The Sun.
London, England, 1837-03-04 00:00:00

DOCUMENTS

Read by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the course of his
speech last night:—
Sir R. Peel.—Feb. 12, 1833.

" I am bound to say that I do not object to the appropriation of
some portion of the revenue of the Church of Ireland to a purpose
which I consider strictly ecclesiastical, and which I believe will
tend to increase its utility. lam prepared—and lam now but
repeating the opinions which I expressed in the last Parliament, if
not in this House, at least in a place almost equally public—l am
prepared, I repeat, to admit that I think no question relating to
the settlement of the Church of Ireland can be satisfactory to
that country, which does not go to place the vestry cess on a diffe-
rent footing."

Lord Althorp.
" In some instances, the vestry happen to be interested in it ;
in others, the churLhw•arden for the time being causes improvements
to be made in the church, because he wishes to hand down his
name to succeeding ages; in other cases, some of the vestry may
be tradesmen interested in the expenditure, which they will vote.
From all these causes, and from others, all persons are agreed that
the extravagance is great."
Extract from Strype, and Life of Archbishop Parker.
" In the year 1561 a tire happened in St. Paul's Cathedral,
which burnt down the lofty spire, anti otherwise damaged the edi-
fice. The Queen, Elizabeth, resolved to have the damage speedily
repaired. And what steps did the Queen take to effect this object?
Being, as Strype observes, church-work, she reckoned the Bishop
and clergy should especially be contributors thereto.' She sent a
letter, therefore, to the Archbishop, that he should consult with
the Bishops of his province, and the chief of the clergy, to devise
among them some convenient way for collecting money from them
for that use.' The Archbishop accordingly issued his order to the
Bishop of London, and the other Bishops of his province, ` that
they ehould contribute the twentieth part of their promotions in the
diocese of London, and the thirtieth part elsewhere, with the ex-
ception of stipendiary curates and beneficed men, exempt by statute
from first fruits, unless they should be brought to contribute by
good persuasion of the Bishops, and to pay one-fortieth.' Some of
the clergy being backward with their payments, Queen Elizabeth's
Council issued a letter to the Archbishop, desiring him to collect
the arrears, and informing him that `further orders would be taken
if the clergy refused to pay. Such was the mode adopted by Queen
Elizabeth for repairing St. Paul's."
Memorandum on Crown Laws.

" A memorial was presented to the Treasury in 1802 by the

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71

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Crown lesseess, complaining of the discontinuan reirrevrals •on
the • usual terms of the Crown land_ under the A kit V 94; The
mete orialists stated that they 'should be doing i .11 ;;tilt4r:
selv e+; to renew their leases upon the terms requir w re-st
lease for 31 years at five per cent. below the rack re pi
othc.7and more beneficial channels of investing their prop 4a
themselves.'—( See Surveyor-General's Second Report, A Ar
stract, p. 11. ) Thc memorial was signed by 111 persons, several
of whom had pint interests (as is supposed), fur the total number
of leases in whieh they were interested was only 85.
" Those who refused to renew were
Those who did renew were 54
Those whose property was purchased for Govern-
ment improvements were •••• ....... 18

ABOLITION OF CIIURCH-RATES

BILL.

The following are the Heads of a Bill for the Abolition of
Church-rates :
The land revenues of the Archbishops, Bishops, Deans, ayd
Chapters, and separate estates of Canons anal Prebendaries, are
to be managed by a Board of eleven Commissioners, consisting
of the—
Arehbishop of Canterbury Dean of St. Paul's
Lord Chancellor Dean of Westminster
Archbishop of York Two Nominees of the Crown
Bishop of London Nominee of Archbishop of Can-
Secretary of State terbury,
First Commissioner of Woods and
Forests
of whom any three may act, except in special cases. The three
last-named Commissioners are to be salaried, and are remoreable
by the Kin.. in Council.
" The Commissioners may grant /eases for thirty-one years at
rack-rent, or building leases for thirty-nine years.
" Church tenants entitled to surrender their leases and take a
new lease for thirty-one years at five per cent. below the rack-
rent, having the value of their lease allowed to them at four per
cont.

