The Press.
London, England, 1856-03-08 00:00:00

CHURCH RATES.

THE prime reason stated by the Government
for consenting to the Bill for the Abolition of
Church Rates is noticeable. The position
taken up by Sir GEOROE GREY is, that though
it may be very well to speak of the sanctity,
the antiquity, and the legality of Church
rates, yet the plain practical difficulty exists
that they cannot be enforced. What is this
argument worth when employed to justify
their abolition ? The reason why there has
never been a law for the enforcement of
Church rates is because the right was never
until lately questioned. As a people, we do
not devise remedies for contingent difficul-
ties ; we wait until occasion calls for inter-
ference ; and the consequence is, that our
whole system of law, politics, and religion,
has grown up out of the requirements of spe-
cial emergencies. A legal right is confronted
with a practical impediment. What is the
course which this country has always pur-
sued ? To abolish the right or to devise a way
for its enforcement ? Had the former been
the custom, it is difficult to say what
part of our Constitution or our law could
by any possibility have survived ; yet this is
the course which the Ministers propose to
adopt. Church rates, according to the opinion
of the judges, are binding on the whole popu-
lation ; but they are now to be abolished,

SATURDAY
9

i
because some parties refused to pay them.
What is this but to abdicate the primary func-
tions of Government ; to shun all esponsi•
bility, and to abatiddh a fight as soon as it is
questioned' Let us AupOose that a like kind
of diffieulty arose as tb the collection of Cus-
toms dr &wise; that so* kind of quibble
would he found by whits ft their collection
might he filsputea, &ea itlY one doubt that
the pr tidal eheelf vdie hot soon meet with
a practical remedy ? Bnt, conceding that some
change is necessary, and that there is justice
in the complaint of the Dissenters that they
are called on to support a Church with which
they have no sympathy, what would seem
to be the natural mode of relieving
them ? Surely, to grant their request.
Under the existing system, the grievances
which arise from Dissent are borne at least
equally by Dissenters and Churchmen. If the
former pays money to the Churchman, the
Churchman has the mortification of being
thwarted and overruled by the Dissenter. So
far the inconvenience is common to both, and
no reform can be just that does not relieve
both. But what is the proposed measure?
Were it not for the inveterate prejudices
which prevail on religious topics, all the world
would exclaim against it. Dissent is to be
relieved of its burdens and retain its privi-
leges ; and the Church is to lose its privileges
and retain its burdens. The Dissenters are
no longer to pay rates, but they are still to be
entitled to control over their expenditure.
The Church is no longer to receive rates, but
her services may still be exacted. If the
voluntary principle and the rights of consci-
ence are to be the basis of Church rate
abolition, let the system be fairly carried out.
At all events, let us not refuse to one man's
principles what we concede to another mans
pocket.

The Home Secretary is of opinion that the
Church would be a gainer by this treatment.
The system of exclusiveness would be highly
injurious. We rather think that if we re-
lieve Dissenters we must relieve the Church,
and if we unfetter her hands we must unfetter
her head—that is to say, we must leave her to
judge for herself in this matter. The free-
dom she has purchased by the loss of an im-
memorial tribute we must not attempt to
qualify.
-

It is questionable whether other than good
would come from drawing a broader line of
demarcation between the two parties. If
man is a Dissenter in earnest, why should he
want to interfere with the Church ; if he is not
in earnest, why should he merit indulgence?
Anythiug that should help us to discriminate
between these two classes would be of service
to religion.

No one can say that Government has dealt
with this question in either a dignified or com-
prehensive manner. Mr. DRUMMOND said truly,
that they had far better have brought in a
new measure of their own, than have attempted
to cobble up Sir W. CLAY'S Bill. Such a course
would have entailed responsibility. It would
have required the exercise of some degree of
foresight, principle, and administrative capa-
city ; and the Palmerston Cabinet preferred to
postpone the difficulty to the last moment,
and then to trust to the chapter of accidents.
It is impossible to discover, on the notion
avowed by Government, any need for a Church-
rate Bill at all. If the voluntary system is
to prevail, the voluntary system, by their own
account, is now in full force. Those parishes
only vote Church rates which are favorable to
Church rates. There is no compulsion in the
case. What more could the most ardent ad-
vocate of voluntaryism desire?
The conduct of Lord PALMERSTON on this
question deserves a concluding word. Last
year he voted against the Bill, and in the
minority ; now he votes for the Bill, and in
the majority. What is the reason of his
change?
A contemporary has been unable to discover
any principle of action in his career. But one
principle he seems to have kept steadily in
view—to avoid minorities. Whatever party,
or whatever side of a question, is hi the i!s-
cendant, may count on Lord PALMERSTON as its
adherent : he is ever strong upon the stronger
side.

MARCH 8, 1856.

What will those of our contemporaries who
have extolled his Conservative tendencies say
of his couduct ou this occasion—of his change,
not of opinion, for it would be ridiculous to
apply that word to him, but of action? We
have heard him cried up as a Conservative by
prints professnig to represent Conservative
sentiments. What do those journals think of
him now? With his facile politics descent is
easy. To keep on what he esteems to be the
winning side is his sole aim. Any transition
of what men esteem to be principle, opinion,
sentiment, costs him no effort, while it keeps
him in company with a majority of the House
of Commons.