The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-06-11 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.


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HOUSE OF LOIiDS.
rarnav, nes 10.
FOOTE'S DiVoßgl-i... 4.
The further hearing of evieice.te previous to the
second reading of this Bri iiiing reserved, Mr.
Garmw called two witneslbll 00 ranee the identity
of Mrs. Foote, and that *'. Jose: acid she slept in
the same room at Dieppe After *Web eridesso
was about to be adduced to shew that Mrs. Foote
had availed herself of the privilve giies her by
her husband, when he went to Im&a, to
his banker for such seas or sums as r,
stand in need of for her maintenance, and :lad by
that means obtained a very c.msiderable sum, wruch,
it was believed, she had placed in her paramour's
hands.
The LORD CIiiiNCELLOk objeeted to • -
ceiving this evidence as altogether unnecessary.
Mr. GAaaow said, he had himself been uni-
formly of opinion that thee'idence was not materia!,
excepting in one sense only, viz. to chew, that if a
claim for a provision for .Mrs: Foote was set up,
the proving that. she had taken so iinfaii and fi..a:-
dulent an advantage of her husband's liberality and
confidence, ought to operate as a bar to it:
The Bill was read a second time, and ordered to
be committed for to-morrow. •
CLERGY FARMING AND RFSWEIkCt .
On the question being put d that the do
resolve itself- into a Comznittee of the whole House
Nem this Bilt".
The rf St. ASAPH rose to mike tome
-• He ' -'• notice, he said, of
the Will, but the
ition into effe& he
several clauses should
ittee. He should

to the principle
consistent srifi
The principle
.e.mbrateltwo
Clergy, and
separate in a pro.
OnconutminateJ.
Residence, he
, and essentially
-lurch. Without it,
'Ocryman to discharee
The public per=
attendance at church
- small part of tint
flask, he shoed
_— user them, and _ ___,pie constantly be-
fore their eyes of reEtitude, enforcing the precepts rf
virtue, which it is his duty to inculcate. He sitottli
attend the bed of the sick and the dying; and ad-
minister to them those comforts which alone they are
capable at such-a moment of receiving, those com-
forts which are administered to them through the Sa-
craments of the Church. The mere enumeration of
these duties was surely sufficient to shew that resi-
dence is essential to their performance. Residence,
at the time of the Reformation, was a rn?re matter
of ecclesiastical discipline, and the civil power ne-
ver interfered with it. It v.-4s objeited to the present
Bill, that it takes the power of enforcing residence
out of the hands of the civil authority, and places it
under ecclesiastical jurisdiction. For his part he
was not anxious to take the question out of rho
hands of Judges and Juries, On the contrary, were
a proposition made to repeal the AEi el Henry VIII.
by which Juries have that power, he would oppose
it upon that very ground, unless it provided some
regulation that might prove an adequate substitute
in that particular point. The statute of Henry VIII.•
with all its vices on its head, had done more good
than harm. He admitted, however, that it was cer-
tainly defeaive, inasmuch as it inillaed equal pe-
nalties upon unequal degrees of delinqttency, and
also upon unequal means, the forfeiture not being
proportioned to the amount of the living. It was
also deletive in not leaving a discretionary rower
to Judge; to reduce the penalty, in caws where the
letter of the law could net be enforced without pe-
culiar rigour 'and hardship. Now the present Bill
remedied that delta, as it has provided * scale of
penalties proportioned to the means of tht party,
and the different degrees ordelinquency. With re-
gird to ecclesiastical jurisdiction, the old Ail goon
the length of depriving the conturnacions Clergyman
of hil benetiers. From dclay, erperce, and variety
of oelw circumstances, it Weseimpossible hosiery,
to tart? the ASR into List-cut:smy and, diesefose, is
seas no more titan a dead letter. In some old dio4
cysts, such as Wlncheste.it, the proceactinis of the Ec-
clesiastical Court *ere corral, and Sumo was ad-
ministered as rrea at in WassminsterdhaLL That,:
bowers., was not Che oast in the .yrt•viticial com ts,
He remembered giving, when B4,nois of Rt. Dag
lid's, a living of iuOI. a-year, the bell

observations. He had given notice,
intention to °prose the fabric of th
proper time for carrying that intenti(
conceived woui4o4 when the several
come to be dbcpsl4 in the Cotnmitt
therefore at plitient confine himself
upon whitkuldie he could observe
the rules sad pradiee df the House.
