The Express.
London, England, 1852-04-21 00:00:00

VIE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY.. EVENING, APRIL 21, 1852.

aSe Wan to Mr. Boon% re in 1860 the oirount-
=
* wide the 'of by
St. real sad lia.
hi
iltO
pmail swab unilhre been Ha
Me = Wile rasa a sal Stfliathlbolltfisho:
" I wide to yes Whip
that dues =let bee bees nessoney Zatehj
stile emenwillaws dot we dunk ant reddens
In guerded Spilt tiell dm wil het we are at pessitsder
the *llea lopeellem Orlin oeselebies, r_e ore weak-
leg the sereebnlibose essedea bet iief should aeles.
I whb to lehos sew i~het es Belida!, Esiv. 17, •
2elsob of wet Innil as& aserasew penes
regather wend due el sees 4 the derside. sod
with a senekgmens des
of videos' due
the pnaselig desday t ant • tans of 100 onnlable
mu to keep the sib his evert acts defoliants ;
ant the eseidess et the paw ask We-
iss nes end • beds of the deters Shea Me
ewe* t SS the ebb sods sembled to the owideg es
she. al
eels edit*. eal see gall WS Of tame aim
sib. Mbar miss bellwleg et the hen of the Suede
eel illeleoldeg the whets eisgroptha ; hat Seller
sore essesed sets on thuries the Bak Iftesaber."
lent win a denenedsm by lir. ftreisk of
limit Ile mimed
vet ewe of thine doles wee lobs Ste sally. He was
Shea beheekli• lesalibles the seshisek who, in olds
IsibillilliNgee side '' The Queues penis must bo pee-
wesio ad I is delinsbed to saws his this dls-
Ida I bat ass piesses has sash Is seswer '
for, mod
ea a sedges =llloltl who prevail bawls
of the the hedignetisn of their
Mew- selZe air the eigessise of the llamas
be ilea
a See se the passe, end sides
he ef hose wile hdi the renew of the
dashed Now, it was neitizialleines sethelin who
SW thh palls
ibi erirear=ken ef,
Set soy emiests the Sad
......r wee wiled the eggradee,
ef the hams esdnile shwa
Illisitip7467l6l. Theme elesembsew heed thew
Elm crat 66 bras of St phIS heti ea abbe of the
CoehmeeNtez=egeso Nee sate of Solidest!
wnspondesse
twos Iles bias, NA Mr. silent, whisk Littbsrb49
Togs* Mr. Baum* to neap his Using, • seqnset
Mr. Massa Me a threat. Tbs semis en
wish& Sr woeoesetewei sob Ids resod wan set firth is IN
=la ells be bid :--.. I bas sere thee ease sa-
le you vay her that yes were midis or es-
1= is the aseebess ef
would a bole he
theenesse ISt& iris dea
ls seek tee
Wlb hist selliesda be the dish of Pass- net Ws
tzte=seseLts saw balers Ilse see be
se has omswel of sense
Mimi la we tionfolia by the mid ionesesises
emit le s ands eases
phs• may well be qpiallearL"
Te thb War M. Henson esHi soneleuell the Is
Mb Spas SS ease semieskathas hes the bibs,
ble ea Wends le bin SS he bed Wee gals* beige
likissalmair. owl OOHS Ali ire eilliait
ewes wadi be ?diploid cre Sag ill• Bonet in .
lb se* soli : • I dread he ands et any le-
PI wreaks. of eodedeetleal pros
AMink it ay bonds &sty Is monks all that
I• nessitrstber is glass per being ender the
selisa
et espedfsg Were seek sues he that
tibia. your ripiaisa, la ersest&_ I wadi, thee, ft to
yearlerdship in this way. I would say, .if your
indite
tasiali be of continued op isiem treeing and knowing
if
all
ilea:o, I ma giiiktfaudalthfulnente the Mwml_l
elk
; mg Myer Ming will after 11•11M11112 par
u bidup thet h sold bc foe therm yid&
Mof that th the dwell shish
r your episodepa&s
charge._of
111 I dessill
se Wipe lons is she Oleg of BR. Peers, I wall'
this the esey nest doh_ sad pea a fors* beiguilia?
