The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1832-12-11 00:00:00

taught, though slowly, to act independently, and to
think, if not always correctly, at least, systematically.
It was by an established Church, Catholic at first, and
Protestant afterwards, that those intellectual powers with
which we are naturally endowed were roused into action,
and instead of remaining, as they otherwise might have
done,weak and confused, were developed and encouraged.
Society proves itself ungrateful and unjust, when it ridi-
cules or stigmatises the agents, by virtue of which it
sprang, as it were, out of second infancy into manhood,
and emerged from darkness into light. If the same
causes' do not now exist for the maintenance of a Church
establishment which justified it in the beginning, reasons
almost equally strong might be found to supply the place
of the originahnotives, whilst its support is so bound up
by time and by circumstances with the Constitution, that
to sever Church from State would appear to many as
tantamount to the overthrow of the State itself, and would
be considered as the probable commencement of a system
of general spoliation and licentiousness. One, but not
the most important, of the many advantages of a Church
establishment, similar to our own, is, that it provides the
means of offering religious comfort, both to the highest
and lowest members of the community, receiving for this
purpose, within its arms, as ministers, men of all classes
and degrees, and investing them, provided their conduct
be irreproachable, with extensive influence and especial
regard. Where the clergy are independent of their con-
gregations, they have no temptation to shield vice, nor
to administer to any base passion of the heart. Their pe-
cuniary reward, on this account, ought not to be derived
directly, from their flock, nor should its permanency be
contingent upon unstable popular approbation. Let any
candid mind compare the English Church with any other
whatever, and particularly with the state of the church
in France, where,-from the destruction of church property
at the revolution, the salaries of the ministers of religion
.are now voted with the estimates, and make a part of the
Current expenditure of the year, but where so far from the
church being a profession into which men of acquire-
ments, connection, or family are induced, to enter, its sa-
cred privileges are despised, and its ministration is looked
upon as adapted only, to persons of-subordinate talent or
inferior station • the sum annually doled out by a reluc-
tant Chamber being considered insufficient to enable an
ecclesiastic to maintain a suitable appearance in the
world. The lower grades of society may be' encouraged
by the slight increased respectability which it confers
upon them to embrace the priesthood; but the better
classes, whether as distinguished from others by educa-
tion alone, or by a more artificial preeminence, refuse to
attach themselves to a body debased in public estimation,
and despoiled of that reverence and respect which
ought to attach to its character. Religion, itself, soon
becomes annihilated in a state, when its ministers
are contemned, and the sacred duties it imposes are
speedily disregarded, when the priest who serves, and the
bulk of the people who worship, are hardly distin-
guished from one another by education, by rank, or by for-
tune. It has, hitherto, been the object of English legis-
lation to encourage the preaching of the gospel to the
rich and to the poor, and this, by means of a clergy, itself
possessing a mixed character. " The people of Eng-
land," says one of the most eloquent writers of the last
century, " know how little influence the teachers of re-
ligion are likely to have with the wealthy and powerful
of logg standing, and how much less with the newly for-
tunate, if they appear in a manner in no way assorted
to those with whom they must associate, or over whom
they must exercise, in some cases, something like an au-
thority. What must they think of that body of teachers,
if they see in it no part above the establishment of their
own domestic servants. Our provident constitution has
taken care, that those who are to instruct presumptuous
ignorance,—those who are to be censors over insolent
vice, should neither incur their contempt, nor live upon
their alms. For these reasons, whilst we provide, first,
for the poor with a parental solicitude, we have not rele-
gated religion like something we were ashamed to show
to obscure municipalities, or rustic villages. No, we will
have her mixed throughout the whole mass of life, and
blended with all classes of society."