frotthe lift-Wile understood it, embrs
to etteate the residence of the
dowdy toprestere thorn pure and sej
per due tfAllateelautfcal d;.,:ipline,
by sordi oeoupadons and }.:::suits.
dl gra rate importance,
necessary ilb die welfare of the churc
It was ilbiZtee for any Cleraym:
the Jeri be Owes is ROCI.
formulae Of that dut7, such as attenc
6n Sunday, constituted but a very st
duty. lit slould live among his A
watch over them, and be an ezampl

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to ft Clergyman Who promised to reside; the Clergy:
man had, however, a living in Glamorganshire, and
did not change his place of residence; of this he
complained, but at length consented to admit of
six months residence, which the Clergyman pro-
mised. Even this promise, however, was not kept,
and he proceeded to enforce the Aft to compel resi-
dence, or deprive him of the benefice, but, by the
connivance of his own court, the party slipped
through his fingers, and remains to this very day in
'possession brthr laving, witlibut having resided upon
it. This tale spews the insufficiency of the provin-
cial courts in this particular. It became, therefore,
necessary, that a power should be placed in the
hands of the Bishops ; and as this was done by the
present Bill,. that part of it also had his approba-
tion. With regard to the other part of the ASR of
I lenry VIII. which restrains the Clergy from hav-
ing any thing to do with the low pursuits of the
world, he should beg leave to make a few observa-
tions. When he spoke of the Clergy being nothing
but Clergy, he did not mean to be an advocate for
that puritanical cant that would entirely cut them
off from all commerce with the world. To ad-
vise his flock required- a knowledge of the world.
The duty of a Clergyman could not he adequately
performed by any but a man of knowledge and infor-
mation. To expound the Bible he should be ac-
quainted with eves science. The Clergyman, there-
fore, could not be considered' as misspending his
"time, ss ho was studying a mathematiCal proposition,
or calculating the proportions of a piece of archi-
teaure. No, the Clergyman should be restrained
only from those things 'that degrade him. He should
not be engaged in sordid pursuits. Agriculture, he
admitted, was the business of the gods. It did
honour to Ceres and .Eriptolemus. It was a busi-
ness worthy of men in the most exalted stations ;
but when a Clergyman engaged in agriculture, he
did not, like' their Lordships, engage in it for
amusement or from public spirit, but from sordid
views. Now this was what he condemned. It was
true, the statute of l 'wry VIII. prevented this abuse,
but the provisions in that particular were extremely .
severe. He feared, however, that the relaxation was
carried too far in the present Bill. This, however,
would be matter Ai consideration in the COmmittee,.
when the clause should. come underdiscussiosi, and
it might be propjr to see, if the defeat exists, whether
it might nut he ratified. Adverting again to non-
residence, his Lordship said • there might se-
veral cases of abuses as the Bill then stood.—
The Minor Canons of St. Paid, for instance, might,
for example, set the Bishop at defiance, and
exempt themselves from residence as long as
they pleased, and yet there were, he fancied,,
some good livings among them. There was also
another clause which he considered a public ad-
vertisement for pretences for non-residence.—At-
tendance upon a sick child, or a sick wife, he ad-
mitted to be a very good excuse ; but as the clause
was worded, if the Clergyman's wife wished to go
to a watering place, she had only to affect a nervous
complaint, and matters might •be easily managed
to procure the apothecary's certificate of her indis-
position. The husband would thus he excused from
non-residence, and might amuse himself for ;he
season at a watering-pl..ce. To prevent this and
such like abuses, he should • use, that no licence
th )uld be granted by the I is op without specifs ing
tie cause, and that he shouio make a return of the
number of licences granted by him every year.—
This, he said, would operate better than the provi-
sion in the Bill, as a restraint upon the discretion of
Bishop in granting licences, and thereby prevent
a improper issue of them. AVe had the same se-
curity for the good condua of Bishops as we bad
fur that of our Judges. 'I he men and their conduft
were public and before the eyes of the world. Al-
though he recommended that the licence should spe-
c.:fy the cause, he did not me..n the rule to be uni-
versal. It was obvious that in some cases it might
be improper to assign the cause.
