The Sun.
London, England, 1853-06-22 00:00:00

CANADA CUSTOMS.

Mr. HUME moved an address for a return of the
number of officers belonging to the Customs Department
in Canada that are paid by Great Britain, stating the
names and offices, station and salary, and allowance of
each officer, and all contingent expenses paid by Great
Britain for the Customs Department, in the year 1852 ;
also, a statement of what duties these Custom-house
officers have now to perform.—Agreed to.

EPISCOPAL AND CAPITULAR PROPERTY.
The Marquis of BLANDFORD presented a petition
from 800 incumbents of district parishes, stating that there
were many church endowments which did not exceed 131.
a-year, the remainder of the clergyman's income being pro-
vided out of pew rents, and that there were upwards of
4,000 incumbents whose incomes did not exceed 1501.
a-year, and praying that the house would provide a remedy.
The noble lord then said, in rising to move for leave to in-
troduce a bill to make bettor provision for the management
of episcopal and capitular property, he must ask the indul-
gence of the house while he entered upon a subject wide in
its range and almost incalculable in its results. He wished
first to allude to what had been previously done as re-
garded Church legislation, tending as it had done to place
the Church in its present position. The first great public
act was the 58th and 59th Geo. 111., commonly called the
Church Building Act, under which 1,300,000/. was raised
for building purposes. Then came the important act of
1840, the 3d and 4th of Victoria, constituting the ecclesias-
tical commission. Then they had the 6th and 7th of Vic-
toria, commonly called Sir Robert Peel's Act, in which
was first adopted the principle of providing, in the sub-
division of parishes; for the creation of a permanent en-
dowment. Then there was an act passed in 1850, recon-
stituting the Ecclesiastical Commission, and appointing a
most important body, called the estates commissioners ;
and, lastly, there was an act passed in 1851, permitting the
voluntary enfranchisement of the property of the Church—
au act which had gone far to set at rest the long vexed
question between the Church and its lessees. To all these
acts the bill which he now proposed had more or less im-
mediate reference. There were, however, other acts which
had a very important bearing on the present position of
the Established Church. One of these was the act for the
commutation of tithes ; another was the act for preventing
plurality and non-residence ; and then, again, there was
the important order in council of 1851, limiting income
of bishops and fixing their future amount. In addition to
all this, efforts had been made by private individuals,
which it would not be right for him to pass over. In
1847 Mr. Horsman drew the attention of the house to the
subject of episcopal incomes. In 1848 he again broached
the same question, and moved an address for an in-
quiry with regard to capitular and collegiate revenues,
with the view of ascertaining whether they might not
be rendered more conducive to the spiritual instruc-
tion of the people. In the same year Mr. Horsman
moved for an inquiry into the full value of all Church
property under lea-se. In the same year, too, that
house voted an address to her Majesty, praying her Majesty
to take into her most gracious consideration the spiritual
destitution of England and Wales, with the view of devising
means for its remedy ; and her ajesty returned an answer
of compliance. In the following year, he (the Marquis of
lilandforfi) was able to introduce a bill, having for its ob-
ject the remedy of some of the abuses existing in chapters,
together with the increase, where necessary, of the episco-
pate, and also containing other provisions somewhat simi-
lar to those of the bill which he had now the honour to
propose. The result was that the measure was withdrawn,
but a commission was appointed to inquire with regard to
the two first branches—the chapters and the episcopate,
and it was with the third, namely, that connected with the
property of the Church, that he now proposed to deal. All
these things had their separate value • all had a bearing on
the position of the Church and her ability to impart those
blessings for the diffusion of which she was divinely insti-
tuted. Now, what was the position of affairs at the pre-
sent moment? From the year 1818 a variety of acts had
been passed relating to the building of churches, the sub-
division of parishes, non-residence, and plurality, and the
obtaining, in various ways, funds to supply the spiritual
wants of the country, in all of which one point had been
kept prominently in view, the maintaining the great ma-
chinery, so important in reference to the national religion,
of the parochial system. He did not wish to ignore those
two other great branches of the Establishment, the episco-
pate and the chapters ; but he believed that by laying spe-
cial etres 011 the parochial system, and by endeavouring
to su Pply what was deficient in it, he was at the same
time doing what would conduce to the efficiency of the
other branches of theCurch. (Hear, hear.) He proposed
by this bill to transfer the entire management of episcopal
and capitular property to the Estates Commillionirs. Up

