The Press.
London, England, 1853-08-20 00:00:00

No. 16.—VoL. I.

g4t 'puss.

LONDON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 1853.

AT the date of the latest intelligence the note
of the Four Powers had not reached Con-
stantinople, and Ministers are responsible for
its possible rejection by the Porte, Eyler it had
been offered to the consideration of Russia.

The imminent occupation of Servia by
Austria increases this responsibility by ren-
dering this possible issue more complicated.
But, assuming that a pacific result is at-
tained, the question remains—was it attained
moat speedily and permanently by pressure
upon Turkey or pluck towards her invader?

This question has been thrust aside by the
Ministerial organ, to impute to Lord NALXES-
BUSY the conclusion of a convention with the
absolutist powers, and its conceahueut from
France. The unexpected retort that France
was informed of, and had reason to be per-
fectly satisfied with, the proceeding thus dis-
torted has been mot with bravado. But Lord
MAPlEsnuar is in the Highlands, and the
imputation, therefore, is safe for two or
three posts, the average currency of such
statements from this particular mint.

be the character of Great Britain and the
balance of power in Europe, and the great
interests of liberty and civilisation, were not
deeply involved, we might say the solution of
the Eastern question, as explained by Lord
JOHN RUSSELL on Tuesday, was simply ridi-
culous.

After a long and grave silence—after signifi•
cant appeals to Mr. LAYARD, importing and
portending great results—after a congress of
the representatives of the European Powers,
with negotiations and messages and notes,
during the season for energetic measures—the
solution is this : the united fleets of England
and France, instead of moving from Besika
Bay to the waters of Constantinople, may
retire to Salamis and Malta ; and the armies
of Russia may retire beyond the Pruth ; but
neither process is stipulated for or is treated
as material to the issue, which is confined to
the acquiescence of the Porte in certain pro-
posals upon which Russia has been previously
sounded, and which the Ministry have thank-
fully ascertained are acceptable to her.
The debate on Tuesday was not, however, so
pacific as the contemplations of Lord Jon
RUSSELL and his colleagues. Exhausted as it
is, the House of Commons evinced more spirit
than its leader. Every speaker, except Mr.
COBDEN, vigorously assailed the Government,
and even he, the only apologist of the Ministry,
received a castigation lroni Lord l'AutzturroN
for supporting his aolleaguos. Sintultuneouely
the spirit of tiuglan4 has shown itkolf in the

LONDON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 1853.

tone of most of the organs of public opinion ;
and it is obvious that Englishmen of the
present day feel, like their ancestors, that the
blessings of peace are purchased too dearly, and,
cannot be seeured permanently, by the sacri-
fiee of national honour.

Notwithstanding the Ministerial icservo,
some matters of considerable it nportance trans-
pired through Lord Jon N RINSE LI:14 speech.
It is admitted now, for the first time, that
the question regarding the Sacred Places was
but the pretext for Russian aggression. Lord
JOHN RUSSELL states that in April last Lord
STRATFORD was informed by the '1 urkish Minis-
ter that new demands had been made by
Russia, with the ignominious requirement
that they should be concealed from the know-
lege of Great Britain and France. Turkey,
with her characteristic good faith, communi-
cated them, notwithstanding, to her allies. But
Lord JOHN RUSSELL, Oh Tuesday did not express
himself with the indignation befitting a British
Minister addressing the British House of
Commons as regards this discreditable at-
tempt. It appears, too, that what Lord JohN
RUSSELL declares to be the undoubted right of
Turkey to consider the occupation of the pro-
vinces as a eases belli was waived by that.
Power under the pacific influence of Lord
ABIRDIEN, a counsel of which he Is entitled to
take the ehanee fruits if he dared to assume its
certain responsibility.
In conclusion, we learn that should the Sul-
tan ref Use to accept, or require any modifi-
cation of, the note proposed by the four
Powers, the previous communication of that
note to Russia tends, as suggested by Mr.
LAYARD, to complicate this responsibility with
conflicting obligations. The Ministers are
not, indeed, absolutely concluded by their re-
commendations, for they have not acted in the
matter as arbitrators; but Lord ABERDEEN
may find himself in a position towards
Russia which may be inconsistent with the
liability he has contracted on behalf of
Turkey. In any event, and whatever may be
the issue, he and his colleagues are at length
exemplifying the spirit of " self-sacrifice " in
which they professed to take office. For them,
their conduct of this business is a voluntary
abandonment of their credit as English states-
men ; while for the interests for which,
as Russian diplomatists, they are providing,
the substantial question, as Mr. LAMED stated,
is " not settled, but only deferred."

PRICE SIXPENCE.

it was laid down authoritatively that a
chumhwarden alone could not make and mile II
rate against the will of the parishioners, even
though for the necessary repairs of the conse-
crated fabric—a ►claim to that effect having
been put forward, and the state of the law
being up to that time so doubtfld that Dr.
Luau INUTON, in his judici►►l capacity, felt him-
self bound to intim the validity of the act.
The ecclesiastical litigants, dissatis-

nataially
tied with their defeat, renewed the contest
without delay. A vestry was again called in
Braintree—a. rate again proposed—the pro.
posal defeated—evidence of the necessity
adduced—and the churchwarden, acting in
this instance with the defeated minority of the
vestry, prooeeded once more to collect the
amount so decided upon by the usual legal
means. This second question has run the
gauntlet office tribunals, and is now settled in
favour of the recusant parishioners, and against
tho churchwarden.

The consequences of this suit are prat.-
tically of considerable importance, though
less so than they would have been before the
good sense of the parochial clergy had led
them to resort as generally as they now do to
less obnoxious methods of raising the needful
funds for church repair. For, according to the
strict theory of the law ea prsviuusly under-
stood, vestries had von, little tight of rofusiug
to pay whatever burden might be laid upon
them. It was, at least, dolibtfitl whether the

ecclesiastical officer had not individually, in
case of refusal, the power to tax them ; and it
was certain that, in the event of the church
falling into disrepair through , neglect, the
whole parish might be punished for their
contumacy. But the latter mode of action
has long been abandoned as vexatious and im-
practicable ; and the former is now ascertained
to be contrary to law. Hence, for the future,
both in theory and in practice, every parish
is allowed to decide for itself whether it
shall, or shall not, keep its chump
buildings in repair. But this is, in tact,
though not in name, a recognition of the
" voluntary principle ;" the only compulsion
being that which the majority within the
parish may exercise over the minority also re-
siding therein. Of such eompulsion it does
not seem to us that members of the National
Church have any right to complain. They
receive value for their money. They are only
doing that which, by somewhat different ma-
ehinery, every dissenting congregation does;
for every dissenting congregation supports its
place of worship by payments to which all ex•
cept the poerest members contribute. The
ease is different as regards dissenters. Their
claim to exemption, tot a matter of right, can-
not, indeed, be asserted eonsistently with the
theory of a national establishment ; but RS a
matter of expedieney—as a means of avoiding
discreditable quarrels, which often terminate
iu defrat—the clergy would do well to acquiesce
in, if not to demand, a change in the existing
law. For how does that law operate ? Simply
in the great towns, and throughout the manu•
factoring districts generally (to say nothing of
many rural parishes), to prevent tho levying
of any church rate whatever. Voluntary
efforts are paralysed by the existence Of a
compulsory power. Than this, no result in
physioal science is more certain ; and the
compulsory power avails nothing—it is a name.
not ronlity.o-3 majority of tko vestry 3053'
defeat —Yrhatio.lna lawsnita nioy defeat