The Sun.
London, England, 1840-05-28 00:00:00

of Rugby, have solemnly declared in a petition to
Parliament—

That some deviations from the authorised fo ms and
positive obligations of our Church have been found so ad-
visable as to be sanctioned by general practice, while the
clergy are still bound to profess an adherence to the letter
of our Prayer Book and Articles,
That Athanasian Creed is not generally understoo l by
the people ; and is drawn up in a way which leads many
to believe that the damnatory clauses are part of the Ca-
tholic Faith ; while each of the damnatory clauses in
itself is such as to require an explanation inconsistent
with the words when taken in their plain sense and com-
mon force.

That in various other parts of our Prayer Book, espe-
cially in the Services for Baptism, for Ordination, and for
Burial, some words and phrases are of doubtful significa-
tion, and otherwise liable to misconstruction ; so that the
alteration of them has become requisite or expedient, and
will cut off occasion from them that seek occasion of cavil
or quarrel against our Liturgy.
That some of the Canons could not be acted upon, and
others arc confessedly inexpedient ; while the clergy are
commonly understood to be bound to the observance of
them all.

These petitioners are obviously of opinion that
the semi-Popish doctrines of the Church, esta-
blished as they were for the " avoidance of diver-
sities of opinion," by semi-Popish priests, are
no longer suitable, and ought no longer to be made
binding on this and future generations. In Par-
liamentit has been stated, on high authority, that
the priests subscribe the Thirty-nine Articles with
a mental reservation, just as the Jesuits played fast
and loose with the most solemn covenants as best
suited their purposes. This is, in truth, a
i noto-
rious and a crying enormity. Moreover, it s well
known that the Puseyites, a tarp sect growing
up in the Church, wish to carry back the doctrines
and practices of the Church to those which existed
antecedently to the Reformation. In spite, there-
fore, of the Bishop of LONDON, no man who has
any knowledge of passing events will, or can, be-
lieve the Bishop's assertion, that the bulk of the
clergy are perfect believers in the Thirty-nine
Articles, and perfectly satisfied with the Prayer
Book.

The Church has been placed in its present
peculiar condition by an Act of Convocation and
Acts of Parliament, and she is now deprived of all
means of extricating herself. The Convocation leas
fallen into oblivion, the Legislature is composed of
Catholics and Dissenters, and the Church will not
allow them to lay their unhallowed hands on her
ark. It is doubtful whether the Convocation
could be revived, except by an Act of the Legis-
lature, composed of Catholics and Dissenters, from
whom, of course, the Church cannot accept au-
thority. The Church, therefore, has no means of
cleansing herself from the foul errors with which
she is contaminated, according to many of her
own priests. Yet this contaminated, corrupt, and
helpless body—this semi-Papistical Church, which
has so grossly neglected her duty to the people,
while she has every year taken from them an addi-
tional portion of their substance, has the astound-
ing impudence now to ask, by the mouth of Sir
ROBERT INGLIs and the Tories, for eight millions
more of the public money.

