had already done, but also for presuming, as he was about to do, to enter upon the discussion of a question, which we were lately told by an Hon. Magistrate who attended at our preliminary meeting, and sign'ed the requisition, had proved too mighty rOr the greatest men the country ever produttl this was certainly a most discouraging consi deration; but as the Hon. Magistrate, in the further course of his remark, went on to state a particular griev ance, in which his interests bed been implicated, and also admitted, that the tithe laws, in their present state, were fraught with evils, he felt his drooping courage revive, as the very moderate share of common sense which is the utmost he ever pretended to lay claim to, whispered, that if admitted evils existed in any part of our laws or cus toms, it would be a bitter libel on our Constitu tion to say for a moment, that reform was im possible. They had always been hitherto ingeni ously persuaded that uothing could be done, and coesequently nothing had ever been attempted; but he hoped that the effects of this meeting Would be felt; that justice and reason would prevail ; and that it would at last be proved that some- ' thing could be done. But to return to the point. —The origin of the tithes in this country is a little obscure; it is believed to have been in or about 697, but it does not ap pear that any laws were made for enforcing their payment until about 797, when On, King of Mercia, granted the I tithes of his kingdom to the Clergy, and this was con firmed by Ethelwolf, about the middle of the 9th century. That the tithes were obta;ned by an arttul priesthood, working upon the superstitious fears of an unenlightened people, may fairly be presumed, as it is related by Spel man, that amongst other methods resorted to, in order to induce the people to pay their tithes, a Capitulary was made in the Synod of Frankfort, in 704, that in the famine which had recently taken place the ears of corn were found to contain no seed, the infernal spirits having devoured all, and that those spirits had been heard to re reproach the people with not having paid their tithes.— About the middle of the ninth century Ethelwolf further confirmed the grant to the clergy, and the infernal spirits never said any more about the mat ter that he had ever heard. So much for the origin of tithes. He now came to the manner in which they were directed to be divided and applied. Black stone, and others, tell us, that at the first establish meat of parochial clergy, the tithes of the parish were dis tributed in a four-fold division, one for the use of the bishop, one for maintaining the fabric of the church, one for the use of the poor, and the other for the officiating clergyman. Afterwards three divisions were alone made and it will be found that the division was required to be made before witnesses; and by 15th of Richd. IL, cap. 6, a portion of the tithes was directed to be appropriated to the use of the poor; and this Statute is confirmed in the strongest terms by 4th Hen. IV., in the year 1402. It seems, says Blackstone, in observing on those Acts, the people were frequently sufferers by the withholding of those alms fur which, among other purposes, the payment of tithes was oriainally imposed. Ile should now shortly call their attention to what he had every reason to believe was the state of the country when tithes were obtained, and indeed for centuries after. According to the best in formation he had been able to procure, it was certainly in a most wild and uncultivated state; the inclusures which had taken place only within the last two cen turies bore him out in saying, that at the institution of tithes, farming consisted in little beyond merely turning up the soil and scattering the seed in the rudest manner; the strongest land, and that which required the least trouble in cultivating, was selected, and after having been once cropped, was left quiet until it recovered of itself'. Land was plenty enough, and personal labour of little value. .Artificial crops, awl artificial modes of culture by ssaers- , &.r - 'Ass; - gt ov e n, 2like lteveu Vlat a great neat of the corn was imported. The cattle also partook of the wild nature of the soil and times, and the new Leicester sheep were, he took it, unknown. I What proportion a tenth of the produce of the land then bore to a tenth of the land in its present state, he should in some degree leave for their private consideration; but that the evils and burthens of the tithe laws had been more severely felt since the increase of taxation and the system of agriculture had been completely altered, was indisput able, and he did not think he could pursue a more effec tual method of proving this than by calling their attention to some of the calculations of a late Rev. and Learned Doctor, who was a most zealous friend to the tithe sys tem in all branches, anti who entertained great fears that -his Reverend Brothers were not sufficiently alive to their own interests. Dr. Bearblock, in one of his cal culations, as he understood it, certainly went pretty fir as he calculates the Tythes, as he was disposed to take them, at 2,000,000 more titan Mr. Pitt in 1798 calculated the whole rental of the kingdom ; and he differs but very little from one made by Mr. Colquhoun, in 1815 ; but in jus tice to the memory of the Rev. Doctor, lie was called upon