The Sun.
London, England, 1840-09-21 00:00:00

same thing for Catholic Emancipation? It is impossi- !
•
ble to draw a distinction between the two cases. The
repeal of the Union is a question which, as long as they (From the Times.)
confine themselves to the constitutional modes of discus- , The following important letter has come into out
sion, the Irish have es good a right to agitate as they ' possession ; we have no doubt of its authenticity and
had to agitate for the repeal of penal laws. True i therefore publish it :
the discussion may be disagreeable, even dangerous ; I 4. Whitehall Gardens, February 23, 1835.
the Government may disapprove of it, and anxiously I "My dear Bishop of Durham,—That public busi-
wish to see it -removed, but what of that ? Is the ness must be of more than ordinary and pressing im-
Government to interfere by brute force, in order tot portance which I did not set aside for the purpose of
silence all discussion, and put down every expression reading with earnest attention, a letter from you, and
of opinion of which it disapproves ? Such may be that letter too on a subject of such vital importance as
the maxim and secret wish, as it was long the avowed the one on which you have addressed me.
and recognised practice of Toryism, but, once for all, " 1 will, with your permission, refer to the political
the Whigs have studied in a different school. The sue- and the religious considerations which it involves.
eessors of Hampden and Py.n, of Milton, and of Locke, "Itis a matter of extreme difficulty to determine
of Somers, of Chatham, and of Fox, will cot, if they had when it is the duty of a Minister of the Crown to under-
the power, consent to sacrifice the permanent blessing take the interference with ancient usages and venerable
of free discussion, for the sake of gaining any institutions. If he determines to do nothing, he may
temporary advantage, or escaping any temporary in- incur the risk of insuring interference by ruder and
convenience. What does the Times want ? Does it more hostile hands. If he advises and undertakes in-
want gagging laws and military proscription ? Does it terference, he appears to the unthinking to be need-
want suspensions of the Habeas Corpus, and all the lessly departing from principle, to be unsettling what it
stale resources of the Tory Governments of olden may be very dangerous 'o disturb, end to be establishing
times? Are these the means to which it would have a precedent which may be appealed to a.sainst himself
Ministers resort, in order to silence the voice of British by those dangerous innovators whose intervention he
subjects discussing a constitutional question, in a con- wishes to avert.
stitutional manner ? Does it suppose that any Go- " I know no other guide that he can take to
vernment of the present day could be found weak or regulate his course amid such difficulties, but his
wicked enough to adopt a system reprobated by the deliberate and conscientious conviction of what may
voice of humanity, and abandoned by the Tories them- be ultimately the best for the security and permanent
selves, on account of its recognised insufficiency ? interests of the establishments he desires to protect
(From the Morning Herald.) and serve.
The "protection" which the Czar of Muscovy is " The important question connected with the Church
about to afford to the Sultan is, it must be admitted, on which was forced upon me, and which required imme-
no niggardly scale, if the accounts be correct, which diate decision, was this :
state, that an army of 30,000 Russians are assembled
" Is it prudent and safe on that part of the Crown to
d
in Bessarabia, and that the troops concentrated on the decline all interference with the state of the Church,
and to leave that question to be disposed of as may
Turkish frontier amount altogether to 100,000 men.
If the other three Powers of the " quadruple alliance" seem best to the House of Commons, trusting impli-
were to supply their contingents in proportion to this citly either to the forbearance and caution of that
amount of Russian force, there certainly would be small House, or to the power of the House of Lords to rc-
chance of Ibrahim Paella capturing Constantinople, or ject what may be injurious ?
being able to remain there long if he did. But the fact " I cannot .cith a safe conscience answer that ques-
is, the game of " protection" is in the hands of Russia, tion in the affirmative.
and she will so play her cards as to take care " I entreat you to look with me at the constitution
that her' "allies" shall have no other part allotted of the present House of Commons. We have a dcci-
to them in the eastern drama than to be the in-
ded majority of the representatives of both Ireland and
strumente of her ambition both for the chastisement
Scotland hostile to the Church, and I fear no incon-
of the Viceroy of Egypt, and the subjugation of siderable number of the representatives of England
Turkey. When we read, as we do in the correspon-
either unfriendly or indifferent to the interests of the
deuce of the ..Vational, that " all the reserves of the Church. • House
to On the first discussion that takes place in the House
artillery and of the troops of the line had left Warsaw
to join the army on the Turkish frontiers," we cannot of Commons, after my appointment as Prime Minister,
evoid being reminded of the 17le cl Pam I, whose on the proposal to replace in the chair the late Speaker,
bloody catastrophe was the result of that sort of pro- who has served the House for 18 years, and during
tection which Russia is ever willing to afford to her seven successive Parliaments, I find myself in a mino-
feebler neighbours. Beir.g reminded of the fate of rity of ten.
