The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-14 00:00:00

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presumed necessity of such remodelment was
pretty generally recognised ; but the propriety of
taking the requisite steps towards effecting it was
another affair, aud, in the language of HAMLET,
gave the more astute members of Convocation
" pause." The result was, that on the motion of
the Bishop of OXFORD, that wily prelate, who
can go further and keep back better on debate-
able ground, as prudence may suggest, than most
men, the question was postponed sine die. A.
heavy blow, at all events a great discouragement,
to the Convocationists.

It is far from our intention to scout Synodi-
cal action in the abstract as useless or mischievous.
In more than one religious community it, -or
something corresponding to it, is deemed an essen-
tial element of cohesion and strength, and, we
have no doubt, is really productive of desirable
results. But, while admitting this much, we
cannot be unmindful of attendant circumstances.
None of these communities has any direct connec-
tion with the State. To the lot of none of them
has it fallen to be the possessors of vast national
endowments. On the contrary, they are exclu-
sively dependent—save in the matter of educa-
tion—on their own resources, the fruits of their
own zeal, liberality, and exertion. With the
Church of England it is otherwise, and we do not
attribute the fact to her as matter for blame. In
her keeping are the richest endowments in the
world. No Church can compare with her in
wealth and the influence wealth insures. She
is munificently dowered by Act of Parliament.
Into her treasury has been diverted the hoarded
wealth of a discarded Church. And why ? Be-
canso she has been selected for the proud pre-
eminence of being the National Church. To this
the most zealous Convocationists have, we are
disposed to believe, act the slightest objection,
provided her liberty of action undergoes no re-
straint. But surely it would have been inconsi-
derate in the last degree in the State to apportion
endowments so splendid without taking some pre-
cautions to insure the objects contemplated in
that apportionment being secured ; and the
primary object, of course, was, or ought to have
been, abundant and wholesome provision for the
religious wants of the nation ; the secondary, the
order and security which the influences of religion
are so well calculated to insure the State; and to
these must be added the utmost freedom for the
laity from priestly domination compatible with
order and Protestant teaching. How far the
precautions taken at the outset were successful
we do not now undertake to say. This much,
however, is certain : a perusal of the history of
Convocation does not leave the impression of their
perfect efficiency. In the recorded acts of that
assembly it is impossible not to recognise an at-
tempt to render Convocation an imperium in in-
perie—a power whose existence was incom-
patible with the undisputed supremacy of
the State. The clerical body had made
a bargain, a capital one as others thought,
but as they seemed to imagine iniquitous,
in requiring the fulfilment of any condition on
their part. Convocation met, squabbled, ran
riot, dabbled in treason, gave great scandal to all
lovers of the Church, and, finally, was practically
quashed, the State not quite appreciating the
moral beauty of such a state of things. True, its
meetings have been continued up to the present
time, but they have been merely formal.
The advocates of Convocation allege that its
reconstitution, as a deliberative assembly, is im-
peratively called for by the necessities of the
times. For our own part, the necessities of the
finaos seem to us to have more practical wit than
to call for aid from such a quarter, and the argu-
ments to the contrary tell precisely the other way.
No candid observer but must admit that the
Church of England has, during the last fifty, nay,
even ten or fifteen years, had to rejoice in a vast
accession of zeal within her pale, the re-
sult of which has been a corresponding
increase of usefulness, strength, and consolidation.
Her efforts during the former period have been
immense ; the zeal and liberality of her working
clergy and intelligent laity worthy of all praise ;
the churches and schools erected and endowed by
the voluntary efforts of the latter ; her charities
and missions speak for themselves. It is some-
what late in the day to talk of the need of Con-
vocation to establish authority and order. While
authority slept zeal sprang up and disturbed
order, it may be, to preserve life. A zeal like
this has not much to hope from the authority
sought nor the Establishment either. What order
and authority is really needed will not fail of
being accorded, but it is something too much to
expect that the laity of the Church will tamely
submit to ecclesiastics, endowed with State funds
and State influence, being put into a position to
use both, as Convocation ultimately would put
them, for purposes of spiritual domination. The
Established Church is nothing if it is not National,
and the idea of a National Church is too compre-
hensive to admit of a dominant sectarianism or
ecclesiasticism. Moderate, free-minded men have
as inalienable and vested interests in the Church
of England as any others, and the fear is
lest they should be debarred of them. The
existence •f a National Church in this coun-
try, we conscientiously believe, demands more
toleration than an active Convocation would wil-
lingly permit ; and to convert the Establishment
into a Procrustean bed—whether High Church or
Low Church—would be to precipitate its downfal.
The action of Convocation is far more to be de-
precated by lay members of the Church than is
generally believed ; it involves interests very dear
to them. What that action has been, we are bold
to say—despite affected moderation while any-
thing is to be gained by it—it would be again—
a stalking-horse for priestly ambition.

