The Sun.
London, England, 1841-01-21 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL DEBT AND

CORN-LAWS.

We copy the following from a pamphlet by a
" Somersetshire Clergyman." It is, we are well as-
sured, quite visionary, as every thing true and good
expected of the Legislature and of those in autho-
rity is quite visionary. To expect men in office to
snake sacrifices, or set an example of patriotism, is
contrary to the whole course of nature. They
struggle, they fight to enjoy the emoluments and
power of office, and to give up those would he like
parting with life. The Bishops, too, care nothing
for Christianity, nothing for the Church, nothing
for the people ; through their whole lives they seek
wealth and power ; and to ask them to retire from
the House of Lords and lay down their incw:nes is
to ask the Ethiop to change his skin. This Somer-
setshire Clergyman, therefore, according to the
language of the world, though his writing is emi-
nently eloquent and eminently Christian, is a poor
spooney. But so it " ever bath been, shall be, be-
neath the sun ;" and those who speak the words of
truth and righteousness are crucified as malefactors,
or ridiculed as fools. The extraordinary nature of
the recommendation may, however, pique the curi-
osity of our readers, and therefore we insert it. It
assumes the character of a speech delivered by her
Majesty at the opening of Parliament :
It has been stated that there are a thousand persons
residing within a circle whose radius is ten miles, this
house being the centre, whose united property could
Pay off the national debt. It is not to be expected,
however, that any particular class should surrender their
ttitire property ; and it is but just that all who have
rieltes, that is, all who possess food, clothing, and habi-
tation, and something to spare, should bear their share
is this noble enterprise. It is also not necessary that
the whole sum of eight hundred millions be liquidated
in one year. It will be more equitable to the present
generation to extend the payment over the next twenty
Years ; and in the humble hope that I may live to see
these my domir.ions free from debt I have determined
to surrender.

I,All my palaces, lands, and forests, except Buck-
. ingham Palace and Windsor Castle.

2.—A1l revenues derived from the Duchies of Corn-
wall, Lancaster, or any other source, except the Civil
List.
3.—One-half of my annual income arising from the
Civil List, including the funds from which pensions are
Paid, leaving all pensioners to seek a more honourable
source of income.

I have no doubt but that, in like manner, her Ma-
jesty the Queen Dowager will, out of the income of
100,000!. a-year, willingly cede to the nation which so
willingly gave it, 90,000!. a-year ; and that, being only
an individual without family or incumbrance, she will be
most happy to live upon 10,000/. a-year.
I am confident that my uncles, the Kings of Belgium
and Hanover, will see it to be their duty to surrender
all income or emolument which they now receive from
this country.
Each of my Ministers of State will he most happy
to serve the country for 2,0001. a-year, and my ambas-
sadors, officers of my household, and all commissioners
bill be reduced in like proportion.
Out of regard to the peculiar sanctity of the office of
the Bishops, and to prevent the scandal to religion
which the wealth and pomp of the prelacy have brought
Upon it, I do, with the authority vested in me, as head
of the Church in all things of a secular nature, recom-
mend them to cede their income, their palaces, and
their lands, with the accumulated wealth they have laid
Up, to the supply of the exigencies of the State ; thus
testifying their conviction that " it is more blessed to
give than to receive ;" and in order that, having learned
to abound, they may now learn in humble circumstances
to be therewith content ; and that they may render
useful service; and, after the fashion of apostolic sim-
plicity, be able to appeal to their brethren, to witness
that their own hands have ministered to their necessi-
ties, I further recommend them to depart from this
House, and diligently to apply their minds, first to the
Practice and then to the preaching of Christ's holy
gospel.