We do not now stop to inquire into which is the best
of the many plans of church reform hitherto submitted to
the public, nor do we wish it to be supposed, that we in-
tend to object to so far changing the distribution of pub-
lic church property as would render it strictly more agree-
able to the objects for which it was originally appropri-
ated, or more analagous to the spirit and wants of the
times in which we live. We should hail, as of inestima-
ble value, any alteration which, increasing the useful-
ness of pious foundations, should give to real and practi-
cal Christianity more efficacy, and to society, conse-
quent, a purer and less selfish character; but we wish
here to observe, that arty system of reform having for its
basis an equalization of the present livings, would, in
our opinion, be neither advantageous to the church itself,
nor conducive, on the .whole, to the permanent interests
of religion. Clergymen are acted upon by the same
feelings as other men, and it is on this account that we
would retain undiminished and undisturbed, most, if not
all of the richest benefices in the church, in order that, con-
sidered as prizes due to intellectual superiority and high
moral worth, they might tend to awaken individual ener-
gy and tostimulate general exertion. It may suit the fac-
tious views of some, and the conscientious views of others,
to lament over the inadequacy of the stipends of the work-
ing clergy, and we are aware that in many instances, they
are disgracefully and painfully low. To see some means
taken, by which such a blot upon our establishment might
be effaced, without impairing its efficiency generally, would
meet with our sincere concurrence; but we have no
hesitation in declaring that we :conceive it to be de-
cidedly more for the, encouragement of piety and learn-
ing, that the present unequal system of remuneration,
with all its imperfections, should be continued, than that
such an equalization should take place in the payment
of the clergy, as, leaving no one in comparative poverty,
The part of Mr.' Thomas • Thornely's address, which should offer to none the hope and prospect of fortune or
seems to be dwelt upon With the greatest exultation promotion. We see no objection to some modifica-
and confidence, by some of . his 'adherents,. is, that tion of the revenues of the Chapters, and we were,
where he says, " I am one of that great body, the at one time, inclined to concur in the propriety of
Disienters of Qreat Britain, Who build their own places their total abolition; but more mature reflection has
of worship, and pay for them,—who elect their own mi- taught us that when pluralities are no longer per-
nisters, and support thein.". This, 'we fancy, is intended mitted, and when residence is enforced, both of which
te`be an indirect attack. upon the .Church of England, objects we hope to see accomplished, a Stall from
as at present csinstituted, and the idea, we suppose, which its not involving cure of souls, may be found to be
it is wished to convey is, that an. esiablisfie& Church is the most eligible mode of conferring extraordinary re-
not only useless, but unjust. It would, perhaps;be out of ward upon the accomplished scholar or exemplary
plaCe here, to do More, than fo allude to the debt which ci- divine. We trust, with respect to the Bishoprics, that
vilization owes, essentially, to the clergy,• when, throUgh- an equalization of nearly all their incomes may be made,
out the whole of that long period, generally termed the and, connected with this, future translations generally
dark ages, learning and science were mainly preserved prohibited, and that within the different dioceses, from
to mankind by the instrumentality of the religious orders. being constantly under the same diocesans, bound to
It would be in vain? iii the present
,rage, for attributing reside thg greater part of the year within their sees,
all that is slaviih :and *illiberal to an established priest- the most effective controul may be established and main_
hood, to revert• to those• several periods• of history when tamed. If ainorikst the great body of the clergy it is
the ;Church opposed formidable and Successful barriers.to not unadvisable to have motives of worldly ambition
despostisro.--41. would be almost to expose ourselves to continually held up to view, we think the principle clan-
contempt, in these days:of insatiable thirst after change, gerous when applied to the mitred heads of the Estab-
notless exemplified in new systems of education than in lishment, who, abstracted from all such considerations
a multitude of other fanciful ilmories,.to• applaud the an- as are purely secular, should concentrate the whole of
e:erit learning and philosophy of the schools, though we their powers .in seeking to adorn the doctrines they pro-
know them to have been connected with the speculations fess, and in striving to secure and to extend the opera-
and' researches- of the wisest and the greatest heathen tion throughout society, of the great and immutable prin-
moialists. But. it is, nevertheless,. true, however unpa- ciples of religious and moral law.---Fram a Correspond -
latable tl e statement of the fact may be to the prejudiced ent.
or ignorant, that it was .by the, comparatively superior *
aliiireinents possessed by theclergy; and by the striking
I We have authority, from thu Publishers of "The LIVERPOOL POLL
exam' les which, they occasionally diSplayed of resistance
totyrannic rule, together•vvith• the means of instruction , BooK," to state, that it will be published immediately after the Elee_
afforded by tthem to the people, that man was first tion. So that the paragraph which appeared in the .d/biun, of yester-
day, on the subject, is incorrect.

worthy townsman on that subject, and whether he con-
siders the result of the experiment which has been tried
with France, sufficiently encouraging to extend the
principle to other countries ? He probably may recollect
that, upon a motion made by Mr. Ellice, in February,
1826, " For a Committee to inquire into and examine
the statements contained in the various petitions from
persons engaged in the Silk Manufacture, and to re-
port their. opinions and observations to the house :"
Mr. Huskisson made a Icing and brilliant speech against
it, endeatonring to shew (as hp also did on the Ship-
ping question) that those who were actually engaged
in carrying on a. particular trade knew the least about
it.-In that year, 1826, the official value of Imports
from France was £1,247,426, and of Exports £1,082,944.
