The Express.
London, England, 1860-02-09 00:00:00

(Stamped ld. Additional.)

country and should have fallen into deenetade
In another. I think it is of great importance
that we should arrive, if possible, at 110010 arrange-
ment by which that anomaly may he terminated,
We have bad several schemes brought forward. In one
instance the policy of • government has been expreseed, but
not in another instance the policy of a government
has been brought before the house in the form of • bill. I
must admit that the experience we have had with regard to
these efforts to arrive at • satisfactory settlement is not of an
encouraging nature; but it doss not follow that we should
immediately adopt a proposition like that of the honourable
member for Tavistock. If it be the fact that the very great
majority of the pariabes are satisfied with the present state
of the law, and that the minority which are dissatisfied are
not suffering from any practical grievance, then the proposi-
tion of the honourable baronet is not the redress of • prac-
tical grievance, but the acceptation of a epeculative theory.
(Hear, hear.) What is that theory? It has varied in its
form of expression during the period that I have bad • seat
in this house, and during the existenes of this agitation. It
first appeared in a very plausible form; it was express)
in accents which commended it to the favourable considera-
tion of the house. We were then called upon to recognise a
conscientious scruple, and the recognition of a conscientious
scruple was • bees for legislation which naturally recom-
mended itself to every generotui mind. But, sir, that is no longer
the case. No one now seeks redress for hie oonscientious
scruples, and those who wereonce willing to listen to such an
appeal have, after wiser auddiscreen r reflection, felt that the
admission of such a plea would lead to ultimate legislation
of a pernicious character on other subjects. Well, what is
the form which the speculative theory—for a speculative
theory and not • practical grievance it now is—assume,?
Why, it takes • form much clearer, much mere sincere,
much move honest, much more intelligible; it takes the
form of • controversy as to whether:there should be an rode-
'barbell establishment in this country, and whether that
union between church and state which bag hitherto prevailed
should be acknowledged and supported. (Cheers.) I have
observed that where either the doctrines or the property of
the church is at stake, and questions affecting this matter
are brought forward in Wm house, the agitation that takes
place is of oonsiderable duration, and during that agitation
the form of the question assumes very different aspects. Bat
ultimately the real character of the agitation comes out, and
it is a very great error to suppose that in questions of this
kind a lengthened agitation is necessarily favourable to those
who are the &dyeable. of considerable change in existing
regulaiions. What was the effect of the agitation on the
appropriation clause relating to the property of the Irish
church ? (Hear, hear.) How often, bow obstinately, with
how much ability, with what elided illustration, was the
appropriation of what was alleged to be the surplus property
of the Irish church recommended in this home. lam re-
minded by a right hon, friend that a temporary success on a
division did not in that cue lead to the consummation of the
policy recommended and enforced. The mind of the country
was enlightened on the subject ; the public discovered that
much mire was involved in the question than the ostensible
result which was advocated, and during the agitation of that
subject that happened which has happened in this instance,
and will, I believe, happen still more conspicuously if this
discussion proceeds, that many who were the warm advo-
cates of the policy first recommended drew back when they
saw the consequences which might ensue. And, sir, I see
now in the disposition of this house, even though •
majority may for • moment be obtained in favour of
the bill, more inclination to be swayed by • andid,
calm consideration of the state of the facts than
has appeared to prevail during the last too
years. It is irspeesible for us to resist the broad facts which
he before us. You are calling upon us to revolutibnise
the parochial constitution of this country; and when we call
upon you to bring forward witnesses to the necessity of what
is proposed, there rise up in the house the representatives of
14,000 parishes, who tell you that they do not require •
change. The house feels that it is no longer under the pres-
sure of • national or public exigency,and it beimes it c.ltnly
to consider and long to ponder before it enters on a practical
course which may be rib with consequences that it is impos-
sible at this moment to calculate. Sir, I will not at Gila
period eater into the discussion of a question eci vast and
important as that, whether the existence of the established
church se • national thelesiastical body is dependent on tie re-
jection of the policy of the bill of the hon.member for Tavistock ;
but I will sty this, that before the house can arrive at a
decision on an issue of such importance it will have to consi-
der deeply, largely, and long, the consequences of such • pc-
Bey. And, sir, if there were no other cause for the mainte-
nance of the established church at the present moment than
that which must at once occur to members on both :.ides of
the house, I hope they will remember that that church has
been, and still ist and I trust ever will be, the best security of
this country against that religious fanaticism which has more
than once been prevalent in this kingdom. (" On, oh," from
the minimalist rude of the house.) We are told that we live
in an enlightened age, and that the population of this country
are so far advanced that we an look forward without fear to
the conduct of a people educated and pintos*.
{Athol ; bat if • I am to judge by what is pain-
log 111 ider oar eye la almost every county of her
Msjesty'e dominions, I wthere instances of conduct and
indicetkne of opinion which make me tremble for what may
be Ike cotheqummes to the country if the great influence of
the church of England is withdrawn. (Cheers.) That is •
very limited view of the influence of the national church,
but it is one which is brought home to my mind at this
moment by what is pawing in this country, and one, there-
fore, which, oa this occasion, I have slightly referred to. I
shall oppose the motion before the house. The hon. member
for Tavistock has brought forward this question, as he awe,.
does, with exhumes and courtesy; but we must not allow
that calmness and that courtesy to mimed from us the real
character of the measure which he recommends. (Cheers.)
It is, in my mind, • pernicious measure, and one which,
if carried, may lead to greater results than many even
in Gibbous. may anticipate. It is recommended only on
speculative ground., sod is no longer brought forward to
redress practical grievances ; and because there is no weep-
city whatever to enter into these speculative discussions, be-
cause, irrespective of all other considerations, it is clearly in
evidence before us that this is • proposition fur • tyrannical
interference of the central authorey of the state with the
parochial constitution of the country, I shall give the motion
a hearty sad absolute refused. (Cheers.)
Lord FERMOY had listened with great disappointment to
the speech of the right hon. gentleman. He had expected to
hear from him something on the media of the question,
whereas he bad, in fact, heard only bold seseitioes. The
right bon. gentleman said they were about to revolutionise
the parochial institutions of the country. Why shoald they
not revolutionise them—(laughter from the opposition)—tf
they fostered tojustioe end oppression? The right bon. gen-
tleman seemed to be frightened by a pines. He was most
unfortunate in his allusion to the appropriation clause. By
the Act of Union the church of England anti the church of
Ireland were made the same; yet in belied church retesand
ruinieters' money bad been abolished, and ten bishops done
away with, and the established church was as strong as before.
(Hear, hear.) No hope of a compromise had barn held, nut
in that debate on the part of the advocates of church rate..
(Oh, ob.) He never heard • more uncompromieing speech
than that of the noble lord who moved the amendment
—(hear, hear)—and that of the seconder was of the lame
cheramer. He repeated that no hope of a coropmruise had
been held out. (Renewed cries of "Oh, oh.") Gentlemen
opposite did not even suppot t the bill which emanated from
the late government. (Hear, hear.) It was said that the
number ot petition* against church rates was not sa pr-at as
It bad been in former years, That was • very imprudent de-
elaration. Was the question, he asked, to to decided by ree-
-1 son and argument, or solely by premium from without ?
(In nical cheers from the opposition.) If the majority of
churchmen were, as was alleged, in favour ot
church rate., there could be no danger of
churches bang allowed to fell into decay, sup-
they were left dependent on voluntary offering*.
Etilelifing church rates to be unfair and urjust, he should
vise cordially for their aboli
Mr. PACK B would delay entering into the merits of the
bill until it reached • further stage. Adverting to what fell
from the hon. member for Chippenbam (Mr. Long) he could
not help tying that he saw no reasoa to believe that the
noble lord the member for London had in reality changed his
opinion on this question. He believed it was with very greet
regret that the noble lord would go into the lobby in favour
of this bill.

