The Sun.
London, England, 1834-02-08 00:00:00

440

LONDON,
SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 8, 1834.

The question of Church Reform, as we ob-
served yesterday, is pressing forward in all quarters.
Last week, it was stirring in the south ; to-day it
is equally active in the north. The clergy of
the town and neighbourhood of York have ad-
dressed a memorial to their Archbishop on the
subject, which, though as a whole it may be
considered temperate, and unquestionably skilful
—for it is astonishing with what adroitness
churchmen insinuate their opinions on church
matters—yet in certain passages betrays that
over-shrewdness which so often defeats its own
purposes. Thus, the Yorkshire address says,
n That for the furtherance of these objects (to
wit, the interests of the community) a Christian
Government is bound to maintain, by legal
provi-
sion, an order of men secludedfronz other pursuits
and professions, to attend upon the services of
religion, and suitable places in which the people
may assemble for public worship and for spiritual
improvement." Agreed. A more judicious pro-
position was never yet broached. It is impos-
sible we can praise it too highly. But let us
look a little into the minutia of it. How is a
seclusion from " other pursuits and professions"
to be reconciled with the continuance of the
Bishops in the House of Lords ? Will the
respectable Clergymen, who have signed this
address, presume to tell us, that for the heads
of the Church to mix themselves up with such a
political question as that of a Reform
in the
House of Commons, is the way to encourage their
habits of seclusion ? Will they
hope to persuade
us: that politics—which in nine cases out of ten,
makes or mars a Bishop—is no profession ?
That the Episcopal bench can be political, and
yet at the same time " secluded" from any
" profession" but that of the Church ? Impossible.
It must be evident then that the present address

points, delicately and indirectly, at the removal
of the Bishops from the Upper House. Viewed
in this light it is consistent. In any other, it is
a mass of contradictions. The opening sentence
"at a time when the enemies of our national
Church are openly striking at its very existence,'
though artful enough, is absurd. No one talks—
, no one so much as dreams, of threatening the
existence of the Established Church. It has its
foundation, fixed as adamant, in the heart of
the community. But if to strike at the abuses,
be to strike at the " existence" of the Church,
then, indeed, the clergy have some little right
to bewail in sackcloth and ashes. The public
arm is already uplifted against all ecclesiastical
abuses. The hand-writing on the wall has come
forth against them. They
are fore-doomed, and
it is to these warning indications of public will,
that we look for the regeneration of our reli-
gious establishment. We subjoin an extract
from the address in question, which will convey
to our readers some idea of its spirit. It might
be more charitable in its character, but some
allowance must be made for the infirmities of
human nature. No one thought it worth his
while to express astonishment or indignation,
that the Duke of NEWCASTLE was not so
.tolerant on the subject of rotten boroughs
as he might have been :—" Should it
therefore, be found necessary or expedient,
upon weighty and important considerations,
and for the purpose of promoting the stabi-
lity, influence, or efficiency of the Church,
that changes should take place in things acknow-
ledged by the Church to be indifferent and
alterable, we yet implore your Grace to resist,
in your place in 'Parliament, all attempts to
make even such alterations, otherwise than by
the Church itself acting through its proper and
constituted authorities and we urge our request
the more earnestly, inasmuch as the great coun-
cil of our nation is now open for the admission
of persons who are avowedly hostile, some to
the polity, and others to the Protestantism of
the national ecclesiastical establishment ; and
ready, as we have reason to fear, to coalesce
and combine together for its overthrow."

In the House of Commons last night, Lord
ALTHORP, in reply to a question put by
Mr. ROBINSON, mentioned that he would enter
into a general financial statement on Monday
next. A conversation afteiwards took place
with respect to the revival of the Local Courts
Bill, when Lord ALTHORP promised that he
would communicate to the House, as soon as
possible, the intentions of Government as re-
garded that measure.

The French Papers of Thursday inform us
that a great portion of the Parisians were not at
all satisfied that the insurrection in Savoy had
entirely failed. Indeed the accounts received
were so confused and contradictory that the real
state of affairs was not understood.

