The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-26 00:00:00

COMMANDER PITMAN.

Lard BROUGHAM seid that circumstances had
come to his knowledge since he had last mentioned the
subject of the differences bet veen Commander Pitman
and Messrs. Graham and Elliott, which had induced him
to alter his opinion with regard t Commander Pitman.
The evidence he had received with regard to Messrs.
Graham and Elliott was so discrepant that he could only
aecount for it by believing that the evidence mu_ t refer
to different parts of their career. He had he ird from an
admiral a high account of their conduct, and from other
authorit!ei a totally different account. He was of opinion
that Mr. Pitman did not deserve the opprobium heaped
upon him. The sentence of the court-martial upon Mr.
Pitman hid been merely dismissal, and he believed that
the court-martial had felt sorry to be obliged to pass the
sentence. It was be regretted that Mr. Pitrnaa hal
not asked to haviv his trial postponed. .
The Ea-1 of MINfO would be sorry to say anything
which should add to the pain which Messrs. Graham and
Elliott must feel while suffering under the pain of a very
severe and v ery well-merited punishment, but he must say
that the officers servieg on board that ship were of opinion
that the evidence against Mr. Pitman was not worthy
of attention, and it was to be regretted that Mr. Pitman
had not cane.' exculpatory Evidence. It was to be
regretted that the Noble and Learned Lord had
drawn the attention of their Lordships to the subjcc'.
Lord BROUGHAM had only done that which it was
his duty to do on the representations which .had been
made to him by an admiral of high character in the
service.

The Earl of explained, and the steje,
droppe,Y.

PETITIONS.
Lord STANLEY presented several petitions com-
plaining of agricultural distre.ot, aad praying for pro-
tection.
The Bishop of EXETER'presented a petition from
the clergy of Exeter against a colt clause in the
Ecclesiastical Commission Bill; which gave to deans
more than 1,000/. a year.
ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION BILL
On the nu titan of the Bishop of LONDON the House
resolved its If into Committee on this Bill.
Clauses up to 12 were agreA to with some verbal
alteraeions.
Ea.! POWIS moved an amendment in clause 12,
which as it stood would prevent the foundation of
new bishopries, for tie want of funds to support
the re .v bishops; tho present clause went to
amalgu:nato the episcopal fund, for the sup-
port of now bishop?, with tie common fund,
for the support of additional curates. The object of his
amendment was to keep the episcopal fund perfectly
distinct from tie common fund, so as to maintain
the episcopal fund intact until the time should
arrive when Parliament should see fit to increase
the number of bishops. If that fund were united
to the common fund it would be at once swallowed up
by the alga:en:o.'lons to small livings, and the ap-
pointment and maintenance of new bishops would be
impossible. If they passed the clause as it now
stood they would be for ever precluded from entertain-
ing the question of appointing additional bishops. He
begged to move the insertion of words which would keep
the episcopal distinct from the common find.
The Marquis of LAN:SDOWNE said that one of t: e
great objections to the Commission had been the im-
passable line which it had been said had been et-
empte I t, be drawn between tie episcopal and
the ceronnon find. He denied that tle areal.
gamation of ti.e funds would prevent tie appointment
of n: -w bishops in any case in which Parliament should
be minded to althorise their appointment, and that was
a matter that ought to be left eatit ely to the decision of
Parliament. He should therefore oppose the amend-
ment.
The Bishop of LONDON appsehended that it was
essential to the efficiency of the Church that the-e
should be a sufficient number of bishops, and if the pre-
sent number was not too large three hundred years
ago, it was clear that the number was insuffi-
cient at present. The loss to the episcopal fund by the
arrangement proposed iu the Bill would be very groan
and the gain to the common fund would be very small.
He believed that the large majority of the clergy would
be found to be in favour of maintaining a separation of
the two funds lie consequently cordially supported
the amendment.
Lord STANLEY supported the amendment. If the
clause passed it would preclude the possibility of in-
creasing the number c f bishops. Besides this, the pa-
rochial clergy would have cause to comp,ain, inasmuch
as if the trio fends were combined, every 4,0001. a year
appropriated out of it to new bishoprics would be con-
sidered as depriving them of 40 additional curates. The
episcopal fund was adequate to all the demands upon it,
but the common fund was not, and, moreover, there was
no chance of any future excess in that fund. He was,
under these circumstances, all the more disposed to keep
these funds vparate and creoucheJ, except for th2ir own
particular purposes.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said it could not be an-
ticipated by any one when the teeestiities of the Church
might require the application of one fund or of the other,
ant', therefore, in his opinion, to make them efficient
they should be united, so as that they could be made
available for any emergency that might arise, leaving
the discretion of their use in hands competent to exer-
cise it. He thought this would be to act more wisely,
as well as advantage )usly, for the Church and the
country.
The Earl of HARROWBY said if the Noble and
Learned Lord had read the amendment he would have
seen that this discretion was provided for. The fusion
of the two funds would, however, in his opinion take
away that discretion, and also decide the question of any
further increase of bishops in the negative.
Earl GREY did not see on whit principle the fusion
of the two funds could decide the principle of the crea-
tion of new bishoprics; and he denied, moreover, that
the clause would have any such effect. There was no
t the united fund, might 1 this question,
safely left as well as
indisposition on the part of the Government to create
then ewma bishoprics.natem en He thought
in the hands of the Commissioners, who he believed
bad adopted as a principle that in distributing the in-
come of the Church regard should be had to the local
interests of the se,s in which that income was raised.
He believed that if the Bill passed a largo income mould
accrue for the appointment of bishops and the endow-
ment of the inferior clergy. An increase of the epis-
copal
muchalbulad more mesh
ytiwona:
hu highlyt
able
aninfot the
cr.ca'a of the Metier clergy
Church and the country.
:tit°ee population,
The Committee then divided on the amendment:--
For the amendment ...
Against it ... • '
• 26
Majority in favour of the amendment —5
On clause 15, which enacts that the Deane:), of York,
from and after the next va'.:ancy, shall be endowed with
an average yearly_ income not exceeding 2,000/., and as-
SiZnB to each of the present Desna of Salisbury
and
yearlyW el s ,
isnocloomn
eg
notas
they hold such deantriee, an average
exceeding
1,5001., and provides that
no futut e Deans of Chichtet2r, Exeter, Reeefeed, Lich-
incomes ex-
ceeding The Bishop ef SALISBURY then rote to move an
field Salli,sobotiori or Wells, shall have yearly
amendment. He said the Act of 3 and 4 Viet., e. 113,
regulated the fund for the capitular establishments of
this country; and, as it n as not intend? I by the Legit.-
latu:o that this fund should bo applied hi a
parti or
gy
unfair manner, but in the general service of the Cnurch,
sum,xediwnhile it rased the ear
each down 2,0001. a
he.felt bound to call attention to the question. The
general effect of that Act was to Tellico the income of
two deaneries
to
thatthen e
c
income of those deaneries which were under
1,0001. to that amount. This left 1,0004 dif-
fereace between the highest and the lowest deaneries.
The amendment which he should propose would have
the effect of remedying the inequalities in the. pi:Lent
system. Their object should be, by ead owifig the
deaneries with suitable revenues, to obtain the most
assiduous discharge of the duties pertaining to those
offices. At present it was competent to hold along with
deaneries parochial benefices situated at a considerable
distance from the deanery. Ho would gladly see both
deans and canons placed in that respect under the same
restrictions as the inferior clergy, attachel to the same
establishments, and residing more constantly in cathedra
cities, at the same time that he would have them adc.

