The Sun.
London, England, 1823-05-23 00:00:00

PROVINCIAL JOURNALS.

[Frain the Bury. Gazette, May 21.]
The Irish Commutation of Tythe Ilill,now in progress be.

fore Parliament, will, it is to be hoped, be most carefully and
anxiously investigated before it is permitted tO be passed into
a law ; for to us it appears a measure replete with danger to the
church of Ireland,ond a Feenrsor clan assault tiponthe proper ty
of the church of Bngland.. If it be acted upon in its present form
payer,, because. it will award the
it will not relieve the tythe
clergyman a just equivalent for his right. The clergyman will
then be, enriched by its operation, for it is notorious that in many;
very many, parishes Ireland the incumbent does not receive
a half, a fourth, in extreme cases a tythe, of his right!, I(
,fellows then, that the law which enforces the payment of a just
equivalent, will increase the burthen it
professes to remove, and
enrich . rather than imnOverit the church. Dut though it
Anay add somewhat of this world's goods to the clergy.,
man's store, though it may in some degree mitigate an
41111104ga comae of disunion between the minister and hie
parishioners, will not the sacrifice of right. on the part et
the church be a greater evil than can be compensated by any
possible good resulting from such a law ? At present, the righte
of the ministers .Of the Church, are solid, sUbstaritial, tangible ;
they are on the land, with the land, and in it; letjthe soil change
Miners as often as it may,- their share of 017- Oroperrty:is the
same; and to a certain extent they are lords of the aoil. - Their
title is far older than that which' any man living ican peodiic
to his estate ; and every man came into4oesession with
knowWge of that claim: With what sense -of 'justice', what
appearance Of right, can this claim' be shaken .off; lot how
cenSistent with coninion honesty can the obligation be
removed ? It' is very delightful to talk of eonelliatiOn and
liberality, and it is very easy to conciliate one man at the
expence of another, and to be liberal with the property of Otheri;
but:,i et honest? .The parson, for such is the phrase, is in
possetsSiott..9( a frebheld, •his title is undoubted, nothing can
:shake it, yet the new'•Commutation Law would. take it from
him, and nutkehirn a pensioner ; give him perhaps an equi-
valent,; but reduce him from, the characters
.of a. territorist to
a stipendiary ; leave him probably with a: somewhat larger-
income, but without that independent bononrable. feeling which
the clergyman at present possesses in being. able to
.assert as an.
indefeasible right ; • in having the power to set his foot upon his
own and say, " This is mine byvirtue of ,my holy office." I;
is probable a right so sacred, so ,impOrtant, will .receive a due
compensation from the unwilling adjudication, of interested
umpires? Can any thing compensate the sacrifice titthe dignity
end. independence of the clerical character? Degrade the clergy.:
Man,' and- his doctrines 'will' shortie share hie debesenient.—
Religion will not long be held in veneration, if its Ministers
.are exposed to scorn; and nothing ore likely to 'getieijate teem,'
in vulgar Minch than a compulsory privation of property by the
operation of the law.- If 'the state' of 4ociety , render any.
change necessary, at least the change. should
pot be degrad-
ing one. No compensation can be offered' to the church
with honesty, noraceeptedbro-b `church with honour; but an
equivrident in land for its clami on:the produce of land. Were
. this done the church would not suffer from any derogatory are
ratigapient; but iiiihredlyPelther clergyman, landOwnir, nor
tenant, Would' deilve Wvantage from the -compyomisa proposed,
elipt in some veiY ivy instances, where a ye xatieus exac tment of
immoderate -tythe produces heart burnings and discontent
aniongst.parisinen erg ; or Whims eudgingatidielactant payment
atithb,li a ioaree'of constant unheppiness, and even einbsr-:
rasiment; to a meeleend not worldly-minded minister. tis
just possible that peace might be promoted by 6.1111.00111 g the
right of the church from the produce of the soil to an adequate
portion of the soil itself, but any other commutation of the
rights of the clergy would be unwise, Impolitic, And dishonest.