The Express.
London, England, 1853-08-19 00:00:00

PEREMPTORY PROROGATION BY THE ARCH•

BISHOP.

Yesterday the general meeting of the Convocation
of the Clergy of the Province of Canterbury was held at
the Jerusalem Chamber, adjacent to Westminster Abbey.
The rev. genUensen present attended divine service in
Westminster Abbey, and afterwards proceeded to the
Jerusalem Chamber, where the meeting was appointed to
be held.

The He,. Dr. CHHIBTOPIiZiI. WOMAIWORTR, Canon of
WeillMillittr, stated to the 'mumbled clergy that the
Very Rev. Dr. Peacock, the Prolocutor, was staying
at has home, and had commissioned him to attend there

to make •

statement, however, which he

- i wbhed to say was of an uno c ec erter, and entrely
independent of any order with regard to the transactions of
convocation. It happened to be the opinion of the prolo-
cutor that even the Lower House of Convocation could not
be properly constituted without the preliminary presence
of the archbishop, who was the president. The prolocutor
had received no official communication with regard to the
tame of their meeting, but that morning at 11 o'clock a
communication bad been made to one of the servants of the
Abbey that his grace the Archbishop would not arrive at
Westminster until 3 o'clock. That communication was

mimed to him (Dr. Wordsworth) as ea7l.;2ilesTcleitinry—
of Wes:mintier, and he of rune had communicated the
fact to the prolocutor, but of the prolocutor knew
nothing about the matter. If the clergy present
wished to hear arlthing more from the
pro-
locutor, that gentleman would he glad to see them
at his (Dr. Wordswonh's) house, but for the rea-
lms he had already stated, the proctors would easily see
that the prolocutor could nut appear amongst them in that
room.

After somewhat lengthened discussions, a deputation,
consisting of the whole of the clergy present, was formed,
and waited upon the Very Rev. Prolocutor at Dr. Words-
worth's house, when they remained for some time In con-
sultation.

At twenty minutes past three o'clock hie Grace the Arch-
btsitop of Canterbury arrived in full robes, accompanied by
Dr. Twisa, the Vicar-General, Francis Hart Dyke, Ewa.,
her Majesty's Proctor, the Principal Registrar of the Pro-
Tint! of Canterbury, and other officials.
Liss GRACE, on taking the chair, said he bad attended
for the purpose of proroguing the present session of convo-
cation for the province of Canterbury, and would be glad
to Dee the prolocutor of the lower house.
The Very Rev. the Dean of ELT (Dr. Peacock) then
advanced to the table, and said—Your grape, I have been
mewed by a considerable number of the members of the
Lower Bosse of Convocation, who have been assembled
here since 10 o'clock this morning, to make the following
respectful representation to your grace : That no intimation
has been given to me, as prolocutor, that the present ses-
sion of convocation world not commence at the usual hour.
They beg, therefore, very respectfully to pray your grace
to give such orders's Easy prevent a similar occurrence for
the future.

Loud cheers greeted the reading of this resolution.
The Archbishop of CAN lEkiltkr expressed his deep te-
rn that there should have been any occasion for the pees
tag of such a resolution by his rev. brethren in the Lower
House of Convocation. Ile had attended there for the pur-
poee of proroguing the present session of convocation, and
be bail never entertained en idea that there was any inten-
tion of proceeding with the dispatch of business. On the
occasions of prorogation it had never been the custom to
enter into matters of entroveny, and, having no idea
that such would be the case in the present instance, he had
followed the course which, to the best of his belief, had
been adopted by himself and predecessors.
Hr. F. H. DYIII then, by command of the Archbishop,
read the schedule of prorogation, fixing the neat assembling
of convocation for Saturday, the 10th of November, on
w►ich day, however, it was agreed on all hands that no
business should be done. The meeting, therefore, on the
14th of November will not call for the attendance of the
clergy, nor will business of any kind be transacted.
Archdeacon Dantsuot—Thers is neither right nor reason
in these proceedisp.
The Archbishop then retired.
The Rev. Dr. Russm.t., addressing the prolocutor, said
at wh,t hour of the day are we to neat meet ?
The Pnonoccvos (laughingly)—Well, at no time.
Several members of the Lower House said they were
very maims to avoid a to,- etition of what had °centred
that day ; they would be glad, therefore, if the Prolocutot
would inform them of what was demanded of them on a
future occasion.
The Very Rev. the PaoLoct-r.at said that in all proba-
bility their meeting would be prorogued by the Queen's
Welt,,, and that, therefor., there would be no occasien
for the attendance of the clergy. At a subsequent period
be hoped that happier arrangements would prevail.