to say, that in another calculation lie states that any sum not exceeding one-third of the rent would he a reasonable composition ; or, that in the event of land being given in lieu of tythes, the tythe-owner would be justly entitled to 3331 out of every 1000 acres in the kingdom, only one third of the land in the kingdom. All this without one word about the poor, and the repair of the fabric of the Church. Why, with what contempt this Rev. Doctor must have regarded the stupid management of the tithe holders in the earlier ages, who were content with only at first one-fourth of their tithes ; but lie hoped the Doctor had the candour to recollect, that possibly, stupid as the Barons and people were in those days, they might possibly have objected to the measure which would have taken one-third of the land at a blew. It was too much to attempt it at once, it was therefore left fur after ages to do; but although the Rev. Doctor and him self could not agree, yet he was obliged to him for his cal culations, as they afforded the strongest argument that could be adduced in favour of the absolute necessity of a reform and alteration in the existing tithe laws; fur he grieved to say, that the calculations lie had alluded to, ex cessive as they might at first sight appear, would, on a mi nute investigation, be found more correct than might be supposed, whilst the tithe laws remained in their present state. Indeed the titheholders' claims are indefinite, and in seasons like the present, he is almost the only person who gets any thing, the landlord might lose his rent and the farmer the profit his toils ought to make, but still the tithe owner gets his tithes, and is sire of them as long as the land is cultivated at all. He did not pretend to say hut that they had now continual instances presented to their view, of the clergy snaking reductions in their demands, nd much to their hononr it was that they did so, but still, the power to refuse reductions was in their hands. The landlord was a different affair, he must reduce, be cause the rent could not be paid, and lie had a perma nent interest in the laud, and it was bad policy to take all the tenant possessed. The titheholeder's was a very different case.—Bat to return to Doctor Bearblock and his calculation, there were two points that he ceuld not perceive, the learned Doctor bad at all touched upon ; perhaps they escaped his recollection, he meant the manner in which tithes were originally dis tributeil, and the capital now necessary to be invested in carrying on a farm: Most likely, as his business was only with the produce raised by the investment of that capital, he left the other calculation to a gentleman they all knew. That the land in many instances, was little more than the mere vehicle by which crops were produced, but that by extra manuring, and other methods not dreamt of in 856, or even in 1402, such lands will be made to produce tolerable crops, but mark the consequence,—•the Tithe owner claims and takes, not the tenth of the value of the land, but the tenth of the capital expended upon it.— Suppose:a man purchases an estate for 5,0001. and ex pends 5,0001. more in the improvements, the tithe-holder takes tithe of the 5,000/. expended, and the farmer's only consolation is, being told, you know it must be so; but the question is, ought it to be so? But they all know that attempts at improving lands often failed, and the i mprovers frequently sustained a very great loss instead of gaining profit ; still the tithe holder, without having incurred the slightest risk or trouble, obtains his ends. Suppose the improvement and putting in the crop, occasioned an expence of 100/, and that the crop, after harvesting, does not turn out to be worth more than 601., the titheholder gets 61., while the person who had► taken the risk and trouble loses 44/. Suppose the crop worth 1101. the titheholder take.. 111., and the farmer loses 11. But suppose the crop should pay 201. per cent., and tura out worth 120/., the farmer gets but 81., whilst the titheholder gets 121., two pound.' more than half the profit; thus the farmer is placed in a different and worse situation than any other speculator whateVer. The late Archdeacon Paley ihost justly observed, in his " Essay upon Moral Philosophy" But, secondly, agriculture is discouraged by every constitution of landed property which lets in those who have no concern in the improvement, to a participation of the profit. This objection is applicable to all such cus toms of manners as subject the proprietor, upon the death of the lord or tenant, or the alienation of the estate, to a fine apportioned to the improved value of the land. But of all institutions which are in this way adverse to cultiva tion and improvement, none is so noxious as that of tithes. A claimant here enters into the produce who contributed no assistance whatever to the production. When years, perhaps, of care and toil have matured an improvemeut ; when the husbandman sees new crops ripening to his skill and indur.