The penis ea vital lb. liserett Wished le send le
lie rya apposes& le him to be cay psi
That resigestioa wss eserisiblyi the Nishaufsabse is
a teeter btu a keg of this M.
sad es follows :—. your
letter to Lad Reseal you declare that yes Is-
unties and ids was at the timed the sunewillse of fit.
Bersabas, ' b wessesales and dna. It be now,
phase God, for ever the same
It is as unavoidableinference hes
that the novelties of which I gemigkkeils gala I
called up= you to lay aside, willraet be give up, al-
though I have forbidden them as being antrary to the
church's order and intention. This leaves so no choice as
to the cokes to be pursued. It is impasifie for mis not
to think that ' the peace and good oder et the *rah
which is under my episcopal charge' we be saleudy
interrupted, and occasion of triumph given*. the shad's
enemies, if you were to continue in your mew pat de-
liberately and avowedly disobey;ng the adeses of
your bebop, and setting up your ow* prat M lie
china's intention in opposition to his. It with area
pads, but with no hesitation as to the nerekilty Whiek
blob we to this conclusion, that I now signify my ►se-
milenig of_ your renewed ffer to mien the ineambeney
MAIM TOM, and with it the Sept of St. Sambas."
Ups that letter, Mr. BIM* seat in his Twig.
swim fien of Landon see him, " Yon have
lb eleursh as yo have been
;o&it h he the peas lied order of the
mitateastruiste=ttturillioner And on that,
amiss. Now Mr. ;Sand irell6twas.
sweet that lobed led eireiggis le , and it was
ll,Litil
beim& thatbe bed es Omni mean than one.
( ea of Oust) Well, he was
1•11%
may ihosima aSD day. (Hear, hear.)
It yes OM would'
sc:sms le lia *vase, What,
t MS the cri Ls. vass, kWh, after
NM Will retignation by the
fillitiker 'Runge from'
=11141,111 nzills, bear.) The news we first N-
ubs' , and it wee las a seller of ear-
Co 101 l so=
anthde church d
ws pi should
setter d s:st
4Saw., la of the dash of lidbad should
widest suaiesties. Moe, Ser.) It
le emembered that Mr. Ism" la he souse of
re am year Is whisk be bad Ish IS. Ilumeles demi
Set file opals, was weekengoi end undsesehle. Md.
auk any eivresvor bin review Os Mina uppees.
I? ft bee appeal that the Sid* et
and ells, et any se mho lei pow
amid bin. led Nast knewbEgs of ems as.
he Ids opinions The time nes sheet he sea a
Is* Id senda—but awing het thee Ira bed /11=
ass bun asloyed t Whet alma ha he banged Ms
whet kith bad be proferekond with whet songeogelbs
bed be jets* he worship ? Theme was e =see of elide
the hose would regale a winded., beer.) He
(11r. Hens* herd the ateendes dee bees to the
fish be wee about to state, be be meld roue his they
bore dowdy on the 4 lb bed before shad that
Mr Ilassett's aapssses to Prewelead created soh dis-
seemed bud dhowrise. • great deal wee maid
it Is the Fes eel woad Shoe *lap a lads sp-
=in the public Jewish le Weide bh attends had
shed is Jemmy bet. Adenalumm molar* In Ire- 1
hod wrote to the odder of the eedafrifireli es hikers :
" Doer fib,—A few days ago I set sa Heade gentiontan
it Hide, usety Galway, and he told we Set during the
bell frekkee ha spent several weeks at Ileeksgen, in Ba-
wdy hr the bomb of his health. Is the ems hotel with
bin woe the Res.inewelts kb nt St. Paul's,
the whole period of his residence
She Owe .
_l=l seer see attoaded the Zeglish
eini" kne negedegig vest le maw, owl his beeparable
=Pwas s Osumi& him How ems II het seek
s abedibled le a bobs le the shush of Island ?