to a recent period there might have been some question as
to whether the constitution of the Ecclesiastical Commis-
sion was such as to have warranted such a step ; but a
' short time ago a committee was formed to inquire into the
management of this kind of property, and the result had
been the appointment of the Estates Commissioners. The
advantages that would accrue from his proposition would
be great and manifold. In the first place, it would
strength and improve that great parochial system, the full
effects derived from which were rarely attributed to it.
He believed, however, that it had contributed largely to the
formation of the temper and moderation of the people of this
country, besides bestowing upon them those spiritual bless-
ings which it had been enabled to convey The subdivision
of parishes into smaller ones was a process that ought to
go on concurrently with the increase of the population.
(Cheers.) This house had been forward to promote the
building of churches and the formation of district parishes,
each one of which had tended. to repress crime, and to form
a nucleus round which charitable societies of all kinds—
schools, district visiting societies, provident societies, lite-
rary societies, and other benevolent institutions, the object
of which was to benefit the people and to ameliorate their
social, mental, and moral condition might cluster.
(Cheers.) Nay, more ; the poor had been enabled to find
by this means that which no civil institutions could pro-
vide for them, the care of a Christian pastor, and the sym-
pathy of a common friend. (Hear, hear.) That was his
(the noble lord's) view of the parochial system. (Cheers.)
Between the years 1845 and 1850 the sum granted from
the public purse to promote education in Church of Eng-
land schools, was 327,2301.; and the sum raised by private
subscriptions to meet that amount had been no less than
399,8171. (Cheers.) There could, therefore, be no doubt
that the offer of endowment would operate as a powerful
incentive to church building. (Hear, hear.) The number
of churches erected under the Church Building Acts was
857 ; the number of districts formed under Peel's Act was
233 ; and the number of churches, shown by recent in-
quiries to be necessary, was 580, snaking a total of 1,670—
to endow which with 1501. a year each would require
250,5001. T. this must be added 100,4671. required for the
fulfilment of the virtual promise which had been held out
by the commissioners in 1836, and the gross annual charge
would then be 350,967/. Now, the returns of 1836 showed
that the sums received for fines and renewals, calculated
on an. average of three years, was about 25 per cent. of the
real value of the estates. The entire annual value of the
episcopal capitular property was 661,4351. Adding the
value of the episcopal property, the total value of the
church leases was 961,6971. per annum. lt appeared from
the results of the enfranchisement of leases, which had of
late been gradually going on, the church parted with
half the value of its estates, and that the other
half remained in hand. That would give about
180,0001., and, adding the sums that would accrue
from other sources there would be a .total of 700,7751., a
year. Of course it would be rather difficult to calculate
the precise income of church dignitaries; but remembering
that the incomes of the,bishops had already been settled—
commuting the incomes of deans and chapters at the rate
recommended by this house, at 1,0001, and 6001. respec-
tively, and reckoning the average yearly cost of the cathe-
dral establishments at 1,.-00/. a-year each, the result they
would arrive at would be that the total charge on the fund
for all the dignitaries of the church would be 363,7501. a-
year. Deducting that from the sum with which they had
to deal, it left a surplus of 337,0261.; while the sum required
was 351,0001. Upon a calculation, the value of the episcopal
leasehold property was 299,0001. • and taking that of the
chapters at one-fifth, instead Of one-sixth, the value of
capitular leasehold property was 826,7291. ; giving a total
of 1,125,8421. Adding the property derived from other
sources, 809,7181., the available surplus, after providing
for the incomes of the dignitaries, was 445,9681., whereas
the sum required immediately was 351,0001. He might
fairly conclude that, under a wise and efficient administra-
tion, there would be not only sufficient to meet the imme-
