The Sun.
London, England, 1842-01-31 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY, JANUARY 31, 1842.

Dr. Chalmers described the " Slough of
Despond," into which they had fallen. After
; painting in glowing colours the splendid pros-
pects opened up by this precious Veto Act, and
the admirable working of the system by
" making daily advances among the population
against that infidelity and vice which alike
destroy the souls of men and the peace and
good order of the commonwealth," he thus
proceeds to paint the back ground of the view,
not forgetting to bedaub it well with the trea-
cherous doings of the ConservativeS :
As far back as the year 1833, and a few days
before the veto was first moved in the General
Assembly, I mentioned in a company of friends,
who were assembled for the purpose of consulta-
tion and deliberation, that as we had the power
—which I conceived we were entitled to from the
Act of William 111., which I conceived was not
affected by the subsequent Act of Queen Anne
—that as this power was in the Church to exer-
cise her free judgment in each particular case, in
giving effect to the wishes of the people, so my
suggestion was, that we should resolve on a vi-
gorous and faithful exercise of that power ; and
if a new law was necessary, so that the people
should have a share in the initiative along with
the patron, it would be better to make a direct
application to Parliament—not that the Church
needed the authority of the State—and this is a
misconstruction which is always put on this pro-
posed application of mine on the ground of a subtle
misapprehension, which is not possible to be dis-
lodged from the minds of our opponents. I say,
not that the Church needed the authority of the
State to invest her with full power over her
ministers and members in things spiritual,
-but to provide against being disturbed by
the State in things temporal. The apprehension
of being so disturbed was felt by me then, and
it has been justified since by what has taken
place in the case of Auchterarder. If others,
men of great authority, had shared these appre-
hensions with me, the privileges of the people
would have been secured, and the troubles of the
Church would have been saved.--(Hear, hear.)
I confess I had at that time—and I must explain
how I have not the same faith after the experi-
ence of the last few years—l had then great faith
in tb2 efficiency of the liberum arbitrium, and I
shall briefly state the circumstances which then
inspired it. Besides the Evangelical majority
which we still possess, there was a growing res-
pect for Evangelical doctrines among the upper
classes, and a greater demand for it. The convic-
tion was increasing that popular education, and
that the education of principle, was the grand
specific for the moral and political disorders of
our land, and that the lessons of the Gospel
of Christ, which in all their depth and pecu-
liarity, were heard gladly by the common
people, were no longer denounced and nau-
seated as Methodistical, but were held in favour
-by the high as well as by the low—by the single
dispenser of patronage as well as by the great
body of listeners in our large and flourishing con-
gregations. That Ido not over-rate the disposi-
tion to foster and encourage these principles, is
obvious from the experience of the first two years
after the passing of the Veto. In that time 200
churches. were called into existence, which could
not fail, from the popular constitution of most of
them, to be filled with popular and acceptable
clergymen. I did hope, when I saw that enter-
priso pushed forward by the aristocracy, and
(with a peculiar emphasis) which was as good
as taken in hand by the Conservatives them•
selves.—(Hear, hear.) I did hope, when I saw
all this, that a purer and better initiative of the
Ministry would bring back the godliness of other
days, and that order, peace, contentment, loyalty
—a general well-conditioned people, both moral
and economical—in short, that all the blessings
included in that godliness which bath the pro-
mise both of the life that now is, and of that
which is to come,—that these, resting on the
solid basis of religious instruction, communicated
in ourpacish schoolsandwell-filled churches,would
return and reign, and flourish in our borders. I need
not say how all these goodly anticipations have
been scattered to the winds. Even before the evils
assumed their present menacing front, I saw
that a re-action had taken place. I first saw it
in that monstrous measure by which the contri-
butions at our new churches were seized, and
thus, for the saving of a paltry penny by the
heritors, all our hopes were nipped in the bud.