Po:and we are inevitably led to anticipate the doom "Itis in vain for me to disguise from myself that
which impends over the Ottoman empire. Warsaw very few of those who voted in that majority will
is now a mere barracks for the troops and a Prove themselves on the day of trial friends to the
depot of arms for the military ambition of Russia, Church.
which threatens both the east and the west. From " The minority is composed in great part of mem-
the gates of the capital of a nation which Russian hers professing the utmost attachment to the Chula,
" protection" has blotted from the map of Europe but all, with few exceptions, requiring the correction
pour forth armed " pacificators" to extend the sceptre of whatever can justly be called an abuse in the Este-
of Siberia to the Bosphorus, and erect the throne blishment.
of a Calmuc chief within the ramparts of the "In that minority Lord Stanley and his friends
ancient Byzantium. To this "eventuality" is England voted, increasing of course to the extent of their corn-
an assistant and an accomplice. The Foreign Sucre- hers the force we could bring into the field. At his
tary of a Whig Administration binds his country in late election for Lancashire, Lord Stanley, a declared
the chains of a new " Holy alliance." Palmerston lays friend of the Church, who sacrificed his office in main-
at the feet of Russia the resources of the British em- tenance of the principle that Church property in Ire-
pire. Shall not the indignation of the people land should not be applicable to secular purposes, deli.
of England pursue the delinquent Ministers who vered these opinions on thesubject of Church Reform :
hava so betrayed their Sovereign and their coun- "' I know also that ecclesiastical reform must come,
try, and break the bonds of this enslaving and that it is certain with regard to two great branches,
connection ? We care not that some Tories go with namely, both as to the temporalities of the Church, and
all the Whigs in this sacrifice (f English interests to a also as to her internal discipline. I too, like my Hon.
Russian ascendancy in Europe. We arc convinced that Friend, would not be a consenting party to abstracting
when the people of England become aware of the extent one farthing from the revenues of the clergy, who, I be-
of the mischief which a Russian faction in this country neve in my conscience, are not overpaid, but as a body
is working, they will take the proper means to relieve arc hardly adequate to supply the religious wants of
this country from an influence which inflicts on it such the people. But I do say that it is absolutely neces-
danger and degradation. They will shake off the incubus sary to have a different distribution of the revenues
which paralyses the national energies, and restore the of the Church, to afford a more equal distribution of the
ancient " land of liberty" to its natural independence means of religious instruction ; that the abuses of non-
and freedom of action. residence, the abuses of pluralities, and the abuses of
(Frothe Morning Post.) the present appropriation of chapter and cathedral pro.
m -,
perty shoul be got rid of, and threvenues of the
The crisis in Spain is of serious moment. Espar- Church should be so disposed of asat tolesive the people
taro's manifesto, published in Saturday's columns, of England the greatest amount of benefit from the ex-
is a compound of insolence and selfishness, but it would
ertion of competentiy, but not overpaid, ministers.'
be worthy of little notice if it merely contained the con-
" Now, looking at the majority and at the constitu-
ceited phrases of the military charlatan. He is but a
puppet, but they who pull the strings are a powerful tion of the minority, what course is it prudent for us
party, and, under the mask of not claiming an absolute to take ? Shall we leave Church Reform in the hands
dictatorship, this Sussex protege puts forward the right of the House of Commons, or shall we make an honest
of a military sway in Spain. Because Espartero, ma-
bona fide attempt to reserve to the Crown, and to ad-
naged, in conjunction with the miscreant Maroto, to
visers selected by the Crown, the cautious and delibe-
achieve by the foulest treason and treachery what he ! rate review of a question of such extreme delicacy and
was not able to achieve in the open field, he exacts importance
"
simply that he shall be regarded as the protector of the Beiieve me, my dear Lord, that lam acting under
Government ; he demands—this modern Cromwell, the deepest impression that the effort I have made so to
reserve that question affords the best (I had almost said
without the redeeming political and military talents—to
the only) prospect of any safe and satisfactory adjust-
the always consulted as the Commander-in-Chief of
riae::,it of it.
the army ; be is to be permitted to interfere with So much for the political considerations that are
the Executive by his counsels, forsooth, for the general connected with this subject,
good ; he is, in short, to be the Regent de facto, the political prospects of an administration, but on the
Christina the Regent de jure, and the Ministers are to
vital interests of the Church.
