The Sun.
London, England, 1834-02-28 00:00:00

*114140
6.P.)
undoe.

LONDON,
FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 28, 1834.

.
The proceedings of last night in the House of
Commons were alike remarkable for their mirth
and the overwhelming majority in favour of Mi-
nisters against the repeal of the malt tax. That
most facetious orator Sir 'WILLIAM INGILBY
had the rare luck of keeping the House in a
roar during the delivery of his good-
humoured speech. As for the details of the
new taxes, by the imposition of which the
worthy Baronet proposed to cover the
deficiency that would be occasioned by the re-
peal of the malt duty, they are altogether so
unique, and in such admirable keeping with
" the speech," that we shall not venture
to blur their original beauty by any at-
tempt at description or paraphrase. We must,
therefore, refer to the speech itself, which some
of the country gentlemen were so malicious, or
envious, as to say had the singular merit,
Iwhether intentional or not, of defeating
the motion it professed to support ! Cer-
tain it is, that on a division the numbers
were, for the repeal of the malt tax, 170, against
it, 271; leaving a majority in favour of Mi-
nisters of 101.

When this auspicious number was an-
nounced, Lord ALTHORP rose, amid the cheers
of the house, and gave notice, that on Thurs-
day next he would move for leave to bring in a
bill for the repeal of the house duty.

Colonel EVANS last night accounted very
satisfactorily for not having brought on his
motion for a repeal of the window duty. He
acted entirely in obedience to the ariggestions of
the Central Committee of the metropolis, who
were fearful that by embarrassing Ministers, by
pressing the motio►►, they might neither get the
house nor the window tax repealed. In the pre-
sent state of the revenue it is clearly impossible
to remit a large amount of taxation without
imposing a corresponding amount—and nothing
but a property tax can satisfactorily and fairly
meet this difficulty.

We are exceedingly rejoiced to learn that
JOHN WILLIAms, Esq., K.C., practising a
the King's Bench Bar, and who has been in the

habit or going on the northern circuit, is to be'
the new Baron of the Court of Exchequer, in
the room of Mr. Baron BAILEY. It will be
recollected that Mr. WILLIAMS was associated
rith the names of BROUGHAM and DENMAN,
the memorable defence of Queen CAROLINE.
Mr. WILLIAMS is a sound lawyer, and an
estimable patriot—two very essential ingredients
in the character of a good and upright judge.

The Tories have succeeded at Dudley, and
Sir JOHN CAMPBELL has lost his election.
The contest commenced yesterday, and the poll
in a few hours stood as follows :—HAWKES,
322 ; CAMPBELL, 242 ; leaving a majority of
80. We believe that the facts of this extraordi-
nary result will do much to promote the early
success of the ballot. Sir JOHN CAMPBELL
in December, 1832, succeeded by a majority
of 90! Ministers may not have realized all the
just expectations of the country, and some allow-
ance must be made for popular disappointment ;
but such a variation of numbers must have some
local cause, and communications we have re-
ceived convince us that the electors of the smaller
boroughs must be the slaves of influence with
open voting. We trust that the defeat of Sir
JOHN CAMPBELL will promote the question of
the ballot, and that the government will see the
absolute necessity of confirming itself in public
opinion. We only lament that so practical and
consistent a reformer as Sir JOHN CAMPBELL
should be the sacrifice of the system.

The motion for a Select Committee to inquire
into the state of Church patronage in Scotland
was agreed to last night without any opposition
on the part of the Government. There can be
no objection to an inquiry when conducted on
equal and impartial principles, and we confidently
hope that in the appointment of the Committee
a selection has been made of men whose minds
are unbiassed on dile subject, rather than of those
whose feelings have been so strongly expressed
as almost to preclude sober and unprejudiced in-
quiry. It is a question of so much importance
not to the church of Scotland only but also to
the church of England, that the inquiry ought
to be watched by the house and the government
with the most jealous care. There is a strong
feeling on the subject in some parts of Scotland,
and the members who promote the inquiry seem
so imbued with it, that great care ought to be
taken not to permit the adoption of measures
which, though they would suit their views,
would endanger the usefulness and respect-
ability of the 'lurch. If the inquiry relates
to abuses sok y we cordially concur in it,
but if it is i stituted with a view to draw
up a report in favour of popular election,
and the total abolition of patronage, we can only
regard it as an attempt, which, if successful,
would lead to the most dangerous consequences,
and in a few years the people of Scotland would
be the first to admit the fact. The chief object
which the advocates of the measure profess, is
the appointment of clergymen more suitable to
the views, and more useful to the people than at
present. If they could make out that the plan
would lead to such a result, all impartial men
must side with them. Judging from experience,
however, and from the usual workings of the
human mind, we would predict a different result.
It cannot be denied that some of the most use-
ful men and the brightest ornaments of the
Church of Scotland have been any thing but
popular at first. Dr. CHALMERS is a remark-
able instance. ROBERTSON and BLAIR never
were popular preachers. The late Dr. INGLIS,
who was at the head of the Church for nineteen
or twenty years, and who was admitted by both
parties to be a man not only of the first talents,
but one of the most useful in promoting the
best interests of the Church, never would have
been admitted as a clergyman by a promiscuous
popular assembly ; and a hundred other in.
stances might be given in proof of a fact
which all but the prejudiced admit. But
independently of the usefulness of the clergyman,
we call on the advocates of the change to con-
sider calmly what good would follow from popu-
lar election. 'Would it prevent divisions in
parishes? Would it abate secession ? Would it
encourage learning ? Above all, would it attract
into the bosom of the church men of high cha-
racter and independent feelings ? Reason and
experience decide the contrary way. Where
have there been more divisions and quarrels than
among the seceders, who have had popular elec-
tion to their hearts' content? Though differing on
no essential point of doctrine, and agreeing in
their detestation of patronage, they have split
into sects without number. One candidate is
the favourite of one party and the abhorrence of
the other. A canvass takes place—the passions
of the parties are mutually inflamed by collision,
and the defeated party, rather than submit, se-
cede and have the clergyman of their choice. No
church yet kept down secession, so long as the
church of Rome ; but it was not by the abolition
of patronage ; it was by the inquisition, and
the most atrocious persecutions and cru-
elty. In opposing any violent change
in the present system, we are not in-
fluenced by a partiality to either party, but
solely by a regard to an establishment which has
now stood the test of 150 years, and is admitted
on all hands to be one of the most efficient in
promoting education, good order, and morality.
The friends of virtue and religion will be cau-
tious in touching such a fabric with rash hands
-,,,--they will inquire into its abuses, but they will
not destroy it for the purpose of substituting an-
other of doubtful expediency. In many instances
these abuses have been great, but what human
institution is perfect ? In discussing this
question in Scotland, the parties appear
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