The Sun.
London, England, 1832-11-01 00:00:00

CHURCH PROPERTY.

The following' extraordinary letter from the Eat! of
Guilford to the Secretary of the Ecclesiastical Commis-
sioners has just appeared :
" Sir,-1 have to acknowledge the receipt of a letter
signed by you in the quality of Secretary to the Commis-
•ioners appointed to inquire into the- revenues of the
Church.

I have no personal objection to the puhlication of my
private property in the Church (grossly exaggetated by
the revolution ay pal t of the Press), but my regard for
public liberty, aiarmingly invaded by an inquisition into
the amount and nature of the property of individuals. If
the annexation of service rendered it the properly of the
Crown or of the public, alt ough freely bestowed by the
original proprietars upon the sole condition of the pecu-
liar service, all freehold possessions would be (piny de-
pendent and insecure. But such has not been the consti-
tution of rights in this or any other country. The con-
dition being performed, neither the King nor the great
Lord has had the power to reclaim or alter the tenni e of
his grant. I also hold the maxim, that what Parliament
has granted Parliament may reclaim, to be destitute of
justice and moral principle. But the property of ay.:
Church has not been granted by Parliament—only con-
firmed and pronounced inviolable by the authority of the
law.

" Fearinz, on this account, the sc&ght of precedent and
custom in the establishment of a principle, I cannot con•
sent to compromise my rights, except in obedience to au-
thorities legally constituted. Were such a commission to
be instituted by Parliament, which I cannot contemplate
as a probable event, I must submit my civil liberty to the
law of the land. But voluntarily to acknowledge the pro-
perty of the Church to he public property, and conse-
quently at the disposal of the public, whether for the pur-
p.,se of deprivation or distribution, in principle the same,
would be, in my opinion, a dereliction of duty. Assent
to that untenable proposition would be implied in try Ll-
swers to the proposed questions.
" I beg to assure the Commissioners that lam not ac-
tuated by a spirit of faction and contumacy, or disinclina-
tion to disclose my pecuniary concerns, in withholding the
infOrmation required, but by a regard fcr public liberty
and a sense of duty ; being convinced that the property of
the Chutch once admitted to be public, which I deny
upon the authority of ancient Statutes, and universal evi-
dence of its endowment, would shortly cease to belong to it.
" I have the honour to be, Sir, your very humble servant,
" October 30. " GUILFORD."

" To the Seer—:ta.ry of the Marti of Commi,isioners, ap-
i:linted to inquire into the Revenues of the Church."

Reports state that Earl GREY and the LORD
CuANcErroa have always expressed their opinions at
the meetin;s of the Cabinet in favour of dissolving the
Parliament early in December, and it now seems that
some obstacles i❑ the way of such an arrangement have
been removed. Of the present Cabinet, nine are Peers
of Parliament, and six are Members of the House of
Commons. The WELLINGTON. Cabinet was composed o
twelve individuals—seven Peers and five Members of the
House of Commons. -