The Sun.
London, England, 1809-06-03 00:00:00

DISSENTING CLERGY.

• Lord 'gIDMOUTH rose, pursuant to notice, to move
for a return of the number of Licenses' which had of
late years Wen granted to persons who wished to.
qualify themselves for pt caching in the Dissenting
Meeting Houses. The subject, he was conscious,
, was a delicate and inr2ortant one, and he thought it
proper to premise, that he had 'no intention of pro-
posing the itnmediate 'adoption of any measure re-
speaing it. It was impossible for any man to value
and revere; more highly than he did, the wise, libe-
ral, and enlightened policy which our ancestors have
displayed in framing what is generally known by the
name of the Toleration A& No. man could more
anxiously wish than he did to keep alive the spirit
which dietsited that policy ; but sorry he was-to have
to express his fears, that the indulgence it held out,.
had of late years been grossly abused. He was very
credibly informed, that many of, the persons who
took out these licenses, had no other object in view
than lo exempt themselves from a liability to many
civil duties, such as the Militia, &c. and that in other
respects they were very little or not at all quiii-
Oed to dis Charge the serious Nations which they
would profess to undertake. Whether the number
of Dissenters had or had not increased of late years,
he was noeprepared to affirm; but of . this he was
certain, that the general disposition of men's minds
leant towards the. Established Church, and they Ire,
vented meetings only because they had not in their
respedive places of abode a church or chapel of the
Established Church, to which to resort. There were
many other serious topics to which, on a subjeetlike
the present, he might call the attention of their Lord-
ships ; but he should now confine himself principally
to the praftice of thaabuses to which he had already
alluded, and which it was lamentable should be found
to spring from a measure that was pre-eminently cha-
ratterized by wisdom and liberality. The Noble
Viscount concluded with moving, that there be laid
before the House an Accomit of the Number of Li-
censes taken out at the Quarter Sesiiontof the chi-
ferent Counties of England and Wales, from the year
.1780, down to the close of the year 1808.
. The motion being read from the Woolsack,
Lord HAaaowav cordially acquiesced m the
sentiments expressed by the Noble. Viscount, •
and only feared that inconveniences and diffi-
culties might occur to prevent the accomplishment
of theobjeet he bad in view. At all events he should
wish the Noble Viscount would amend his motion,
by addingsto it the number of licenses-taken out for
the erection of Meeting-houses, and the number of
them that had been erected of late years.
The Archbishop Of CAN*ERBLEY fully coincided
in most of, the obserVations that had fallen from the
Noble Lord who preceded him.. As. far as his in-
formation enabled shim to form an opinion, he must
confess, that of late years the number of Dissenters
had considerabiy increased ; but'. that increase he
would not iinPute to any preference for a difference
of doCtrine frami that of the: Established Church:
The fait vvas; that. in many populous parts of the
country, the.populatiun had outgrown the machinery
that was established to furnish them with spiritual
information, and they were naturally led to look for
'it wherever it was more conveniently tube found.—
This therefore was to be remedied by increasing the
number of Churches and Chapels in these districts,
and by furnishing the other means of affording in-
formation. • His veneration for the Toleration At
was profound and unimpaired; and the more be
respected it, the more he must grieve to 'see its en-
lightened intentions defeated or abused. As to the
licenses, it was true that they emanated from the
Bishops; but it ivas equally true, that The Bishops.
had noleontroul over the distribution -.of •theM,—
Something certainly was wanted at the tendenCy of
the Noble. Viscount's motion. .
The LOE'D CHANCELLOR was fully convinced of
the existence of the abuses. complained ,ofi, and he
believed he was jUstitied in saying that many.per-
'sons applied for those licences, not only with no. in-,
tention to a t upon,, them Ashen obtaiiied,, but to
convert them into an excuse for Withdrawing them-
selves from all liability to be. Made to serve in civil
capacities ; to screen themselves; by this purchase
.for a shilling, front liability to serve in the Militias,
&c. . He should be 'anxious to, make the measure
of the Noble Viscount subservient to tie cleteaion,
of such perscins; and then it would appear to him
•to promise more beneficial consequences.
Lord GROSVRNOR adduced several proofs of the
gross ignorance of the persons who solicited those
licences, and declared, that in his 'opinion no slight
inconveniences, no ordinary difficulties should be a
bar to the accomplishment of an object so desirable'.
Tins question was then . put on the motion as
amended, and agreed to without any opposition.
,The Bills on the table were then advanced a stage
each, and the House adjourned till' to-roorrosv.

ROUSE OF COMMONS.
FRIDAY, R.

Mr. CANNING, ptirSUltUt to an Order of the Uouse,
brought up certain Papas relating to the iustrudions