The Express.
London, England, 1852-06-24 00:00:00

whom the chapter consisted, some of them being octopi-
narians. Well, on that subject he had nothing to remark.
He must say, however, that if it would be so painful to
them to restore him, they should have eonsidered that before
they dismissed him. Lord Justice Brun remarked on a recent
1101111.11634 that if it were disagreeable to trustees to continue
• present matter, they had an alternative ; and considering
that according to a calculation which he made last night,
the present members of the chapter and their relations had
received altogether, in the shape of dividends and incomes
from church Brims, no less than 200,000 i. from the cathe-
dral church of ltocheigee,be could not but feel that if it would
be so very disagreeable to them to have hint near them,
they might adopt a certain alternative. Supposing another
muter to be put in his place, and the boys to be restored
to their lust rights, as it was intimated that they were to be,
would any one deny that the alteration would have taken
place by his means and agency ? With what feelings
would the boys regard another master occupying the place
of one who had gained for them their rights ? lle could
not help n *king the omission of Dr. Addams to refer to tho
fact that Henry VIII. ordained that these boys were to be
maintained out of the cathedral revenues. He took his stand
upon this plain position, that, irrespective of rent charges,
it was the founder's intention that the boys should be
maintained out el the revenues ; and the neglect of the
chapter to carry out this intention was aggravated by the
fact that they had, from lime to time, when their own in-
terest was considered, ezpressed great reverence fur the
wishes of the founder. He then referred at some length
to the question of repairing the cathedral, for which pee-
ped* 531.65. waa set apart by Henry VIII.; and cited the
cases s.f other cathedrals to make out the obligation to apply
that amount. He then proceeded to argue, at some length,
that the Dean and Chapter had beneditted by the suppresaion
of various °Meet.

Dr. Lushington ohm. mod that there could not be a clearer
Proposition, than that if the revenue of the Dean and
Chapter was burdened with certain legal charges, end
some of those charges were evaded, the Dean end Chap-
ter benefited to that extent.
Mr. Whist= said that was all he had contended in his
pamphlet.
Mt. &roe Parke inquired whether the suppression of
the minor canonries wise not subsequent to the issuing of
the report of the Ecclmiartical Commissioners in which
sech a course was recommended.
Mr. Whims replied that it preceded the report. The
total receipts of the cathedral, on en average of 7 years,
were 7,0441. 16s. 811.; the average amount of the stipends
and salaries in the same period was 7971 13s. ; the total ex-
penses of the establishment were 1,6321. 18s. • and it was
clear that if the expenditure had been increased by the pay-
ment of stipends to liedesmen, and by lapesd payments io
exhibitioners and others, the surplus divided amongst the
members of the chapter would have been so much less. lie
would now address himself to the question of libel. In
order to make out that he was amenable to the law
of libel, it was necessary to show that be
had written fora malicious ransom ; Btarkie, the late Chief
Justice Tindal, Mr. Baron Parke, and Lord Campbell, had
all made übservations to that effect. Ile maintained that if his
charges were in the main false, the chapter ought to have
proceeded against him by criminal indictment. He was
even subject to emlesiastical censure, and might have been
ordered to do penance. The rev. gentleman then entered
into an elaborate argument for the purpose of proving that
the 'revue delietust, the commission of which was the sole
ground en which the router was removable, was not ap-
plicable to the offence of which he was accused ; quoting
authoritita to show that the expressions had reference to
crimes of the gravest character. Alter quoting an extract
from his speech in 1848, to show bow conciliatory
was his spirit at that period, and how little
ground there was for charging him with malevo-
lent feelings, the rev. gentleman continued thus :
My lords, I will not dwell upon what the chapter plead as
their excuse—the invariable practice of their predecessors ;
for, only 32 years ago, said the Bishop of London, very
many of the cathedral statutes are uoturiously disregarded,
although every dean and canon has taken a solemn oath
to keep all and every of them. 8o said the late Lord
Melbourne,—" It is scarcely worth while to preserve
bodies to perform duties which they have not performed for
300 yearn, while only a few months ago but one voice was
heard in the Commons of England against a measure con-
ceived and accepted in the spirit of the Bishop of Exeter's
declaration—that if the parties who are now members of
cathedral bodies shrink from tho performance of the
duties assigned to them, he should be very glad to abolish
those institutions altogether." And, if this be so,—if in-
stitutious founded with such care fortified with
such bulwarks—confided to such guardians—provided with
mesa, so ample—furnished with resources so abundant—

and placed in positions so commanding, have proved net
the strongest citadels of our Zion, not the most impreg-
nable fortresses of oar church, but her open weakness and
her uncovered shame, until her very friends have been
fain to well the cry of her foes, and have almost said,
" Down with them, even to the ground." My lords, if
this be so—and who can deny it ?—would the founders,
and. if not the founders, will you—l do not say dismiss
—I
will not my punish me, hut even breathe upon me
the most subdued whisper of the faintest censure, fur en-
deavours--hearty, sincere, and honest as they have been
—to avert a catastrophe so melancholy, to prevent an ever-
throw so humiliating and ignommious, by making those
institutions faithfully and truly whet their founders had de-
clared they meant them to be. My Lords, those founders
would not, and you cannot condemn me, except for an inordi-
nate crime—a very grievous immorality. They would not and
you cannot climates me, except for au aggravated delin-
quency—a gross violation of moral integrity; and I repeat
Imps that my martian; in integrity, haveen kept up in
sincerity, as they are eves now sustained by the conscious
new of that juntas which gives strength irresistible to the
feeblest, and amour impenetrable to the most unprotected,
while it unlocks the steel and unnerves the arm, and daunts
the heart of him where conscience with injustice is cor-
rupted. Bear with me then, my lords, if now at the last I
say that cheerfally have I spurned delight, gladly and con-
fidently have I lived laborious days in the task (I use the
words of one of the most eloquent of living men) of trying
to save from the operations of time and the worst injuries
of an interested malversetion some of those monumental
which yet remain to us of the genuine glory of our slices-
tors—trophies which they won in a pious and innocent
warfare, and left to commemorate triumphs unmingled
with sorrow, unpolluted by blood, and gained over the
worst enemies of the human race—ignorance and her r ro-
geny, vice. To labour in such a cause I feel indeed a
privilege, to toil is such a task I count indeed an honour ;
to succeed will in truth be • triumph unalloyed with
any feeling of wrong, unsullied by any act of dishonour.
untannehed by any word of deceit, untruth, or shame.
Refuse me not, if you have any regard for the credit of our
national justice; refuse me not, I say, that equity which is
granted to the meanest criminal who elects to be tried by
God and his consul ; remembering, in the words of a great
writer, As the man who attacks a flourishing establish- '
merit writes with a halter round his neck, few will be found
to attempt alterations, but men of more spirit than pru-
dence, of more sincerity than caution, of warm, eager, im-
petuous temper; so that if we are to wait for improvement
till the cool, the calm, the discreet part of mankind begin,
till church governors solicit, or ministers of state propose it,
I will venture to pronounce that without His interposition,
with whom nothing is impossible, we may remain as we are
till the renovation of all things." My lords, I have done ;
may your judgment be such as the universal acclaimer Eng-
' land will at once ratify, and that still small voice which
whispers in me unseen, tribunal of your own hearts never
condemn, and I have no fear or misgiving ea to what that
judgment a ill be.
The Bishop of Rochester—We will consider what judg-
ment we will give.