Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-01-07 00:00:00

The aspect which ecclesiastical England

presented daring this long interval of political
agitation and parliamentary warfare, has 1101
been what we might have expected, has not beer

what patriots and Churchmen had a right t°
expect. As a reliable indication of what was
necessary, we referred the other day to the 10'

guage of one of our most strenuous.advocates in
the. House of Commons. It is in the Houk of
Commons that the laattle is to be fought, a
here Lord JOHN MANNERS, who is acquainted bi

experience with the prejudices, the necessitie`,
and the weaknesses of that body ; who he
accurately felt its pulse ; who knows to a shade
the nature and extent of its dependence upon the
feeling, and upon the expression of feeling out of
doors, distinctly warns us, that all parliamentary
opposition to the designs of sectarian violence is
hopeless, unless Churchmen second their repre-
sentatives with an earnest and extended
support throughout the country. What Parlin-
nient hal- to be convinced of is, not that
Churchmen view with dissatisfaction the unjust
attempts of sectarianism, but that they are
actuated with sufficient depth of motive to
organise a wide-spread and determined re-
sistance, to make their dissatisfaction knowrw
and to protest against spoliation. Nay, they
want to know that Churchmen, as a body, do'
look upon ' the suggestions of religious agitators
as spoliation. Now, the question is, who is to
organise the means through which the amoul t'
of feeling scattered everywhere over the country
is to be concentrated, and to gain, an united
expresSion ? On a question of this sort, we in-
stinctively turn to the immense
,advantagee
afforded by the machinery of tb,e parochial sys-
tem. No means could have been elaborated:
more suitable for a purpose of this' sort. We
see here a mouth-piece already provided in every
nook and corner, and in multiplied instances, over
every town and city in the land. All that ie.
wanted is, to open these mouths, and put words
into them. We,.in this town, have not-certainly to
complain of the want cf a small but energe .c
band, who have made considerable endeavours to
set the machinery in motion, and prompt the lag-
gard tongue. Yet even here, those efforts have t
been fully responded to. And only just sufficient
time remains for the district Incumbents of the

Saturday, January 7, 1860

town to follow the example of one or two of their.
brethren, and set their congregations at work to
inform the Legislature of their opinion and their
protest. The statistics biought forward, for about
the thousandth time, at the meeting in. St. Silas'
School room the other night; by Drs. MNEILE
and - Hump., are, "as we all know, of very great
value, and ought to decide the action of the
_Legislature. But meetings in School-rooms are
not intended to act upon the Legislature, directly.
They begin with the people, and it is the people
who have to carry to the Legislature the lessons
they have learnt, and the resolution they have
gained from the labours of those who have amas-
ed this information, and taken some trouble to
prepare it for pOpular apprehension.

In truth, the time for argument has passed.
We must say, honestly and fearlessly, that argu-
ment is all on one side. But the matter is now
entirely left to the pressure out of doors, to the
influence of importunity and agitation. It is
something to begin with certainly, as to the
qaestioii of Church-rates, that right is on our
side. But as to a practical bearing upon tke
issue, it is more to say that we have 55 per
cent. on our „side against 20 per cent of
the population of the country. It ,is vain
and' idle, therefore, to meet this and kindred
questions as if they were to be given up silently,.
and with a sort of desperation. As if there were
some grim fatality in the future, threatening and
warning us, .and laying dowti its irreversilale
behests ; that cannot be escaped, but must be
appeased, bowed down to, and obeyed. This
monster of the imagination has only to be
grappled with, and he will melt into air.
And the true means of crushing him will
be found -when Churchmen begin seriously
to have a knowledge of their own strength.
Nay, when this is done, the monster is crushed
already.
We must guard against forming exaggerated
notions of the object which Petitions can effect.
They appear worthless when too much is ex-
pected of them. But when multiplied, and
expressing a wide extent, as well as deep ,ear-
nestness,.of opinion, they do all that is expected,
and they do a great deal. There can be no rea-
son whatever why several thousands of Church-
rate petitions should not besiege Parliament in
one-body at its coming session. At least, there
can be -no reason except in the apathy of the
clergy of England, each of whom might, if he
would, rset his own parish or district congrega-
tion at immediate. work upon this object. All
that is needed is a sheet or two of petition paper,
a table, and a paltry quantity of ink, decently ar-
ranged in their church porches or vestries. If
they refuse this modicum of exertion—why, all
we can .say is, they must prepare for the worst.
The next age will provide them with new mas-
ters, under whose iron hands it will cost more
troubh to escape violence and oppression.

THE LATEST NEWS.

[BY BRITISH AND IRISH MAGNETIC TELEGRAM]

FRANCE.

PARIS, Jail. 6.

The Madtear of to-day announces that Mr-
Wm. Grey, Secretary to the English. Embassy,
has been appointed chalw d'affaires-during the
temporary absence of Lord Cowley from Paris.
'The Congtitationnel:publishes an article, signed
by its prineipal editor, M. Grandguillot, regret-
ting the injurious article against the Emperor,
which has been published in the Giornale, dt Roma.
France will be grieved but not offended by this
publication, and, above all, will not make the
common Father of the faithful believers respon-
sible for it.

Marshal MaeMahon is appointed commander-in-
chief of the French army of occupation in Italy,
in the place of Niarhal Vaillant.
The Bishop of Troyes has published a pastoral
letter, whch isnoless remarkable for its opposition
W the views of the Univers, than for its modera-
tion and tolerant spirit.
.A report has been drawn up by the most
eminent juriconsults of the French bar which
establishes the right of Frenchmen to petition.
the Senate for changes in the existing
.laws.
It was reported that the official note in the
Giornale di Rona on the French pamphlet was
characterised by violence of language ; but this
does not appear to be the case. The pamphlet is
•simply described as • a positive homage rendered
to the revolution, and its arguments a 'repro-
tduction of errors which have often been
-victoriously refuted ; and, lastly, it is said that if
intimidation was the object of the writer, he who
has right on his side, and who is more particu-
larly supported by the protection of the King of
kings, has certainly nothing to fear from the
snares of men.

THE FRENCH FUNDS.

PARIS, Jan. 6.

12.10 r.m.—Rentes were first done at 68.15,
but have since become more buoyant, and are now
quoted 68.25.
3.25 Pat.—Funds close firm at improved prices.
Rentes 68.45, or 15 centimes higher than yes-
terday.