—Tens Miiliklike Oltelld.—Achill, Jan. ims O'N. Plum 2, 1852. Curate of
Obehre Chins% Melderiel 1"
hew An Seem- 'wee. it was true, somewhat of the
31abetbshes be MI ghee it credence, he had him-
gna to the demos.. requesting to know from
Wink hit had wished lie lallermatiotill. He reoeildtha
Zrwiligegbe scelthis authority,ee whichi ten red
oteir: be ae
gained Whig in the neighourhood of London, a man
r=ehlea, of the highest thunder, and of annua-
l... By. A communication was made to that
ipmansuismilag whether the statement made by Mr.
Toed on lib authority was correct, and whether be was
wHig la verify it himself. He would now read the gentle-
man% gnawer, without mentioning his name, as the letter
Willa wet intended for publication, but the name and address
wombs* at the service of any hen. member who might
wilt Willow them. He had the permission, if nemesia,
• meanest the name of the writer, who was the principle,
a eseeleary near London. The following were his were:
"As laglish clergyman, whose name in the hotel leek was
Bennett, wearing the peculiarly longitudinal veltillkit nt
lasted by the Puwyite clergy, and travelling in madney
with Sir John Barrington, churchwarden of St. lbekkhesi,
lodged for three weeks at the Hotel de Rosie Itiselagen,
on the same finer with my rooms. My attendee was
, called to him in the first instance by hearing the Germs
I waiters, Mc., talking about him, his conduct with *id MI
oc,cti.llhisnever
eslipi
greufly.iirreo,:i.
ehetnd morning .
the.
elbfcri
general
stet:
his
betweenahic a l
nie.clnh cieitotuheeng:b
:et..
the
it
that
o tnehotgand
uattract
hhi
he
aetcan.:
end:
Romanlanmt
, inquirye
catholic
testifywhidasnietghe
asofaur
issec service.e Jesuit
t oodw his
, one
whnnt
church,ietn
that their object was to attend mass, I presume
there is no reason to doubt the filet. If there be, any
ewe at Kissingen can attest it. During the same period
wither ho nor any of his party were to be seen on Sunday.k
the English chapel. It is a single room, capable of
balding, perhaps, 100 persons, and had he been there he
Mkt have been at once visible. But as I Where they
eskelmel frensiderably longer at Kissingen than myself,
the English chaplain seems to me the
this
who could
give the moat convincing testimony on this point. I like-
wise beard him inquiring about a urinal, and saw a
Ommehin, or some such monk, going in and out of his
resift But I cannot with truth asseverate that within my
barerledge he us. his inseparable companion. My rooms
were, unluckily. next to Sir John Harrington's ; unluckily,
es
I was very ill, and Sir John constantly talked in so loud
• wise dist surly all his talk we. forced upon me, the per•
deem belersee German rooms being, ma you probably know,
duke watriloqual ; 1 was therefore compelled to hear
beg details about Roman catholic matters exclueively,
In win. h Mr Bennett was constantly implicated. The
whole effect was to leave no doubt on my mind whatever
that Mr. Bennett was a thorough Romanist, end I eon.
sidrred it so settled that I was never so astonished as
at perceiving in the papers his appointment to Frame."
Now, u this gentleman had appealed to the protestant
chaplain at libelages for cailinostles el his statement,

he (Mr. llosomas) be: se it only fair to the house
te crime den on
reared gentleman's testimony
the sastest. urines to him, stating
Melt wee ldsieleatipa fe
gog _MVO Witter before wha-
ms*. The pestles be le the chaplain at His-
singes wee darplyetbellow Mce . Mr. Bennett daring his
slay at that pies Wen 4WD 414 his congregation. Here
woo hie mower :
"Sandwich, Are 14, 1862.
" Sir,--I beg to acknowlego the receipt of your letter of
the 10th inst., sad Is reply to your question respecting the
prwast mar of FMB. add WO 4411.1111441 at pubile tram
skip dazing last magma M Mielopm I ma ealy say that
1 believe he did mete owp dos ems me of m esernmeLeppw
tion.—l have the bowie eeme*k
_sift your oem
vest,?. La Oats Wpm, chaplain at
pm—Mr. E. lisemme,
Well, thee, It big Mall that Mr. Bennett atteadedmem
during the sawmar be amtelaed at Kinds... sad it
beings aeleiewe fled be bell net atemdell the pro
Imam shwa. Om be tlimpla It wield be hell be be sub-
limate' hi • esniluire meaner that during Ms neidence
al nags* hit =mit Kr. "A Via outwardly
WI host a meArraer Pm worship ...4r( ii"; lam eaMinlin
iamb, sal that he exhibited no 44WIDAMila Of sympathy
with peelesteat church in alga be had is aseatly
hem a Mas Seed minister. (Meer, bear.) Here, them was
she Merry of Mr. Bonnet derive Pe 'year 1861. la ie.