- try; the moment he is ready to put his sickle to the grain, he finds himself compelled to divide his harvest With a stranger. Tithes are a tat not only upon industry, but upon that industry which feeds mankind ; upon that species of exertion which it is the aim of all wi.e laws to cherish and promote.' But before he proceeded any further lie wished particularly to claim the attention of those pre sent who might happen to be renters of land, because Ile was aware that attempts had been made, in order to induce them to believe, that in the event of any alteration in the Tithe Laws, the landlords alone would reap the benefit ; but he should think no reasonable or calculating man could be so misled. Suppose a man should take no estate, upon which the amount of tithe was certain, and suppose by an error in judgment he pays, fur an estate worth 1001., 1101. per annum. Now the farmer makes extra exertions and lays out an extra sum of money to make up the defi ciency, and the land will produce, perhaps 20 bushels per acre, by extra labour and manure, at an out-lay of 40s. per acre additional, and in return the farmer may perhaps raise five bushel,' more per acre, which at' 10s. per bushel gives, after deducting the out-lay of 40s. an extra profit of 10s. per acre. The titleholder takes only half the profit of his extra capital. But if the lank.' were tithe free, and a real rent charge or fined money commutation were paid, the firmer would then derive the whole benefit of the 10s. per acre for his extra capital, and this improvement would be very much encouraged. They would also bear in recollection, that out of every 101. paid for labour, one pound is paid for the titheholder. "It is labour" says Mr. Locke, in his Essay on Civil Govern ment," which puts the greatest part of the value upon land, witl.out wh'sit it would be scarcely worth anything. It is to that we owe the greatest part of all its useful pro ducts, for all t hat the produce of an acre of wheat is more worth than the produce of an acre of as good land which lies waste, is the effect of labour. Nature and the earth furnish only the almost worthless materials, as in them selves." The titheholder takes not only a tenth of the produce of the land, but also a tenth of all capital ex pended on land, and of all improvements. To take an example—a farmer, for the purpose of improving his breed of sheep, hires a ram for the season at 401., 50/. 601.—this is capital sunk, and the whole return will be in lambs, which are titheable ; now suppose his lambs in consequence improve in value 10s. each, the titheholder takes every tenth lamb, and so takes one•tenth of the ca pital expended, with its improvement. In many instances the same things may be said to be twice tithed ; for instance, hay is tithed, and the 10th taken, still the milk of the cows fed upon the remaining nine parts is tithed ; the same as to turnips. The tenth lamb is taken, still the wool of the remaining nine is tithed, And corn is twice tithed : it is tithed when first harvested but in tith ing the crop produced from it, no allowance is made for the quantity sown. In some parishes the composition is entered into upon the gross, that is, outgoing rate, and the consequence is, that on the event of an expensive law suit with another parish, an increase of poor-rates or other burthens, an increase of tithe is demanded ; the farmer is told that be must raise three rents off the land, to pay his way, but whether he can rise it off the land, or is obliged to pay from his private profits, still the tithe-holder's demands are the same. Indeed the less be gets in this instance, the more he must pay. The effects of the tithing system are moat prejudicial to the interests of trade, as well as to the agriculturists, as there are vast quantities of land that would pay for cultivating, if it was not for the demands of the tithe-holler ; and capital would be employed in cultivating lands of this description, in the same manner as in any other trade or speculation. The natural consequence would be, that a great encrease of em ployment would be provided for our labourers and mecha nics, and there would necessarily be a greater demand for our manufacturers. He would only trouble them with one calculation more ; a most excellent system had been lady adopted, and was getting very e . -esteral, that of giving small portions of Waste 11.112 to enable them to raise crops of potatoes, Sze, for their own use ; be advo cated this system and thought the greatest benefits were likely to result from it, in a variety of ways ; but if some alterations in the tithe laws were not . effected the plan would fail. To prove this, he would just read a statement and calculation, made by a man perfectly competent, and who was a practical man, and perfectly understood the question, Suppose a labourer was given an acre of uninclosed land with permission to inclose and cultivate it,—the following would, he believed, be found a pretty ac curate statement of the expellee and profits :—lt has been denied that the tithe system does pre vent the cultivation of unenclosed land ;—the fact is, that the tithe-holder receives all the benefit from the bringing into tillage of uncultivated lands, as will be seen from the following statements,—so that the letting out of small portions of land to the poor, of an acre each, according to the plan called " Cottage Economy," is be neficial, not to the poor cottager, but to the tithe-holder. Land, when enclosed and brought into cultivation, is tilled the first year into wheat, and the next to barley ; or the first year to potatoes, and the next to barley. On an enumeration of both methods, the tithe-holder alone is the gainer, and the farmer gains nothing, or is actually a loser, without taking into the account any thing for rent, or the heavy burthen of taxation he must bear. Ex penses of tilling an acre of wheat, in an acre of unen closed land. Pairing and burning £1 10 0 35 Bushels of lime at Is. 6d. per bushel 2 12 6 Preparing Lime 0 6 0 Ploughing .... 