The Sun.
London, England, 1852-05-29 00:00:00

TILE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, MAY

Government, he said, had promised an inquiry into the
ease.

Mr. HORSMAN observed he had not said so.
The AT fORNEY-GENERAL said that was the in-
ference to be drawn—but he could show there was 120
breach of faith on the part of the Government. The
Government could not pledge itself to appoint a com-
mission, for that COMCliSejea so appointed could not
compel evidence to be given, and it could not, therefore,
brit end in a total failure. As to the law of the case, he
give a silent acquiescence. As far as
Member (Mr. Herrman) bad gone, ho had
stated
he lion.tit,d o t
ondt wish
the laltv o
correctly. It A instituted a clergyman,
that institution could not ho questioned. The law gave
him a discretion, and he (the Attorney-General) was
not aware it could be questioned.—(Hear, hear.) A
clergyman, however, had an appeal against the
bishop, and if it appeared he was wrong, his decision
could be overruled.--(Hear, hear.) His Right Hon.
Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer rightly said,
that if a clergyman exhibited unsoundness of doctrine
it conli be inquired into under the Church Discipline
Act, if it took place within two years. The bishop of
the diocese might send the case to the Bishop's Court;
but for any offence committed above two years out of the
country no remedy could be obtained. He thought the
Howe would agree that the course pursued by the Go-
vernment was the correct one.—(Flear, hear.) To have
issued a commission which did not possess compulsory
powers would have been a complete fai
Mr. HOR.SM AN explained that ho had no &giro to
create discussion, and ho was obliged to the Right Hon.
Gentleman the Attorney-General for his opinion on the
law of the case. 1
lare.—(Scar.}

Sir J. YOUNG thought the Government had done all
that could have been expected. No law had been in-
'ring d, but there was a difference between a congrega-
tion as to points of doctrine—one believed one thing,
and one believed another—no unsoundness having been
found—would the House of Commons take part with
the minority against the authorities which had been re-
cognised? On full consideration of the cue, the House
would plainly see that the House of Commons was not
the place to determine such a case. Better they should
abstain from it, and should confine themselves to their
proper duties.—(Hear.)
Colonel KNOX said the Hon. Member had thrown out
a taunt that the Government had not made an inquiry.
Had the Hon. Gentleman binaself inquired into the
statements he had made as to the conduct of Mr. Ben-
nett at Kissengen and at Venice? He knew the • Hon.
Gentleman was in possession of a letter on the subject,
and that long ago he should have retracted the state-
the substance of the letter, and nothing could be more
a ton
he t
hh
ae d amu tandoer itthy a letter from Sir J.
InHeallTtingltot nwaths
unfair and unfounded. He was able to say that the
at ofstatement. He knew
statement was altogether unfounded that had been made
against Mr. Bennett—namely, that he did not go to a
Protestant church, but to a Roman Catholic church,
when, at the same time, the fact was notorious that he
was in ill health and drinking the waters, and every ono
know that any one drinking those waters would not be
in a condition to go to a Roman Catholic church at seven
o'clock in the morning.—(A laugh.) As to the time
that had been stated that Mr. Bennett had been absent,
he (Colonel Knox) knew that he left in the month of
June, and returned in November. With regard to Ve-
nice, ho was himsqlf there at the time, and he knew
therefore that that part of the statement was untrue,
and he could prove that all the time Mr. Bennett was
at Rome he had attended a Protestant church.--(Hear,
hear.) Mr. Bennett had for some time been his
(Colonel Knox) pastor, and he would not sit there
and allow such unfounded statements to remain uncon-
tradieted.—(Hear, hear.).

Mr. HOUSMAN could assure the Hon. Gentleman
that he had made no statement respecting Mr. Bennett's
conduct in Venice; be was not even aware (as was
understood) that he had been there. With respect to
Mr. Bennett's absence from England, he had stated that
he was absent during the year 1851, not that he was so
during the whole year.—(lronical cheers.)
Sir B. HALL said that mention having been made of
the Bishop's Court, he wished to state concisely what
that tribunal was. The Ecclesiastical Court of Bath and
Wheell s
judgeproctor.
T
ytaEscc inalesdiel
Ecclesiastical
was to decide on cases such as that of
the vicar of Frome had been an officer in the Grena-
dier
onswishteod of a judge, a registrar, and a
pre-
Court, although knowing no more of ecclesiastical law
daGu Guards,
tsh, e and
cathedral
than the drummer of my Hon. and Gallant Friend's
having
andleft
jtuhdegaerimahe was
regiment. Of course he could not perform the duty,
but appointed as his deputy one of those hacks of the
cathedral called minor canons, at a salary of 201. a year.
The name of this pesson was Peter Parley, and he was
by law obliged to post up in his office a list of the fees
to be charged in this court. The registrar was a metro-
politan police magistrate, the son of a former bishop,
and was appointed when only five years old. From
that time to the present, ho had never been within the
walls of his registry, except to receive his sti-
pend. To quote the.expression which had been used in
evidence, he " farmed out his court" at 4004 a year to
Peter Parley, who, with the fees, and also with the de-
puty fees which he charged, made the place worth 8151.
a year for himself. He hung up no table of fees, but
made arbitrary charges. There were seven proctors in
this court, ono of whom was Edward Parley, son of the
deputy, so that if he had any business in court, he must
plead before his own father, who farmed his place from
the chief. And yet this was the court to which the pa-
rishioners of From() must go if they have any complaint
against their pastor. The deputy-registrar practised
in twenty-five other courts, of one of which, a diaconal
court, a young lady was the president, the daughter of
the dean, and who also had been appointed when she
was only five years old.—(Laughter.) He (Sir B. Hall)
was bound to say that some change had been made since
last year, for the deputy•jedge the son of the late
bishop, had turned Roman Catholic, and had therefore
been obliged to give up histtPpointment. But the pre-
sent bishop, into whose court the parishioners must go,
had appointed his own son, who lived at
Castle Rising, in Norfolk, and in :his case
also the poor miserable hack canon did all
the duty. He asked them, Was it not a farce to tell
the people to go into such a court?—(Loud cries of
s, Hear, near.") Would it be believed that in the latter
part of the nineteenth century a tribunal was allowed to
exist which would be considered a disgrace in any civi-
lized nation? Such was the tribunal to which the Right
Hon. Gentleman told them to go instead of coming to
Parliament. He (Sir B. 11511) said that Parliament was
the proper tribunal, and be trusted that what he was
stating would make an impression, and prevent the con-
tinuance of this atrocity in the Church. He hoped that
the infamy of these Ecclesiastical Courts would be cured,
and that a Minister of the Crown would not be per-
mitted to tell the parishioners of Promo that into such
a pastor .—t( cour tli ear,hey mushear.t go to complain of their Puseyite
)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER denied
that he bad said the parishioners must go for redress
into the Ecclesiastical Court. The tribunal to which
he had alluded was that which was created under the
Church Discipline Act, which was expeditious, and, in
its expenses, adapted to the spirit ofthe The Hon.
age.
Baronet might as well have described so of the courts
of India, and applied his argument me
to the case of the
parishioners of Frome.