" Church tenants entitled to purchase the reversion and fee-
simple. of their lands, valuing the fee-simple at twenty-five years'
purchase, and the subsisting lease at the same rate of four per cent.
interest : The value of lives being computed front the 'Government
tables.

" If any Church tenant has sublet his lands on fine or renewable
lease, or if any person shall have a derivative interest in the lands
other than that of 2. former at rack-rent, claim may be made, and
the Commissioners sholl apportion the lessees benefit among the
parties according as they shall think them beneficially interested in
the leases. Five Commissioners to meet for this purpose, of whom,
one to be the first Commissioner of Woods and Forests and to ob-
serve the principles followed ;rt the ,execution of 34 Geo. 111., c. 75,
for improving the Crown lands.
"All claims tobe advertised, and tat) notice taken of persons neg-
lecting to claim beyond a given an-.
"Tenant who has allowed three ye: es to elapse without renewal
not entitled to'any preference.
" Commissioners may exchange lands-
" Rents now reserved to be paid to. such dignitary as before ;
surplus carried to common fund.
" Advances to be made from a commhon fund, instead of the fines
which such dignitary would_ have recei v,ed, for which purpose he
may have a life of any age inserted in a a onainal lease, and receive
the corresponding fine, and so toties quo.ezes. After existing inte-
rests, nominal leases to be discontinued, and an average of the fines
advanced instead, •r any dignitary may ere,.:t to take the average
forthwith.

" This Act not to affect the payments t / and from the Ecclesi-
astical Commissioners under the Act of 1,1.5 t Session 5 and 6 W.
IV., c. 77, or any Order in Council made thereon.
" Commissioners empowered to sell ground-rents charged on
the Church lands, in case a sufficient sum should not be raised by
the sale of reversions.
" Advances may be made from the Consolidated Fund to cover
temporary deficiencies, to be repaid with inter est.
" Annual income of the commin fund to be: applied,
1. To make the necessary payments to tl ic dignitaries.
2. To pay the ground-rents created and s old.
3. To pay an annual sum not exceedi ag 250,003/. to the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners for rep. t,.; ring churches and
chapels.
4. To repay advances from Consolidated 17und.
5. To be invested in Stocks to form a zeserved fund, which
may be sold again to meet deficiencies.
" When the reserved fund amounts to 50,003 e., the interest of it
to be paid to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners fo- increase of small
livings.
" Commissioners to certify to the Crown and both Houses of
Parliament their proceedings under this Act.
" Church-rates abolished : debts charged on Poor-rates.
" Ecclesiastical Commissioners to procure annual estimates of re-
pairs of churches and chapels, and apply the sum paid to them by
the Commissioners of Church-lands.
" Certain fixtures and articles needed for divine worship charged
on the Building Fund, if not provided by pew-rents.
" Archdeacon to apportion among his churches the sum granted
to the Archdeaeonry for repairs, &c.
" Parish estates in aid of Church-rates applied as before.
" Liability to repair chancels not affected, but repairs to be ex-
ecuted by direction of Surveyors, and cost thereof repaid by parties
liable.

" Owners of faculty and prescriptive pews to repair or forfeit
them.

" Pews may be let. by Minister and Churchwardens with consent
of the Bishop, leaving one-fifth free seats if the same has been
usually let heretofore, or one-third if the Church be built under
Church-building Acts, or one-half (?) if pews not usually let be-
fore.
" Pew-rents to be applied for the service of the Church in which
they are raised, under direction of the pew-renters, but subject to
any charges on them by Act of Parliament.
" Vestries not to appoint any clerk, sexton, beadle, &c., but pew
renters, or Minister, if pews are not let.

Churchwardens to' be elected by pew-renters, when pews
are let.

" Dissenters exempted from acting as Churchwardens ; exemp-
tion of prosecutors of felons repealed.
" Tables of Fees to be agreed on for Burials and Monuments to
be settled, in case of disagreement, by the Dean of the Arches.
" Burials prohibited in churches, except in iron or leaden coffins,
or vaults opening from the outside.
" Visitation fees abolished: Churchwardens need not attend vi-
sitations.'