Star.
London, England, 1823-03-05 00:00:00

with respect to the elegy. The Hon. Gentleman mis-
took altogether the character of tithes. these were not
given merely for the benefit of the Church;but for that
of the people. He described some of those who received.
them to defraud the country, and therefore he -pro-
posed to withdraw the property from them altogether.
Because certain Members of the Clergy, in parti-
cular pacts of the country, do not perform their
duty, I," cried this great Reformer of the modern
school, will mulct the districts which have thus
been wronged of the means of maintaining Clergy
for ever!" Supposing the case of abuses to have
existed in an hospital-, would that be a reason foe
doing away that hospital? The Hon. Gentleman
might say he did not argue fairly in compariog his
plan with the Resolutions of 1640, as the llon,
Gentleman had proposed not to limit the allowance
'of the Clergy to the sum then thought sufficient for
their maintenance, as be proposed to grant them an
iocome of between one hundred and five hundred
,pounds per annum, but in principle be conceived the
proposition to be the same. He (Mr. Goulburn) was
loot bound to the Established Church by any idle
;veneration which would lead him to favour those
who neglected to fulfil the duties of their situation.
Ile, however, felt that great advantages were de.
rived from the efforts made to promote religious
knowledge, and it had always been the pride of
the Church of this country to have produced more
men of learning, and of general knowledge, than
had distinguished any other Church in the world.
This supplied one reason against uncalled for inter-
ference with the Clergy. Unle,s the same induce.
silents, as formerly, continued to be held out, the
same influx of learning and talent could not be
expected. When he (Mr. Goulburn) compared the
Church of England with that establishment to which
the Honourable Gentleman was very fond of refer-
ring, the Church of Scotland (of which he meant to
speak with proper respect), when he considered the
distinguished individuals which had been furnished
to the world by each, he confessed he could see no
reason for altering our present Church Establishment.
Ile (Mr. Goulburn) would not deny that there were
persons connected with the Church of I: eland, who
were also connected with some of the most exalted.
individuals in the State; but unless the Honourable
Gentleman could shew that these persons were un-
worthy to fill those 'situations to which they had been
promoted, that objection of the Honourable Gentle-
man's was of no weight. The House would find, on
the contrary, that these Reverend Persons were of
such a character as might entitle them to be deemed
ornaments of the Church of this country—to the ta-
lents, zeal, and virtues which distinguished int
Clergy, even the Honourable Gentleman himself harli
borne testimony—(Cheers).—ln the list of Irish
Bishops were to be found many individuals, who, for
learning, piety, and zeal, yielded not to any Clergy
in the world. He believed that he had now alluded
to all chose topics 'urged by the Honourable Gentle-
man to which he had felt anxious to reply. The Ho-
nourable Gentleman had moved for a Committee,
and had prefaced his motion by some observations
stating, however, that his only object was inquiry.
But even had the Honourable Gentleman refrained
from such prefatory remarks, he (Mr. Goulburn)
would have equally resisted the motion for a Com-
mittee, as one fatal not only to the interests of the
Church, but to the whole property of the country.
If the House entered into the views of the Honour-
able Gentleman, they would support his motion for
a Committee; but if they were inclined to vote for
supporting the Church in its integrity, and for the
preservation of the establishments of the country,
they would join him (Mr. Goulburn) in giving to the
motion a decided negative—(Cheers).
Mr. STUART vindicated the appointment of the
Irish Clergy. None had been selected but the most
deserving individuals. The late Primate, in the course
of twenty years, had given no appointment to any re-
lation or friend of his own, and therefore the charge
inferred on that subject was wholly unfounded.
Mr. HUME said, the Primate might have so dis-
posed of the appointments,if he had pleased (A laugh).
Mr. STUART referring to some of the statements
of the Hon. Gentleman, regretted he suffered himself
to be led away by such inaccurate representations.
Till the Act of 1807 passed, there was no power to
compel tin residence of the Clergy. That Act had
dote much towards correcting the evil, and if the
Hon. Gentleman were to go again to Ireland, he would
find there was no lack'of resident Clergymen.
Mr. M. FITZGERALD lamented the dispropor-
tionate remunerations of the Clergy, which made it
difficult to procure those sincere and zealous exertions
which were required. He wished for an inquiry, on
the principle that the Irish Church ought to be placed
,on a more secure balls than any other. It was desk-
.able to inquire whether the humbler members of so-
ciety were not induced to depart from the Established
Church by the absence of the Clergy ; and whether
the splendid Hierarchy which was kept up had not
absoi bed the middling and lower classes of the Clergy?
He wished to direct the attention of the House to a
very melancholy fact. He knew a place in the South
of Ireland which was formerly peopled by Protest-
ants, the descendants of Irish Protestants, who had
left the district to go where they might find an active.
Clergy. The absence of the Clergy was occasioned
•by their pluralities—four, five, seven, and in one is.
stance eleven livings, having been held by one in&
vidual. It, however, seemed that a new light had
burst on the English Government, as they not only
attended to the good character of the part, now ap-
pointed, but care was taken to ascertain that he was
a man of distinguished ability. He feared the
mea-
sureruf the Right Hon.Gentlernan, for the regulation
of the Tithes, would prove inadequate to correct the
evil. If such a plan were brought forward. as t*
submitted to Parliament last year, he coulil only vi*
it as an instance of continued infatuation, and a ',tend:
rug to undermine the ezistiag falsric.of titt_rebafeh-
Mr. Secretary PEEL thought the•Honourahle Gen.
demo might • have deferred till the day after to-
morrow giving an opiriion 4it ;hi ret#ittre to be
brought forward by hit RisEt Honourable Friend..
.$0 much confidence he 4.6m0/tics, due to the Irish'
Government, who, it had been admitted, selected for
high offices those only who were recommended by
their fitness to fill them; and therefore ered'it might,
have been given them for' a dispocition fa' reforms..
abuses which had been shewn to prevail. The
nourable Gentleman had stated that the Protestant.
population had been withdrawn from a considerable
district in consequence of the nealect of the Protest-