The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-27 00:00:00

CHURCH-RATE ABOLITION BILL.

Sir J. TRELAWNY rose to move the second reading of
this bill. He said that he had suffered extreme obloquy in
consequence of his exertions in reference to Church-rates,
but he hoped that in time his opponents would come to a
better mind upon this matter. He had endeavoured to
obtain a compromise on this question, and wished to settle
it, but he had been prevented from doing so by his oppo-
nents. Besides there was another circumstance which, in
his opinion, rendered it a great hardship on Dissenters to
be called on to contribute towards the maintenance of an
Established Church—namely, that want of uniformity in
its doctrines, as was shown by recent events, including the
publication of " The Essays and Reviews," which had
been thought worthy of being brought before Convocation.
He cited the authority of Dr. Lushington to show the objet •
tionable character of the existing law as respects church rates.
From what had taken place on this subject it was evident
they could not stand still and what were they prepared to
do? Would they pass a more stringent law and
introduce a uniform measure to apply equally
to the whole country, and extend it to such places
as Manchester. If they did he believed the result
would be that they would have to increase their estimates
and enlarge their prisons. He draw the attention
of the hon. members to the state of the Episcopal
Church in America which was supported by a
small pew rent, to show that the establishment
had nothing to fear from the application of
the voluntary principle when it was allowed to develope
itself fully. He concluded by an earnest appeal to the
house to settle this question, and by this meaxs set at rest
the heart-burning and excitement which this impost caused
throughout the country, to an extent of which some hon.
members had no idea.

Lord FERMOY seconded the motion. He said where
there was a majority of Dissenters no church rate
was imposed, but the reverse was the case when
the majority was on the side of Churchmen, and
the inference was that they must either main-
tain it by compulsory means, or abandon it altogether.
In common with other hon. members he had received a
circular from the Archdeacon of London, in which the
reverend writer placed the question on a most unfair foot-
ing, for he said that the abolition of this rate would lead
to the admission of Jews and Roman Catholics to
offices from which they were originally excluded, to the
expulsion of the Bishops from the Mouse of Lords, and to
the appropriation by the State of the revenue of the
Church of England, Church of Ireland, and Kirk of
Scotland. He referred to the Church in Ireland to prove
the absurdity of any danger to the establishment, for that
Church was stronger than ever. He deprecated making
this question a party cry, and warned hon members oppo-
site that if they did so they would have to assume the
responsibility of more sweeping measures with reference to
the Church.

Sir W. HEATHCOTE defendod the church-rates as a
Churchman, and on the ground of constitutional principle.
He asserted that it would be a most dangerous precedent,
both with reference to the question of right and principle,
to adopt a measure of this nature. He contended that the
arguments in support of the motion were not logical or in
conformity with the dictates of justice.
[LEFT SPEAKING.]

FLOGGING IN THE ALIIII AND NAVY.