suss rigtat at kg N. issisislissay at the mum of
his be law deeldoso maddifel te
his ehsrcb , and WM, the muse et peed order
In that church respired his magnetism In the
summer of that pm be resided on the Cleuthmt, and
was aseastant samba Mae !Zeman eagle& Maps!,
and fa the autism albs some per he named to Eng-
land. And with ell these smisewleats be was accepted by
a preimewat bids, Mbe the protestant pastor of the pro.
Mesabi/lineal& These latter were thrown into an agony
of wits and ruled to the Marchioness of Bath, implor-
ing hue net to .wide their souls to the keeping of such
a paws. They received the answer which might have
been expected. Be (Mr. Hinman) had no complaint
against either the l.gelity or the motives of Lady Bath's
act. But the presentee to a living must be accepted by
the bishop, and here was the only security to the public
sad the church against aesaults from without and
treachery from within. The parishioners memorialised
the bishop of Bath and Wells, and, laying before him
pmeges from Mr. Bennett's writings relating to the
iWant religion and to the Bible, the condemnation of his
eenduct by the Bishop of London, and Mr. Bennett's own
letters, prayed their diocesan to suspend his sanction to the
appointment. Mr. Human (who at some length com-
mented upon the protests and letters published at the time
in our columns, and which he rend) contended that 'the
bishop's duties were clearly defined by the canons, whereby
it was sided "that no bishop should institute any to
a besides who had been ordained by any other bishop, ex-
We int show his letters of orders, and bring him a suf-
testimony of his former good life and opinion, if the
hishoprequire it, and lastly shall appear,on due examination,
to be worthy of his ministry." The usual " testimony" was
a certificate signed by three beneficed clergymen ; and
this, he was astonished to hear, had been obtained.
But, if these clergymen did not reside in the diocese of the
presentee, the bishop of the former must sign it, and this
hod also actually been obtained, but with an unusual quali-
fication—the bishop expressly mentioning that he was
merely entwine' the signatures of the three clergymen.
This entailed& fresh duty of circumspection on the Bishop
of Bath and Wells, who had, however, deliberately dis-
pensed with precautions enacted by law for the security of
the church. But the bishop had another duty to perform,
by the 48th canon, namely that of examination of Mr.
Bennett, and for this the parishioners of Fromm also peti-
tioned. The bishop replied that if he had not been satis-
fied that Mr. Bennett had a firm attachment to
our church he should not have instituted him. The pa-
rishioners made another application for delay, and received
• mere acknowledgment. Mr. Bennett was, therefore, in-
stituted into a post of influence, patronage, and profit, and
his first act was to dismiss the popular curate whom he
found established at Franc, and put in his place one of
the curates who resigned at the same time with him-
self. Frame had been agitated, and even the dissen-
ters there had held meetings on the subjert—(signifi.
cant cheers and counter cheers, which elicited from
Mr. Human a eulogium on dissenters)—and nu-
merous respectable families had withdrew° from the church.
Dwelling upon the dangers to he apprehended from those
who hold such tenets as Mr. Bennett's, ho declared that
there was no hope of ecclesiastical assistance, and that it
became the duty of the laity (who were the church) to lay
their case at the foot of the throne, and to implore the
Queen to force the dignitaries of the church into obedience
to tie laws. lie concluded by moving an address to her
Majesty, praying inquiry whether due respect was paid to
the constitutions and canons ecclesiastical of the Church of
England in the recent institution of Mr. Bennett to the

vicarage of Frome. (Cheers.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he did
not think it possible to exaggerate the importance of the
question, and when ho thought of the elms of topics that
debate would give rise to, if the house sanctioned the mo-
th" he looked on it as a parliamentary duty to consider it
gems rife with elements of discussion calculated to pro-
ems an effect on opinion out of doors which had pro-
bably not been anticipated. lie did not rise te glue ea
opinion on the question the bon. gentleman) beb bib bebilse
Bile house. Ile felt, and he never felt fete neattrult
bauneenience of a popular assembly's eateig on a
dem We this. (Neer, bear.) It. had beam much streak
Mile be listened to the address of the ha gentleman, with
tin hodequacy of his proposition te dud Ida the circuit-
dames to which he had called attendee. and which, W 3.