be reduced to seven military clerks without the Cabinet •• May I presume now, with the utmost deference for
responsibility. This most impudent manifesto is per-
your superior knowledge, and with unbounded respect
hips the most unconstitutional document that has ever for your high and venerable character, to say a word to
emanated from the very constitutional rulers of Spain.
you on much higher concerns—on the intrinsic merits
The confusion of ideas and principles indicates clearly and their bearing, not on
m
of the measure I have advised, and its relation to the
the march of modern Liberalism—the basis of action
spiritual welfare of the Establishment ?
is disobedience to authority, and loyalty is most loyal
" I admit the force of your observations as to the
in resistance to power. What ! the Commander-in-
advantage of cathedral dignities, their tendency to
Chief of an army, the very first who ought to set the
elevate the general character of the profession, their
example of strict discipline, in arms against the
utility (if honestly applied) as retreats for, and eneou-
Crown, its dignity, and prerogative ! What ! the
ragement to learning, and I should be the last person
army arrayed in opposition against the solemn
to propose any harsh measures of confiscation, or the
act of the Cortes, sanctioned by the consent of the
suds en appropriation of the revenues of Deans and
Crown ! This is a noble school, certainly, of consti-
Chapters (in the absence of all friendly and confidential
tutional Government, and yet this is the work of an
consultation with them) to objects foreign to their
English Minister abroad. May we not conclude what
original destination.
would be his labours at home if he was in opposition
" But I do earnestly advise a comprehensive and im-
instead of being in office—if the Crown had to be re-
partial consideration of the whole position of the
sisted and not to be sustained? The Morning Chro-
Church, and that our anxiety for one branch of the
aisle has told us that the claims of the Exaltados are
Establishment should not divert our care from other
moderate. Revolt against the Crown, the Cortes and
objects of most important and pressing concern. Ido
the Government, is but moderation. We should like to
earnestly ask whether it be fit that the great manufac-
be told what, then, is anarchy. The British Perlin-
luring towns and districts of the country should be
ment has passed an Irish Municipality Bill which dis-
left, as to the means of spiritual instruction, in their
pleases a portion of the Conservatives. Would it be
present state ? Is it right—l ask the question on
moderation to resist the execution of that Bill, sane-
purely religious grounds—that such a place as Notting
tinned by the Crown, by an insurrection ? Spain is
ham, for instance, should remain as it has hitherto re-
revolutionising because her ancient municipalities are
mined, with no provision for the maintenance of the
destroyed. Would Ireland be justified to rise because
ministers of the Church of England, excepting the scanty
her old corporations are annihilated ? What is to be
means which they can collect from pew rents or Easter
the end of this new phasis in Spanish revolutions ? Our
dues ?
private letters from Paris, dated Friday, mention a ru- rnoer in the political circles that the Queen had yielded, Is it right that the two parishes of St. Margaret
and was to go to Madrid to submit to her fate. As a and St. John, Westminster, with a population of
necessary consequence of this resolution, it was added 50,000 souls—parishes dependent on the Dean and
Chapter of Westminster—in the immediate vicinity of
that M. Mathieu de la Redorte, the French Ambas-
the Cathedral Church—under the daily eye of Pasha-
seder of M. Thieres choice, had been recalled. If
moot, should remain without, in either case, a decent
this news should be confirmed, and we have no reason
to doubt it, for its probability is great, it remains to be provision for even.a single minister of the Church of
seen what extent of liberty will be conceded to Christina. England ? In these parishes there are additional
churches subscribed for, but not built, because there is
(From the Morning Advertiser.) no endowment ; and Dissent is increasing, not on ac-
As events develope themselves in reference to the count of hostility to the Church, but because there is a
Turco-Egyptian treaty, the accuracy of our opinion religious feeling which the Church of England will not
from first to last—that Great Britain and France conciliate towards herself.
would not be brought into collision, where the chief " Apart from all popular clamour, from all political
object and policy of both must be incidental—becomes considerations, is it better for the Church of England,
more and more apparent. By the latest accounts from for the interest of that faith the propagation and main-
Alexandria it appears that, as far as Egypt is concerned, tenance of which is surely the primary object of her
the Pacha is perfectly satisfied with the treaty of Lon- establishment, to continue the old method of disposing
don, and as to Syria, he would be content with its pos - of all the Prebends of Westminster as sinecure dignities,
session for his own life. This proposition he requested or to make a certain number of them instrumental in
Rifaat Bev, the Envoy from the Porte, to communicate removing such a scandal from the Church, as that which
to the Sultan, of whose assent he appeared to entertain two great neglected parishes in the heart of the metro-
so little doubt, that when asked by the Consuls of the polis, and in immediate connexion with the Chapter, are
Four Powers what course he intended to pursue in case of exhibiting at this hour ?
the Sultan's refusal, lie declared he would not have made
such concession were he not certain of the assent of the ' Let me take another case—that of Comae, a parish
Porte ; and he also refused to accede to the ro osal of in 'Lancashire, the centre of a large manufacturing dis-
trict.. It contains about 18,000 inhabitants, has one
the Consuls, who observed, "in that casepp j.ou minister with a stipend of about 1601. a year, 100/. of
and, above all things, to give up the fleet.