0 8 0 Hacking in 0 12 0 Seed Weeding 0 1 0 Reaping and Liquor Saving 6 14 6 Value of the crop, average IS bushels per acre, at 9s. per bushel—less by Is. per bushel ex pences of carrying to market and sale 7 4 0 Deduct expences 6 14 6 Return Tithe-holder takes tenth of value of crop, 71. 4s 0 14 4 Leaving the farmer out pocket 0 4 10 This lose the farmer hopes to make up by his barley crop, now therefore take the Expences of Putting in an Acre of Barley (second year's tillage) : Ploughing three times 1 1-- 0 Dragging, rolling, and sowing Seed Weeding 0 1 0 Cutting Gathering, binding, &c 0 3 6 Carrying Reed, and thatching Thrashing and winnowing 0 13 0 Total expences Value of crop, average 25 bushels, at 4s. per bushel 5 0 0 Straw not allowed for, because not allowed to be sold or carried off the land. Deduct Tithe on value of crop, 51 0 10 0 Net 'Return 3 16 0 Deduct expen ces Leaving a profit on Barley crop of 0 11 0 Deduct loss on Wheat on Ist year's crop 0 4 10 Leaving a profit on the two years' crop of only 0 9 2 and this without any allowance for rent, taxes, or risks, which is not as much as the outlay would have made at simple interest. EPn : _ ces of Planting an Acre of uuenclosed Land with Potatoesxe Paring and Burning Ploughing . ........................................ 0 15 0 Dragging and rolling Planting ............................................ Healing Digging Manure and carriage Seed 12 11 2 Total expense ..15 0 0 .. 1 10 0 Value of crop, at average of 100 bags at Bs. per hag Tithe, 10 bags, at 3s. per bag 13 10 0 . Deduct eipences 12 11 2 Gain to farmer Gain on second or Barley crop as before 0 14 0 Leaving a profit on the two years' crop of 1 12 10 and this without allowance or deduction being made for rest, takes, or risk ; so that the tithe receiver is the only perstm benefitted by the cultivation of unenclosed lands ; and they are not worth cultivation,. even rent-free, tax free, and risk-free, if the tithe-holder be allowed to take his tenth of the produce. Supposing the Potatoe, or first year's crop, to be but '7O bags an acre, at 3s per bag lO 10 0 Deduct tithe 1 1 0 9 9 0 Expenses of Potatoe crop l2 11 2 Leaving the fainter a lost!. on his first year's crop 3 2 2 No stronger argument than the situation of Scot land, as compared with Ireland, could be given.— Scotland was a poor country,—lreland a rich one Scotland was in the highest state of improvement ; Ireland, on the contrary, was in the most wretched state of cultivation. What occasioned this difference ? In Scotland there were no tithes. Ile was about to touch on dangerous ground. and might lay himself open to perhaps much animadversion—one charge how ever they could not bring against him with truth, that he entertained opinions which be was either afraid or ashamed to acknowledge. They had all their different ideas as to a remedy—the one he would point out had already, in some degree, been pointed out by Parliament. Under the new Inclosure Acts a seventh of the land had been allotted to the clergy, but in its uncultivated state ; he considered, that the 10th of the cultivated land would be a fair equi valent for tithes—hut as it would be inconvenient for a clergyman to farm the tenth of every estate, consequently he could only let it, and receive the rent like another landlord. He would therefore recommend, that the 10th of the rent should be paid to the clergyman—it would be a very handsome equivalent, as, at one time, they had only a third' of that. He did not come there under any feelings :of personal interest, and it might appear strange he should be so zealous ; but he would state, that two hundred acres of his property were tithe free ; and for the remainder, no dispute had ever arisen between him and his rector ; to whose open and gentlemanly conduct he begged to pay this public tribute of merited respect. He hoped the Clergy would not think too hardly of him, for attempting to take from them a dis gusting power, which could not be in unison with their feelings, and for trying to be the means of giving them one of a gentler description ; a power over the hearts, the minds, and the affections of their parishioners. He would fain see the clergy the friends, the advisers, the protectors, the consolers of their flocks. He would fain see them in culcate by their examples, that beautiful precept of their heavenly master, " love one another•." But this desirable state of things could never be accomplished as long as the present tithe laws were in existence. He had now in his pocket authenticated sdocuments to chew, that the litiga tion of tithe qutstions, in a parish in this county had cost the immense sum of 4,700/. The rector demanded 11,001., and at length consented to take 500/. He had now oniy to thank them for the patience with which they had heard him—not fsr ever he trusted—he hoped to meet them there again ; for as long as the limited powers lie possessed re mained, whenever any question which involved ,the inte rests of the people was discussed, he would limp to his post. Time and misfortune made sad inroads, and should this be the last time ke might have the power of addressing them, he intreated them that they would do him the favour to bear in their recollection, his parting exhortation—Perss.