The Bishop of OXFORD said, he agreed in most
of the arguments of the Right Reverend Prelate,
but he rose for the especial purpose of entering his
Brotest against that part of the Right Reverend
ishop's argument, which referred to the aepeal to
the Archbishop, in cases of refusing to ordain those
who were applicants to be admitted into orders. He
thought the appeal a wise and expedient provision,
because although it was true that the Metropolitan
could not command hint or any other Bishop to or-
dain any
.person, to whom front any public Or pri-
vate motive he should refuse ordination, yet the
Bishop so refusing ought to assign his reasons in
writing for such refusal, that they might be inserted
in the circular letter sent round to the Clergy and
Bishops, thereby affording them the means of as-
certaining the validity of the oblations, respeaing
which they would be enabled to judge for them-
selves, and another Bishop might then ordain the
person or not. His Lordship said, there were several
clauses of the Bill, to which he felt much objeftion
might apply, but not being in the habit of speaking
in public, he should leave what he had to say of that
nature to abler and more experienced Lords ; and
perhaps the most fit time for bringing forward such
observations would he, when the House came to the
eismision of the dates. He would, therefore,
only repeat, that his reason for rising was for the
purpose of entering his protest against the part of the
speech of the Right Reverend Prelate, who had just
sat down, which referred to the appeal to the Arch-
bishop, and to the refusal of institution ; in both of
which points he differed entirely from the Right
Reverend Pi elate ; but he nos the more anxious to
enter his protest immediatele, from a consniousness
of the great 'authority, acknowledged talents, pro.
found learning, and long experience of the Noble
and Right Reverend Prelate, which could not fail
to make a deep impression on die public mind, if his
arguments went forth unobserved upon, which
would imply a general admission of their truth and
validity.
Lord AUCKLAND rose and said, he was more
and more convinced, Lira' a Bill upon the subjea of
the present, would have originated with more ad-
vantage in that House than in the other, and more
especially, when their Lordships might have had
the assistance of the Right Reverend Bench. He
felt a variety of objeaions to the clauses of the Bill
as it now stood, but he did not think them incapa-
ble of being surmounted. His objections would
properly divide themselves into two-classes, princi-
inii end secvnthtly. In many instancet he agreed
with the Right Rev. Prelate who opened the debate,
and partie@arly itethe Wen, that the suffering the
Clergy to take ferns cif three or four hundred a
year, and,. indeed, b 3 a much greater amount, was
5..41014 incompatible wishthe .dacency and decorum
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of the clerical character. A Clergyman ought to
be the pastor of his flock, and it would not add to
his respeaability, to become an overgrown fanner,
to go to market like any other farmer to sell his
grain, and to herd with ordinary farmers. He
agreed also with the Right Rev. Prelate, that there
was a dela in the clause, which stated to what
description of Clergy the Bishops might grant a
licence for non-residence. As the Bill to ara
Mi-
nister might, by a little ingenuity, contrive to be
non-resident for sixteen months, out of every two
years. Another great &feet was, that he did not
find in the whole Bill, a clause to oblige a Curate to
be resident in the parish in which the Reetor or
Vicar was non-resident. With regard to the farm-
ing clauses of the Bill, his Lordship said, he had se-
veral objeaions, but he hoped when they came into
the Committee they would be cured. His Lord-
ship stated a variety of points which required
amendments, and was proceeding to explain them,
when he was called to order by the
Earl of CAERNARVON, who said, the Noble
Lord had not said one word against going into the
Committee, which was the sole question under consi-
deration. He was anxious to attend the Committee,
but he wished to know, whether the House meant
to go into it that evening or not ? Because he should
be very glad to withdraw, if it was not meant to go
into the Committee that night, as he did not wish
to listen to arguments which he must hear over again
in the Committee.
'the LORD CHANCELLOR left the woolsack
to say, that he thought almost the whole of the
Debate had been disorderly, but he must declare
that he felt it to be a most useful disorder. He
hoped, therefore, that it would be suffered to pro-
ceed.
