The Sun.
London, England, 1869-12-13 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, YONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 13, 1869,

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

131PRISONMENT FOR DEBT.
Let not the unhappy debtor be misled by 'the
title of the delusive Act " for the Abolition. of
Imprisonment for Debt." Imprisonment for debt is
not abolished. Section 5 provides that " any 'court
may commit to prison for a term not exceeding six
weeks, or until payment of the sum due, any person who
makes default in payment of any debt, or instalment
of any debt, due from him in pursuance of any order
or judgment of that or any other competent court."
This jurisdiction is to be exercised only on proof that
the defaulter has, or has had since the order or judg-
ment, the means to pay; and further on, it is provided,
that "no imprisonment under this section shall
operate as a satisfaction or extinguishment of the debt."
The measure, in short, seems to leave county court
practice very much where it was, save that cases of
fraud are dealt with criminally and punished with
imprisonment for not more than a year. One judge
refused a jndgment summons, on the ground that
imprisonment was abolished ; but others have inti-
mated their intention to continue the practice as
before.

PROFESSOR MAURICE ON THE ARTICLES AS TESTS.

The Rev. Professor Maurice writes to the Spectator
explaining his speech at Cambridge the other day at
the meeting to advocate the abolition of University
Tests. The rev. gentleman declares that he does not
look upon the Articles as bonds of communion
in the Church ; he regards them as a
means of theological education. The result of making
them tests, of judging others by them, has been
that they have been twisted, turned, misread. It was
evident some time time since that they were begin-
ning to be hated by numbers who subscribed to them.
They are robbed of their force by being made to
cover doctrines evidently against their spirit, and by
being taken to be flung at opponents. Therefore
Professor Maurice protests against their use any
longer as tests. They have been to him invaluable
as a means of education; they pointed out a method
of study, they warned against superstition. They
are not perfect, but they are precious. They become
useless, aye, dangerous as they are now treated.

about by the exertions of the British Ambassactor teaas
the Spectator to strongly condemn this interference.
The lion. Mr. Elliot has induced the Khedive to agree
that all taxes should be levied in his master's
name, and that no loan is tO be raised without per-
mission from Constantinople. The effect of this
arrangement will be that taxes in Egypt will be
increased in the name of the Sultan for the benefit of
the Viceroy, and that ten per cent. of every new loan
will be wasted in bribing the Porte to agree to its
necessity. The people will have to pay the cost of
the quarrel. Why not leave these personages to
settle their own differences ?

.4 FOREIGN NOTES;

OPPOSITION IN TILE (ECUMENICAL COUISCIL.

The Pesther Lloyd gives some particulars with respect
-to the position at the (Ecumenical Council. The Vatican
hopes that the resolutions which it will lay before the
Council will be adopted by an immense majority. Some
doubt is felt about the German and French prelates, and
the Hungarian bishops are suspected of a decided leaning
to the German or French "Liberal Catholics." The
American, Dutch, Belgian, and Italian bishops, with
the entire body of apostolical vicars, are expected
to follow the Curia. The opposition party is
not as yet numerously represented in Rome, but its
mo nbers are active, and deliberations aro continually being
I ell The distinctive parties which compose the opposi-
tion appear to be quite unanimous in their resolution to
combat the aspirations of the Jesuits. They have com-
pleted the plan of the campaign, and are waiting for an
accession of strength to enable them to carry it out.