- vere by every constitutional means. If they were de feated they must try again. Reason and justice must pre vail. Again he would say—Persevere ! Captain BULLER (of Whimple), although lie did not sign the requisition, yet was not less anxious to give the question his most cordial support. He came before them as an independent freeholder to give support to the prayer of the petition, first, because he thought the discussion desirable ; and secondly, because he thought the correc tion of the evil practicable Tithes or Church property was held for uses which lie considered highly advantage • ors to the community. Ile had no objection to the pos session of the property by the Church, but he had to the se Ste collection; first, because it esntinually hrnugtit the Clergyman into collision with his flock; , _ and secondly, because it was a decided bar to the im provement of the land. The use for which tithes were intended to be directed were of the most beneficial kind, as affecting the well being and the morals of society;— it might he replied that these purposes were not always answered, and that the property of the Church was not always applied to its proper ends, but, though a very important question, this was not at present before them—that was a question of Church reform, and rei argument against the use could be brought on the ground of the abuse of tithes. That an amendment was practicable had already been proved by the application of the principle of commutation in enclosure bills. An instance bad come under his immediate observation, and he held in his hand a letter from a clergyman, speaking in the highest terms of it. It was not the object of the pe tition to point out the mode of redress, but to leave it to the wisdom of the Legislature ; yet he considered that the plan of a fixed corn rent, averaged on any certain number of years, would prove highly beneficial, as he had already seen it proved. By this mode the farmer would never be subjected to the dreadful injustice he at present felt; for now, if by the superior in dustry or the expenditure of greater capital he doubled his produce, he was immediately sub jected to double tithes ; an evil so glaring that it called loudly for redress. It was not his wish to disguise any objections ; and he was willing to al low that few clergymen were oppressive in their levies of Tithes; and taking it genera ly he believed that if the full value were attempted to be levied, the burthen would be:intolerable ; he was ready to acknowledge that he had called on the clergy to make a present sacrifice, but he would undertake to show that it must ultimately tend to their advantage ; for unless they made some sacrifice, im provements, such as inclosures could not take place; in calling on them to forego their claims en future improve ments, they could scarcely be said to make a sacrifice, for if such claims were still held, such improvements neither would or could take place.—( Hear, hear.)--He had only a few words more to say. He was warranted in saying that the gentlemen who brought forward this measure, did not mean to attribute the present distress to the tithes, however augmented by it. It arose from various causes. The country he eonsideied as standing in the situation of a spendthrit, who had borrowed and spent for a long period ; but now came the day of repayment.—(Cries of " Question.")—lt had been his lot to visit many countries, but in all that lie had seen, not excepting that boasted child of liberty, America, he had seen nothing that equalled his own; even in her distress England was great.—(Cries of " Question," and hear, hear, and applause.) Calls were now made for Sir Thomas Acland, but he did not come forward, on which Counsellor BIRD said, if their Members did not choose to come forward, he would. He did not know if he (Sir Thomas) came there to address them ; but this he knew, that he (Mr. Bird) came to Inert him. Though not a yeoman himself, he was the son of a yeoman, and he was proud to have been born and bred among them ; as he was confident they were not only the first to keep in the constitutional course, but to keep others in that course also. It was needless to go back to the origin of tithes, it was fur them now to meet the question like men. He thought, however, they had put the cart before the horse —(Loud laughter.) If it was the intention to petition the Legislature, they should make a House of Commons who would attend to them. One of their members, he understood, was attending his wife in her confinement.; if he was studying midwifery, he trusted it was fur the purpose of delivering the country from its dis tress. The Learned Gentleman objected to the petition being entrusted to Sir Thomas Acland for presentation to the House of Commons. The Learned Gentleman then proceeded to state that he had sometime: since entrusted a petition to Mr. Brougham to be presented to the House of Commons on the subjects of Trial by Jury, on Open Courts, on Clerical Magistrates, &c., and that Mr. Brougham had informed him that the House paid no at tention to petitions. That Mr. Hume then presented the petition of which lie had furnished Sir Thomas with a copy, and it had been reported in an Exeter Paper, a magisterial organ, that Sir Thomas said that Mr. Bird's petition was a tissue of untruths. That afterwards at a meeting of the Magistrates in Sessions, it was admitted that one of his allegations was true. Sir Thomas was present, and had then an opputunity of explaining, but did not do so. (The Sheriff intimated to Mr. Bird that he was out of order.) Mr. Bird resumed, saying he would leave the hustings protesting that the petition ought not not to be entrusted to Sir T. Acland to be presented.