But these were only premonitory symptoms.
By this time the Veto-law was declared illegal,
and the prophecies of our deadly enemies,
which, I believe, some' were at great pains to
fulfil, were verified—that either the Veto-law
must be rescinded, or the Church Establishment
must be rooted from its foundations. I have
heard that great pains were taken in some quar-
ters to fulfil these predictions—that it cost con-
siderable trouble ere a prosecution could be got
up; and this at least is evident, that while
the first summons in the Auchterarder case re-
spected only temporalities, the amended sum-
mons placed the Church entirely at the mercy of
the Court of Session in things ecclesiastical.
This amended summons was so extraordi-
nary when it was first put forth, that it met with
the reprobation of a unanimous Commission.
That unanimity is now so far broken that pro-
bably one-third of the Church is on the side of
the most unqualified erastianism. And, to
thicken our difficulties, another case—how got up
or by whom, I shall not venture to affirm—the
Strathbogie case, not only develops a plan of un-
disguised rebellion, but the actors in that scene
are countenanced by many of their brethren ;
and, to close this enumeration of the dangers
which have gathered around us—for I need not
mention the opposition to . our quoad sacra
churches, which, as the opposition to the collec-
tions was the most deadly thrust to our Church
extension scheme, so this opposition to the quoad
sacra churches is the most deadly thrust to the
mechanism which alone would make Church
extension efficient for all classes. But to close
this melancholy enumeration, it is now attempted
by the most influential patrons to flood the
Church with Moderates, and so bring back that
withering regime under which the national vir-
tues of Scotland had well nigh expired.
This is the picture drawn by the man who,
with Sir James Moncrieff (now dumb on the
subject), brought forward the veto ordinance in
the General Assembly, which has created such
confusion in that useful, venerable, and well-
constituted ecclesiastical establishment, the Kirk
of Scotland. The party, seeing they have no
hope of relief from the present Government—
but, on the contrary, afraid that measures are in
preparation for protecting those whom they have
excommunicated and also preventing the repeti-
tion of such cold-blooded cruelties as they have
inflicted on the ministers of Strathbogie—have
resolved to overture the General Assembly
against any legislative measure which does
not recognise the fundamental principle of
Non-Intrusion. The present Moderator of
the General Assembly, Dr: Gordon, therefore
was put forward on the occasion, and though a
man of a mild and amiable'disposition, was made
the instrument of the Non-Intrusionists in pro-
posing the following insolent memorial :
" The Presbytery having considered the present cri-
ticalai,
mp ui position
ec
shoo fl
tvtheheeasC Generalhfoulrloclhv 'ssA: ts_ffs rbs ya' ss
explained
t e einhathvee
" 1. That the Church, during all her recent contend-
icni
pgise, hasthat u
nn ioform pastorly a
bd
eh rnet dr
utdoe d h
ienrt fundamentalcongregation
p rin-
contrary to the will of the people.
"9. That while a proposal was recently made, as it
was believed, on the part of her Majesty's Government,
which was understood to be intended to leave the
Church at liberty to act upon the principle of non-in-
trusion, in a form to which, although strongly disapprov-
ing of it, it was thought the Church might submit, it
now appears that the proposal was not understood by
the Government in a sense coming up to what was de-
clared to be indispensable, and that the only settlement
contemplated has been on a footing which the Church
has all along repudiated as inconsistent with the prin-
ciple of non-intrusion.
" In accordance with these resolutions, and inasmuch
as there is ground for apprehending the introduction of
a legislative measure for the settlement of the affairs of
the Church, which will not recognise the fundamental
principle of non-intrusion in any form to which the
Church could submit, it is humbly overtured by the Pres-
bytery of Edinburgh, that the. General Assembly do op-
pose and resist any measure which does not unequivo-
cally allow the Church in every instance to reject a pre-
sentee, not merely in respect of the reasons or objections
stated by the parishioners against his settlement, nor in
respect of their adherence to these reasons or objections,
but solely in respect of the continued opposition of the
Members of the congregation, founded on a declared
conscientious regard to the spiritual interests of them-
selves or the congregation._

