The Express.
London, England, 1852-08-14 00:00:00

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TD CORRESPONDENTS.

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T.voamor—Korrug. lb 0.. Anerseas. 21. 6.a.

! ONDON, SATURDAY. ALWUST lt.

SCARCELY has the excitement occasioned by the
political elections ceassd, when the clerical elections
begin to disturb the social atmosphere. The scene
d action ha. changed front the hustings to the
vestry. The clergy arc all busily occupied in send-
ing representatives, or proctors, as they are called,
to Convocation.
Now it would appear to the uninitiated that there
is something rather irrational, not to say childish, in
the agitation manifested by our clerical friends. Nay
we are inclined to think that there is some small
share of irreverence involved in many of these elec-
tions. 'file speakers talk in a magniloquent manner
of the holiness of the business for which they have
met, of its vital importance to the cause of religion,
while at the same time there is not one
of them who does not know, that the so-called mire-
mutative for whom he votes is a man of straw, that
the Convocation to which he sends him is a farce.
He knows that on the day of the meeting of Convo-
cation, the Archbishop of C.ANTERBCRY, ace-mpenied
by his oflh ials, will proceed to the Jerusalem Cham-
ber to meet the clergy, that some few formal preli-
minaries will be disposed of, that one or two Bishops
will present a few petitions which will be read and
laid on the table. Ile knows that while these pro-
ceedings arc taking place in the Upper House, the
Lower House will get up a debate in which the
rights of convocation will be maintained in language'
which will not stop far short of exaggeration, and in
the midst of this the members will be summoned to
the Upper House, where they will have to listen to
the QUEEN'S advocate dismissing them in something
like+ the following terms:
In the name of God, amen. We, John Bird, by Divine
Providence, Archbishop of Cantetbury, Primate of all
England and Metropolitan President of the present Pro-
vincial Synod or Convocation of the Bishops end Clergy of
the province of Canterbury, do by this present writing pro-
logue the said Sacred Provincial Synod, until, Btc.
It is very well known, also, that on the day men-
tioned as that to which the Convocation is prorogued,
the members will be summoned and dismissed in
precisely the same manner. If, then, the duties re-
quired of them afford a means of judging of the
qualities requisite for proctors, we should consider
that the business of Convocation might be very
safely entrusted to the most incompetent clergy of
the respective dioceses.
The prorogation of Convocation, as we have de-
.scribed it, has been the custom for the last one
hundred and thirty. years. If the advocates for the
restitution of its original powers to that body think
that any alteration in that custom will be made at
the next meeting, they are giving her MAJESTY'S
advisers credit for a degree of infatuation which they
certainly do not possess. No ministry could be mad
'enough to advise her MAJESTY to open, without due
'deliberation and precaution, an arena where the
, bigoted of all religious parries in the Church would
;have an opportunity of meeting and setting in mo-
tion all the elements of theological discord.
So far, then, as any change in the usual proceed-
ings of Convocation is concerned, the present agita-
tion is useless, and, being useless, necessarily mis-
chievous. The clergy who are engaged in it are
' unsettling the public mind for no purpose. But, it
will be answered, this agitation proceeds upon the
hope that Convocation will, some time or other,
resume its active functions. To which the reply is,
that the appeal must be made to another quarter
than Convocation itself. The advocates for the re-
vival of the Synod in an active shape will have to
make their case good before the whole body of the
church, and a slight glance at a few of the proceed-
ings at the elections which have taken place within
the last few days will show that the advocacy most
be entrusted to very different hands from those in
which it is placed at present, before an impression
can be made upon the judges. It is evident that the
speakers at the meetings held the most contradictory
opinions upon the subject upon which they were
exercising their eloquence.
For instance, Archdeacon WILBERFORCE decides
to allow the votes of stipendiary curates at the elec-
tion of proctors; whereas Chancellor WALES rules
that the privilege of voting was denied to curates
by a Convocation held three hundred years back.
Here are the highest authorities at variance upon
the all-important question of the constituency of the
electoral body ! question of the constituency of the
electoral body! rwo of the Archdeacons in a dio-
cese send a summons to attend to each of the clergy
men in theirarchdeaconries ; another sends no sum-

Ebonies at all. Some of the clergy are of opinion
that the laity should send representatives to ay.o-
cation ; others believe the custom anti-catholic, and
therefore not to be admitted.