Highness ought to direct Ibrahim to retrograde,r which is raised by Easter dues, paid with the utmost
It could not be expected that such a wily diploma- reluctance and ill will, each cottager having to pay
51d. a head, and frequently resisting payment until after
fist as Mehemet Ali would accompany a proposition
which he regards as a concession with a conditional an order of a magistrate, which increases the charge
promise of further concessions, in case of that proposed tenfold.
being refused. This, in fact, would be offering a bonus " I have mentioned three examples of parishes—one
to the Porte to withhold its assent, and it was nothing in the metropolis, one in a large town, one in a great
less than puerile in the Consuls to urge such proposi manufacturing district ; and they are not unfair instances
tions at such a time. It is not for us to anticipate the of the miserable provision made for divine worship in
decision of the Porte, but the fact of such terms having very many parishes similarly circumstanced. Can we
been proposed by Mehemet Ali, is sufficient indication reconcile it to ourselves in a religious point of view that
that he knows his own interest better than to incur the these things should remain as they are ? If we can-
eiifywtoeamndust admit that they are wrong,
dignitiesm not,er
can-
utter aimihilation of his dynasty, by braving the hostility
shadow of a hope that Parliament will be content
of the European Powers. The stipulation for the pox- is there the
session of Syria during his own life may Ise regarded as supplyeath e thed ra l
revenuesdeficiency—will
pr
gc
~s e 1 leavey n
n theircathe
pre-
cededr a
the qualification under which the Pasha would re-
sent footing, and make provision out of the public funds
from a position which he knows it would be im-
for the increase of all livings inadequately provided for ?
possible to maintain. But as the European Powers have
S
now interfered, we think it far safer and better that Suppose there were a vacancy to-morrow in the deanery
whatever arraneement be made shall be final, than that of Durham, would it be prudent for me, either as a
Minister or as a conscientious friend of the Church, to
the question which now threatens the peace'of the world
ith
e. to fill up the appointment, leaving it wshould be reserved for future agitation ; that Syria advise the Kine
its present emoluments of 9,000/. a year, and with no
should be left in doubt of the authority to which she
mus,t.,
gilalinseed'eaath in other spiritual functions than those which belong properly
his mel,aayndallate
kindle a to the Dean 9 Th • would certainly be, on the one hand,
prey. to Mehemet Ali during
onff'strthernictadherence to the letter at least
torch to
live, more ardent, and the hands of his more ac-
niverseiqually despotic successor—a
(of the statutes
the .
conflagration. Such an ar- chapter, there would be the gain
rangement as this would abe to flit Minister of a great aristocratic appointment which
man atrocity, and to E to Syria one of most inhu- I . e -
I might possibly be well bestowed
crastination, affordin Europe an act of imbecile pro- 1 ' • on some man of pre:
i eminent worth and ext •
to tfhe aggressive and despotic , extraordinary learning ; but would
powers the opportugnit
their organization agaiistoth preparint, and perfecting 1 such advantages compensate far the alienation of
constitutional states, when e rights and interests of 1 thousands from the Church, who would witness this
a vigorous demonstration appointment, with all its emoluments intact, devolving
would now extinguish such iniquitous ambition. It is on an individual, and at the same tithe populous di;
much to be regretted that France
with the other Powers in the has
not co-operated tricts in the neighbourhood of Durham overrun with
wh ..erein the interests of all not influencedadjustment of a question
by Dissent from no other cause than that there is no ado.
provisson for the performance of : the
intentions, aggressive the rites of
intentions, indicated the same arrangement. quote
u..hnrn
il n f
England ?
"If the deanery of Durham were retained with all
: its functions, and with ample emoluments for the
station, and if at the same time some mode could be
devised for making a portion of the revenues (surely
the excessive revenues) now attached to the deanery

THE CHURCH.

SLAVERY IN FRENCH COLONIES,--The Go-
vernor of PrlartiLigue, by th.erees of 21st .flay and
June, enfranchised 134 slaves ; and the Governor of Gua-
deloupe, by a decree of 6th July, enfranchised 35 slaves.