The Express.
London, England, 1862-04-03 00:00:00

chap. 12, such

timers liable to imprisonment. That your petitioners dad
that, by resolutions of the Four Inns of Court, dated In
1779 and 1794. they are precluded, as persona in holy man.
from being called to the bar. That the statute 5 and It
William IV., chap. 76, see. 28, makes your petlitamen
inadmimible u councillors or *Mertes° in any monied*
corporation. That the statute 41 Georp 111., amp. 11,
declass your petitioners ineligible a• candidates for • seat
is the House of Commons, and subjects them, if shots&
to • heavy penalty for sitting and voting sa rosaabass
thereof.

Mr. Borvtair proposes by his Bill to give back
to persons in the position thus described the rights
which they lost at ordination. Upon signing a de-
claration that he conscientiously dissents from the

doctrines of the Church of England, the Priest or
Deacon will be entitled to a sentence of depo-
sition from hokeorders,which the Bishop is torecord
in his registry, whereupon his clerical rights and
his civil disabilities are to cease simultaneously, and
he is not to be punished for committing any breach
of ecclesiastical discipline as a person in holy
orders. We do not exactly see why the intervention
of the Bishop should be necessary in order to
restore a civil status which the law, and its
organs, the courts, and not the Bishop,
keep the aggrieved person from resuming.
It is for the State in its sovereignty to regulate

the civil rights of all the citizens. It, therefore,
it should appear that the Bishops, or any of them,
object to take part in loosing what they or their
predecessors have bound, we should advise Mr.
Bocvws to respect their scruples, and proosed
without them.

The aim of the Bill is so wholly just and right
that when we have stated it we have said all that
can be urged in its favour. There needs no argu-
ment to prove that a man who has ceased to hold
the convictions which are a necessary qualification
for the clerical office ought to be able to retire from
that office free to exercise his abilities in other fields.
The measure is one of bare justice, and the scandal
is that it was not long ago made unnecessary.
Politically, however, we feel that this is its weak
point. Justice, simple and absolute, is the
horror of politicians. It injures some monopoly ;
it diminishes the number of anomalies, those idols
of our legislation ; it offends the genius of com-
' promise, and is so far unconstitutional, and, in-
deed, un-English. Upon the whole, therefore,

unless Mr. Burvmus can dash his Bill with a
little absurdity and inconsequence, we have small
hopes of its success.

Mr. Putts, on Monday, will ask theFirat Lord of
the Treasury, whether it is the intention of the government
to propose a rote for a national memorial to the memory of
his lt,,yal Highness the late Prince Consort.

THE ALPERT MEMoHIAL FOND.—The sub-com-
mittee of the memorial fund met yesterday at the likaika.
house. in the absence of the Lord Mayor, who wee en.
avoidably prevented from being present, Mr. Alderman
Culooel Wilson took the chair. It wu reported that the
total corn received was 43,32 a, of which 1,157/. had been

received dunog the past week. Mr. Goodman, the secre-
tary. reed a letter from the Rector of Fulmer, Buckingham-
shire. stating that he had made a collection in his poor
parish, sod the result was the sum of MX ls. 6d., for which
be enclosed a cheque. The amount consisted chiefly of
pennies sod twopence from the poor of the parka. A die-
carton arose as to the propriety of subscription aside being
issued, out the matter wu referred to a future santiag.

CoLLTATIoN or TAT MALT DUTY. —The depuistion
appointed at the meeting of maltaters recently held is Mark-
lane had an interview with theChanoellor of the Exchequer,
on Tuesday afteroooo, at his oflicini residence is DIVIITAPC
street, for the purpose of soliciting so extension of the
period of the malt credit to the period of twelve weeks. The
deputation was introduced by Mr. Cobbold, Y.P. le reply
to their statements the Chancellor of the Exchequer said the
question wee of coesiderahle importance, for the grating of
the prayer of the deputation would muse au aognientatscie to
the burdens of the country, and certainly he did not
think the House of Commons would be willing to impose
new taxes to till up the void in the revenue. With hie per
'wilt knowledge be could not see that any injustice was does
to the maltsters, but he would promise that their raw
should be fully inquired into. He would say, however, that
as far es the present was concerned, even the door for COD.
sideration was closed. He did not wish to trust to inaasory,
and therefore be desired that the deputation weak, pat *sir
argomente into writing is order that he might have the me-
terials for forming a correct judgment on the question.
A soiro',, under distinguished patronage, fur the
sale of works of art, ladies' work, he., with music and sing-
ing, will ho held as 'Monday evening, the 10th April, at
the Female School of Art, 43, Qessa-spiare, Bloomsbury,
in aid of the building fend. Lady Goldsolid, Mrs. Milner
(aeon, Mrs. Temple Bowdoie, Mrs. S. C. Hall, and other
ladies, have kindly promised tseetirt