diate wants of the Church, but that as the population
increased a further appeal might be made, and not in vain,
to the resources of the Establishment. He proposed by this
measure simply to transfer the entire management of the
episcopal and capitular property into the hands of the
Estates Commissioners, and to invest them with legal con-
trol over the property or the purposes of management only,
making them the lawful receivers of the rents and profits,
with some exceptions. He wished this great step to be
taken with as little alteration as possible ; and the bill did
not in any way take the property out of those corporations
in which it was now vested. The bill further provided
that a separate account should be kept of the properties of
each individual corporation, to which they should have at
all times access, either by themselves or by their agent.,
and that a, seal should be used, having a distinctive die
for each. With regard to the transfer of property, the
bill .did not interfere with the enfranchisement pro-
vided for in 1847. It provided that estates, might be
assigned to each see sufficient to yield its annual in-
come, instead of the plan now adopted, whereby the
richer sees paid over their surplus to the com-
missioners, while the poorer sees received an annual
sum from them. The payment was to be a first
rent charge upon the property ; and in the event of ,
the payments not being regularly made, or delayed after a
certain time, immediate powers for re-entry would be con-
ferred. Some of the sees were already in the receipt of
fixed incomes, including those appointed since 1848, also
some others who had agreed to take them. He proposed,
with regard to those and all capitular estates, that they
should immediately come under the operation of the bill ;
as to those appointed prior to 1848, it was proposed that
the operation of the bill should be delayed till after the
next appointment to the see. With regard to incomes,
the bill provided that half-yearly returns should be made
to the commissioners of all sums derived from accepted
sources of income, which were not under the control of the
commissioners; and it was necessary that the income of
the dignitaries should be made a first rent charge upon the
property. Those dignitaries who were not in possession of
a fixed income were to have such a sum paid to them as
should make up what they were in any case entitled to re-
ceive. The provisions were very simple. The step he now
proposed was the necessary consequence of all the previous
legislation, and appeared necessary to render it complete.
He had shown that the commissioners were already in
possession of property to a considerable amount, over which
they exercised little or no control. The position of the
bishops was exceedingly unsatisfactory. (Hear, hear.)
He proposed that it should be in every case their own
property that should yield them their lawful amount
of income; that they should have constant access
to the accounts of those properties; that an account
should be kept in every case • distinct ; that the fee
should remain in themselves, the commissioners be-
ing only their agents; and that the strongest caution
should be adopted of which the law was capable to secure
prompt and immediate payment. The population was
increasing, and as thousands of forms of vice and danger
were threatening the state, a heavy resposibility lay on the
legislature, not only of framing enactments whose terrors
should repress mime, and of providing for the temporal
comforts of the people, but of regarding them as beings
entrusted to their care, with understandings given them
from above, and with spirits framed in the mould of time,
but destined for eternity. He would urge the house to
assert its indisputable rights over all matters, ecclesiastical
as well as civil, and so to discharge its inalienable duty as
to prove the necessity and the advantage of the union
between Church and State. Events were now daily pro-
claiming that it was not only to human law, but to Divine
assistance that we must look for the inviolability of our
empire. The noble lord concluded by quoting some words
of Archbishop Tillotson, in reference to Queen Anne's
bounty to the church, and expressing a hope that they
might prove applicable to the present time. He then
moved for leave to bring in a bill to make better provision
for the management of episcopal and capitular property.
LIVERPOOL ELECTION COMMITTEE.