—(Cries f order, off, off, and great noise.) The Rev. Mr. Jones said that be regretted the attaek PIICIS OF SNARLS Tlll2 DAY AT ONE O'CLOCk. Paid. Par share. Anglo le, x. Min. Co. (ss. at Si. pm.) Xl OO 43 % 3 1 4 801-ne'*Mining co. .C,OO 480 471 13razillan Mining cu,,,i,aii, - 5 _ fiii Brazilian Imp. Min. Cu. (lie. at 51. pm.) £2O • ‘, BA Ditto National lO £6- ?7 1 4 Real del Monte Mining Co. £4oo 70 71 United Mex. Min. Co. (lee, at 21. pre..) £3934 18 Protector Insurance Comp ... 2 £1 13 0 PRICKS OF IRISH STOCKS, DUBLIN, JAN. 15 /Sank Stock Consols, 3 per cent Gov. Stock, 2% per cent. 99% National Ditto — Ditto, New — Patriotic Ditto — 4 per Cent. — ! Hibernian Bank 1 8 % Gov. Deb. 3% per cent.... 91% 'Provincial Ditto 24 Royal Canal Stock --; Royal Irish Mine j o ri f e lreland ....... 4% Grand Canal Stock City Deb. 4 per cent = l l M mi nP ei nr i ga lC o M. Rallut Office Deb. 4p. c 92% !Commercial Buildings — MAILS. Arrived. Due. Arrived. Due. 1 America 0 0 Hamburg 3 0 Brazil O Buenos Ayres ....... 0 0 Jamaica 0 O Carthagena. 0 0 Leeward Islands 2 Dublin 0 0 Lisbon I I Flanders 0 0 Mexico O France 1 0 Sweden 2 Guernsey &Jersey.. 0 2 Waterford ..... NIGH WATER. AT LONDON BRIDSZ TO-MOZROW. Morning ,t 7 minutes after P. I Evernng...39 minutes after 7. ett ;inn. LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, JANUARY 18, 1830. In our columns of to•day will be found a full report of an important meeting—for which we are indebted to that spirited and enterprising Journal the Western Times—on the subject of Tithes. We have no space to discuss the ques tion to-clay, but cannot forbear drawing attention to one singular circumstance alluded to by the Honourable Mr. NEWTON FELLOWES. It is beautifully illustrative of the blessings of the Tythe System. "He (the Hon. N. FEL LOWES) had in his pocket authenticated docu ments to show, that the litigation of tithe questions, in one parish in Devon, had cost the :immense sum of 4,7001. The rector demanded 11,000/. and at length consented to take 5001." This is just the twenty-secondth part of the sum demanded, or a composition of about tenpence three-farthings in the pound ! ! The French Papers of Thursday and Friday contain no news. FSYNCA Ft:rms.—Paws, JAN. 15.—Five per Cents., 108f.60c. 80c.75c. Three per:Cents., 85f. 85f. 20c. 10c. ; Bank Stock, 1,687 f. boc. ; Naples, :Stock, 94f. 30a. ; Royal Spanish Loan, 81i; Spanish Rentes Per petuelles, 62. Exchange on [Loudon, ono month, 25f. 60e. ; three months, 25f. 45e.—Couts Authentique. There is, perhaps, no part of our commercial law whose alteration would be so beneficial to trade as that relating to partnership. Though a capitalist cannot legally receive more than 5 per cent. for the loan of his money, he is neverthe less debarred from investing it in trade together with that of other persons, without making him self liable for the whole partnership debts. The consequence is, that people unused to business, especially small capitalists, are naturally cautious of engaging in industrious enterprises, in which, by the acts of others over whom they may have no effectual confront, they may possibly be tn.' terly ruined. Hence the productive industry d the country is seriously checked ; and, nuclei circumstances such as those which have so con. siderably reduced the rate of profit to be derived from almost all branches of business, it is obvi• ous that the evil is rendered so much the greater. A motion of Mr. POULETT THOMSON stands for next Session, to allow the formation of p a rt' nerships en commandite. This proposition sp• I I pears to have been suggested by the French lalf which, in this respect, our Legislature would hardly do better than take as its model. The Code de Commerce recognizes three kinds of partnerships; the first, en nom collectif; in which all the partners are liable for each other, as with us, and must all have their names ostensibly in‘ the firm ; the second, en commandite, composed of some partners generally responsible and act' ing, and of others liable only to the extent of the capital brought in by them, who are not al liberty to interfere in the business, or to publish their names in the firm ; and the third, called anonyme, being a public company, formed under the KING'S sanction for a specisi purpose, the members of which are liable only to the extent of their shares. The last of these answers to our chartered Companies ; the second kind of association is that which ough t to be legalized in this country. It would of course' embrace any number of partners, large or small. The material point to be looked after by the public with regard to partnerships is to have til e means of knowing who the persons are with w hore dealings take place, and whether there is a so f ' ficient amount of responsibility in the firm. Th e French code provides for this