see to his statement, involved • great pier-
&mem It was a subject which involved matters peculiarly
caudated to interest the feelings of many of her Majesty's
salgeeM in a manner the most acute. But he did not stn.
derstand the hon. gentleman to have proposed any remedy
for the alleged grievance. The proposition was ' That as
humble address be presented to her Majesty, praying dud
she will be graciously pleased to direct inquiry to be min
whether due respect was paid to the decrees of the NEW.
talons and canons ecclesiastical of the church of E=e.a
the recent institution of Mr. Bennett to the vicarage
Now, he thought that the house, before it aasealed le MIA I
an address, would do well to consider whether, by agreeing
to it, they established an authority which was able to cope
with the circumstances to which it referred. Suppose the
house assented to the motion, and her Majesty directed a
commission of inquiry, which was what the hon. gentleman
meant, no authority would accompany that commission of
inquiry which could force any one to make communica-
tions he might be unwilling to offer; and there would be no
power to obtain from individuals probably the very infor-
mation it was the object of the inquisition to obtain. It ap-
peared to him that on the statement of the hon. gentleman
one of two alternatives must occur : Either there was at
present a remedy for such a grievance, or there was not.
Ile (Mr. Disraeli) spoke on the subject with that deference
'Lich became any member who was not possessed of the
particular learning which applied to the question, but
ks had always understood, and he believed it to be so, that
the wu an appeal from any prelate to the archbishop. If
that was so,—if the conduct or the decision of any prelate
was subject to that revision, is that case the House of Com-
mas ought not to interfere before such an appeal had been
made_, and while such a tribunal existed, they would not
esamliteM for it other means so inadequate to obtain the
readtiedred. He might be told (and he should be sur-
prised if he was) that no such appeal existed. If so, was it
ant a came der ation by parliament if there was no
remedy fora evance of so enormous a character as that
stated ? Par ' ent, indeed, might institute inquiry, and
might obtain information such as the hon. gentleman re-
, gutted, and acquire such a knowledge of details as would
lay the foundation of sound and necessary legislation. It
might be the opinion of some gentlemen that there was too
greet a facility for the institution of clergymen into livings.
He gave no opinion on that subject, but he could easily un-
derstand that such &belief existed, and that it was also
believed that it was a proper subject for legislation, and
that there should be an increased control in • matter of
such interest to so many persons. But in what way would
it be met by the proposition of the hon. gentleman ? He
thought that the hon. gentleman was justified. in bringing 1
forward the subject, and, if he thought that there was no
remedy for the grievance from which the inhabitants of
' Fresno woes suffering, it would be a legitimate and justi-
fiable mom it the him. gentleman were to endeavour to
meet itry legidatios. But, if the remedy was en appeal to
the taflibralmor as superior prelate, ho thought that the hon.
would agree with him that such an appeal should
Camade llefore the house could agree to his resolution. If,
however, the hon. gentleman thought there was no such
pewee a appeal, be must feel that his proposition was in-
adequate is his object, and that he ought to call on the
Muse se to *Paste as to meet the question. Those being
the Tins, ha (Mr. Disraeli) entertained, ho had only
edemas& himself to the motion without giving
any opinlea on the merits of this important case.
