The Express.
London, England, 1858-04-17 00:00:00

LONDON, 3A TIT RDA 7', APRIL 17.

No interest in the India Bills, nor in any other
mama, should divert the attention of the Liberal
members in the House of Commons from their duty
es the 21st inst. Sir ions TaatawNe's motion
for the abolition of Church Rates stands Ara on the
notice-papa for that day ; and it is fully expected
that the Hare will pinto Committee upon the Bill,
though Mr. PACKS has given notice that he will
move for postponement, with the usual meaning of
throwing out the Bill. The rapidly increasing
majorities in favour of the abolition of Church Rates
must not make the Liberal members careless. We
are not out of the wood yet, as too many parishes in
England can avouch ; and the more secure the friends
of religious liberty become, the more vigilant and
daring will the minority become. Several circum-
stances combine to make it desirable that the
majority should, on this occasion, be again in-
creased to a decisive point, while the same
circumstances perplex all calculation as to what
such increase may amount to. Nothing should there-
fore be left to chance. Beery Liberal member should
be in his place as certainly as if the erne depended
wholly on himself. It may be as well to remind
our readers of the results of divisions on this subject
in recent years, that it may be seen how much de-
pends on the fidelity of members on Wednesday next.
Taking votes and pairs together, the majority was
in 1833, 48 against the abolition of Church Rata.
In 1834 it wail 27 on the same side. Then the sods
turned, and in 1833 there was a majority *l'2B in
favour of the abolition. This majority rose to 43 in
1838, and to 53 this session. These figures tell their
own tale, and show that release from this compul-
sory payment, and from the painful feelings which
it engenders all round, is within our reach, if our
representatives are up to their duty. The stage of
petitioning is past. The game is in our own hands.
The majority of the House is rightly disposed ; and
the people out of doors who petitioned in a former
stage have now only to keep their representatives to
the work till it is finished.

We trust it can hardly be necessary to warn any
old member of the snare laid for the unwary in the
shape of proposals for this or that way of modifying
the Church-rate imposition, short of abolishing its
compulsory character altogether. But there are
members who were not in the flow, and did not
closely watch the course of the question between
1832 and 1837, who declare themselves disposed for
some reform different from Sir J. TRILARICeiI.
They shake their heads at his Bill, snd talk of some
substitute. Will these gentlemen please to consider
what is to be had and what is not to be had at this
present time—which is what we have to deal with ?
If they will look at the case u it now stands they
will see that no Government which exist* or can
exist will support the present system, and that the
one alteration which has commanded attention and
pined an ever increasing majonty of votes is that of
the total abolition of the rate. Even if they are un-
willing to give up their respective notions, they
mast still vote with Sir J. TEILAWNY on Wed-
nesday, in order to get their schemes considered in
Committee. In every view, the less they say of any
other plan, and the more readily they unite to get
into Committee, in the first place, the better for the
cause, as it appears in each man's view. This is so
plain and clear that every member who helps to
divert attention by any counter proposals on Wed-
nesday may expect to be placed on the list of oppo-
nents to Church-rate reform.

There is certainly nothing in the aspect of the
case out of the House to diminish the need of a
Anal legislative settlement of this irritating ques-
tion. Indeed, the necessity increases, and is at this
moment very urgent, for there are many places in
England where the powers of the law, real or sup-
posed, are urged to their utmost stringency before the
opportunity is lost. Double rates are enforced by
all the terrors which tell so heavily on the rural mind,
are laid for all manner of objects, legal or illegal, that
as much mosey may be got hold of as possible be-
fore the law is changed. Where the Church structure
is new, so that no repairs are wanted, double rates
are laid to pay the ringers, the clerk, and for winding
up the clock, and planting the churchyard, and
introducing embellishments within. It may be
maid that it is the fault of the parishioners if
they allow such levies to be made upon
them. This is true, is a way ; but it takes
some time to instruct a village population in the
niceties of the vestry; sad if instructed, there is the
fear of a SUMMON, before the magistrates in petty
sessions for the non-payment of rates : so the matter
ends in a Quaker or two it,ing insulted, and winning
or losing the day according the fitness of his
legal adviser. We saw in the Pon•efl'act cases, a
group of which drew attention last November and
December, how wisely and well some ably-guided
recusants have done and fared ; but it is not every-
where that the ratepayers understand their aces so
well sa to foil the magistrates, as happened ti:"n•
And even in that case, which ended so well, there
was much that was irritating and painful. The
magistrates are naturally annoyed when they end
themselves powerless. and the churchwardens at
being served with notices of actions ; and one con-
stant incident of these conflicts is, that the recusant'
are charged with grudging the money, whatever ex-
pecte and trouble they may pat themselves lathe way
of by their refusal to pay. The gentry declare as a
truism, " • man moat pay hieratev, of course." Thew-
son " can't conceive why the Quakers refuse this rate
" when they pay taxes which they know will go topay