Mr. HUBBARD could not say that anything which be
had heard that day repreeected the actual state of this ques-
tion. Wherever churchmen abounded the payment of
church rates was not objected to; while, on the other hand,
wherever dissenter. existed In greet numbers the questiiin
was continually being agitated. Such• state of things was
mireenely unsatisfactory ; but that was nu reason why a
majority of churchmen who was to teener i.f church rates
should be, oreven•ed from amenting to their being levied.
Mr. THOMPSON, who was very impatiently listened to,
expressed a hope that whea the bill cause out of coamittee
It would contain some provision for the repair. of the fabric
of the church. In that hope he would rapport the second
reading of the measure. To neglect to ensure the repair of
the fabric of the church wiald be, In his opinion, to afford
great room to the poor wan to oompl an of injuittice,
Name he would say those churches were built by the liber-
ality of our fathers, who never onuld have contemplated
the unconditional abolition of the Mans of supporting
them. (Hear.) He repeated that be was strongly of opinion
provisions should be made for supporting the fabrics of the
opera), but he would support the second reeding—(a laugh)
—in the hope that some provision would be made of the na-
hue be bad Indicated. (Hear.)
Sir J. TRELAWNY briefly replied, and pointed out the
mesa helot& weer@ church reform had been pro furtive
of moat to the established church in that onintry. The
ammonia for the &bonitos of church retell had not been
aeswered, and were, to foot, unenewerable. S ime h e. gen..
flew.° opposite leers of opinion that dissenters raeht to
be exempted, of contra giving up the whole principle as
to the lability of property. He would not furher detain
the bowie.