As head of the Church, I further propose that the
property of all Chapters and Cathedrals, all incomes of
Deans, Canons, and Prebends, and of all livings, the
excess above 3001. a-year, be devoted to the same great
object ; and as it is one of the first lessons which the
instructors of youth should instil into their minds to
" owe no man anything," and as that precept is equally
true of men in their collective as in their individual ca.
PanitY, I would suggest to the masters, tutors, and fel-
lows of all colleges and endowed schools, to surrender
one half of the estates of such colleges and schools.
The property of the Lords Temporal, and of all
wealthy commoners. I propose to set free from all en-
tail and, by an Act of the Legislature, to abolish the law
of prinlogenitur‘e and I recommend that your Lord-
'hips vie with each other in the extent of property that
Yon will dedicate to this great object ; and let it
henceforth be deemed a crime against the State for a
wealthy man to leave property to those who are already
wealthy, instead of bequeathing it to provide for the
reasonable expenditure of the country to which he owes
his birth, his many privileges, and the protection of his
Property.
I am credibly informed that the less respectable por-
!tion of the aristocracy are in the habit of violating the
awe, and committing breaches of the peace, by wrench-
ing off knockers, breaking windows, and assaulting the po-
Ilee,for which the punishment which the laws provide is ut-
,lerly inadequate ; I therefore propose that a fine of 1,000/.
for each offence be paid;towards the 'liquidation of thena-
tinaal debt ; and if the offence be that of endeavouring
by bribery or intimidation to influence an elector in the
exercise of his franchise, that the fine in such case be
the forfeiture of one half of the estate to the same pur-
13°e and if the person so offending be in his minority,
°r not come into possession of his estate, one half of the
estate of his father, who has brought up a son in princi-
Pies and practices so dishonourable.
M Lords and Gentlemen—Permit me to assure you
that the noble sacrifice which I now recommend will be
infinitely superior to your ostentatious charities and
subscriptions to religious societies. To sanction a sys-
i!lo which makes men poor, and then by parochial re-
pi'el gifts of bread, clothing„ or fuel, to pretend to
ty their poverty, is a mockery of true charity, which
.Iseeketh not her own, which thinketh no evil, and re-
3°ineth not in iniquity." You part with a few hundreds
!0 feed the poor, but you take front them as many thou-
ands, and you glory in the deed. You subscribe to the
°adding of churches ; and if von did so in the spirit of
themman who, because lie loved the Jewish nation, built
a synagogue, you would do well ; but
you have no
ri to be generous until you have been just, You
Wt.!, 2Pending on churches that which is not yours, but
h belongs to the people ; and such profession of
lo Igion, whilst you neglect its great command, "to
love 4l
__ Your neighbour as yours',df,' 'and " to do to others
4:12011 would
abhorrenc that theye
shou'id d unto you," is the very
" e of the wl-;ich millions now feel towards
(het holy religion,
the infidelity now so inereas-
iint4;trit:Ltil:fd:l,,.lent.Taondthoef. rich young man, who came to
ttlild to ask what lie should do, it was not said,
synagogue.," or " Subscribe to religious in-
but—" Go and sell that thou bast, and
141: to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in
are The industrious millions of this enap:re
youe Peer, and burthened with debt : I urge upon
in the performance of the sacrifice which he whom
ii-t 1 Profess to serve urged upon the rich when he was
eastb. If you do not trust in riches, you will
whiel.g).y follow the advice which I give, and the example
the dot am about to sat ; and if you do trust in riches,
se
rvi
Y is still more urgent, for all your prayers and
,wces are nothing until you can become willing to part
Ith all the treasure on which your heart is fixed. You
'ire not invited to take upon you the Christian name
chit •
o you have done this, since the order is " Go and
that
thou bast, and give to the poor," and then
,sef?me and follow me." You are not invited to pre-
-047 Your subscriptions to religious institutions ; on the
ta,itrirtar4,aisnosong as the people have just cause of coin-
you, the command to you is, " If thou
t,ltig thy gift to the altar, and there renaemberest that
brother bath aught against thee, leave there thy
Riftbefore the altar, and go thy way ; first he ream-
-I(e.d i" thy brother, and that come and qffiy thy at."
I" 're the evil consequences of those unrighteous
tati'oti'nWhich you and your fathers have involved the
'which do you
with those partial and oppressive laws
you and your fathers have enacted ; and if you
h
tee a religion worthy of the respect of common
Saul , imitate tho converted publican Zaecheus, and
ooyoir " Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give unto the
and if I have taken anything, from any man, I
better
him four-fold." Such a religion would be far
;7t!er than the profession of even the purest creed,
IN would infinitely surpass the childish conceits of
nanftsrn.

1,11 TAI. LOSS OF THE PHILESTRUS.----011
brig rhtl
eadr.ay. information reached Lloyd's of the total loss of the
estrus, of Greenock, on the morning of Wednes-
-
IkaY weck last, in Dundrum Bay, on the coast of Ireland,
Pat,rid attended With dreadful sacrifice of life. It appears
the unfortunate vessel left New Orleans on Nov. 11.
Greenock, having on board a valuable cargo of cotton. The crew consisted of the master, Captain Delley, first and
tiev'nd mate, sixteen seamen, and threa boys. At about
Struck Lee o'clock in the morning above-mentioned the vessel
' the sunken rocks in Dundrum Bay, and became in-
and Wreck. All perished except the second mate
n t,'o of the boys, who were washed on shore on a spar,
tipieh they had lashed themselves. The spot where
44,eatastrophe occurred is some miles from any habitation,
,11:,._1,0 assistance could be obtained. The survivors re-
t.klned on the rocks eight and twenty hours, and were
" fi kTt I
y a sJing.senac . oss the teDurt A
`e4 tu be 2,0004 vessel is