The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-07-19 00:00:00

WEDNESDAY.

Mr. Diumiti, in the absence of Sir .7. Trelawny,
moved the second leaning of the Church-rates Abolition
Bill.
Mr. Du CANN moved to defer the second reading for
six months. He urged at considerable length, with fin-
eney and force, what have now become almost the com-
monplaces of the Church-rate advocates.
The amendment win seconded by Lord R. MONTAGU.
Mr. BAIN Na 4 said, he stood up avowedly as • Dissenter,
as one who did not approve the union of Church and
State. He contended that the followers of every form
of faith should support their own Church, and all sects
of Dissenters did maintain their own ministers and their
own places of worship.. This question to Dissenters,
therefore, win one of plain justice and conscience, and
it was neither nght nor decent to compel them to
pay for the support of an establishment from which
they derived no benefit, and which they did not

- -
approve.
Mr. ADDEILLET Coniiidered that Mr. Baines had offered
no vindication of so violent • 'oceanie. which swept
away Church-rates altogether, saying that those who
wished for them 'should not Lave them. The law of
Churth-rates was founded upon • common law liability,
but the rate could not be lev.ed without the consent ot
the majority. He was of opinon that it would be better
to 00140 agitation of this question, and leave the matter
as it was.

_
Mr. Mitcoit, in support of the Bill, argued that the
abolition of Chureh-rakm, wilds it would redress injus-
tice, terminate heartburnings and restore peace to the
Church, would leave ample reaouroes, for the repair of
its fabrics in voluntary contritutions.
Mr. PACK! suggested as • moon why this Bill
should not be proceeded witk, that there was a coin-
Iliittee now sitting in the other House which was about
to take evidence as to how this •itieetiee could be beet
settled. .

Lewis, premising that Church-ratee differed
in character (rota other local rates, being a voluntary
rate, depending upon the vote of the vestry, showed the
manner in which it operated. The grew amount re-
ceived was £6Bo,ooo,comisting of Church-rate L'262,001.1;
special endowment., £4t,000; and voluntary contribu-
tions, 4:269,01.10, being larger is amount than the Charch-
rate. The whole question, therefore, related to about
2280,000. The total sessesment for the county-rate was
kb4,000,000, so that the poising Chursh-rate did not ex-
ceed 24. in the pound. Tbe objection to the rate, there-
fore, could not be on account of the severity of
tiurden ; it was mainly • conedentiote objection, founded
upon principle. The remelt was that while in • vast
inejority of the excicsively rural parishes Church-rates
encountered little or no objection, in • large number of
towns they were withheld. Hence, owing to this differ-
..., attempt to leery one uniform rate in all
parishes, rival and town, would break down. In the
event of the Legislature paring the moaners he thought
it might be possible to eMaliNth an organised parochial
system, which would facilities the receipt, custody, and
.th.j.j.e.mcebef • voluntary rats for the maintenance
of church fabric.
Lord Eutawf observed that the abolition of Chureh-
rates in 'relend had had the effect of strengthening in-
stead of weskiming the Faleblialied Church.

Lord PALIIIIMSTON said, although he had never hither.
to voted for a Bill of this character he was ready to vote
for the second reading of this Bill. He had thought and
still thought it essential to the horour of the country
and to the interests of religion, that the fabrics of our
churches should be maintained, and if it were pusaible to
continue these rates he should have preferred it ; but
when he saw what public opinion upon this question A
present was, not only out of doors, but in Parliament,
he could not set his individual opinion in opposition to
it. When he considered what voluntary contributions
had accomplished in building. Mid repairing ili.trict
churches he asked whether it was not possible that parish
churches might not be so niaintained ? He believed
that they might be, and that the abolition of the rates
would remove a 301111:0 of acrimonious contention.
Mr. DienaLLl ironically complimented Lord Palmer-
ston upon his frank avowal of a change of opinion, but
the omestion was, he remarked, whether, having changed
his opinion, lie hail indicated any course that would jus-
tify the House in recognising hits as one competent to
recommend a policy so different from that lie had hither-
to followed. Was the course which the Governmenb
were taking a safe courr..e ?
Lord J. ltessEtt stated that the progress of public
opinion had become entirely favourable to the abolition
of Church-rates. The circumstances of this qaestion
hail materially changed of late years. The Established
Church, to his very great satisfaction, had become meek
more popular, and the amount of voluntary contribu-
tions for new churches and the endowment of ministers
had been large, while that of compulsory Church-rates
had diminished. Was it not probable, he asked, in
them circumstances, that, if the rates were aboli:bed,
voluntary contributions would amply suffice fo maintain
the parish churches in repair.
I'pm a division the second reading was carried by 263
to 193.
Several Bills were forwarded a stage, and the Hoye ad.
journed at half-past 5 o'clock.