The Express.
London, England, 1860-06-13 00:00:00

NAVAL AND MILITARY.

ADMILALT; JUNI 12.—APPOINNTWSIIL
tenants : G. B. Goolden, to the Man; G. A. Brine, to
the Moserch ; W. J. Walker, to the Barnwouta ; Sir
F. Blackwood, to the Aboukir;Batty, to the
Bleabeim, for service in the Violet ; G. Stratton, to the
/31ewheam ; P. H. & Webber, and A. J. Wooton, to the
Clan Assistant Engineer : J. W. Elliott, to the
ittLagaird:dauZin:renuLeietaat Engineer : J. Nelson, to the
Asia, tar eereige ha the Omit

CHATHAM, Jong II
The Secretary of State for War has just issued a
sew code of regulations respecting the admisMoss of caadi-
dates into the civil branch of the Royal Engineer depart-
ment. which was promulgated at the head-quartme of the
Royal Ingbrer establishment this morning. The clamss for
whose mammon the regulations have been harmed are
clerks of works, temporary clerks of workr, and foremen.

TATTIONALL% MONDAT.-oWiii 10 ea serer ia tem-
mites& the Wafters price fee the et. Lew we Quoted 7
to 1 instead al 7 to 2.

THAI CENSUS
Last evening a public meeting was. held in Free-
masons'-hall, in order to protest against that provision in
the bill now before art for taking a °ensue of the
population of sad Walee next year by which
every housekeeper is to be required to make a return of the
"religions " of every person abiding in his house
on a gum night.
Mr. EDWARD Bantus, M.P., presided, and amongst the
Pagan" resent were Mr. Dinwyn, H.P., Mr. Thus Salt,
M.P., Mr. Gressley, Y.P. Mr. George Hideaki, M.P., Mr.
M,P., Mr. J. T. Norris, ALP., Mr Jffllea
1t4r1.7. , James Heywood, ER., Professor Hoppue,
Rev. John 'Burnett, Rev. George Smith, Rev. William
Brook,, Mimed Swains, Esq., Bull Terrell, Eaq., Rev.
R. B. Argalsod, Rev. IL Eckert, Rev. Thomas James, Ans-
ley Pellath, Req., Dr. Foster William Spicer, Esq., Rev.
B. PriaA Bey . Bellows' Rev. R. Maaneriog, and Rev.
IL A. Beedereon. The ball was well filled.
The Cnaraimit said that he had been requested to preside
on this occasion because he wee the first member of the
House of Commons who gave mile of an amendment to
that provision of the bill which they were met there to op-
pose. The opinion which he then NOM tiled
Mae lama confirmed by. Ors qf ease yeistkoes,
Wiliit different religions Ai would not
fitabh into the let Mould Mena* on
MIMI dell who resisted theme, IhsttheyirMaral the
*•wasa., ~..„. se . ssestitis t„......4....... QS;
. to as . till Wag ad see
Wm, r, hetriMen isouti=ea rl.llllllitibikeerhend
sue a queation might be asked in a country where all
forme of religion were subeidiatid by the stets ; but act it
am.v.....,d I! church, orthe yea
ime yid out
any money-rd
sill where a very large proportion of that
ut
,ralilita aosuctroualy objleted to. my inter.
Vilil ligaltrecowillecel thmatter
eir religious opinions,.
buty
to env interregation upon them byarera-
allill=r. They had so sectarian object in
to oppose this bill, fa. they be-
to all sects, including the established church
The object they had to view was a general one; and
was to defeat au attempt width they suspected was about
to be made to employ the census for sectarian p
they AM ma object to the amen being taken asturt6l
sin MIL, if the wahkie conamilies required it ; and
hlre
=strmlieletirter read
whieb awry:wig:eV:lhr o.
or
sr U.
.Asela be was afraid that the impartiality cf that '
rend !eel prejalked certain classes of the comet
42
setthenhe repetition of such an exposure ; for that
sappleiemost complete body of evidence in favour of the
el religion to sustain and extend itself ; and 3
was on that very ground that those who
Fr witit
to see religion self.sapporting, bat w
have it lean upon the arm of the Mete, now
wanted to have a religions census of ttexeci&
tithes in a different manner. Now, he belt
may speed and meelleat purposes might be answered
by taking the census sea in 1861 as it was taken ten years
ago ; a mere record of the attendance at those public insti-
tutions for religions worship, which were already regis-
tered by the Registrar-General would not have been ob-
jected to, and might have been advantageously used by
good and phth othropic men. It might have shown them
the existing deficiencies in the religious Mate of the
and stimulate them to supply what wee wanting.
Mat object did not involve the necessity of any in-
into the opinions of individuals ; and the real bond
ode strength of 011011 denomination would be sufficiently
indicated by taking each building, and stating what num-