And further,—thlit the General Assembly, while they
continue to give their earnest and favourable attention to
the obtaining of such a measure as shall fully, and by a
fixed rule, recognise the continued opposition of the ma-
jority of a congregation, as a"conclusive ground for re-
jecting a presentee,. do also take into their serious con-
sideration, with a view to, the deliverance of the Church
from her present difficulties, the propriety of seeking
the abolition )f the law of patronage, as especially in
the construction now attempted to be put upon it, in-
volving a violation of the constitution of the Church and
Kingdom secured at the Revolution, and unalterably ra-
tified by the Act of Security and Treaty of Union."
A lengthened discussion took place, the result
of which was, that Dr. Gordon's motion was
carried by 41 to 17. The General Assembly (for

• the section at Edinburgh represent the AsSem-
bly) will, therefore, not only resist any plan
which does not recognise their favourite specific,
but also call upon the Legislature to abrogat a
law which is found mightily inconvenient in the
way of their movements. Chalmers, Candlish,
Cunningham, and Co., therefore—names as re-
markable for the alliteration of the words, as
the Doctor's tripod of the Veto-law, patron,
presbytery, and people—are resolved still to
insist upon the consummation of their plans,
and give the whole patronage of the Kirk to the
elite. of the people This is the term chosen by
Dr. Chalmers. -Why does he not use the Eng-
lish word elect, and also tell us how the elect
are to be known? But that would not suit his
purpose. The Church has concealed objects in
view, and we therefore warn the Government,
and the people of Scotland, against their designs.
No one is to vote for a minister but one
of the elect, and these are to be appointed by
the liberum arbitrium of the Church. This
is the real meaning -of the insidious phrase
now in the mouth of everyNon-Intrusionist. The
election-roll is to .be revised by the Church,
and a very select, expurgated list they will
produce, if we may judge even from what
they have already done, without taking into ac-
count the extravagant extent to which they will
carry their inquisitorial research. They have
debarred men from the table of the Lord for
burying their departed relatives on Sunday.
They debar men for not saying family prayers
night and morn, for dancing, for reading certain
books, for selling sweetmeats on Sunday, for
keeping their houses open for the refreshment
of travellers, for opposing the liberum arbitrium,
and for every act which they may be pleased to
consider a breach ofthe Divine commands. No in-
quisition so galling was ever established in any
country. The following extract of a letter by a
Non-Intrusionist clergyman will convince the in-
credulous that we do not take alarm without just
grounds. It was written by the Rev. Robert
IVleCheyne, minister of St. Pete'r's, Dundee, and
appeared on Saturday, the 22d instant; in the
Witness, the only organ of this tyrannical section
of the Scotch Church. " Such of the Directors
of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway," says
this " wild man, "4 as are favourable to the mails
being carried on that line on Sunday are 4. infi-
dels, scoffers, men of unholy lives, the enemies
of all righteousness, moral suicides, sinners
against light, traitors to their country, robbers,
and murderers," What can the Government do
with such men but bind them with fetters, as
lunatics?

PROGRESS in the AGRICULTURAL
DISTRICTS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. •
SlR,—The' place from which I write, affords
evidence of the progress of information on the
question of the Corn-laws. The centre of an
agricultural district, which is moreover the seat
of some peculiar monopolies, or attempted mo-
nopolies, of its own,—it has still been penetrated
by the advance of knowledge, and though the
" pagans" of the villages may continue in some-
thing like the darkness of . Thomism, the " oppi-
dans ' have the acuteness to know their interests
and to maintain them.
In the first place, it is clear they have scouted
the delusion, which in some situations persuades
the tradesman that it is necessary the agricul-
turists should rob in order
.that there may be
somebody to buy. Your-Maidstone tradesman
cannot tell why the money should not, as much
be there to buy, if it was left in the pockets of
the rightful owners. He doubts the inference,
he demurs to the necessity, so convincingly
evident to his non-representatives in Parliament,
that there must be cow-stealing in order to make
beef. He would be content to eat his beef at the
first hand ; 'and sees not how the passage through
the hands of the lordly receiver, improves either
the flavour or the price.
But he sees more than this. He has his eyes
open to the way in which meat is not only stolen
but lost. "I take three-and-sixpence a week from
the working classes," said a vendor of the inde-
scribable things called chandleries, " where if
the Corn-laWs were away I should take ten shil-
lings." No use in telling this worthy tradesman,
that the less there is to eat the richer we are. If
this man could be pitted against the minister,
the result would probably be like what took place
at Lancaster, when the " MancheSter man"
rolled in upon Lord Stanley like the prophet'sr
barley cake.
Yours very sincerely,
T. PERRONET THOMPSON.
Maidstone, 28th January, 1842.

