The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-14 00:00:00

DESTITUTION IN THE SCOTTISH

LIBERALITYHOIGFHTLHA:DFSR.
EE CHURCH.
The deep and general distress existing in the Western
Highlands and Islands of
attention of the Free Church, the ministers belonging to
that religious body, in Edinburgh, resolved on making a
collection in their churches last Sunday, in aid of their
suffering countrymen. The result of the appeal was the
princely sum of 2,3001.—an instance of liberality which,
under all the circumstances of the case, has but few pa-
rallels, in the history of religious denominations. In
order that this proof of the magnitude of Free Church
benevolence may be rightly understood, it is necessary
we should mention that that religious body have, since
their secession from the Establishment in May. 1843,
raised the almost incredible sum of 1,200,000/. for pur-
poses connected with their own church. The annals of
Christianity furnish no instance at all to be compared to
this of denominational liberality. Several thousands
more will, in the course of a few weeks, be raised for the
relief of the suffering Highlanders by the other Free
Churches in various parts of Scotland, now amounting
to nearly 700. The Establishment, and the various dis-
senting bodies, will, as a matter of course, follow the ex-
ample of the Free Church—which is making itself re-
markable for taking the lead in all humane and benevo-
lent enterprises in Scotland—so that, before the end or
the year, we have no doubt the severity of the existing
distress in the Western Highlands and Islands will be
considerably mitigated.

THE REPRESENTATION OF
READING.
(From the Berkshire Chronicle.)
We noticed, a few weeks since, an effort which was
heing made by a portion of the constituency of the
borough, to induce John Walter, Esq., of Bearwood, to
allow himself to be put in nomination at the next elec-
tion. Within the past few days, we believe, a requisi-
tion, signed by abont 100 of the electors, was presented
to Mr. Walter, from whom the following reply has been
received :

" Gentlemen,—l have to acknowledge the receipt of
your flattering address, which you conclude by assuring
me of your confidence in my character, as well as in my
political and religions opinions, and ' pledging' your-
selves to use your best exertions to secure my return to
Parliament, which you have no doubt will be effected by
an overwhelming majority.'
" Such an address cannot fail of being most agreeable
when received from my neighbours, as well as the
observers of my past conduct, in and out of Parliament ;
and you have my sincere thanks for this mark of your
esteem. Intimations of this kind have been frequently
received by me, and always with satisfaction, from what-
ever quarter they came. But it is not by parties or
factions only—connected as I am with the town of
Reading by proximity and long acquaintance—but by
the great body of the people that I should hope to be
returned, if ever I become a candidate.
" After the disappointments which all parties have
sustained since the passing of the Reform Bill, I would
wish to be considered as only attached to those views
and measures which my own experience has taught me
are likely to be most beneficial to the country; and on
this account I should be loth to be implicatEd with any
one class or section of political opinions, to the exclusion
or neglect of others. For this reason I should abstain
from announcing myself a candidate till I saw that
marked declaration of coincidence in my own opinions
which numbers only can give.
" In the course of my communications with various re-
spectable inhabitants of Reading I have found much
diversity of sentiment on some of the leading questions
of the day. On the subject of education, for example,
some assurances of my views have been wished for. My
answer to that is by an inquiry, Who has done more for
education than I have done? Or who is going on in
that career with more zeal and assiduity than I have
evinced or am evincing? The same might be said on
most other subjects on which candidates are required to
&dare their opinions. I will further refer only to one—
the maintenance of our Protestant Church. Has any one
done more for this object than I have? Has any one
more resisted rash innovation than myself ? And yet,
to my surprise, since your requisition has been prepar-
ing, a paper has been put forth, and has received the
signatures of two hundred electors, by which, if I were
to subscribe to it, I should be incautiously engaged in
something like personal hostility with the professors of
a different creed from that to which I have ever shown
the warmest attachment. The following is the paper to
which I allude:—

" We the undersigned electors of the borough of
Reading, alarmed at the countenance lately given in
Parliament to the Church of Rome, especially at the
endowment with the public money of places of education
to promote the growth of Popery, and deeply impressed
with a sense of the danger to which the Protestant
Church of England and Ireland is thus exposed, feel
compelled to declare that we can give no support to any
candidate at the ensuing election until we shall receive
the assurance that he will oppose every attempt to estab-
lish or endow the Church of Rome within these realms;
or to grant any portion of the public funds to any insti-
tution for educational or other purposes unfavourable to
the Protestant faith ; and that he will use his utmost
effort to preserve the United Church of England and Ire-
land in its integrity and efficiency.'
" With reference to this paper, I may be allowed to
say that I most readily pledge myself, if necessary, to
all the fundamental principles of our constitution in
Church and State ; and I will use my utmost endeavours
to preserve the United Church of England and Ireland
in its integrity and efficiency ; but to any specific mea-
sure on this or any other subject that may be hereafter
introduced into Parliament, before I have the question
argued, I will not pledge myself.
" Such a proceeding is not unconstitutional, but it
is irrational, and must tend to render the summoning
and sittings of Parliament useless. If I could be more
confirmed in this opinion than I am, it would be from
what I observed in the French Chamber of Deputies
luring the last session. Now, though lam not apt to
draw my examples from the other side of the water, but
rather from the principles of the British constitution,
yet I cannot but think it worth observation that a mem-
ber of the French Chamber having been proved, to the
satisfaction of a committee, to have promised and
pledged his votes, on certain measures, before he was
elected and had entered the House, he was declared in-
competent and unfit to serve, and his election set aside.
I will, indeed, ask, if Members are to enter the House
of Commons under pledges, why should they sit night
after night at all ? They need only go in to give their
votes, as has unhappily been too often the case, in cor-
rupt Committees of the House. I expressed opinions to
the same effect on the hustings at Abingdon in 1832.
" Having thus declared my resolution, and the grounds
on which I have formed it, I leave this public declaration
to have what weight it may on those to whom I respect-
fully address it. I cannot go into Parliament at all if I do
not enter its doors unshackled. In that free condition I
will do the best I can for the country at large.
" I have the honour to remain, gentleman, your faith-
ful servant,
" Bearwood, Dec., 1846. " J. WALTER."