The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-02-12 00:00:00

proctebingt fit parliament.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-TtrEDA-.lt,

Mr. HoRsPIXN moved a resolution to the effect that a com-
mittee of the house, to which was intrusted an inquiry into the
management of the ecclesiastical commission, having recom-
mended the appointment of three paid commissioners for the
management of the property under the commission, it was
expedient that effect should be given to that recommendation.
The hon. gentleman, in support of his motion, referred to the
want of management displayed by the commission, and,
amongst other instances, stated the fact that, although the
commission was composed of the highest dignitaries of the
Church. they had thrown all the responsibility on the secre-
taryt who had received sums of money amounting to over one
3nillion sterling, between the years 1636 and 1845, all of which,
Without any control or audit, he paid into the hands of his own
.banker. All sums of money to be paid away he paid by his
Own drafts, and was to have paid the balance, if any should
arise (but there was none), into the Bank of England, to the
credit of the ecclesiastical commission. An accident soon after
awakened- attention to this extraordinary state of things. A
motion was made in that house for the names of all persons
Rho were shareholders in railways for sums over £2OOO, and
the returns to that motion exhibited the secretary as a sub-
scriber to railways to the extent of £580,000. This fact led to
inquiry, and the ultimate result was that the commission was
bankrupt, and the secretary had run away with all the money
.be could lay his hands upon.
Sir G. GREY declined to follow Mr. Horsman into the
'charges he had made against the board, leaving its defence to
others in the house more conversant with the details, content-
ing himself with condemning the general tone and spirit of his
reflections. Sir George explained the views ofthe government
and of the committee of inquiry upon the subject of the com-
mission, and recommended the house not to anticipate the dis-
cussion of a bill already before the other house.
Sir R. INoLts said, he was not there to defend the ecclesias-
tical commission ; he had always opposed its appointment, as
a great violation of the rights of property; but he gave an in-
disnant denial to the assertion of Mr. Horsman, that the com-
missioners had squandered and exhausted the treasure of the
poor, for it was not the treasure of the poor which had been
intrusted to their hands. He protested against this doctrine,
and all measures directed against church property, and hoped
the house would resist the motion.

After some further discussion, Mr. HORSMAN replied, and
withdrew his motion.

Mr. DRUMMOND then obtained leave to bring in a bill to
facilitate the transfer of real property; Mr. MOFFATT a bill to
amend the law relating to bankrupt members of the house;
and Mr. W. FAGAN a bill to make life policies of insurance
Atsignable at law.

Sir R. INGLIS, in moving for papers connected with the ex-
peditions in search of Sir John Franklin and his companions,
strongly urged the government to lose no time in resuming
,their search.
Sir F. BARING said it was the intention of the government
to send out another expedition from the eastward, by Lancas-
ter Sound. .He believed that there still remained such a de-
gree of hope as justified the government in taking every prac-
ticable means to rescue Sir J. Franklin and his companions,
er to ascertain their fate.

The motion was agreed to,

. Mr. M. GIBSON, after a short discussion, obtained leave to
bring in a bill to establish county financial boards for the as-
messing of county rates and the administration of county ex-
penditure. "