It would be useless, however, to chronicle
the whole of the divergent opinions expressed by
the advocates for the revival of the active functions
of Convocation. Enough has been said to show that
such a revival would have to be preceded by grave
deliberations as to the constitution of the electoral
body, the propriety of having lay representatives, and
other points concerning which there is the widest
difference of opinion. In the meantime, before any
revival can he decided on, the advocates must be bur-
dened with the onus of proving that the circumstances
of the times are such that there is no danger of a re-
newal of those scenes which justified the suppression
of Convocation one hundred and thirty years ago.
This proof they cannot give. From the year
16M4 to 1720 the Convocation was the bear-
garden of the church. A perusal of its history
will show that during nearly the whole of that
period its time was occupied in controversies, which
disturbed the peace of the church, and which were
argued with a virulence which proved that the dis-
P
utacts had lost all sight of the holiness of the pur-
pose fur which they were amsembled. Convocation
opened the wounds of the church, displayed them to
the world, but never healed them. Polities were
ever being smuggled in, under the guise of religion,
and questions which would have been argued with
dignity in a political assembly, excited the most
violent passions in the minds of men burning
with the odium theafreficum. In the space of
little more than thirty years, Convocation
proved most triumphantly its utter incom-
petence to legislate fur the church, and it was eup-
pressed, with the concurrence of all ;except the 1
angry disputants. What ground can there be for
the assertion that there is no likelihood of a repeti-
tion of such events. Are Exeter Hall and Oxford
less violently opposed to each other than the High
and Low Church of the last century? Is the boun-
dary
which separates the two gnat divisions of our
clergy on the question of the sacraments, church
discipline, less strongly marked than when I
the rival factions had liberty to tight out
their battles in Convocation ? Certainly not.',
The same theological differences exist as formerly.
The saute lauwiuns are at work now as then. The
minds of the clergy will be called off from the pious
workin which they ought to be engaged in their
several parishes, and they will become unconscious
backers of theological combatant,. The nation will
become again disgusted with the quarrels of those
who ought to be teachers of peace, and a similar
judgment will be pronounced upon the clerical din-

putants u silenced them formerly. The clergy will
have lost ground, the church will be lowered in the
eyes of the people, and the promoters of Convocation
will have themselves to thank for having occasioned
a damage to religion which it will take a century to
repair.

Tile reports of the Great Western and North Wes-
tern Railway meetings disclose the important fact that
a proposition has been unanimously made by the
North Western to the Great Western Hoard for an
amalgamation of the two companies; with the
further suggestion that " the Midland Company be
invited to concur in the arrangement generally in
manner and in terms to be settled with them."
To this proposition the Great Western has, it
seems, given a very cautious reply. First of all it
says that the proposition comes rather late to be
really useful now that the Companies have in their
rivalries spent millions that an union some years ago
would have saved; next it is of opinion that amal-
gamation is not •he hest manner of settling present
disputes and contests; thirdly, it doubts whether
Parliament would sanction such a junction ; fourthly,
it argues that the money terms of amalgamation can-
not he fairly fixed until the traffic of its new lines
he tested; and, lastly, it has its fears whether nego-
tiation on the subject may not damage its parlia-
mentary ease for legislative sanction to those Shrews
bury arrangements, whereby it still hopes to reach
the Mersey and compete for the Liverpool traffic.
Into the struggles and rivalries of these two great
companies, or of any others, it is not our practice to
enter, further than to describe the progress of their
competition. For so long u the supineness and the
indifference of the great bulk of their proprietaries
allow these wars to be originated and continued,
they who suffer most by them are, after all, most to
blame; and the public, it is quite clear, is anything
hut damaged by rivalries that furnish it with greater
railway accommodation at cheaper rates. Railway
directors arc but mortals; and once fairly in a great
contest, their passions become excited, their fears
and apprehensions exaggerated, and their plans of
assault and defence grow in magnitude and costli-
ness, until at last there seems to be no door open to
at-emendation and peace, but some great scheme of
this sort. And thus it will go on, whilst
legislation on the subject of railways is all
hap-hazard, without plan, system, or principles :
the two houses having no uniformity of action, and
not even the same standing orders; so that while
the Commons pass on full examination of its merits
a bill, the Lords reject it on some preliminary point
of observance by its promoters. It is this legislative
uncertainty that gives encouragement to railway
contests.

