The Express.
London, England, 1852-06-29 00:00:00

rIIE EXPRESS, TUESD eY EVENING, JUNE 29. 1852

GLANORGANnIURE.—Sir George Tyler, and Mr.
C. R. M. Talbot have issued addressee to their constituent*,
(signifying their des re to be again returned as their
representatives to parliament. Sir George places per-
f. et reliance in Lord Derby's government, and Mr.
Talbot thus writes The recent thaw in the
government of the country, unaccompanied by any
very intelligible announcement of the policy which will
direct the measures of the new ministers, places those who
desire, as I do, to be frank and open with their future ono- I
stituen!*, in some difficulty. But as 1 have never swerved
in any degree fi um the principles which I professed when I I
first presented myself to your notice, I hope it will be
sufficient fir me to say that an anxious desire to pro;nom
your interests, as well as those of this mighty empire, will
be the sol* motive in leading me to suppiart or oppose the
government presided over uy the Earl of Derby in the event
of my being again your representative."
GALWAY.—Lord Dunitellin arrived in Galway
en Thursday evening, and was received at the railway ter-
minus by some of his more prominent supporters ; accom-
panied by whom the nutde lord proceeded the neat day to
canvass the electors, fruits whom he received numerous pro-
mises of support. The Galway Mercury states that uu
Thursday evening, when the whiskey which hail been reap
lied to the " electioneering mob" began to take effect, some
rioting occurred, and one man had his nose rut off by a
blow with a knife, from a huh her.
DUNGARYAN BOROCLIII.—The Dublin Nation tanks
that Mr. Edmund O'Flal erty, brother of the member for
Galway, is to start as a Thisut League candidate for the
borough of Dangarvan.
TYRONE.—Captain Brubaron Biggins, of Brahozon
house, county Mayo, has been selected as the tenant-right
candidate.
KILKENNY. The Hon. L. Agar Ellis, brother of
Lord Clitilen, has issued an address, declaring lair unquali-
fied support of the free-trail,, policy of Sir It. Peel, and Ms
firm hostility to religious pcisecution in any shape. There
will be a sharp contest in this county. The five candidates
are Liberals, the ministe rioted, Mr. Cuffe, having with-
drawn in consequence of Lord Derby's" abandonment of
the protectionists."
lIIVERARY.—Mr. N. V. Maher, one of the present
member* for the county ot Tipperary, has dvelaied his in-
tention of not again offering inuoall for re-eleetion. In
consequence of Mr. Matter's resignation, a public meeting
of the electors will be held in Mentes on the lit July to
select another liberal candidate, in conjunction with Mr.
Francis Scully, M.P.

THE

CREE CHURCH-RATE CASE.

(Frost U. Vail, News.)

THE question whether the minority of a Vestry
duly assembled can—notwithstanding the determina-
tion of the majority to the contrary— impose a church
rate on a parish, has at last been argued at the bar
of the House of Lords; and their lordships having
culled to their assistance the Common Law Judge.
those learned personages are, it seems, equally divided
in opinion—whereupon the House, on Friday,
ordered the opinions they have respectively
delivered to be printed, in order that the documents
may have full consideration.
Whether that consideration can be bestowed, and
a final judgment can be given in the few days that
remain of this session, is doubtful. And there are
not wanting reasons why a postponement of the dc-
anon until a new parliament re-amicable, is desir-
able ; though, as an adverse judgment is probable, it
will be well to make tho subject of church rates
generally a test for parliamentary fitness at the elec-
tions. A decision now made would lose much of the im-
mediate interest that must be excited by an adverse
judgment at the commencement of next session ;
and the likelihood of legislation on church rates
generally might be coirespondingly diminished or
retarded. Whereas the affirmation curly next
session of so novel and dangerous a principle as that
of a minority controlling a majority could at the
opening of the new parliament hardly fail to make
the question of church rates a practical griev-
ance calling for a summary remedy. Fur
though, by the good wise and gold kel-
lug of the better sort of churchmen such
rates are now generally disused in large towns—
voluntary contributions having replaced them—the
recognition by the House of Lords of any such power
in a minority would place hundreds of parishes—
wt ere peace and quietude have been restored by
ceasing to trouble and tax and harass dissenters
at the mercy of a couple of bigoted and intempe-
rate churchmen, and a few kindred zealots in vestry;
and thus all that the growth of better views has
accomplished in this respect would be risked. Gra-
dually we might, and probably should, have
Minority Hates substituted for the • present
voluntary system; and by their imposition the war
that a tew years ago waged so fiercely between
Churchmen and Dissenters would be revived.