The hoots than divided, whew then snowed—
Fir the oecood reeding 263
Against it
The sosootwoment of the umbers woo revived with isli
end massed ohms km the apptaitha.

[TWOPENCE.

Mr. DUNCOMBE postimeed until to-morrow his motion
for leave to bring in a bill to make provision that at all
future elections for members to serve in parliament for the
city of Gloucester and borough of Wakefield, the electors
thereof give their votes tay of ballot.
ENDOWED SCHOOLS.
At the tance of Sir H. CAMNS. • bill to amend the laws
relating tome
ndowed schools was brought in and read a first
time.

The SPEAKER announoed that be had received a com-
munication from the agents in the matter, that the petition
against the election fur the borough of Chatham was with-
drawn. _ _

In reply to Bir H. WILLOUGHBY,
Hr. 8. HERBERT said that the reason why the East
India Company had not paid their share of the expenses of
the war (400,0000 was because the East India Company,
not having paid it within the financial year, it cteetwi a debt;
but of course the estimates for the ensuing year would be
relieved to the suns amount.
The house rose at floe minutes to 6 o'clock.

THE WAKEFIELD ELECTION.

REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS.

This morning the report of the Wakefield Com-
missioners was promoted to parliament.

The Commiedoners find that the election in April, 1859,
was conducted by and on the put of each of the candidatte
In a corrupt and illegal manner, and that corrupt and illegal
practices exten,ively prevailed. They set forth the names of
98 persons who were guilty of bribery in respect of the votes
of other persons ; 88 who were guilty in respect of their
own votes; end 12 who " wen guilty of acts of bribery not
on one side only, but on both." They find that Mr. W. H.
Leathern expended, through hie ate•b, • sum of money
amounting "at lent" to 3,9001., of which all but
4781. 7s. 6d. was disbarred in illegal payments and that
on behalf of Mr. J. C. D. Charlaiworth • sum of at least
4,1501., of which only 6611. 104. passed through the hand•
of the election auditors, was expended. Of the expenditure
of a sum of between 1,8001. and 1,9001. by Mr. Gilbert,
through whom the bribery on behalf of Mr. Leathern was
carted on, the Commissioners say .

"We find that Mr. W. H. Leathern provided the said
monies with the Intention that they should be employed, in
part at least, in bribery aid corruption, and that before the
said monies were provided Mr. W. H. Leathern lied sand•
paled and inspected, by reason of his observation of what
had previously taken plate at elections for the said borough,
th►t corrupt practices would probably be had recourse to in
order to defeat him, and that be intended to make use of the
like means in order to secure his own return."

After detailing the ingeaions method in which Mr.
Challesworth's money was pieced out, the Commissioners

add, speaking more particularly of a sour of 1,6001..
"We find that Mr. J. C. D. Charleswortb, having pro-
vided the fund out of which the bribery, in fact, was after-
wards carried on on his lehalf, designedly abstained up to
the election from inquiring as to the manner in which that
fund was being employed, having before the election the
mesas of knowing and good grounds to &aspect the manner
of its disponi."
be Commissioners conclude their report as follows :