Far be it from him to vindicate any clergy-
men who it could be shown had conducted himself in
such a manner as it had been alleged that Mr. Bennett had; I
but he felt that that house was not the tribunal to decide
1 a ease like the present. lie felt the inconvenience while
1 listening to the statement of the hon. gentleman, which ho
had so conscientiously brought forward, of the house having 1
to decide on • statement made in an aasembly like that. All
he wished to impress on the house was, his anxiety that it
should not adopt a resolution inefficient for the purpose the 1
hon. gentleman desired, and which would he inconvenient '
if adopted: II commission of inquiry which set about to I
inquire without power to elicit information, would be a
mockery to which it would be unwise for the house to have 1
recourse. If a commission was to issue for extraordinary
purposes, and under extraordinary circumstances, they
should take care that the inquiry was real and
efficient, and accompanied by. powers which would
secure the means of eliciting the truth. He
hoped the honourable gentleman would not feel it his
duty to press the resolution. Ile hail brought before
the house—and ho was justified in doing so—a matter of
grave importance to all classes of her Majesty's subjects. It
was impossible for such conduct, as that which the hon.
gentleman had alleged to have taken place, to pass without
being made the subject of public comment ; and, whatever
Inight be the merits of the ease, public iliarussion upon it
utast no doubt end in advantage to the public. Ile (Mr.
Vhraeli) must repeat what he had already said—that when
there was a gricv ince, it was necessary to ascertain whether
there was a remedy for it or not ; and if, as he believed,
there was in this case a remedy by an appeal to the Arch-
bishop, the house ought not to sanction a commission whi li
would have no power to elicit information. It, on the other
hand, there was no remedy, it was the duty of parliament
to legislate on the subject, and to secure that this
and any other grievance should have • remedy
Implied to it by law. In either alternative be felt
that the house would not pursue a course calculated to
meet the difficulty of the case, or becoming to Itself, if it
agreed to a commodes of inquiry, which would go forth to

Its task withent poseur to elicit information, and would
therefore dbeggoiat public ezpectation, and lead to a pro-
tracted discussion without obtaining the result desired.
They would only evade the difficulty by acceding to a
motion like that of the hon. gentleman, and they would be
establishing a precedent which would be found ere long
pregnant with difficulty and embarrassment. Ile could
not understand, if the house adopted this resolution, how a
single clergyman could be inducted into a liviog without the
house, if it chose, interfering, and giving an opinion on the
propriety of his induction. By issuing a commission to inquire
into,the institutioa et ma individual into a living they would ,
furnish a precedent for a meet mischievous kind of inter- '
femme, and one which would not act beneficially for the
saMismwat of dm difficulty. Ho trusted that the hon. gem
llemen—eatielled with having brought so ably, so amply, and
eampletely before the house a subject the importance of
whisk would not be exaggerated, satisfied with having laid
the eriudoct et the room connected with this transaction
bears the owaWy, sod thinking that perhaps correct
views of the *orameMoess of the case might be
the consequence of the dieiressism and feeling it to
be his duty. from the pities he has taken with
t was toisiewa Misr tie knee %Morse t 4 inch
remedy for the pines% Ai& the law supplied,
or if it supplied acne, himself% prows redraw by new le-
gislation—would not pre., to•dividesta readution pregnant
with embarrassment and inconvenience le the future deli-
berations of the house. (Cheese.) The right hon. gentle-
man concluded by moving the revises question.
Sir H. VERNEY hoped that his hon. friend would not
follow the advice of the right boa. gentleman. The subject
must bo ono of great eu.barraemeest when the right hon.
gentleman, possesoed as he was of great power of language,
' wan evidently from the beginning to the end of his address
eta lees for means to answer the speech of his hon. friend.
(Hear, bear.) The right hon. gentleman was so used to at-
tack that he was unable to defend the conduct of a portion
of the established church to which they all belonged—(no,
no )—and which they were so anxious to defend.
Sir ft. INOLIS entirely agreed with the right. hon.
gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer that the
House of Commons was not the tribunal for an appeal on
such a question as this. (Hear, hear.) The right
how. gentleman had mods it unanswerably clear
that it they assented to this motion. they would
be establishing a precedent which would lead to end-
less inconvenience, in constituting the House of Commons
the arbiter in every case of an analogous nature to that
which had been introduced to their notice by the hon. mem-
ber for Cockermouth. (Hear, bear.) Every disputed in-
duction would necessarily lead to an appeal to the house and
to a commission. (Hear, hear.) He would grant, if they
liked, that in this instance a prima facie case for inquiry
had been made out; but, conceding this, he would defy the
hon. member for Cockermouth, or any other hon. gentle-
man, to contest the truth of the suggestion of the right
hon. gentleman (Mr. Disraeli), viz., first that the House
of Commons could not stop here, if it agreed to
begin here, and, secondly, that an assent to the motion
would, after all, be but a brtatais 'ahem. (Hear, hear.)
