The Express.
London, England, 1853-02-17 00:00:00

GENERAL COMMITTEE OF ELECTIONS.

Yesterday the members of this committee, consist-
ing of Sir T. Trollope, Mr. J. R. Denison, Mr. Robert
Palmer, Mr. &them, and Mr. C. Fortescue, re-resembled
is Committee-room No. 14, and appointed the following
members from panel No. 8 to inquire into the merits of the
Petitions in the matter of the undermentioned controverted
elasticate :
BLacasoax.—Mr. Deedea (chairman), Lord Chelsea,
Mr. Archibald Haiti*, Colonel Boldero, and Mr. C. W.
Grenfell. Member petitioned against, Mr. W. Eccles.
Petitioner, W. Forrest and another.
CLITRZIIOI.—Mr. Milnes Gashill (chairman), Mr. Hatt,
Captain Gladstone, Mr. Wyndham Ooold, and Sir W. B.
Elswjth. Member petitioned against, Mr. M. Wilson. Pe-
titioners, J. M. Whalley and others.
CHATHAN.—Mr. BrainitOn (chairman), Mr. Newdegate,
Mr. Heywood, Mr. Alderman Thompson, and Mr. Apeley
Pellatt. Member petitioned against, Sir F. Smith. Peti-
tioners, G. Ely and others.

OF CONVOCATION.

The Upper House met yesterday morning at half-
pest 10, after prayers, at the Bounty-oßee, Westminster.
The following prelates were present : His Grace the
Archbishop of CANTERNUM, in the chair; the Bishops of
London, Winchester, Easter, Chichester, Worcester, Peter-
borough, Llandaff, Salisbury, Oxford, end Rochester.
The Bishop of LONDON said he had to present a re-
port of the committee appointed by convocation to con-
sider of an address to her Majesty, in reference to the
question of discipline among the clergy. It was as fol-
lows: •
" The committee appointed by convocation, to consider
of an address to her Majesty, as to a measure for the better
enforcing of discipline among the clergy, report
" That they have had various meetings, and in obedience
to the commands of the house, have taken into their serious

consideration the matter referred to them.
" That they are unanimously of opinion that the present
state of the law, touching the discipline of the clergy, is un-
satisfactory, and that it needs amendment.
" That the great expenses and delays attending such pro-
ceedings, which amount frequently to a denial of justice,
have not been removed by the recent acts upon this subject.
" That the provisions of the last act, which governs the
present administration of the law, are inadequate for their
I purpose.
" That the preliminary inquiry under that act savours
too much of an actual trial, without its safeguards or con-
clusion; whilst it has been doubted whether those provi-
sions which were intended to govern the actual trial could
safely be used for its conduct.
" That the present provision for hearing and deciding
final appeals, is not such as to give general satisfaction.
" That it is highly important that these evils should be
corrected.
" That in the judgment of tho committee it is desirable
that all causes against clerks involving questions of heresy
or false doctrine, blasphemy, or schism, should be beard as
they might have been before the passing of the act 2 and 3
Wen. IV.. c. 92, saving as regards the composition of the
court of final appeal.
" That the Court of Arches should be empowered to re-
ceive riri voce evidence, and to hear and exanilac wit-
nesses.
" That provision should he male for the bishop to hear
certain eases in private, if he shall think tit and the accused
pasty consent, and to pronounce sentence thereon.