The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-03-05 00:00:00

TRIAL OF OFFENCES (IRELAND) BILL.

!rho Earl of SHAFTESBURY brought up the report upon this
bib, which was agreed to, and the bill was ordered to be read a
third time to-Morrow (this day.)
The Earl of RODEN presented alsetition from the inhabitants
oiro:Place in'the Island of Skye, in Scotland, praying that their
lordships would allow the people of Scotland the liberty of
choosing their own ministers.
The Duke of liscsosoNss presented petitions, praying.for a
snore strict observance of the Sabbath, from two parishes in the
town of Derby, and front the inhabitants of Midhurst, in Sussex.
The noble Duke, in the absence of Lord Kiunaird, presented
petitions from the town of Perth, and from two other places in
Perthshire, praying for the 'abolition of slavery.
The Marquess of LANSDOWNEpresented 17 petitions to the
saute effect from different places in Lincolnshire; and similar
petitions wcie presented by Lord SUFFIELD, from parishes in
Somersetshire and Devonshire; and by Lord KING, from a
place in Ayrshire.

Lord D DossTaNviLLE presented petitions from Bodmin
and another place, praying for a due observance of the Lord's
day.

THE CLERGY.

The Bishop of BATH and WELLS said that he wished to take
that opportunity to address a few observations to their lord-
ships, in consequence of as attack which had been last evening
made by the noble baron (King) upon a most excellent and
deserving clergyman of his diocess.- The noble lord had stated
that the clergyman in question had been, guilty of exacting
tithes beyond what were his due, and of demanding- tithe upon
fish. Now, tb shotv that such had not been the case, he (the
Bithop of Bath mid Wells) would just read to their lordships a
letter which he had received from that rev. gentleman. 'fhe
rev. prelate here read the letter, in which the rev. writer stated
that he had been absent from his parish for a few weeks, being
at Birmingham assisting in the restoration of St. Peter's church
there—that on his return he was astonished to find that Lord
King's agent had been gOing about the parish getting signa-
tures to a petition reflecting upon his (the clergyman's) cha-
racter and conduct—that he understood that that petition stated
that he had raised his tithes—that he had endeavoured to exact
tithe upon fish, -and, in short, that he had acted in a most cruel!
way towards his parishioners. The writer proceeded to state,
that in no instance since he had come to the parish had he
raised the tithes there—that in many instances he had lowered
them---and that on the last tithe-day there had not been a sin-
, •
gte.complaint on the part of tne tithe•payer. He further stated,
that as to the fish, he had never threatened that he would tithe
them: that, so-far from falling out with his parishioners, he had
done all he could to promote peace and harmony amongst
them, and that he had established three schools in the parish,
towards which no assistance was afforded him by Lord King,
though he had written to his lordship on the subject, but that he
hail never condescended to answer his application, and he con-
cluded by stating that he had no doubt that this petition, which
he understood was about being forwarded to their lordships, bad
originated with Lord King himself. The right rev. prelate said
that it would have been only an act of courtesy on the part of
the noble lord, when he had a petition to
_present against a
clergyman resident in his (the Bishop of 'Bath and Wells')
diocess, to have given him notice of it. Clergymen, when thus
attacked, could only answer through the medium of their dio-
cesan, and therefore lie should have had notice of this petition.
The rector of Porlock, against whose character this petition
was directed, was a most excellent individual. He thought
that the noble lord would now be ashamed at having brought
forward such charges against that rev. gentleman, especially
as, instead Of being proved, they had been disproved upon the
best possible authority. He hoped that the noble lord would
not go on in this, he must say, sort of aberration of mind and
mental hallucination, (a laugh) endeavouring to bring forward
every thing that lie could against the clergy. He would entreat
the noble lord not to persevere in unfounded attacks, knowing,
as that-noble lord must., that by inflicting an injury on the chit.,
meter of the clergy, he would do an injury to religion itself.
Lord KING assured the rev. prelate that he had no intention
of saying that which he had just called upon him to state. The
rev. prelate had contradicted his statement upon the authority
of the party against whom the charges had been made. His
(Lord King's) agent, was a lesee of laud in the parish, and was
therefore as much interested as any other person in this matter,
and it was in that character he had interfered in it. He (Lord
King) understood that every one of Um 'farmers in the. arish
except two had signed the petition. The property which he
held in the parish, was exceedingly small; his principal pro-
perty was in the- adjoiningcounty. 'Not one out of five of those
'who. had signed the petition were his tenants; they were per-
sons Over Whom he. had no influence. His agent as an owner
of land in the parish, and in no other capacity, had been con-
cerned in getting up the petition. It was perfectly tine that
the rev. gentleman -had made an application to him (Lord
King) 'for so/spirt for the schools in the parish- Ire (Lord
King) wrote to his steward; stating that he *as ready to con-
tribute towards their stipport. It was true 'that he afterwards
declined to do so, and, his reason for so declining was, that he
was infornied that' the rev. gentleman had involved himself in
such a war with his
,parishioners, by demanding tithe upon
potatoes, fish,'&c., that very little good could be 'expected to
come from him. They Were fold that the rev. gentleman had
not raised the tithe since his residence. iu the parish, but that,
on the contrary, he had lowered it. if he had lowered it, it
was because corn had become lower. He denied'that he had
made any attack upon the character of this rev. gentleman.
His:attack.was levelled asainSt the system, and not against the
'individual.
The Bishop of BATu and 117g.ku would only add, that ha
thought such charges as, eFielliatt were-generally brought for-
ward by the noble lord Should-he treated with silent contempt.
The Earl'of do4oish presented a petition froth a place in
Surrey,•praying for a snore strict observance of the'Lord's day.
iljOuttf'd d.