He would vote with the right boa. gentleman the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer.
Mr. EWART could not at all agree with the hon. baronet
in the view he took of the function of the house on this
occasion. The house was in no way called upon to consti-
tute itself a tribunal for deciding upon the merits of the
question in dispute. The house was simply applied to for
the purpose of inducing those to act and decide who had
the power to act, and whew prerogative it was to decide.
Mr. HUME never wished to hear a theological discus-
sion in that house, but the house had sanctioned a church,
established it by law, and laid down rules for its guidance.
Public property had been applied in support of the church,
a church scandal had occurred, and there never was a
mere legitimate subject for inquiry.
Mr. NEWDECIATE said that the mere passing by this
gam wihout devising means to remedy the evil would not
satisfy the public. Ho was willing to leave the matter in
the hands of the government, but be hoped that the house
would not be asked to ignore the question. It had been
estasd, and must be dealt with.
Sir J. I'AKINOTON said the hon. gentleman who has
Just spoken has made use of a very decisive expression. He
said this question has been raised and must be dealt with.
Now, no hon. member of this house can more cordially con-
cur in the view implied in that expression than I do. I
will say further, that this question now raised is a question
which ought to be raised. (Cheers.) I say, indeed, for
myself, and, I believe, I may say for every member of her
Majesty's government, that as this question is one which
ought to have been raised, so it demands an investigation,
and that a remedy ought to bo ptovided. (Cheers.) But
at the sumo time, speaking not only as a member of her
Majesty's government, but, above all, as a sincere and
attached member of the Church of England, and speaking
nay earnest convictions, that having listened with painful
attention to the speech of the hon. member for Cock-
ermouth, I do not think that the plan which
he has proposed is the precise mode of in-
quiry which could be adopted with the most effect.
I will express my reasons for entertaining that opinion, and
will direct the attention of the hon. member for Cocker-
month to the fact that this resolution goes only to call in
question the conduct of the Bishop of Bath and Wells in
having instituted Mr. Bennett at Frame ; and, in fact, I
don't use the word offensively—this is only an attack upon
that prelate. Now, the hon. member cannot fail to remem-
ber that the Bishop of Bath and Wells is not only very ad-
vanced in years, but that he is greatly impaired in health.
(Cries of " Oh, oh.") lam not prepared to vindicate the
conduct of that prelate but I must say that the acts of the
Bishop of Bath and Wells are very far from constituting
the whole question now raised. (Hear, hear.) The ques-
tion which the hon. member for Cockermouth has raised is,
in reality, not the conduct of the bishop in instituting Me.
Bennett to the living of Frame without previous inquiry,
bet it is the conduct of Mr. Bennett while at Kissingen.