RESTORATION OP TICE KINGDOM OP POLAND.—A re-
quisition has been presented to the Mayor of Bath,
requesting him to convene a public meeting to take into
consideration the necessity of the reatoration of the king-
dom of Poland, as an independent state, in order to re-
strain the aggressive action of Russia on Europe, and to
obtain a material guarantee for the durability of peace.
Among the signatures to the requisition i■ that of " Wal-
ter Savage Landor." The mayor has fixed to-morrow as
the day for holding the meeting.
AN AMBRIOAX SNOW-STORY.-A great storm of snow
and wind raged over the region of the Mississippi on
the 25th ult. A New York paper of the 29th says :
"The train on the Chicago and Mississippi Railroad,
with a large number of passengers and several !members
of the legislature, was frozen up on the prairie in snow
some eight feet deep. The passengers burned the cars,
and by robbing the cars of a consignment of oysters pre-
served themselves from starvation. By last accounts
they are still there. Relief, however, had been sent to
them on the 28th.

LIVELPOOL CHAMBER OF COMIDIRCE.—At the first
nrnioernctel:lyhemmeeatnin
g
nimously elected president for the current year ; Charles
ooafd atyh,eErud Liverpool
Chamber
, wofasCuonma --
Holland, Esq., rice-president ; and John Aiken, Lg.,
treasurer. The various committees were re-appoiuteti,
and the chamber adjourned until Monday next.
Russtarr TRADE.—.A. deputation of Russian merchants
waited upon Lord Clareadon yesterday, regarding the
Position of their trade, and were informed that the
overland i e B
blockade of the Danube will be raised for:;hwith, and
Black
atrade duringe t and
ensuingtuthat the blockade of all the Russian ports in the Baltic,
t 1
hgell . n
Sea,
sueosasfsi
Prussia no
oo fl
d With
ewciislilo b
respectuell rigidly en-
forced ck Sea,
asyettobethene
he
come to.

LATEST NEWS.

THE SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL.

Our latest despatches received from Sebastopol
inform us that nothing of the slightest importance
had occurred up to the 4th of February.

THE HAGUE, TUESDAY.

The projet-de•loi fur abolishing the duties on
flour and the tonnage dues has been introduced
in the Legislative Chamber. The loss of the
Treasury, which will amount to five millions of
guilders, will be partially compensated by an in-
crease of the property tax, and the excise on
sugar and spirits.

BUCHAREST, FEB. 6.

Yesterday a detachment of 500 Wallachian
volunteers, under the command of Col. Wanduni,
left Maximeni to join the Turkish corps at
Braila. The enrolment of volunteers for the
Ottoman service is making progress.
A Divan has just been held, at which the Hos-
podar Stirbey proposed to send the Sultan a con-
tribution in money towards the expenses of the

The Principalities will send a contingent to the
seat of war in the course of the next summer.

WARSAW, FEB. 12.

The Russian Government has published and
ratified the convention for telegraphic communi-
cations between Russia and Prussia, and the fol-
lowing States which belong to the Austro-German

telegraph union :—Bavaria, Saxony, Wurterc-
berg, Hanover, Baden, and Mecklenburg-
Schwerin.

The Kreuz Zeitung of Berlin announces that
Austria is resolved to renew her demand for the
mobilisation of the Federal army at present
ordered to be made ready for war. In that case
she will further press for the election of a Federal
Commander-in-Chief.

Prussia. will oppose this measure, and will also
endeavour to obtain from the Diet a vote for-
bidding the presence of foreign armed corps (a
French corps (1' armee) within the territory of the
Bund.

Letters from the frontier of Poland state that
the recent dislocation of troops in that kingdom
is ascribed to a change of the plan of defence. It
is believed that the object of the Russian com-
mander is to make the right bank of the Vistula.,
between Lublin, Zamosc, Wieprz, and the Vis-
tula, and between Warsaw and Brzees, the
theatre of the war.

we cannot expect that Austria, -without claiming any
compensation, will carry on the war with from 300,000
to 350,000 men, and from 800 to 1.000 guns, whilst
England produces only 35,000 to 40,000 men. In the
arranging of the conditions, the fleets of France and
England will, doubtless, be taken into account ; but if
the latter does not supply more men, the Allies will
certainly require something of her in their stead--viz.,
money.