It was represented to the KING of Naples by a
faithful Minister now in exile, that the hostility of
Great Britain was not the only sad consequence
that would follow from the sulphur contract. That
Minister, who was no stranger to the discontent
which prevailed in Sicily—who knew the yearning
of the hearts of all classes of Sicilians towards the
Constitution which England had given them, but
of which their Sovereign had robbed them—dared
to incur the Royal displeasure, and in his old age
to wander in exile rather than bring disgrace upon
himself, and ruin on his country, by madly pro-
voking a contest with this country. But though the
King became aware of his danger before a blow was
struck, the latest accounts from Naples state that the
contemplation of hostilities has shook to its centre the
Royal authority in Sicily. Letters from Naples of
the 11th instant announce the discovery of a con-
spiracy, the ramifications of which are most exten-
sive, for the express purpose of proclaiming, and
maintaining by force of arms, if necessary, the Si-
cilian Constitution. To resist, if possible, the pro-
gress of disaffection, the KING, with his family,
had left Naples for Sicily, where 11,000 troops had
been previously stationed to prevent a rising on the
appearance of the English on the coast. In the
continental Journals we find this mischief entirely
attributed to the English ; but surely it would be
more correct to attribute it to a Sovereign who
insanely provoked demonstrations of hostility be-
tween himself and a nation having the strongest
claims upon the gratitude of his subjects—a na-
tion which, having his people in her power, con-
ferred upon them rights and privileges such as
they never obtained from the gratitude or the
bounty of their own long line of Sovereigns. Our
influence in Sicily is as great as it Is honour-
able to us ; and great and honourable it positively
is. It is an influence based on the recollection of
disinterested efforts to give liberty, and the blessings
of an advanced civilization, to an oppressed people.
Nevertheless we sought not to employ this influence
to the prejudice of King FERDINAND. It was
not till after two years of haggling for the abolition
of a monopoly contracted in the face of a solemn
treaty, that the British Government found itself
compelled to adopt a compulsory policy, the con-
sequences of which, as we before stated, are now
painfully felt in every part of Sicily.
But while we write, a less favourable account of
the Royal visit to Sicily has reached us. We find
it stated that the rumoured conspiracy is a Court
plot to implicate those distinguished Sicilians who
manifested a sympathy favourable to the demands
of the British Government, and who were supposed
not averse to the appearance of a British squadron
on the coast. This is not improbable. The vin-
dictive nature of the KING is as notorious as
his avarice, and perhaps he looks for the indem-
nity to the sale of the confiscated estates of
his Sicilian subjects. But if such be his Royal
purpose, he is rather early in attempting to
effect it. There are no British merchant ves-
sels on the Sicilian coast, they having been advised
by the British Consul to sail with all speed to
Malta, but there are some English ships of war
still in the Sicilian waters, and these, in the
event of an outbreak, might prove trouble-
some. King FERDINAND is a professed admirer
of the arbitrary policy of Prince IIETTERNICII,
self-complacently forgetful of the fact, that he is no
more qualified to deal with that policy than were
the striplings of Greece to bend the bow of
ULYSSES. It would ill suit the arm of a dwarf to
attempt to wield the club of HERCULES, or the
staff of the spear with which GOLIAII went out to
battle. King FERDlNAND'sforte—whatever his
courtiers and his Queen may tell him to the con-
trary notwithstanding—is in stock-broking. He is
a very little King, but a high and mighty jobber
and usurer. However, treasonable speculations are
at all times dangerous, and in the present instance
seriously threaten to blow up the Sulphur King
and his 10,000 soldiers. _

Letters from Constantinople and Alexandria, of the
7th instant, and from Athens and Smyrna, of the 9th,
respectively, have been received. Considerable des-
pondency prevailed in the Turkish capital respecting
the Eastern question. On the sth, the Ministers of
the Porte met at the palace of the Grand Yuma, on
the Bosphorus, to deliberate upon the consequences
likely to ensue from the speech of M. TILLERS, which,
both in Turkey and Egypt, has been erroneously re-
garded as the adoption by France of the cause of
MELLEatET ALL. The result of the meeting did not
transpire, but on separating the Members of the Divan
looked gloomier, if possible, than when they met. The
accounts from London were, however, favourable.
Noußnt EFFENDL's despatches brought the welcome
tidings that in London every thing was going on pros-
perously ; and that the powerful aid of England might
be confidently relied on.
TAMA PACIIA was formally put upon his trial before
the Supreme Council of Justice for cruelty and extor-
tion as Paella of Aidin. Ile was found guilty, dismissed
from his post, and degraded from his rank as a Vizier
of the Empire. The trial excited great interest, as
being the first of a high officer before the newly-created
tribaiLal.
MEHEMET ALI continues his warlike preparations,
regardless of the misery which he inflicts upon the
people of Egypt and Syria. On the 7th the cases of
plague had decreased from thirty daily to eight, and
hopes were entertained that in a few days it would dis.•
appear altogether.
From Greece the news is unimportant. The country
was in a miserable condition. A crowd of English
fashionables had arrived there from Naples and Sicily,
which they had left on the first- rumour of a blockage.
of the coast by Great Britain.

The Madrid Journals are of the 19th inst. They
publish the articles agreed to by the majority and the
minority of the Committee of the Cortes appointed to
examine the new Loan Bill. The majority recommend
the issue of Treasury bills to the amount of 600 millions
of reals, bearing 5 per cent. interest. The minority,
however, not only recommend the issue of bills to the