INVASION OF 'THE RIGHT OF MEETING.

Yesterday afternoon a crowded public open-air
meeting was held in Bonner's Fields, to take into eunsisle-
ration the late act of the government, in having suddenly
sappressed the opcn-air discussions of the working classes
is that locality, by the interference of armed police.
W. A. !lowa, Esq., occupied the chair, and stated the
objects of the meeting. The birth-right of Englishmen,
he said, had been invaded, the right of assembling fur the
froe expression of their sentiments had been interfered
with by the Ilume-Secretary, on the plea that their meet.
Was, which had been held in the same place for many years,
were obstruction', and that indecent and blasphemous lan-
guage had been made test: of. Ile had frequently attended
the meetings, and never heard any such languagl uttered.
It was not the disposition of the people of the Tower
Hamlets thus to act. Ile had had forty years' experience
is the locality, and could testify, with feelings of pleasure,
to the steady advance which had been made by the work-
ing classes. There was no reason why the liberty oh' the subject
. . .
Isoria-r

The position in which this division of judicial
opinion places the Law Lords who last week heard
the arguments in the second Braintree case is sub-
stantially that of having, under the guise of declar-
ing what the law is, really and truly to create and
make it; and this will always render their de-
cision, whatever it may be, an unvtisfactory
one. For amid much that is doubtful, one
fact is quite clear, that even supposing the liability
to maintain the church be a common-law obligation
on paiishes, the ancient modes by which that obliga-
tion could be enforced in recusant parishes are now
wholly inapplicable. Om was to lay the parish
under an interdict: the other is to proceed in the
Ecclesiastical Courts against the parishioners who
refused to obey their order to repair the parish
chinch, and imprison them if necessary. It
is because these, the ancient means of en-
fuming what is called a common law lia-
bility cannot now be resorted to, that this
new theory of a minority rate has been started. And
after the judicial division for the House of Lords to
affirm the theory will substantially be legislat ion on the
subject. For the law liability, of whatever origin, if
any ever existed, was not to make rates, but to main-
tain the church. Rates are modern devices resorted

