The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, JULY 25, 18 5 3

six churches and chapels belonging to the Estab-
lishment are nearly deserted.

Now, one would have supposed that a legisla-
tor's course would have been pretty clear in such
a case. The least he ought to do would be to
place things as they were before 1808 (of course
reserving life interests), cutting down the 18
clergymen to 6 ; which, as Mr. MACAULAY
(who could see no difference between fifteen
and six, because both were reductions) was
told, adjusts exactly tho disproportion he had
represented as an enormous grievance. And
considering the size of the flocks, the old stipend
of 3301. a-year would have boen munificent.
Instead of this Government proposes, Ist, to
retain 15 clergymen at 5501. each ; 2dly, and of
course justly, to abolish the odious privilege of
the College of Justice ; 3dly, to reduce the pre-
sent rate of 6 per cent. to 3 per cent., and to
make it henceforth a municipal rate ; 4thly, to
apply in aid of the fund the proceeds of the
Royal Deaneries, about 1,500/., which are pure
sinecures at present ; sthly, to have all the
money paid into the Consoliclatee, Fund !—from
which the ministers are to draw. their stipends.
This last graceful and delicate device is to save
the annuity tax payers the feeling that they are
paying their 3 per cent. to a hostile Church !
Really, then, are Scotchmen after all to be caught
with such chaff? Our far north fellow-country-
men approve one thing no doubt, the shuffling off
the responsibilty of paying the Edinburgh parsons
unto the Imperial Exchequer ; but the Imperial
Parliament gives marked signs of pretty strong
repugnance to settling a Scotch squabble at the
cost of the Empire. There is a scandalous
little addition to the Government plan we had
almost forgotten. One church has been burnt
down, the congregation of which numbered thirty-
five. Another has been taken by a railway com-
pany, whose congregation actually amounted to
nineteen persons. Instead of applying the com-
pensation money to lessening the annuity tax, under
this bill the latter useless church is to be rebuilt
at a cost of 10,1461., and the other is to be re-
built also. Two new churches for 54 persons ! Our
readers will probably think that no clerical job-
bing on this side the Tweed, and we can exhibit
some fine samples in that line, can well surpass
the grossness of this Presbyterian scheme to re-
tain sinecure salaries.

It is, however, useless altogether for any Go-
vernment to force ecclesiastical arrangements upon
the people —at least upon the British people. One
would think we had had enough of that in Canada,
and that after having been compelled, and
righteously, to repeal one Clergy Reserves Act
there, we should have been slow to concoct an-
other compromise, sure to become the subject of a
fresh agitation, in Edinburgh ; above all, slow to
hazard bringing such annuitants as preachers to
congregations of 20 or 30 souls upon our Con-
solidated Fund. Admirably did Mr. MACAULAY
observe, when dwelling on the general aspects of the
question, " Consider how widely the unpopularity
of this tax differed in its essential nature from the
unpopularity of other taxes. A police or an army
might be unpopular, still the one preserved our
property from the midnight attacks of the dishon est,
and the other from the aggressions of a foreign
foe. A coast-guard might be hated ; still it did
its duty, and protected us from illicit frauds.
But a Church which was hated was worse than
useless; and if it inspired feelings opposed to
affection and respect, better that it should not
exist at all. He did implore the House, there-
fore, not to support an institution, which would
be useless unless it were loved, by the only means
which must occasion st to be hated." The marvel
is that Mr. MACAULAY could suppose three per
cent. collected for it under a new title, could at
best do more than diminish the hate by the three
per cent. remitted. To cut the whole thing down
to the real wants of the case is what his eloquent
observation plainly demanded.

COURT CIRCULAR.

THE QUEEN.

OenspnivEaturday, July 23, 9 a.m.
The Queen has pasd through the measles in the most
favourable manner, and her Majesty is now convalescent.
No further bulletin will b 3 issued.
JAMES CLARK, M.D.
HENRY HOLLAND, M.D.

OSBORNE, JULY 23.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, attended
by Lrdy Anna Maria Dawson, drove out in the grounds
yesterday.

- Prince Albert and Prince Ernest of Leiningen rode on
horseback in the afternoon.

The Duchess of Kent and Prince Ernest, attended by
Lady A. M. Dawson and Sir George Couper, left
Osborne this morning for London.
Sir Henry Holland has also returned to London.
JULY 24.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert and the Prince of
Wales rode out on horseback yesterday afternoon.
Count Werthern Beichlingen, Grand Chambellan,
arrived at Osborne yesterday from Weimar with letters
for her Majesty, announcing the death of the late Grand
Duke and the accession of_ his Royal Highness the reign-
ing Grand Duke of Saxe Weimar.
The Hon. Mary Seymour has succeeded the Hon.
Flora Macdonald as maid of honour in waiting.

Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent attended
Divine service yesterday in the Chapel Royal, St.
James's.

The Duchess of Kent visited the Princess Royal and
the Princess Alice yesterday at Buckingham Palace.
Her Royal Highness also visited the Duchess of Glou-
cester, at Gloucester House, Piccadilly.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, accom-
panied by his Serene Highness Prince Ernest of Leinin-
gen, and attended by Lady Anna Maria Dawson and
Sir George Couper, arrived at her residence, Clarence-
house, St. James's, on Saturday afternoon, from a visit
to her Majesty at Osborne.
Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge and
the Princess Mary, visited the Duchess of Kent on Sa-
turday, at Clarence-house.
The Duchess of Kent, accompanied by the Duehess of
Cambridge, the Princess Mary and. Prince Ernest of
Leiningen, honoured the performance of German Plays
with her presence on Saturday evening.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mrs. Gladstone
left town on Saturday for Windsor.

DEATH OF THE COUNTESS OF BANTRT.—&This lady, so
remarkable for her many charities and evangelical piety,
died last week at her residence, near Cork. Her lady-
ship was the wife of the Earl of Bantry, and sister to
the Marquis of Thomond, the head of the old kingly
house of O'Bryen.
OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS.—Mr. William Musgrave
Sherrington is appointed first clerk in the customs de-
partment, Sierra Leone. Mr. William S. Field is ap-
pointed sub-collector of customs at Port Elizabeth, Cape
of Good Hope. Mr. Thomas Graham is appointed
Crown commissioner, surveyor, and engineer, Turk's
Island. —Observer.

A CABINET ConNcir..—A Cabinet Council was held
on Saturday afternoon at the Foreign-office, Downing-
street. The Ministers present were—the Earl of Aber-
deen, Lord John Russell, the Lord Chancellor, Earl
Granville, the Duke of Argyll, the Marquis of Lans-
downe, Viscount Palmerston, the Earl of Clarendon,
the Duke of Newcastle, Sir James Graham, Sir Charles
Wood, the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, and Sir William
Molesworth. The Council sat three hours.
THE INCOME-TAX IN IRELAND —The Bank of Ire-
land have stopped six months' income tax from the
dividends due on Consols now in course of payment,
although the bill only came into operation from the sth
of April. The stockholders think the imposition of
itself bad enough, but to pay it in advancce they regard
as an additional hardship.
THE SUCCESSION DUTY.—If the succession tax is car-
ried in the House of Lords this evening, it will be owing
to the votes of the bishops ; that they will vote, we fear
there is no doubt, because the Archbishop of Canterbury
has paired with a Conservative. The episcopal bench
contains the only persons in the kingdom who are not
taxed by the bill. They are the exceptions ; yet we,
who are strong friends of the Protestant hierarchy, fear
they will be the means of inflicting this odious impost on
the people of England.—Herald.
GERMAN PLAYS. —HERR DEVRIENT'S BENEFIT. —HeIT
Emil Devrient, whose personifications of the heroes of
the plays of Goethe, Schiller, and Schlegel, have been
so attractive at the St. James's Theatre, has his benefit
underlined for to-night, when he will doubtless receive
proofs of the estimation in which his abilities are held by
the admirers of the German drama.
VAUXHALL.— Great preparations are making at these
beautiful gardens for the reception of a portion of the
Royal Family, who intend honouring them with their
presence. A new royal box is being fitted up in a costly
and elegant style. The present entertainments are in
every way worthy the. exalted patronage, particularly
the scenes of the circle, which nightly create constant
surprise and gratification, and attract thousands to wit-
ness them. The director, Mr. R. Wardell, deserves en-
coura,gAment for his taste and liberality.
BOROUGH OF CHATHAM. —The Speaker has received
a letter from Mr. Leicester Viney Vernon, stating that
it is not his intention to defend his return for the
borough of Chatham.
PETERBOROUGH ELECTION PETITIONS. —The general
committee of elections have selected the following select
committee on the petitions from Peterborough City,
viz. :—Mr. James S. Wortley (chairman), Hon. P.
Locke King, Mr. Thos. Greene, Mr. R. Ingham, Mr.
C. B. Adderley, Hon. H. T. Liddell, and Mr. Wm,
Hutt.