It is that oonduct at Kisrengen which ought, I think, to be
made the subject of inquiry. If the representations made
by the hon. member be correct, and those representations
are no doubt supported upon evidence of the most respect-
able character, it does appear to me that Mr. Bennett
must be regarded as being a Roman catholic, and as there-
to= being incapable of holding the office which he now
holds in the church of England. (Cheers.) But what-
ever that conduct may have been—end I have no inclina-
tion to prejudice it—we have, 6o far, no reason to suppose
that it was known to the Bishop of Bath end Wells, at the
time Mr. Bennett was inducted by him at Frame. On the
contrary, I believe that if the facts were investigated, it
would be found that the induction of Mr. Bennett at Frome
was the direct means of bringing to light the circumstances
which occurred 'at Kissers en. This motion does not at
all touch that conduct ; and, looking to the extreme danger
and inoonvenience of bringing those wee before the House
of Commons, I do think that it would be most inadvisable,
even setting aside the facts in connexion with Kissengen, to
make the institution of Mr. Bennett at Frome the subject
if a motion in this house. It certainly would seem that
the boo. member for Cockermouth would have appealed to
the house Hartford to that institution, had it not been fur
the subsequent statement in respect to Kissengcn. I must
advert to one part of what the hon. gentleman said. He
referred to the fact that the Bishop of London had sent let-
ters dimissory to Mr. Bennett. I ant not at liberty to make
any authoritative statement in regard to that matter, but
it does happen that I know that the language used by the
Bishop"of London on that occasion was such, that were it in-
timated, I am satisfied that the hon. member for Cockermouth
would not feel the elighteat disposition to complain
of the conduct of the Bishop of London. Looking, then, to
the inconvenience of making such questions the subject of
parliamentary inquiry—looking, also, to the shape in
which the hon. member for Cockermouth has presented his
motion, applying as it does to the conduct of the Bishop of
Bath and Wells in instituting Mr. Bennett under circum-
stances, so far as he was acquainted with them, very differ-
ent from those which are now alleged to have been the ease—
-1 do feel that the right course for the house to tako is to agree
to the previous question. At the same time, I must empha-
tically express the hope that what has passed on this occa-
sion will be the direct means of causing an inquiry
particularly in respect to the statements of the behaviour
of Mr. Bennett at Kissingen. (Cheers.)
Lord JOHN RUSSELL—I trust that the statement
which has just been made by the right hon. gentleman will
have the effect of relieving, if not the whole house, yet
many members of the house, from very considerable em-
barrassment. (Cheers.) I think it is impossible to deny
that this is a subject upon which the house has a right to
an explanation. (Cheers.) I did not at all agree with my
hon. friend the member for the University of Oxford (Sir
It. Inglis), when, as it appeared to me, he would exclude
this house from a right to an inquiry with respect to mat-
ters of this nature. This house was a party to passing the
Act of Uniformity, and I believe that Act of Uniformity was
passed at a period when protestant dissenters were mem-
bers of this house ; and. indeed, I am not sure that Roman
catholica might not have had seats in the house at that time.
But that Act of Uniformity being an act of parliament, this
house has a right to ask whether clergymen appointed to
benefices are persons who are faithful members of the
church of England, or whether they do not belong, in fact,
to some other Christian community. (Hear, hear.) Still,
however, having thus, as I conceive, established the right, I
own that I feel the greatest difficulty in proceeding to eser-
cies it. (Hear, hear.) • I feel the greatest difficulty both as
to the mode in which it maybe exercised, and as to the con-
sequences to what that exercise may lead. (hear, hear.)
I cannot but feel that if a commission were appointed which
had not, in fact, greater powers than are now allowed to the
crown, and which could not be obtained without an act of
parliament, the only result might be the provoca-
tion of hostilities from persons who would refuse
to answer your questions, and thus create dissensions
between this branch of tho legislature and part
[of the church of lii.gland. (Rear, hear) I cannot but
feel also that it would he most unfortunate if, after this
house had interfered, the remedy you yourselves relied on
should prove to be insufficient. (Rear, hear.) 1 feel like-
wise with regard to this particular case the want of that
advice which we had in former times from members of this
house qualified to give their opinions. I miss a right hon.
friend of mine—a member of this house—and another hon.
gentleman, at present I believe a member of this house, but
who is now absent—who might have informed us on those
points on which the right lion. gentleman the Chancellor
Of the Exchequer has expressed an hesitation—vie., how
far there may bo an appeal of the inhabitants of Frame
from the Bishop of Bath and Wells to the Arch-
bishop of Canterbury, and how far the existing
law is capable of dealing with matters of this description.
I feel, moreover, with regard to this particular case, that
we are at present in a great degree uninformed. With
regard to the subject mentioned last by the right hon.
gentleman the Secretary for the Colonies, as to the terms
in which the Bishop of London expressed his opinions, in
the testimonial and letters dimissory to the Bishop of Bath
and Wells, the house is entirely without any means of
judging. Lastly, we are in ignorance of the amount of
the information possessed by the Bishop of Bath
and Wells in reference to the faith and recent