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London, England, 1861-04-18 00:00:00

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LONDON, THURSDAY, APRIL IS.

Tam House of Common eentistees to vindicate
its character as the most reactionary assembly that
has sat at Westminster since the peeing of the
Reform Bill. Mr. Diumrs's Charitable Trusts
Bill and the Marriage Law Amendment Bill ware
respectively defeated yesterday, amidst loud cheers
from the Conservative side of the House. For
the rejection of the first of these measures
there is just so much? excuse as may
always be allowed to men who fear a pro-
position they have not taken pains to under-
stead. The discussion of yesterday showed that
many members were ender a complete delusion as
to the character of the Endowed Schools of this
country, supposing them to be quasi-ecclesiastical
institution, and a part of the Established Church.
Even if they were, their national character, and the
consequent duty of Parliament to see that they
were ministered for the greatest good of the
country, would not be diminished ; bat the fad is,
they are simply public institutions of education,
designed for all. It is this fact which makes it
reasonable and fitting that the qualification of the
trustees appointed from time to time should be
adjusted in a liberal spirit. Mr. HARD; who
said that the whole object of a diameter on being
admitted to be • trustee of one of these schools
would be to bring the teaching into conformity
with his own opinions, knew very well that the
thing was impossible. He never heard of • Non-
conformist trustee of an endowed Church school
trying to get his own religious tenets taught there,
and under Mr. Drum-ries Bill • tritons so saloon-
ducting himself would be liable to prompt expulmion.
The arguments of the honourable member all pro-
ceeded on the assumption that these schools an
the property of an exclusive religious corporation ;
and the fact that a 'mailman who has been a
member of the Government of the country, and
may be so again, could so moon, is • striking
prod how much remains to be done for the en-
lightenment of the Iva classes.
The defeat of tho Marriage Law A mendment
Bill is a most serious matter. The opponents of
that measure well knew what they were doing,
and we record a settled and deliberate conviction
when we say that they an permitting them-
selves to indulge • social tyranny of the most
cruel kind, from the dear Int of imposing their
religious opinions on others by law. The Domi-
nicans of Willies Rooms deny the right of the
Christian people to judge of the teachings
of Scripture for thiamine. It is in
vain that the laity of the Church of England
sign petitions on the subject ; and that the vo-
luntary religions bodies ask that their members
may not be stigmatised by the law while observ-
ing the precepts of the Scriptures as taught by
their own appointed Ministers. A bustling motion
of the clergy are determined to mike good the
domination of their Church in this matter, sad
while they can command five votes in the Home of
Commons, they will disregard alike the hardship
they entail on persons as devout as themselves, sod
the reaction which oppression ever prepare* against
itself. It is most necessary that this spirit
of ecclidastical aggression be patiently but steadily
and firmly resisted. It is necessary in the interests
of religion itself. We must have religious freedom,
lest we have freedom without religion. And it is
necessary to the de:ence of social liberty. By all
means let every Church teach its own doctrines,
and enforce them by its own sanctions; nobody
will complain of that. Bettor a portion of the minis-
ters of a particular Church to bring their interpre-
tation of • disputed text, and elaborate from that
the civil law of • whole nation, this is • monstrous
encroachment upon the rights of the laity. If this
is permitted, we may be sure that other attempts
of the same nature will be made. The law cannot
stand as it is, and in the meantime those who, in
the exercise of a wise judgment and their rightful
liberty, enter into marriages of the kind no arbitrarily
forbidden, may do so with the consecration of reli-
gion, the sanction of the highest examples of morel
purity, and the support of public opinion.
The fate of the Bills rejected yesterday should
lead reformers of all classes to reflect on the red-
peachy of their interests, and to discern how
thoroughly all depend on that greatest and most
urgent of improvements—a reform of Parliament
itself. The fate of every measure of progressive
reform is sealed from the moment it enters the
House of Commons. What has been done, what
is promised in the present anion beyond the
Bankruptcy Bill—an act for more rapidly grind
ing up the estates of the unfortunate into divi-
dends for those who can keep their ground I
Every day reveals a growing divergence between
the ideas and preferences of the House of Com-
mons and the great body of the nation. This
may continue for a longer or shorter period.
Our rulers may go on reading different news-
papers, talking different seniments, and
obeying different tendencies from the great
majority of the active minds of the nation.
Such a state of things has occurred before, but
never without the same result. A revulsion,
natural and inevitable, has come upon •
thoughtless and arrogant oligarchy by surprise.
We, however, have uo prophecies to offer, but
tender simply advice. Let those who feel any
interest in the numerous reforms which already
have been sacrificed this session to party spirit,
ask themselves whether they have always done
their duty to the parent reform, Reform of Parlia-
ment, and if they have not, let them ask further
what prospect there is that without such • mea-
sure the general political progress of the nation
will be maintaiued.