The Press.
London, England, 1858-06-26 00:00:00

We fear that, as July ii-losiittbtlie door, it is
out of the question to expect positive legislation
,in illte preslntt sesfiof. But+Me 'ootline of
plattufal- be fotame, and made Viblic"; and thus
men's minds may be prepared: for actnal legiela.
tion in the spring of. 1859. In order to help
forward, as much as possible, the formation of
some such scheme, we shall now describe, as
ire ,110.01 thollracipal plans which
lbaye been at various: tirpoi,tbrought 'forward,
wtthin the last few years l, orttof which, probably,
there will be selected or compounded, before
long, a scheme which may ultimately be embo-
died in an Act of Parliament.

The largest most complete scheme we have
seen, is one which could only be brought forward
with a reasonable prospect of success, in a Con-
servative House of Commons ; such as we had in
1841, and such as we may have in 1859 or 1860.
It proposes,-
1. To fix a day for the absolute and entire
ceasing of all Church-rates
• te -1. 1,,,
2. To provide a substini the faliniing
manner :
By charging the maintenance of the fabric of
the parish churches upon the county-rate ; just
as pfisinikatd building are main-
tained.
• a. If . , .
By atitharizing the congregation to make a
rate, or to establish a pew-rent, among themselves,
for the internal expenses of the church.
By commuting the present obligation on the
rector to keep the chancel in repair, for a fixed
proportion of the cost of maintaining the whole
fabric.

By assessing upon the overseers of the poor a
proper proportion of the current expenses of
Divine worships in payment for that portion of
the pews or sittings which is claimed for the use
of the poor.
This plan, we repeat, is the largest we have
seen'; including more particulars than any other.
The last item, however startling it may appear,
is strictly justifiable. Can it be reasonable that
the Legislature shall claim one-half or one-third,
of the seats in a church, for the poor, without
providing, in any way, for a portion of the ex-
penses ? A church, to be kept open for Divine
service, requires certain attendants—a clerk,

organist, sexton, &c. There are also small ex-
penses, for cleaning, lighting, warming, &c.
Now, is it reasonable that the Legislature should
say, "'We must have cne-half (or one-third) of
" the seats in that church set apart for the poor,"
without at the same time saying, " and for one-
"half (or one-third) of the current expenses,
"you may apply to the overseer" ?
The above is, we repeat, the largest and most
complete plan that we have seen. But there are
others which effect the main purposes, without
embracing so many details. As, for instance,—

A Bill has just been printed, for the ca ssidera-
gun of the Meenhers of both liouses, entitled the
"Chord' Charge Bill." Ito provisiimis terg--

1. That after a certain day, to be named, no
Church-rate shall be made or levied in any
parish in England or Wales, except for the pay-
ment of existing debts or life-interests.
2. That all lands now rateable to the county-
rate shall be subject to an annual charge of two-
pence in the pound, to be called the Church

Charge. _
3. Such Church Charge to be paid by the
tenant, and deducted by him in the payment
of his rent, so a 9 to fall on the landlord.

4. The amount of such Church Charge to be
paid over to the Governors of Queen Armes
Bounty, who shall appoint a separate clerk sad
treasurer for the same.

5. Drafts upon this fund to be made by the
Incumbent and Churchwardens of any pariah,
accompanied by the Archdeacon's certificate.
This plan, if embodied in a statute, would
effectually settle the, question, relieve Dissenters,
and terminate the "Church-rate war." But we
should still require another enactment, to settle
the nature and duties of a church vestry ; and
to keep Dissenters, no longer chargeable with
the rates, from interfering in the application of
the money.
The "Church Charge Bill" we should be glad
to see passed in this session ; but the three or
four weeks that remain scarcely leave us room to
hope for any positive legislation on the question,
in the present year.
It has, however, been suggested thiit po4bly
a permissive Bill might be allowed to slip ththugh
the two Houses, if commenced in the House of
Lords, even in the three or four weeks that
remain. A Bill, we mean, of the folloiving
kind :

LU.

1. In many rural parishes, the Lord of the
Manor would be prepared to endow the church
with a small sum—say 301. or 501. per annum—
for its necessary expenses, if the law allowed him
to do so. In this way, in many parishes, the
whole question of Church-rates might be set at
rest for ever.

2. In other places, there are, perhaps, two or
three fractious Dissenters, who keep up per-
petual war with the church, and opposevery
rate. Yet their landlords may be the Dean and
Chapter, or a College
Churchman.
willingly take
themselves, and

A measure, ;
he proposed—

1. To allow
with an annual
per annum, for
church. Let

College in Oxford, or an earnest lay
Either of these, • • would
the Churcol. (41. *
td so end th "4. • •
• • • ••-
merely pernvklia •.
landlords
,
payment, es , . , .
• -
For the c . • , ' ,!fe
-
us suppose • t 14as 4.:• lea