The Express.
London, England, 1855-02-28 00:00:00

THE SALE OF LIVINGS.

Tun system of promotion by purchase prevails in
two of the liberal professions in England—in the
Army and in the Church. In the Army some at-
tempt has been made to mitigate the evil by regu-
lating the terms and conditions of the sale of commis-
sions ; bet in the Church, the system being only
connived at—not recognised—is unreetruined, and, in
consequence, covered with parasitical abuses more
venomous, if possible, than the stock which yields
them nourishment. A cue decided in the Court of
Queens Bench, and reported in yesterday's Daily
News, will help us to illu-trate thisiposition.
The cure of the souls of the parishioners of West
Hackney has lately been the object of solicitude to
two gcntlemeo, one of whom wished to buy it and
the other to sell it. A third party figures in the
transactiou, as the negotiator between the two in this
sale of souls. The parties most interested in the
matter--the inhabitants of West Hackney—were
considered to have no concern in the business. Their
souls were to be transferred to a new guardian with
as little ceremony as bodies are transferred in
the slave market at Constantinople. " Tis plea-
sant purchasing one's fellow -creatures," says
BYRON. It is profitable also to sell them,
thinks the slave dealer. So thought a certain
Mr. LAMB, who looked at the cure of souls in
West Hackney as something which might be turned
to account. It is true that he had nothing to do
with the benefice. He was not the patron. He had
no power of selling the living or the presentation.
Bat he :`.ought that if he could buy it cheap and
cell i :ear, such a process might be as profitable as
stock-jo',biog. He accordingly called on a Mr.
SIMIP:“,N, a clerical agent—that is to say, a person
who for a percentage will put a clergyman in pos-
session of the right to occupy the pulpit of a parish
church whether the parishioners wish it or not. Any
clergyman fulfilling a few formal conditions, by
applying to one of these agents, may, for a considera-
tion, too placed in the most responsible situation
in which a human being can be placed. He
may be stupid, careless, old, decrepid—his morality
may be only skin-deep--his theology may be saperfi-
cial ; never mind, let him " come down" handsomely,
and the spiritual oversight of thousands shall be en-
trusted to his care. Mr.LAMU, on applying to Mr.Sttir-
sox, the agent, put to him, according to his own words,
the question of the value of a supposititious suburban
living. Is other words, he described • suburban
living to Mr. SIMPSON as a property that might be
saleable. It may be observed that Mr. SIMPSON'S
account differs widely from Mr. LAMB'S, but we are
willing t abide by the statement of the latter. Mr.
SIMPSON, ho said, told him that he had an old
friend whom such a living would suit. On
the incond meeting he confided to Mr. SIMPSON
the name of West Hackney. He then asked the ,
agent's fees. "He told me his fee was 3 per cent.,
and a preliminary fee of 21. 2s. I said 5 per cent,
was monstrous, and as to the 21. 2s. fee, it would be
time enough to pay that when I put my business
into his hands." It is evident, then, that Mr. LAMB
did contemplate putting business into SIMPSON'S
hands. The fact is established that he would have
sold West Hackney if he could; but, alas! to this
there was one slight obstacle the patronage of
West Hackney was not his to sell. Before he could
sell ho must buy. He did not buy, and as SIMPSON
had entered into negotiations for the sale, he gave
directions not to proceed in the matter, u all
along it was a contingency, which was now more re-
mote than ever. According to Mr. LAMB'S own
showing, then. be had contemplated the contin-
gency. He had thought that it might be in his
power to sell the next presentation to West Hackney.
He must therefore have meditated buying it cheap
and selling it dear.
It is necessary, however, to take Suirson's
story along with Mr. LAMB'S. He stated that
in August last Mr. Lams called on him, and told
him that he had a living for sale, of about
16,0001. in value, at Idea, in Sussex, and also
that he had the next presentation to a living to
which be had inducted his brother, and for which he
wanted 3,0001. Subsequently SIMPSON was told that
this latter living was West Hackney, and he wrote
soon after to say that he had found a pinsbaut
for the West Hackney living. Mr. Lail fm-
cared whether the purchaser, the Rev. /MAI
RODWELL, would pay the 3,0001. down, or when
be got possession? SIMPSON said that Mr. ROD.
inui. would be ready to pay 3,0001. if there
was a distinct proviso that he could have postman
in six months. SIMPSON continues thus: " Mr. LAMB
then said, ' I have not been idle about the matter : I
have been in communication with Mr. 'l'vesan, the
patron, as there was some question as to my title.
had been advised that the trustees ought to have con-
curred in the sale to me ; but I now find that was not
necessary.' He then said he should be in town again
in a week, but if not, he would send the particulars
by poet; and as to possession, he would, within that
day month, name the day. In consequence of that,
I said, ' I may communicate with Mr. RoDwELL that
you will send the particulars within a week, and that
within a month we shall know when possession can
be given.' "

The Rev. JOSIAH RODWZLL, who had been ella-
mined before, had given evidenoe which tallied in all
emential points with that of SrmrsoN. He was told
by the latter—who stated that .he had obtained this'
information from hfr. Lsmn—that the income was

5401.. and that there was a residence. He paid
BLIEPION a fee of two guineas. Mr. Luis after-
wards wrote to say that SIMPSON was not authorised
to sell the living.
Before making any comments upon this discredita-
ble business, it may be observed that the action was