quately remunerated.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that the object
of the amendment scarcely came within the scope of the
Bill, the object of which was solely. to provide for no
more efficient working of the Eccles:astical Commission,
the present clause being introduced merely to do justice
to those clergymen who had acceptel two deaneries
particularly circumstanced, without affecting the genera
regulations under which all the other deaneries existed,

therefore objected to the amendment.
The Bishop of SALISBURY said he would divide on
he amendment.

Their Lordships divides,
when there appeared—
For the amendment .. ••• 21
For the clause... . ••• 19
Majority ... —2.
The wuenda-.ent wa; accordingly agreed to.
The Bishop of OXFORD move i the insertion c f three
clauses; the first empowering the Ecclesiastical Com-
missioners to commute any prebend annexed to a dignity
or office; the second providing that commuted lands
&e., should he subject to similar uses Ls the lands
vested under former Acts; and the third providing that
certain b.:Lames annexed to the sees of Bristol, Oxford,
and Peterborough, held not in conmendasn, but under
Act of Parliament, and therefore net liable to the opera-
tion of the Act which severed such benefices, should b 3
separate] from these dioce:eL
These clauses were sgreed to, and the Bill was ordered
to be repot ted to the HOUie.
Adjourned.

HOUSE OP COM MoNS, Feb. 25.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
E
Mr. HODGES moved fora new writ for the city of
Canterbury in, the place of Lord Albert Denison who
had accepted the Ilundrvd3.

- SECOND READINGS.
Th 3 following Bills were then read a second time:
Bridg3 acroi;s the River Clyde oppcsite to South Port-
land-st:'eat, Laurieston, Gla-govr.
Cairnwell, Braemar, and Strath Dee Turnpike Roads.