by requiring A il extract from the articles of all partnershe either en nom collectif or en commandite, to b e registered within fifteen days with the greffier the Tribunal de Commerce of the Arrondisse' ment, and to be affixed in the Court for thre e months for public inspection. The extract rno si specify the names, descriptions, and residenc es of all the partners, the firm of the partnershif h and its term, and must distinguish the aclid partners from those en commandite, stating Sh e amount of capital subscribed by each of tbe° respectively. This registration might be no de in England with the Mayor or principal me trate of the town, by partnerships carried on i s or near towns, and in smaller places with sot person to be appointed for th a t purpose ; should also probably be inserted in the GOO the object being to give the matter publicity. There is another part of the French p a rtne l i ship law worthy of notice, we mean that wh ic compels partners to resort to arbitration for 01 settlenient of their disputes among themsel° If the parties cannot agree upon arbitrators, the' arc named by the Tribunal de Commerce, a il' the award admits of only one app ea l, v i z ., to s h Cour Royale. Di. c,vd, oat partne l ship whose affairs are secure from bei lll ever engulfed in a Court of Chancery I ./ r bitration is of necessity the only means by whi rl justice can be done in cases of disputed accono ° of the nature of those in ninety-nine out of hundred partnership disputes. it would be act of the most provident consideration on the part of our Legislature, to prevent partners vi he are unfortunate enough to quarrel, from Inv , ing themselves in the additional misery of s he Lord Chancellor's place of torment. If our Partnership Laws be, in effect, der y mental to industry, by taking away from the ducement to enterprise, which is alleged to be already insufficient from other circumstances, tl is extremely important that they should be Ps ii on a footing that would hold out greater W oo' ragement to trade. To interfere witf a mane right to limit, by agreement, his liabiliy on 0' count of his, partners, is an arbitrary act at the best ; and if it cannot be shown to be i‘ecessid for the public security, amounts to an id e ust .o ' Now it seems to us clear, that it wonld be vita e~ safer to deal with a firm formed en comnsandi on the French plan, than with any partaersil ) on the present system, and more especially nci ° regard to bankers. If Mr. THOMSON'S MOO is brought on, as we hope it will be, little obr tion can be anticipated, unless it be from s' ll superannuated law politicians as old Lol / ELDON and REDESDALE. But the comae cial interest should especially take this mate up, and petition for relief, either in connect l with, or absolutely from, a repeal of the Us' Laws. There is no reason to believe that e Government is unfavourable to the change p' posed ; on the contrary,:the measure being P calculated to stimulate the industrious enere of the nation, seems precisely of the sort whs any judicious In dici e o x u e s cutin. Minister o would be very desert put Nothing of importance occurred in any °le Law Courts up to the period when we went to press. Mr. HOY is returned for Southampton. ---•- An agent of Prince LEOPOLD has beenv gaged, for two or three days past, in going round toe booksellers, and collecting for the Prince every world any authority, that has reference to Greece. Prince LEOPOLD left the residence of Countess of BitionswATEß, near Hemel Hampsteai o Saturday, and returned to his seat at Claremont. if Royal Highness pas,ed through London on his way. The Duchess of KENT has,• during the pi inclement weather, caused coals and food to be distria , by ticket, daily to the poor of Kensington and its b' bourhood. Lord STRANGFOAD continues seriousn dispos2d at his residence in Harley-street; but w est , . stand he has been pronounced out of danger. 3ne time his physicians bad given over all hope of pretiof his life. His complaint was an abscess on the liver tna•le on Sir Thomas Asland. The county were obliged to him fur coining forward to know the sentiments of his constituents on this important subject; when it was de cided whether the petition should be adopted or not, then was the proper time to call on the county member for his opinions. After the Hon. Newton Fellows, C. P. Hamly, Esq. and other gentlemen had spoken to order, the High Sheriff put the question as to the adoption of the pe tition, which was carried unanimously. After a few preliminary observations the Hon. Newton Fellowes moved the following resolutions. That the petition be presented to both Houses of Par liament. That the petition to the House of `..ords be presented by the Lord Lieutenant of the county. That the petition to the House of Commons be pre sented by the County Members. In reference to the last resolution the Hon. N. Fel lowes said that although Mr. Bastard was not present, he thought it right to intrust it to him, as he was pledged to follow in the steps of his uncle, than whom no man could be more zealous for be object then before the meeting. C. P. HA3ILYN, Esq., seconded the resolutions, because they were regular, but if their Members did not do their duty, he would be the first to opp.se them. The resolutions were carried almost unanimously. Counsellor BIRD here endeavoured to explain that be had made no