THE VINDICTIVE FRIGATE.
(mom A COn!tESPONDENTO

. ,
PORTSMOUTH, FRIDAY.—This noble Ship was
fortunately extricated from her perilous situation
about eleven o'clock on Wednesday night, the
crew having succeeded, by great exertion, in
warpinc, her into deep water on the rise of the
tide, and on the following morning she beat into
Spithead against a strong westerly wind, (the
pumps going the whole time,) under easy sail set
upon her two remaining masts. This morning
she war towed into harbour by the Echo steam
tug and a hired steam-packet from Southampton,
and immediately taken into the great South
Dock, to undergo examination and repair. AS it
will be late to-night before the water is pumped
out of the dock, the extent of her damages can•
not be accurately known, although from the
quantity of water she makes, it is feared that they
are of a serious nature.
A Court of Inquiry will be held upon the offi-
cers and crew early in the ensuing week. In
the opinion of most naval men there has been a
great want of judgment and seamanship hi the
affair, and we should say that nothing short of
an open inquiry will satisfy the public mind. A
fine frigate, and the lives of five hundred valu-
ble seamen have been placed in most imminent
peril, and the good discipline of the service de-
mands that the investigation should be searching
and uncompromising.
Great apprehensions have been felt for the
safety of the Lively cutter, which was despatched
from the dock-yard with an anchor and cable
for the Vindictive in the evening of the day she
got ashore, but which never reached her. Ac-
counts were received, however, of her having
been driven by the violence of the gale into
Bognor, where she arrived in safety.
The Hastings, 74, Capt. Lawrence, will be paid
off on Tuesday. Mr. Elton, the midshipman,
whose trial and sentence have lately excited so
much indignation, came home in the Hastings,
from the Mediterranean, and has since been
sent to the Marshalsea Prison. Captain Wil-
liams, his prosecutor, and, we may well add,
persecutor, also came passenger. to England in
the same ship. Of the conduct of Captain Law-
rence towards the unfortunate youth, during the
passage, you shall hear more anon.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
(From the Hampshire Telegraph.)
PORTSMOUTH, JAN. 29.—The Driver steamer was un-
docked at Woolwich, on Thursday, having repaired
the damages she sustained in getting ashore on the
Yorkshire coast, and the Volcano, steamer, was taken
into dock.
The Firebrand, Lightning, and Shearwater, steamers,
were ordered to be in readiness at Greenwich on the 4th
Feb. to take the King of Prussia and suite to Ostend.
The Ringdove, 16, was commissioned this afternoon
by Sir William Daniel.
The Hastings, 72, Captain J. Lawrence, C. 8., will be
paid off on Thursday next, into ordinary, as her decks
require to be new laid; most probably such fittings as
can be removed will be shifted to the Edinburgh, 72,
which ship is likely to be commissioned for Sir T. Coch-
rttne'sFlagin the A
. The
marineslbn
a oftheHastings will be sent
to Woolwich steamer, now on her passage
here for them. It is due to the officers and men of the
Hastings to say, that few ships have been mustered on
, as she does. She is
equally a credit to the Captain, and a pride to the seamen
which
theirlavnh da t
marinesrae mar
nn ho.fot nw
ae , r
ought present so perfect a picture of
to be
The Wolverine, 16, Commander Johnson, had the ho-
flour of being the only English man-of-war that sa-
luted
his Majesty of Prussia. She had scarcely had ten
working days since she was commissioned, but by great
comingpout but it being deemed ad-
of Sheerness, in the
exertions, she got to the Nore in time to compliment
his Majesty on Saturday morning last. Capt. Johnson
went on board, and stated that Vice-Admiral Sir Ed-
ward
not to lose the flood tide up the River the Fire-
NGvarrdowlßerr,acteo wasys
Fie-
brand did not wait. hexTe Wolverine was yesterday in
the Downs, and may be pected at Spithead hourly,
with Mr. Brown, second Master Attendant of this Yard,
Lieut. Boyd, and 22 riggers, which she took out of the
Lively, Dockyard vessel.
e
A Dock-yard vessel has been sent to look for the
mized-mast of the Vindictive, which was cut away.
An expedition left Demerara in October last, consisi,-
ing of 300 troops, under Colonel Buck, to destroy a fort
which it was said the Brazilian Government had erected
within the British territory.
In Harbour--St. Vincent, Victory, Excellent, Royal
George, Hastings, Vindictive, Carysfort, Rapid, Nau-
tilus, and Echo (steamer), Cracker, tender,
At Spithead—Queen and Warspite.
PROMOTIONS AND APPOINT3IENTS.
PROMOTlONS.—Promotions in compliment to the King
of Prussia—Commander Nott, to the rank of Captain ;
Lieutenant George Henry Seymour, to the rank of Com-
mander; Mr. W. E. A. Gordon (late Dido), to the rank
of Lieutenant.
Lieutenants—Wm. Whymper (1802), to the rank of
Commander, retaining his out-pension of Greenwich
Hospital; A. Smith, to the rank of Commander.
Mate—R. A. Moore, to the rank of Lieutenant.
Second Master—W. Woodger, to the rank of Master.
Assistant-Surgeon—
Dr. George M'Kay, to the rank
of Surgeon.