- Sir B. HALL rose to order.thif the Right Hon. Gen-
YE.,„-NecuEQuEll having
tleman was allowed to address 1 e House a second time,
Gen-
he must claim the right of re
aimed the indulgence of
The CHANCELLOR
therea d
House,t the w o words
after
rf
the
ee
tacked. He would merely addli which he had been at-
Member for Cockerneouth had ,that as tho Honourable
secure an early day for going
fortunate enough to
Bennett at length, it was hargf into the case of Mr.
from Supply by prolonging sly:tir to keep the House
hour. discussion at that late
Sir B. HALL, amid loud cries of 0
inleaontoi jurt,hicePi
ho would not have addressed til:. " oPoke," said that
given the Right Hon. Gentleman' House had he not
he intended to call the attention
of notice that
state of the diocesan courts of Bath and the House to the
Mr. HENLEY admitted that theand Wells.
drawn no more than a true, although Hon. Baronet had
ture of the state of those courts, very pungent, pie-
been member of a Committee to -13 8 (tira Henley) had
stitution, and could confirm the Innouire into their eon-
ment.—(Hear, hear.) But it Was n„,n. Baronet's state-
Baronet to let it go forth to the nou,' fair of the Hon.
the only court to which the parishiohmtrY that that was
go, seeing that the proper court of , ers of Promo could
vincial Court of Arches. PPeul was the pro-
An lION. MEMBER, whose name ~y
defended Mr. Bennett, and stated that
could not learn,
favour had been signed by 1,039 of his Parishioners
memorial in his
tween Thursday and Monday, and ell, Parishioners, be-
rev. gentleman's knowledge. urelY without the
The HON. MEMBER read the
of
rial, which stated that the meneed '
alistOf the memo-
with the injuries inflicted on the re,. 8 eYeepathised
concurred in the soundness of the entleran, and
by him. doctrines taught
eaker do
On the motion that the Sp leteee
th
Mr. WILLIAMS objected to going int e Chair,
of Supply at that late hour (20 miuutes past
Committee
objected to many items of the civil estimates). He
the Government had had abundance of time and as
them, he should receive thein as their estimates, consider
deal with them without reference to the re i and
had procured the speedy passing of the naval and which
mili-
tary estimates. The civil estimates new amounted
and
4,182,0001., being 940,0001. more than in the to
He hoped the Government would not .„„. Pest year.
r.oceed
them. with
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
did not
think of proceeding with the estimates at that h
must give notice that on Thursday next, instead of
our, but
taking the New Zealand Bill, he should move
the esti-
mates in Committee of Supply.
GENERAL BOARD OF HEALTII BILL.
Oa consideration of this Bill as amended,
Mr. MILES moved—" Teat the Act shall apply to all
the boundary of the district of Burnham,
assigned
the provisional order of the General Board et by
Health,
excepting those parts respectively situate within
th
tithings of Huish juxta Highbridge, and Woreton." e
Mr. HAYTER opposed the proviso, which he said we
opposed to tne wishes of the inhabitants of the district, a
who were in favour of the Bill as it now stood.
Mr. MILES said a memorial was pre -ented last session
to the Beard of Trade, to exclude the district in question
He had himself presented two petitions to the Lto •
RE e to
the same effect.
Lord J. MANNERS spoke against the areendment,
And after a few words from Sir G. PECUELL, the
proviso was negatived, and the Bill was ordered to b 0
reed a third time,
Tho Neve. Pay Bill was read a second time,
Tit) e I.)reelf.rnation for Assemblionl Perliemeet pill ~,,3
,e
t,Vii: uli i ii I ills 0 and passed.
Ecclesiastical Courts (Criminal Jurif.dicti.. '
on) Bill
was read s third um() and passed'