aliould be owe interfered with 'in Victoria-park than in
Hyde-park, where real ob•tructions were occasioned by the
throng of carriages of the arietocrace. It had not been
shown that there was any act of parliament to warrant
the police in the step they hail taken ; they were not to be
bludgeoned as they had been, and were prepared to prove
that public opinion would cow stud back the swords of
thou who attempted to interfere with freedom ignomini-
°tidy back into their scabbards ; and that the.ewho had been
so maligned t y the Home Secretory were worthy of pm.
suiting the great rights of Englishmen. (Hear, hear.) 1
C. I. Nicitotta then moved the following resolution:—
" That this meeting, composed of all shades of religious
and political opinions, hereby testily to the peaceful and
orderly assemblage of her Nlajesty's subjects, in Bonner's-
fields, on Sundays, for several years put, such oucm-
Wages having met to discuss questions affecting their
social improvement, to tidy:soca the cause cat tem-
perance, and to hear addresses halo neitm their
earthly amelioration and their eternal cellar,. That
these quiet and calm assemblage% have, without
my caution given or warning used, been sod-
denly suppressed by the presence of a body of mounted
1 and armed police, who will neither permit persona rea-
sonably to converse together, nor arrest them when thus
engaged, bat arbitrarily listen to, interrupt, and separate
roach persons, without assigning a reason, or giving them
the opportunity of trying the question by law. That this
meeting considers the capricious and unexampled inter-
ference of the police a dangerous infringement on the
right of public speech afforded by the common law of'.
England, and is determined to make a stand granitic an
net that is at once aggressive, illilic.al, and unconstitu-
tional." The meetii.g he saw before him gave a direct
denial to the calumnies which had been uttered by the
Horne Secretary. The men who were in the habit of
meeting in that spot weekly had never outraged public
decency. When their representative (Mr. 0. Thompson) ap-
pealed to the Home Secretary on the subject, that functionary
had boldly asserted that indecent, obscene, and blasphemous
language had been made u'c oh to the annoyance of the
locality. The Home Secretary must have been misinformed,
as lie had stated that which was at variance with the truth.
It was no doubt an attempt of the tory government to put
down public discussion. They no doubt would like to in-
troduce the acts of Lord Castlereegh ; but public opinion
would soon convince the Derby government that such an
attempt would very soon be put down. (Hear, bear.)
Kr.JAMF.II SaVARE seconded the resolution.
A. S. At lITON, Esq., spoke at some length in support of
the resolution, and was loudly applauded. He had Its: rd
the persons lie saw before him accused of blasphemy and
obscenity. The decorum be savegave a ft•IT contradiction to
such a foul calumny. (Hear.) It was most essential that
at all cost the right of public assembly should be *indicated.
G. THOMPSON, Day , M P., next addressed the meeting.
,ar Ha had travelled in many foreign pars, and he hal alwaj V
Mai his countrymen protected in propagating their peen-
views as missionaries, even at the espvnse of refining
ANA StSesligion of the country in which he was residing
It was heed if the same liberty was not to be found at home.
Ho regretted that the reply he received to hie remonstrance
from the Home Secretary was most vague. It. had been
I reported, by whom he could not remember, that blasphem
ous and obscene language had been used mat these meetings
,in Donner's-fields, but upon what particular occasion he
' could not ascertain. (Hear.) He trusted that whoever
shisht represent them in the next parliament would make
it their business to move for every tittle of evidence upon
which this arbitrary and illegal step had been taken.
Mr. W. NRWTON having spoken in support of the reso-
lution, it was put and canted with acclamation.
Dr. °SLIT then meted, and Mr. THORNTON HUNT se-
conded a resolution to the effect that a deputation be ap-
pointed to wait upon the Home Secretary with a copy of the
preceding resolution, which was unanimously agreed to,
and a vote of thanks having been awarded to the chairman,
this large and most orderly meeting dispersed.

to for the purpose of spreading the obligation equally
over the property of the parish ; but the obligation
may be well fulfilled without their instrumentality—
for so long as the church is maintained the duty of
the parish is at an end.
The truth, we repeat, is that this modern theory
of a minority rate is a mere attempt to escape from
the absurdity and inapplicability of ancient law.
" You must proceed," said Dr. LI.7BIIINGTON, " in the
Ecclesiastical Courts against the majority until they
obey you, and as they have no other means of obey-
ing you but by making a rate, you compel them to
make a rate. You do not admonish them to make a
rote, but to repair, and if they do not repair you
would pronounce them in contempt and commit
them ; and then, as they must have a rate to pay for
the repair or, ntually, it is a compulsory mode of
making a rate." Tie, uo doubt, is the real law on
the subject; but as it u law that could not practi-
cally be carried out, the notion that a minority
could make n rate was launched as a substitute.
It is the fashion to speak of the maintenance of the
fairies of the Church as a common law liability ; but
there is really no such liability; it is altogether a
matter in its origin of ecclesiastical authority, pro-
ceeding on the principle that each man would con-
tribute according to his ability. The Church expected
this, and at last the Church courts enforced this when
the Church was not otherwise repaired. Bates be-
came a convenient mode of assessing a man's ability.
But to say that it is a common law liability to
lay on a rate is wholly. to pervert the history of the
question. And, in point of fact, the recent proceed-
ings arc quite at variance with the traditions of the
subject, as they are with all modern constitutional
practice.
Once establish by a decision of the House of
Lords this minority precedent and authority, and
where will the law stop? In the Braintree case it
was two churchwardens and eighteen parishioners
who constituted the minority. But if the church-
wardens and eighteen parishioners can make a rate,
why not the churchwardens, without any other
parishioner?—why not one churchwarden, without
the other? If this principle be finally asserted by
the House of Lords' judgment, it will end in an
absurdity—to say nothing of the wrong.