" We find that large bodies of non-electors to the number
of several hundreds on each side, and including on Yr.
Charlesworth's side at least several prize-fighters, were em-
ployed by the respective candidates at wages varying (tom
3s. flid. to se. a man per diem for some time before and up to
the day of election. These men were ostensibly employed as
watchers and runners for the purpose of detecting and pre-
venting improper practices by the partisans of the opposing
candidates respectively, but in our opinion not really for such
purpose, but for the purpose partly tf exercising an im-
proper influence upon the election, by the expenditure of
large sums of money in the borough both in payment of the
non-electors themselves, and of the publicans whose houses
they frequented, and where they were supplied • Mt refresh-
ment, and partly also for the purpose of causing intimidation
and annoyance to the canvassers and voters of the opposing
parties respectively. One case of actual abduction was
proved before us, which will be found in the evidence of
the witness Abraham Lupton. We have been informed by
the witnesses that the employment of non-electors in the
manner described is an established practice at the Wakefield
elections. We find that it is without any necessity or legi-
timate object, that it impedes and interferes with the freedom
of election, and that, it GIMP intimida.ion and great annoy
saes to the voters on both irides, and furnishes cloaks for
bribery and corruption in venue ways. The fact found by
us that neither of the candidates thought proper to pay the
non-electors through the election auditor, but adopted the
alternative of paying them wages in a manner secret and de-
clarei illegal by statute 17 cad 18 Vict. chap. 102, sect. 18,
satisfied us that the employment of the non-electors in the
manner described was well known to be unnecessary and
illegal, but the provisions of that statute as to the payment
of expensts through the auditor appear to have been
made of no account whatever by either of the candidates.
We find that it was generally anticipated by the partisans
on bAO sides for some time before the said election, that re-
' ;amuse would be had to bribery by their respeciive oppo-
Dente, and we find that the fact that bribery was being car-
ried on on both aides was tofote the election a matter of
common notoriety throughout the borough, and excited but
a ecanty measure of disapprobation even on the part of those
who did not actually join in the work of corruption.
Lastly, we (lad, having regard to the length of time before
the election at which the preparations for the work of cor-
ruption were commenced—to the large proportion (142 out of
868) of the whole constituency engaged in corrupt practices
and guilty of bribery—to the number of persons (including
68, themselves electors) who voluntarily joined in the work
of offerirg end giving bribes—to the seal and skill they ex-
hibited—to the Nadine's with which their services were re-
ceived and their acts adopted—to the open way in which
bribery was carried on by the canvassers and discussed
amongst all clams—and to the manner in which the voters
received and bargained with the canvaseers on both sides,
' that large numbers of the electors were then not for the first
time engaged in the like operations of groats corruption."

THE LATE BRIBERY AT BEVERLEY.—The Homo
of Commons having decided to prosoute Mr. Deniel Boyce
and Mr. Taylor for the parts they respectively tuck in
connexion with the bribery proc,edings practised at
the last general election for Bevetley, a large meetiugof the
liberal p.rty was held in the Mechanics Institute on Mon-
day evening to decide what Oslo should be taken in refer-
ence to the matter. Mr. A. Croeskill occupied toe chair, and
during the evening resolution* were agreed to, expressing
the opinion of the westing that as the order of the Howse of
Commons was fttueded on evidence taken in an inquiry to
which Messrs. Styes and Taylor were not parties, and on
statements which they had no opportunity of oon-
tradicano, answering or explaining, it wee moat harsh
and unjust ; and that as the charges against those persons
can only be supported by the self-criminstory ointments of
the other parties, the order bolds out enoturagement for •
clogs of testimony, the employment of which has always
been denounced by the soundest constitutional authorities.
The meeting also pledged itself to resist to the utmost such
an note% attack upon the liberties of the borough of Bever-
ley in the uremia of two of its inbabitente, seeing that it bad
been proved tbat men of higher oration in other boroughs,
and agsinst whom no proceedings are threatened, have been
guilty of far more bribery and corrupt practices, at the
recent general election, than Means. Byes and Taylor are
charged with. A committee was appointed to collect sub-
scriptions, and to take each 'nurture.) am may be doomed
necessary in defeore of Messrs. Boyce and Taylor.
SINGULAR AND FATAL OCCURRENCE.—A fatal
and novel accident bu happened at Boson, in Staffordshire.
On Monday morning, about 4 o'cbck, the lodgers in the
house in High-direct, in that town, occupied by John
Welsh, shoemaker and broker, were alarmed by a crash
over their heads, which they dew:ribs a. resembling the re-
port of a cannon. The crash wee accompanied by screams
from one of the rooms on the attics door, need as the sleep-
ing room of Welsh, his wife, and his two children, one
in its sixth and the other in its fourth year. It was then
discovered that the roof of the hewn bed given in imme-
diately over that pert of the room in which the family were
at rest, and that they were ell buried beneath the debris.
, When the sufferers were liberated it was found that they
were all more or lees injured, Welsh so mach so that his
life was despaired of. Hs died at 10 o'clock the same morn-
leg, notwithstanding the prompt attendance of • eurgeon.
Death is attributed to spinal %juries, (awed by the accident,
as there ate no external marks no the body. The howls is
• large one, belonged to Mr. Thomas Biker, a grocer, was
let for 4e. 2,1. • week, and, notwithstanding that it had •
heavy roof of brick tiling, the rafters were composed of
omparatively slender stripe of fir wood, now greatly de-
°eyed. A short tone ago the cotr•eponding pot t,on of the
roof, situated above the adjoining r out ti that ssceupisci by
Weleb, tell in, and an old wan who but lust lett his bed
narrowly escaped • similar tate to tba, *Oval btu now
stollen the downed. Greet excitement prevails in the
neighbourhood of the ill-fated houses, aa there are several
similarly constructednot far from it.