During the four succeeding years the free trade sys-
tem was in full operation, and produced the following
results :
..1827 .Imports £2,625,747 Exports £550.229
1823
:1829: 2,086,993.
• • 1830 • 2,328,483
Thus our beautiful reciprocity system of free-trade
more than doubled our imports on the average of
four years, whilst our exports were reduced to about
three-fifths of what they formerly were. We should
be glad to know in what way we have benefited by
this system, and what would be the consequences of
our extending the principle to all other nations with
whom we trade ? As commerce " free and universal"
would appear to imply the abolishing of all restraints
upon trade and navigation, does Mr. Ewart mean that
Foreign vessels may not only trade from - Foreign
countries on the same footing as British, but that their
may carry on part of the Irish and Coasting trade ?
In the second place, with regard to the abolition of
slavery, does Mr. Ewart retain his first opinion : that
emancipation should be accompanied by compensation ?
and if so, does he still think that compensation may
be made from the Colonies themselves, or. from what
other source ? As the slaves live in houses, or huts
belonging to their owners, to which they can have no
claim after they are made free, how are they to be
provided for till such time as they can procure em-
ployment, and places to dwell in ?
Supposing many of the planters were to feel so ag-
grieved by the measure of compulsory emancipation,
as to come to the, determination of abandoning, for a
time, the culture of their estates ; what is .to be done
with the negroes, formerly their slaves ? Is it intended
to leave the slave at liberty to work or not at his own
pleasure, and yet to compel the planters to employ such
as may be willing to work, and to give him wages
ciently high to maintain himself and family.
In the third place, when the Corn Laws are altered,
and the principles of free trade applied to that article,
we should wish to be informed how the agricultural
labourers, who would, of necessity, be thrown out of
employment by the introduction of foreign Corn, are to
be disposed of ? We need not inform the worthy gentle-
man that, in the great agricultural districts, wages are
already so low, that many thousands are unable to main-
tain their families, without parochial aid. Now, suppos-
ing only the small quantity of five millions of quarters of
wheat, flour included, were imported, what would be the
effect upon the Poorßates ? The Somersetshire " Clod-
hopping Chaw-bacons,"as Cobbett facetiously calls them,
could not readily be converted into Watchmakers, or
Shoe-makers, or Tailors, supposing these trades were
not already overdone like most others;. and they could
not be left to perish in the fields. How are they to be
supported ? Again, taking the above five millions of
wheat at only 40s. tY quarter, freight included, it will
not only deprive our farmers of a market for an equal
quantity of British Corn, but will reduce the value of
that which is produced by an amount at least equal
thereto. Our Manufacturers will consequently lose
customers for at least ten millions sterling 4Y annum,
even 'upon the supposition that the foreigners from whom
we gef'the Corn, will take our manufactures or pro-
duce in 'xchange, which every body knows they neither
will nor can do I How is this loss of market to be made up
to our manufacturers ? How many operatives would it
throw out of employment ? And how much would it
add to the Poor Rates ? If wages in every branch of
industry were reduced, as reduced they must be, by the
introduction of foreign Corn to an extent sufficient to
lower, materially, the price of subsistence, how would
the taxes affect the labourer ? How would the revenue
be collected? and how long should we be able to keep
off Cobbett's equitable adjustment ? What is Mr.
.EWart's opinion of the policy of.making Great Britain
dependent upon foreigners for such an amount of corn,
as would, if withheld- by' a Combination against her,
similar to guoniparte's continental system, produce a
famine in the land ?• Would not an importation annu-
ally, to the extent already inentioned, viz. five mil-
lions of quarters, place us in •this state of dependence?
These are all questions hrisinfs but ' Of the very A B C
of political economy and Free. Trade, . and we hope to
hear them fully and satisfactorily answered. Nor have
we any objection to the two reforming Candidates "club-
bing their wits" to elucidate the subject. We do not
wish to press' more questions
,of a .commercial nature
upon the learned gentleman, even if he should call to his
aid the knowledge of the eminent merchant, who hopes
to be his colleague. ShOuld we have these few satis-
factorily answered, we may, probably, propound some, on
the spur of the moment, relative to law, justice, and reli-
gion. As he will feel himself at home upon these sub-
jects, no previous preparation. will be necessary. We
will conclude with one question, upon the. broad princi-
ple- of universal disenthralment. Will Mr. Ewart release
alflhose who prothised to tote for him before Sir Howard
Douglas made his appearance, and leave thernnow at li-
bAty to vote as they.please ? ' '