Last night a crowded meeting of the inhabitants
of Southwark was held -in Taylor's South London
Repository, St. George's-road, near the Elephant
and Castle, for the purpose of petitioning Parlia-
ment to do away with the disgraceful and degrad-
ing practice of flogging in the army and navy, as .
one unworthy of a Christian community. Mr.
Layard, M.P., in the absence of Mr. C. Buxton,
M.P., was nailed to the chair amidst the most en-
thusiastic cheering. The chairman in opening
the business said it was urged by the members of
the Army and Navy Club that it was impossible to
abolish the lash, or they would have the whole
army and navy in a state of mutiny ; but that
was the old story. At one time it was said that if
the services of the privates were mentioned
in the despatches it would destroy discipline; but
he should like to know what would have been their
condition in the Crimea had it not been for the pri-
vates. He had the honour of being in the Crimea,
and had seen wl_at the privates had done there, and
had it not been for the exertions of the privates at
the battle of Inkerman the British army must have
been driven into the sea. Then why should there
be a distinction between the officer and the private ?
" What was good for the goose was good for the
gander" was an old proverb, and therefore, if flog-
ging was good for the private it was good for the
officer. But he contended there was no necessity
for flogging at all. In the French army it would
not be submitted to, and the only other armies in
which it was retained were those of Austria and
Russia. Even in India they did not dare to flog
the Sepoy, and yet they flogged the British soldier
and sailor. The hon. member here displayed the
naval and military "cat," which excited a feeling
of disgust, and he said he hoped that the time was
not far distant when such disgusting things could
only be seen in the British Museum, which was the
only proper place for them. He said it was no
use to petition parliament to do away with flog-
ging unless they took up the subject with a
determination, and if they did so he had no doubt
that the voice of the people would be heard and
respected, and that they would not dare to con-
tinue a punishment which was opposed to the best
feelings of human nature. (Hear.) Mr. M'Beeth
moved " That it is the opinion of this meeting
that the abolition of flogging would be a great
benefit to the army and navy of this country,
and hopes that measures will be adopted by
the legislature to cause that system to be at once
and for ever abolished." Dr. Murdock seconded
the resolution, which was carried unanimously, as
was another in favour of the formation of local
societies to obtain the abolition of flogging in the
army and navy. It was also agreed that petitions
should be presented to Parliament with the same
object.

ATI EMPI'.ED B U.RGL A.RY .-TEMP 0-
RARY CAPTURE OF 50 THIEVES.

Shortly before two o'clock yesterday morning
three men were detected by a policeman in the act
of attempting a burglary at the house of Mr.
Alfred Turner, in Johnson-street, Queen's-road,
Smedley, Cheetham. The policeman was near the
house when he heard a noise at the back. He
went quietly to the spot, and saw three men, two
of whom were in the act of cutting open the
cellar window. He made a sudden and unexpected
descent upon them, and whilst he was struggling
with the first he could catch, the other two came to
their companion's assistance, and knocked the
policeman down, besides tearing his clothes. Of
course the thieves made their escape immediately,
leaving behind them a shoemaker's knife which
they had been using. The officer, however, has a
a pretty good recollection of their appearance, and
they may yet be captured.
Consequent "upon the above attempt, and in
order, if possible, to find the rascals, the police
of the B division, in which Smedley is situ-
ated, "ran in," .as the term is, or tem-
porarily apprehended, last evening, all the known
thieves who were met with in the public streets
on that division. The result was the cap-
ture of no less than fifty well-known thieves,
seventeen of whom are returned con-
victs. They were all lodged in the Livesey-
street Police Station, and underwent the scrutiny of
Che detective and other police officers of the city,
and of several gentlemen who want to make the
further acquaintance of one or two men who have
recently been their uninvited midnight guests.
The motely crowd was divided into groups of four
or five, and then placed in adjoining cells ; and the
coarse language of some, the reckless laughter
or whistling of others, and the protestations of
innocence on the part of the many, created a noise
which might have been mistaken for a mixed col-
lection of birds and wild beasts. One thief, an ex-
pert, and quite " an exquisite" in his way, ventured
to complain of the conduct of the police, and asserted
that it was quite beyond his comprehension what it
all meant. This nest of thieves and burglars is, ere
now (except one or two who may be identified),
let loose again upon society. There are, however,
three other divisions, where a similar surprise on
the part of the police might be productive of even
more sport. The sum total of thieves, burglars,
and returned convicts located permanently in Man-
chester is therefore enormous ; and what is worse,
is the fact that instead of diminishing, they will
doubtless be greatly increased next winter, by the
return of a large number of convicts from penal
servitude about this time next year.

FAILURE IN THE IRON TRADE.—BIRMINGHAM,
Feb. 2G.—The failure of Messrs. Beesley and Farmer, of
the District Ironworks, Smethwick, near this town, was
announced to•day. A petition has been filed under the
Private Arrangement Clauses. The liabilities are estimated
at from £25,000 to 00,000.