Lord AUCKLAND resumed, and said if the
-NOble Earl (Caernarvon) had been present on Tues-
day, he would have known that it was agreed on all
hands, for general convenience, that they should
.explain the principles of what they meant in the.
ComMittee to offer as amendments ; but he would
immediately put himself in order by objecting to the
going into the Committee on the' Bill. His Lord-
ship leaving thui established his right to proceed,
went on in examining and commenting on the farm-
•ing clauses, when- he was again interrupted by
. The Earl ofCAER NA RVON, who said, die Noble.
Lord having. declared, that he opposed the going
into a. Committee, ought to confine his arguments
to that single object, and yet his arguments all
went to the particular clauses, which could only be
regularly discussed in the Committee.
The LORD CHANCELLOR left the wool-
sack to say, that he thought what had passed, al-
though disorderly, was of the utmost utility ; and
if their Lordships with concur with him in the mo-
tion he meant to offer. viz. that insteax of the
question standing, as it was moved, in lieu of the
word 4, now" to insert the words "Monday next,"
he v.'s confident, that after due consideration of
what be had heard, ne should be able to save the
House a discussion in the Committee, NiliCh would,
if brought on that night, last ten or twelve hours,
and reduce it to three or four hours. •
Lord AUCKLAND said, that in deference to
the Noble Earl, who had relied him to order, he
would profit by his example, and persevere no
loager.

The further proceeding in the Committee was
adjourned to Monday.
-CIIANDOS TTERAGE. '
The Yarl of SUFFOLI wished to .pospone the
further hearing of this claim t' Tuesday next, as
his Noble relation could not be present before.
The Duke CUMBERLAND said, be under-
stood that it had been settled the preceding day
chat it should posi;ively come on on Monday; and as
many Noble Lords staid in town on purpose, and it
would be inconvenient to them to continue in town
longer, he hoped it would be attended to.
The Earl of SUFFOLK said, he would yield to
the wish of the Illustrious personage who had just
sat down.
• CLERGY.
The Earl of SUFFOLK said, he be. mis-
represented, probably from havh• • :. .:.iscornt
ceived, in what he had said on a cornier night, tea
lative to the Tiers Etats of France. He had saki,
that they, making a fourth part oCthe National
sembly, had been the means of the revvlutioni
and the ovelibrow of the monarchy, but be hid
not said a word to convey an imputation against
the Right Reverend Bench opposite to him ; on the
contrary, he had expressly declared his eonvidion,
that under similar circumstances the coneind of the
Right Reverend Bench, whose virtue and piety were
undeniable, would have been diredly the reverse.
The Bishop of ST. ASAI'H said, the proper
course for the Noble Earl to pursue would be to
move, if any misrepresentation had been made of
what he said in that House that the Printer be
called upon to attend at the liar, and answer for hie
misconduct.
The Earl very liberally said no, that I do not
chase to do.
Lord A UCKLAND moved, that the proper C.-
cer do presenito the House a Statement, to the latest
period for which the same can be made up, of the
Proceedings of the Commissioners appointed under
the Great Seal, by virtue of an Ad of the 3;?th of ,
his present Majesty, for the purpose of regulating
all sales and contraas for sale, made up by bodies
politic or corporate, or companies, for the purpose of
redeeming their Land Tax, with their dates, an.! the
amount of the same, with a statement of the total
saved to Government by such redemption, &c.
.--Ordered.
Lord AUCKLAND also moved an brunble'ACl-
dress to his Majesty, that he would be pleased to
order an Account of the Revenue of the Post-Office,
from April 5, 1782, to the sth of April 1803, with
an account of the charges and pensions thereupon ; ,
and also of all the remittances from the Post-Office ,
in Scotland during the same period.—Ordered.
One Bill was brought up from the Commons.
The Bills on the Table went through a stage
each.
The Hotisc adjourned till to-morrow, when all
the Bills that are ready will receive the Royal Al
sent by Commission.
m••••••••••
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
FRIDAY, JUNE 10.
The House went through a Committee on the ,
Northamptonshire Ordnance Bill, and ordered the
Report to be received on Monday ; as was also the
keport of the Bill to transfer Mariners, with their
oan consent, from the Militia service to the Navy.
Sir 1. 8:111SKINE presented a Report from

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