charge against Sir T. D. Adam', in his pri vate character; for on that ground he would himself bear evidence as to his worth. Sir T. ACLAND said, that on a previous occasion, about this time last year, they had thought proper to ens trust him with the presentation of their petition on a great public question, and when his opinions wire known to be in opposition to its prayer. It was a guarantee of their confidence in him, for which he felt, and ever should ex press himself, highly grateful; and after such a compli ment, he felt great regret that any individual should deem him unworthy to do his duty. He was aware that public men were at all times liable to have their pnblc conduct called in question, nor did he mean to complain of the exercise of that right ; but he thought that no one ought to know better than lawyers what was the course fairly due to any ene put on his trial, that he should be pre viously made acquainted with the charges about to be brought against hi►n.—(Hear.) As a considerable time, about a year and half, had passed since the circumstances hid occurred to which the Learned Gentleman had alluded, he could not bear in mind the particular circumstances, but whatever they might be, he was confident he had made a °lain statement of what was the result of his in quiries on the subject. He could not give distinct answers to a charge at a moment's notice—(Hear, hear)—but he denied must positively having used the words the Learned Gentleman had imputed to him. In respect to the ques tion before them, it was one requiring the greatest consi deration. He would not act with proper caution did he not give it his serious attention, which it should certainly have; and he trusted it would be finally adjusted. se• curing the just rights of all parties.—(Great applanse ) Sir T. Acland concluded by moving a vote of thanks to the High Sheriff, passing some merited encomiums ou the readiness with which he had met the views of the Re quisitionists. Captain BuLLEa having seconded the motion, The Worthy SuEnisT returned thanks, expressing his approbation at the good order With which the Meeting had been conducted; and said it would ever be his plea sure to do his duty on all occasions. The petition is left for signatures in the Grand Jury Room, at the Castle. TRICKS OF STOCKS THI3 BEA Ytosk, 3 per Cent. Red. 9 4'4% 3 per Cent• Cons. 3it 4 E,; per Cent -- Ditto Bed. 100 7 , 41 14 4 per Cont. Ann. Ditto, 106 Ditto Scrip - sank 1.. Assn. Ditto 30 years India stock.... 23034 3134 3034 Ditto Bonds 73 74 pm. PRICKS OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY ♦T ONE O'CLOCK. Austrian Bonds — Neapolitan — Brazilian Bonds 71%% Peruvian Bonds — Buenos Ayres Bonds — Portuguese Bonds Chilion Bonds — Prussian, Old Colombian Bonds Ditto, 1824 ln% i Russia* Danish 7 6 1,4 Spa.nish,lB2l lO% 11 Greek Bonds... — 1823......... ............ Ditto, lik2s 35% 5 .;,*::5 French Rentes, 6p. a. —f. —a. Guatimala — Exchange —1 —f. Mexican Bonds —l— 3 per cent. —t. —r. Ditto, 1132 b 27% Exchange —f. —e. DAT AT ONE O'CLOCK. - -- south Sea Stock Old Annuities New Ditto 8i115,11,006 N. 77 76 pm. Ditto lid. 77 76 pm. Ditto ..512 U. '77 '76 pm. Ditto.. . ...... lid. 77 76 pm. Ditto Ditto.. 77 76 pre. Ditto lid. 77 76 pm. Bank for Account India few Account Cons. for Jan. 20 14% g BRIPPIN DEAL, J. the Alexand PorraMO croon, Smit FALITOUI the Sand nic - WATERY( Dickinson, Demerara ; Brunswick. Off the rare. The Tele near!. anti William an( l)( and to I from Berwi( to London, coates, witl gale on the The Ec lil put on shor( the 13th ins The Alac run on ihoro leaky, Karin The G.lh at Fara the The Asp( near Hadlet got off after Till oda I,: Flour a e r c tr r ohe i n v , of di ff erent 1 The fr ost ci busin ess on; may be repo top price of than of late Wheat, Red -- ---lIM - ..----.....W1ii ...-_____.... n For- e Rye .. Barley . Fine▪ „ Malt ...Superl Fine Pease, Grey ----- Maple Whit Boiler A ARIYA LS 0 From When Aldbormigb )baton .. " Bridlingto. ** * .. ClaY ......... , Colc hest( i.: Harwich a Leigh.. ,,, If aldon . GI Hull.,imsby •• .. .... lyswich ........ Dept ............... IP-700 ........ oole ..., ... South .... ..... Stockton • Wells ........ Whitby.::: ..... Woodbrid ..... Yar mouth g .. e .". Aberdeen . Banff ...... eundee ... .. hiernes; ....... I atm Cork .. Dundalk— Kilrush Limerick Waterford Youghall Fo*num liavre Leghorn New York ♦cansae Rye, 92—Tax rat T he h r is nu d ni sy: and tau ma porkers ; b u the car cass 1 of th e i r l as t tolerably bri pork, 2d. pe, PRICES P Inferior Beall Second qualit' _Plline large Ci mime Scots, Inferior Mee] Second quail t , oarse-woolle BouthdownW Beasts. 2;784 About 1400 about 8.50 fro] Norfolk, Sutll Kent and Susi kc 4 in the ni NEWG Beef mutton ** contri Pr " e nt our exception ° f Consols, 11 coo n , op ext en and for ' forward n Fo re i i lators yet bell' rl w is expected t} ;lank dia Stook Stock, Per Cent ( • b it ; e ite.dAticcecc A large l o t o L tr liag at 9 44 r esumed i Iltkt time. 14 the F It or 1., ePort to 'Pold is to e ilt le f C PCII-31 . b °,B ° l B 94 14 ° ' Or A c. 11 11 4 zilian Bo Ch, (3 's Ayr (.. 01 ' 4l l Do. \ 7 * D i , ke l count 1‘,,0f Wax, Li' ; 11 % VF ' A 'lpositi, a nd de~ntt• '),4t 4 anters ql k .,' 4 Y, at t ` -1 4 1 ; 41 an of s ta r " , head 't,:at We ;„ te • T h -, tit -L As; Y 4, 14 ) , 4 *tr e i Pltnied 1 0 . 141 ent, t t ti‘t s Ititerviev