Clerk—Joseph Maddock, tb the rank of Purser.
AP :OlNTMENTS.—Commanders Robert Sharpe, to
the Scylla, at Plymouth; Sir Wm. Daniel, to the Ring-
love, at Portsmouth; H. Mangles Denham (additional),
to the Lucifer, for detached surveying service on that
part of the coast of Lancashire comprising approaches to
Nforecombe Bay, Pile Harbour, and Port Fleetwood
A. Lowe, tathe Excellent, vice Nott, promoted.
Lieutenants—NV. Crawford, to Impregnable; John R.
Thompson, to Ringdove.
Master—John S. Pritchard, to Ringdove.
Secretaries—B. Waller, Esq., to be Secretary to Rear-
Admiral' Sir T. Cochrane; G. Smith, Esq., to be Secre-
tary to Vice-Admiral Sir E. Owen.
Assistant-,Surgeon—L. L. Martin, to Queen ; Robert
Steel, to Cary sfort ; John Gordon, to Rapid ; J. E.
Walsh, R. T. Easton, W. D. Kerr, and J. H. Howe, to
Illustrious.
Purser—Mr. Fisher, to Ringdove.

_ .
Mates—M. Burrows, A. C. key, and F. L. McClintock
(from the Excellent) to join Royal Naval College ; H.
Kerr, to Carysfort ; H. Griffiths and G. Durbin, to
Impregnable.
Volunteers, Ist Class— Mr. Warrington Corneck, from
Caledonia to Carysfort ; T. A. Doudney, Ralph Taylor,
and James Gill, to the Queen, as supernumeraries.
COAST GUARD.—Commanders John Mort Bate
(Jan. 1836), to be Inspecting Commander, vice Gape,
promoted ; Parker Duckworth Bingham (April 1826),
to be Inspecting Commander, vice Pancy, appointed to
Sappho. Lieutenant—Laurence Denneby (Jan. 1824),
to be Chief Officer.

Removals----Commander S. Ramsey, from Sunderland
Coast Guard to Gosport; Mr. W. C. Forsyth, Chief
Officer, from Kingston to Chichester Harbour ; Lieut.
John Kempe, from Tor Head to Cushendun ; Lieut.
J. S. W. Grandy (recently promoted),. from Hayling
Island to Hardway ; Lieut. Richard Combauld, from
Langton to Hayling Island ; Lieut. Wm. Welsh, from
Alum Bay to Langton; Mr. John Morgan, Chief Officer
at Hardway, and formerly a Chief Mate of a revenue
cruiser, has been appointed to the command of the Lion
cruiser, building at Hastings.
Royal Marines—Second Lieutenants Schomberg, Bar-
nard, Roberts, and Kennedy, to the Royal Naval Col-
lege, to stndy for Marine Artillery.
Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane, C. 8., appointed
Second in Command in the East Indies, hoisted his flag
(pro tempore) on board the Excellent, in this harbour, on
Thursday.

THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR-I was much delighted on reading. your valuable
journal on Thursday and Friday, to find the Anti-Corn-
law League had suggested the people assembling on the
oocasion of her Majesty opening Parliament, and ex-
pressing their disapprobation of the accursed and inhu-
man Corn-laws. Permit me to suggest, what I think
would be less objectionable to her Majesty, that the
people should provide themselves with inscriptions,
boldly printed. For example :—" No Corn-laws." " Down
with the Corn-laws." " No Starvation-laws." " Cursed
is he who withholds Corn from the Poor." "Give us this
day our daily Bread, &c."—l am, Sir, yours obediently,
A FRIEND TO HUMANITY.
St. Martin's, Jan. 30,1842.