In the presence of this cause, arising in Parlia-
ment itself, we have never been disposed to blame
railway directors too severely for that competition
which, though it has reduced dividends, has largely
extended the railway system ; and if the proposition
now made by, the North Western is only an evidence
that the board of that great line is tired and wearied
of a system of rivalry, the beneficial results of which
to the public have certainly reached, if not passed,
their utmost possible limits, that proposition is of
good augury. In any other light, and as a practical
measure, it is, however, one that requires the very
gravest consideration before it can possibly receive
the sanction of the public.
When government tried a few years ago to gain
some little power over railway accounts, the attempt
was resisted by the Companies and disapproved of by
the public, chiefly because of the power any such in-
terference would give to the government over our
railway system, which in its origin was purely popu-1
; of the danger to efficient service likely to be'
involved in that power, and of its being a breach of
the conditions on which subscriptions to railways
had been based. Now it is quite possible to create a
great railway power unconnected with the govern-1
Int nt, which is able almost to control the government
and Parliament as to railway policy, and shall also
be able to domineer over the interests of the public.
And in considering Mr. GLYN'i proposition, that is
the first danger to be guarded against.
In favour of that proposition a class of arguments
may be brought to bear, which, pushed to their legi-
timate
conclusion, will be found to support a com-
plete transfer of railway management to a central
board responsible to government. These are the
considerations of economy of peace, of centralised
authority, and of uniformity of system—the profits
derivable from the absence of competition, from the
opportunity thereby given of charging full rates, and
from the possibility of carrying on business with
smaller rolling stocks. These, we say, are all argu-
ments which, it applied to this proposed amalgamation,
may be carried much further, and applied to other
purposes, than either Mr. GLYN or Mr. Russet',
desire. They are a two-edged sword, that may
equally wound those by whose hands it is wielded as
the enemy.
It is a popular belief,that railways have already too
great a power over the public; and any such amalga-
mation as that proposed would certainly greatly fortify
that opinion. For just let us consider the position
of these three Companies. Already they have a paid-
up capital of not less than fifty-two millions sterling,
with further powers of raising money still unex-
Masted. Their union would therefore constitute by
far the greatest corporation yet known—its capital
would be the largest—its proprietary would be teethe
most numerous—its field of operation would be far
the most extensive—and the influence derivable from
its expenditure, its patronage, and its proprietary,
would be enormous.
The number of miles of railroad in the actual pos-
session of this amalgamated corporation would be
certainly upwards of 1,400; whilst the additional
mileage under their control would probably be other
400. Now, on a large part of this mileage the public
has at present the advantage of competition. Unite
these Companies, and competition would cease, and
by its cessation, a heavy additional pecuniary bur-
then would be imposed on society and on corn-
mere*. By their separation and distinct existence,
a number of small lines are able to maintain
positions of independence. Unite them, and the
independence of these lines must fall; they, too,
will be absorbed into the common system. Then
each of these three great lines has in one direction or
another a rival company not included in this sug-
gested arrangement. Unite them, and the whole
force, power, and influence of the three combined,
will be brought to bear, to the destruction of incor-
porations, the public utility of which was recognised
by the legislature in the statutes which give them
legal life.
By such an amalgamation the traffic of the coun-
try from Plymouth and Swansea and Holyhead to
Glasgow and Aberdeen would be placed in the hands
of one company. All the great towns of Englind—
London, Liverpool, Bristol, Birmingham, Manches-
ter, Derby, Leicester, and Leeds—would come under
its monopoly. The independence of the Eastern
Counties, of the Great Northern, the Yorkshire and
Lancashire, the York and Berwick, could not long
be preserved. Gradually they would yield and be
absorbed ; until at last the Briarean arms of ono
huge irresistible incorporation would cover the face
of the island.

