The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-03 00:00:00

ITALY.

The Milan Gazette of the 28th ult. officially con-
firms the news of the Emperor of Austria having de-
clared Venice a free port immediately on his arrival
in that city.
The Statuto of Florence of the 261) nit. states that
twenty-five students have been excluded from the
University of Pi3a, for having been present at the
funeral service which was celebrated on the 23d ult.
in commemoration of the battle of Novara.

The Armonia of Palermo givesitn—aCcount of a
most violent storm, followed by an inundation, which
occurred there on the 11 th and 12th ult. The
leaters from the adjacent mountains pene-
I rated into the town by torrents, after
-overthrowing all the dams. The corps of pio-
neers was immediately called out to open an egress
to this sudden flood, which, however, was not effected
until the 13th. The director of the Astronomical
Observatory of Palermo has announced that on the
12th and 13th ult., there fell five inches and a half
id rain, being about the fourth part of the rain of one
whole year.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT,
(THIS EVENING.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat upon the Woo;
sack at Five o'clock.

PETITIONS.
Lord REDESDALE presented several petitions
agianst Papal aggression.
The Marquis of WESTMINSTER presented several
petitions with a similar prayer.
The Earl of STRADBROKE presented a petition
from sonzte place in Somersetshire, praying for an alter-
ation in the laws of settlement and of rating.
The Duke of RICHMOND presented several petitions
against Papal aggression; also a petition from some place
in Sussex praying that the ratepayers might have a voice
in the assessment and disposal of county rates;;also a pe-
tition against Jewish emancipation; also a petition from
certain of the clergy complaining of the manner in which
the clergy were assessed to the poor-rate; also a petition
from Horsemunden against free trade, and several from
the county of Lincoln with a similar complaint.
REFUSAL TO BURY A DISSENTING MINISTER
IN CHICHESTER.
The NOBLE Dunn then rose to present a petition
complaining of the proceedings of the Rev. Mr. Ken-
rick, incumbent of St. Peter's, Chichester, and he felt
that he was placed in a most painful position in bringing
forward a complaint against a clergyman, who, he be-
lieved, was a good and charitable man, but who on the
occasion referred to had exhibited what he must consi-
der a great deficiency of Christian charity and a neglect
of duty. There had resided for many years in Chi-
chester an Independent minister, the Rev. Mr.
Parsons, a reverend gentleman with whom he was well
acquainted, and who had borne a most exemplary cha-
racter. Mr. Parsons had purchased a piece of ground in
the churchyard of St. Peter's, in which his wife bad been
but and on his deathbed Mr. Parsons had expressed a
des ire to be buried by the side of his wife. Application
heed been madz to the rector, and he had replied that the
brdy of Mr. Parsons might be buried in the churchyard,
but that he would not read the burial service over it;
and he had added, that he was aware that he was
violating the law, but that he was determined to
refits° at all hazards, because, unless he refused
there was no chance of any alteration being made in
the law. Now he (the Duke of Richmond) could con-
ceive nothing more dangerous than that respectable
gentlemen of education should hold and maintain
sueh opinions.—(Cheers.) It clergynen of the Church
of England could not conscientiously conform to the law,
it was their duty at once to resign their situations, or
to conform to the law. The Bishop had been applied to,
and be had written a most proper and Christian letter to
Mr. Kenrick, who still refused to read the burial service
over Mr. Parsons, who had been baptized, because he
had been a Separatist and a teacher among Separatists;
and the result was, that Mr. Parsons was buried in his
own chapel. It might be said, why did they not apply
to the Ecclesiastical Court? But that would involve an
enormous expense ; and, although he believed every
country gentleman in Sussex and every inhabitant
of Chichester would have subscribed towards ?
a the
expenses, yet there would have been
answer that that body had not been taken to thetec imicachurch-
yard and burial demanded, but had that beendonea
riot might have been occasioned. There was another
case against the same clergyman: an unfortunate woman
named Sarah Rogers, had been found drowned it;
the canal, the coroner's jury had returned a verdict
that she had destroyed herself, being at the time insane;
yet Mr. Kenrick roused to read the burial service
over her on the ground that he eves convinced that she
had destroyed herself being of sound mind; thus,
without making any inquiry, setting up his owu
judgment against the verdict
ref the coroner's
jury, delivered upon the oath of twelve men. It
would be most dangerous if such things were permit-
ted to pass unreproved, and clergymen were allowed in
this manner to outrage the feelings of the peaceable in-
hatietants of a town. If in some towns such occurrences
haA taken place as had taken place in the case of Mr.
Parsons, the public pence would blve been endangered.
Ile.attributed the conduct of Mr. Kenrick to an entire
want of j'ldgment but he would say, that if a law
was- passed that he felt he could not conscientiously
car* into effect he
e should resign the commission of the
peace, and net reruse to perform his duty, and it would
be much better that
this g
liviug than refuse to execute
should resign his
e the law, lie presented the
petition which was from the town council of Chichester,
paying for the adoption
of measures to prevent the re-
currence of such scenes.
The Bishop of CHICHESTER said it w:is with in-
tense pain that he rose on this °etas' et felt grate•
ful to the Noble Duke for the testirai"ia.„'leich he had
borne to the character of the 'it"
Gentle-
man concerned, and for the temper with
he
with which "u
hurl stated the case. The Rover
eves a man of moat Innevolent and
character, and was actuated, he Wag Gentleman
Zeproachable
Irli.ced by
conscientious motives, however mistaken his
might be. He lamented most deetpalle; vitehwast
the Rev. Gentleman had taken the view of
which he had taken. The Rev. Gentleman had
several occasions, read the burial service over Dissenters
hut he had refused to read the service over the body
of etas Dissenting clergyman, because, as he ;under-
stood. there were several Dissenting clergymen at
the funeral. Ho deeply regretted the conduct which
t iis• reverend gent', man had pursued, and had no
sympathy with the reasons which he had adduced; on
the contrary, he had always felt that it was a most for-
tenete circumstance that the Dissenters had contented
t iemselvee with erecting their own places of worship and
h 4(.1 buried their dead in our churchyard, thus keeping
up as it were a connexion with the Church, and facili-
tating a return from the principles of dissent
to those of the Church, and he thought that
no ' consideration should induce clergymen of
the Church to throw obstructions in the way of thin
U sage. Ho had repeated this to Mr. Kenrick, and also
"hit,he was guilty of a breach of duty in violating the
1 teas of his country. Unfortunately those representations
had been disregarded. Ile could bear his testimony to the
hgh reepeetability of Mr. Parsons, who had been bap-
ii.ed., and Jvho was among the most respectable and