THE " ROYAL PANOPTICON OF SCIENCE AND
LEICE.4TEH-SQUARE.

A Baraocnic or Moorish building has just reached
its full height on the east side of Leicester-square, and is
beginning to excite attention. It is designed fur an insti-
tution for science and art, under the title of the Panopti-
con, and is intended to illustrate • wide range of practical
tact-elm:ea. The prospectus of the corporation suggests
that •' a pleasing feature of the present age is a disposition
on the part of • large portion of the community to seek such
recreations es are calculated to assist, by moral and intellec-
tual agencies, the best interests of society. The council of
the ninepin= desire to promote the application of science
to the useful arts; to instruct, by courses of lectures, to
be demonstrated by instruments, apparatus, and
other appliances, in the various departments of
science and literature; to exhibit select specimens of work
in the line sod mechanical arts, manufactures,
and handicrafts, to display the productions of nature and
art, both British and foreign, to illustrate history, science,
and literature, by pictorial views and representations, ac•
companied by music, end generally to extend and facilitate
a greater love and knowledge of the arts and sciences Imam
part of the oub..ic."
A propousion, which has been taken up with great
zeal by another scientific body, fuund a place as far
back as 18413 in the printed suggestions of the pro-
moters of the l'anopticon. "A plan will be introduced,"
says that document, "whereby • great impediment
to the suce.ss of mechanics' and other acicntille insti-
tutiona, particularly in the country, will he removed. It
has been tuned that the funds of such societies ate seldom
sufficient to enable them to procure the apparatus
and appurtenances proper for the illustration of their
lectures, and that such lectures are consequently
in a great measure divested of interest by want
of the necessary experimental elucidation. fhis is
also the caw with lecturer", a •hoolmaaten, coil persons
generally Ilt fOted to scientific pursuits. To meet this difii-
; eitlty, the council propose to form • large collection of ap-
paratus suitalite to lit:tures in every branch of natural sad
ezeerimental science."
The organ for the grand hall is to be as fine an instru-
ment ss ;my in Europe, end has been built by the Messrs.
; Bill, the constructors of the BiiMiligliata organ, which this
ie to surpass in power.
A gigantic electric machine, more than twice the size of
any other extant, has been suceesstully finished by Mr.
Marimeluke Clarke, the optician. A steam-engine of 111-
hear poser, with a olinplete shim of mechanical tools, has
been supplied by the Messrs.. Mauilslay, Fwld, and Sons,
and which are intended to furnish • school for the artisan
and mechanical student.

•
he patent optical diorama is quite a new invention, and
embraces several Doll discoveries in optical science. By
instrument seen c rs presentstions, exceeding in size
anythin.t of the kind and divested of those chromatic
ice-
perfections which are inherent in the dissolving views, are
to la exhihited. There is scarcely cry movement in nature
which may wit he represented by this process, sod a series
of illustrations in a high style of art are Mated to be in the
cour-e of preparation. Competent assistants are to illustrate
practically, apart from the lectures, the leading femur,* of
astronomy, chemistry, optics, anti nwehanics. The Mbar':
tory is to 'be most complete, and Sir David Drew ter,
Di. Pitri ' and others, who ate I.asociater of the institution,
wilt, douleless, lend their advice iu rendering it efficient.
The li • of t Ito council Jwr.,eiate • indoolc. room of the
bilth-
rst tt r . tit, tr strer.ll tart fol .1. I.:tvtment' of tt Moro
and art, mid present appearances and intentions which
augur wAI fur the mimeo of the institution. It is
espected that the owning will take place during the present
MO Ulna.