All this involves not merely arrangements be-
tween three competing companies, but an entire
change in our system of railway policy ; and that, it
is clear, cannot be allowed to pus through Parlia-
ment merely as a private bill. It is a public mea-
sure, needing at beet public discussion.

•
ROBBERY AT NEWCASYLIC BY A TRIDENMAN AND
Ins Wi rn. —On Thunday,Anthony Y. Barron and his wile
were brought before the Newcastle magistrates, and
charged with the commission of robbery under the follow-
ing circumstances : —The prisoner Barron is a muter cabinet
maker, in a rather extensive way of buaine,a, keeps a sale-
shop, and resides in West Clayton-Sent, Newcastle. Ad-
' joining Barnin's house and shop is an unfurnished house,
which is used as a warehouse by Mr, B tty, earthenware
dealer, in the same street. On Monday night last, as a
' boy was riming along Clayton-street, he observed a boy
some out of Barren's house window, pass along the parapet,
and enter the adjoining house by the window, and return
with a lot of ware, which he passed into Barron's house.
Next day, information was given to Mr. Batty, who, with a
policeman, went and searched Banana premises, and their
found concealed, in various ports, • large quantity of
earthenware, which Mr. Batty identified. The prisoner
Barron and his wife were taken into euvaly, Aiwa the boy,
whose name is John Crozier, and war, brought before the
magistrates yesterday morning The biy Crozier staled
that he had been sent by the female prisoner to steal the
ware. 'f he other two priaosen denied all knowledge of the
affair. They were committed to the sessions. Many jour-
neys most have been made between the two houses, as
several large baskets were filled with the multi% property,
amongst which were some very valuable sets of duns.—
Durham Adrertiaer.

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, AUGUST 14, 1852

The Stret4rg railway was opened to the public
yesterday. The receipts for passengers to Strasburg
by the first train which left yesterday morning,
amounted, it is said, to 6,000 fr.
A rise has taken ;lace in the price of flour at the
Hallo of Paris. From 30*. the metrical quintal
(100 kilogrammes) of last week, it is now 33fr. 20c.
The monthly returns of tho bank of Franco just
published show that the metallic reserve has scarcely
varied, a diminution of 1 of a million being the only
difference. The discount accommodation has ad-
vanced 26 millions, of which 20 are in Paris and 6
in the branch banks, the whole amount for the month
being 1821 millions. The advances on French se-
curities have declined about 5 millions, and those
on railway stock have increased 5 millions, the
amount of the former being 43 millions, and of
the latter 281 millions. Advances to the state
on treasury bonds are only down for 25 millions, the
other 25 millions which were due, having been paid
off within the month. On the side of the liabilities,
the amount of notes in circulation has increased about
4) millions. the account-current of the treasury'
has reached the sum of 1331 millions, being an in-
crease of 14 millions since the last returns. Private
accounts-current have declined about 11 mihions, of
which 10 millions are for Paris, and 1 fur the pro-
vinces, the amount of the former being 1205 millions,
and of the latter 23 millions. The whole amount of
tho metallic reserve is now 600) millions to 622
millions of notes in circulation.