ber of persons it contained. He objected, therefore, to
the proposed inquiry, because it was an infringement of
religion, liberty ; and as • statistician he also objected
to it, because the results of it could not be trust-
worthy. It had been said that the imposition of
the penalty was to be foregone, bat that would not
mmd the matter, for if the penalty were pitairal, it would
be objectionable on conscientious grounds ; and if the
penalty were withdrawn, it would be objectionable on statis-
tical grounds, for then the statistics would be so much the
lees reliable. He felt much surprised that the Home
Secretary, Sr George Cornewall Lewis, should persist in
this measure, in spite of the very strong representations
that had been made to him that it was offensive to the
minds of many good men. He then called upon tho speakers.
The first resolution was moved by the Rev. (110/102
SIITIM, and seconded by the Rev. Ronear ECCETT, as
follows : " That this meeting expresses astonishment that
it should have been proposed by a liberal administration to
olTeevery oceepar of &dwelling-house to make a astern
religious profession of its inmates ; and that the
meeting regards such an inquiry as an unwarrantable inter-
ference with personal opinion. and as bluely to be followed
by mischievousnada"
Mr. JAIIMS HITTWOOD, late M.P. for North Lancashire,
=spoke to the resolution, which was adopted unani.
Mr. Drumm, M.P., in moving the second resolttion,
said that for his owe part, although he did not like to se;
himself up spinet the law, he would not be made an inqui-
sitor for the government ; and when the censes was taken
for his own household, he was determined that no friends or
servants of his should be asked to give an account of their
religion ; he would rather undergo the penalty for not
making this return. He believed the object of the church
party was to add to their statistics, by hook or crook, a
large number of those persons who bad no religion at all.
The liberal government on this matter had maenad such a
position as he scarcely thought the thrift would have dared
to assume; and members of parliament blue himself were thus
put in • very unpleasant position. This was an attack on
the principles of religious liberty, and on the !virus feel-
ings of the country, and it ought to be resented. Cheers.)
Mr. WILD, M.P., seconded the reeolution, an was fol.
lowed by Mr. F. CROSSLIT, M.P. The resolution was abo
supported by the Rev. Joan Ruasievr.
In reply to an observation, it was stated by the Ce.(l2-
Nett that the form which the government proposed to adopt
would not specify the Baptists or any other particular de.
nomination of dissenters. There would be four columns,
respectively allotted to the Church of England, Prommayi
Digmetioi ikon Wholics: le. niebilicrs of ay oiler
heily.
After a short intervention, caused by the presence of two
gentlemen—Mr. WALTON and Mr. JONMl—who claimed to
sakes, the meeting against the resolution, and for whom
the chairman obtined a hearing with some difficulty, the
reethation was carried almost unanimously, as follows :
a That his the conviction of this meeting that, whether
lbs ileiand to be made nadir the Census Bill bo enforced
kepis,* or be optimal enly, the information obtained
will be kmaclusive aidisialesding ; inconclusive because cm-
name Ihessebeiders vionesfues to make the return, and
=.lllMetheithet large numbers of individuals -
11116thallinebed is ray denomination will, nor
be retneeth es seadoerser religious communities."
The lasi vessbiles use moved by the Rev. R. a
Amu/Mk MA eileenied by Abe kat. Professor Horans, as
follows :

411 at it being provided by the bill that information not
gives by householders shall be supplied, to the best of their
ability, by the enumerstere, there will—in the event of the
return being made optional—be devolved on those sub-
ordinate (median:we the presumptuous and impossible
task of describing, on their own responsibility, the religions
profession of hundreds of thousands of the community.
That ce these grounds, and believing that it, the govern-
ment scheme, would foster sectarian jealousy and political
strife, this meeting is of opinion that it should be most
strenuously resisted. The meeting, therefore, adopts the
petition to the House of Commons, and requests the mem-
bers the metropolitan counties and boroughs to support
its prayer."
A vote of thanks to the chairman having been moved by
Mr. HADTTEIX, M. P., and duly honoured, the proceedings
were brought to a close.