The consideration of the noble marquis's motion was
suspended for a little by the appearance at the bar of Mr.
Ingham, the chairman of the Liverpool Election Commit.
tee, with the report of the committee, which he read as
follows :—" That Charles Turner and William Forbes
Mackenzie, Esqs., were not duly elected burgesses to serve
in this present Parliament for the borough of Liverpool.

" That the last election for the said borough is a void
election

" That the last election for the said borough, so far as
regards the return of the said Charles Turner and William
Forbes Mackenzie, Esqs., is a void election.
" The committee have also agreed to the following reso-
lutions •

" That Charles Turner and William Forbes Mackenzie,
Esqs., wore by their agents guilty of bribery and tTeating.
" That it was proved to the committee that Wm. Dodd,
Felix M'Leary, J. Underwood, William Harris, Owen
Jones, John Foulds, Simon Croft, Charles Maxwell, Thos.
Waithew, Robert Cook (of Clive-street), Joseph Parkinson,
Robert Cook (of Walker's-court), Joseph Ovens, William
Coward, Peter Rice, William James Hamilton, John
Brecken, Thomas Wilson, Richard Joynson, Robert Sar-
geant, and William Whitby, were bribed by the payment
of ss. each. (Laughter.)
" That John Westmore, Robert Talbot, and John Brown
were bribed by the payment of 4s. each, and Thos. Cannell
by the payment of 10s. ; but it was not proved that such
bribery was committed by the knowledge and consent of
the sitting members.

" That refreshments were provided on the polling day
for voters in the interest of the sitting members, at numer-
ous public-houses, where such voters had been directed to
assemble for the purpose of being conducted to the poll;
but that it did not appear on the evidence that the treat-
ing which took place at such houses was of an extravagant
character.

" That the several sums of 58. and 45., by which the
above-named electors were reported to have been bribed,
were given to them on account of having voted for the
sitting members under the name of the ' day's pay,' and in
compensation for time alleged to have been lost by attend-
ance at the election.

" That these payments were net of an amount beyond
the average daily earnings of the voters who received them,
but from the disposition of the polling places in the several
wards of the borough, every voter might have polled with-
out any such interruption of his ordinary employment, so
as not to occasion the loss of wages, and without any neces-
sity for refreshments.
•‘ That so far as the conduct of the election, on the part
of the other candidates, came incidentally before the com-
mittee, there was no evidence, and the committee had no
reason to believe, that any illegal practices took place with
regard to the voters in the interest of such candidates, and
in the majority of the cases where bribery has been reported
it did not appear to the committee that the illegal pay-
ments received by the voters had been the primary motive
in deciding their votes.
" The committee therefore do not think it right to re-
commend that the issue of a new writ for the said borough
should be suspended, or that any further inquiry should
take place into the proceedings at the late election."
The report was ordered to lie upon the table.
Mr. FRESHFIELD gave notice that he would on that
day week move that a new writ issue for the election of
two members to serve in Parliament for the borough of
Liverpool.
Lord D. STUART gave notice that whea the hon. mem-
ber (Mr. Freshfield) brought forward that motion he should
move an amendment, the effect of which would be that
at the next election for that borough the votes be taken by
way of ballot. (An ironical laugh.)
The SPEAKER having put the motion of the Marquis
of Blandford,
Lord J. RUSSELL said the noble lord had devoted a
great deal of labour to this subject, and he believed that
the noble lord was animated by a very great regard for
the good of the Church and the spiritual welfare of her
people. (Hear, hear.) With respect to the particular
purpose of the noble lord, and the details of his bill, he
(Lord J. Russell) thought it was far better that the house
should assent to the bill being brought in, and that they
should thus have a full opportunity of considering its
details, than that they should then enter into any dis-
cussion of the statement which the noble lord had made.
It was evident that many of the propositions of the
bill were of great importance, and that there were some to
which objections might be made. He quite agreed with
the noble lord that the house should not consider the acts
which had been passed from 1836 to the present time as
forming a complete system, but that they should from
time to time remove the objections. and extend the bene-
fits of those acts. With those few words he (Lord J.