The news from Spai❑ in these papers does
not possess much interest. Marching and
counter-marching seemed to be the order of
the day among the several Generals command-
ing divisions, but nothing of importance took
place. It was stated that. Don CARLOS was at
Villa Real, in Portugal, with a small force,
and four pieces of cannon ; but quite unde-
tertnined what course to pursue. The best
thing the QUEEN REGENT can do will be to
throw herself unreservedly into the arms of the
Constitutionalists.

It appears that the King's speech, on the
opening of the session of Parliament, produced
little or no effect in the French metropolis. Its
substance was no doubt well ascertained by the
Government, and hence the coolness with which
the document was received.

FRENCH FUNDS.—PARIS, FEB. 6,
Five per Cents., 105 f. 65c. 60c.
Three per Cents., 75f. 30c. 25c.
National Loan, 105 f. 45c.
Bank Actions, 1,717 f 50c.
Rente de Naples, 911. 10c.-
Roman Five per Cents., 92.
Rente d'Espagne, Five per Cents., 234.
Rente d'Espagne, Three per Cents., 37%.
Royal Spanish Loan, 72.
Rente Perpet. d'Espagne, Five per Cents., 59%.
Belgian Loan, 1831, Five per Cent., 97%.
EXCHANGE ON LONDON.
One month, paper, 25f. 25c. ; money, 251. 25e.
Three months, paper, —f. —c.; money, 25f. 10c.
—fours Authentiaue.

MEETING IN LOUTH FOR A REPEAL OF
THE UNION.—This important meeting took place on
Monday, at the Chapel of the Friary, and was most nume-
rously and respectably attended. Henry Chester, of Car-
town, Es'l., in the Chair. The meeting was addressed by
Messrs. Brett, John Chester, M'Allister, Nicholas Markey,
W. A. M'Kenna, Neal Kelly, and W. A. Mathews.—
Newry Examiner.

REPEAL OF THE UNION ; ABOLITION
OF TITHES. —A numerous and highly respectable meet-
ing of the parishioners of Ballybricken was held there on
Sunday last, to petition the Legislsture for a repeal of the
Act of Union, and for the total extinction of Tithes. Mr.
Owen Carroll presided on this occasion, and Mr. John
Finucane acted as secretary. A series of resolutions were
adopted.— lVaterford Chronicle.

OVERSEER LOST.—On Saturday night last,
the inhabitants of a village not ten miles west of Spalding
were amused with the following announcement by a bell-
man, followed by a number of his fellow-labourers:—
" Lost, the overseer of the parish : what are we to do ?
We have got no money, we have got no bread, we have
go? no credit. What are we to do? Whoever can or
will bring him hack to the poor men now waiting in the
street, shall receive one gallon of ale for their trouble."
The by-standers, while they felt for the circumstances in
which the bellanan and his companions were placed, when
they observed their grave demeanour and considered the
pointedness of the address, were unable to restrain their
risibility.—Nottingham Review.
On Monday a person went round the village
of Basford to solicit signatures to the Nottingham declara-
tion in favour of Church and State, but it proved a no-go,
for a great majority of the inhabitants are decidedly op-
posed to the connexion of Church and State, pluralities
of livings, tithes, &c.—Nottingham Review.
We regret to state that the small-pox still
continues its ravages at Newark, sparing neither sex nor
age; several have died of this fatal disease within the last
month.—Nottingham Review.

LIVERPOOL COTTON-MARKET, FEB. 6.
To•day's business in cotton has been upon very moderate
buying. Sales 1,500 bags, at prices again rather easy;
and we quote new Boweds id. lower for the week, and
selling at Sad. a 811. per lb.
On Thursday, Jan. 30, a lad about 15 years
old was found at the door of a cottage near the Royal Oak,
Wrothans-heatb, Kent, speechless. He was discovered
about seven o'clock in the morning, and lived till about
une o'clock. A coroner's inquest was held on him, and
the jury returned a verdict of " Frozen to death." He
was dressed in a blue jacket, wai-tcoat, and trousers, and
had a purse containing 3d. in his pocket, with a blue
rihand with the word " Reform " written thereon, and a
small ciphering-book and slate. pencil, but nothin4 to dis
cover his name or address. He is now lying at the work-
house at Wrotbani.

COURT OF CHANCERY-(THIS DAY.)