The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-07
1HH ADHESION or CLER0YMEH TO
PARLIAMENT.

According to the last reports from Eng
land. Prof. Thorold Rogers tho well-known
political economist. has been PIT forward by
the Home Rule party in tho borough OF South
wark ne their candidate for Parliament and
will probably be chosen Mt the next election.
That gentleman. after receiving his degree at
Oxford had taken orders In the Established
Church, md II was mainly owing to Lis inlu-
ence with the Liberal leaders that the net creat-
ing clerical disabilities for membership in tho
British Legislature. was partially repealed In
1870. Tho fact that he has now undertaken to
profit by tho opportunity. and that bill was In
troduced during the present session to sweep
away tho luet remnant OF obstruction to clerical
participation in political life has attracted much
attention to the subject
Az Ia we'll known. no citizen OF tho United
States Ia disqualified under our Constitution by
the exercise OF tho clerical vocation for n seat
In either House OF Congress. A good many
ministers. first and last. have. as n matter Of
fact. been elected to the Federal Legislature. 1t
ia less generally known that at tho epoch Of the
framing Of our organic law. the exclusion Of
tho clergy from the lawmaking function was
equally strange TO England. Not only were
Bishops entitled. rs they still are. TO vote In the
House Of Peers but up to the beginning Of the
present century cergymen could legally ait as
members OF the lower chamber The act which
shut the doors OF the House of Commons TO
their profession in 1901 was really prompted
by motives Of purely personal nature. although
; II nlasskliS.d eie1aed on abstract grounds.
In the year named Horne Tooke had be6h
chosen for Old Sarum. and bill was forced
through with the express purpose OF excluding
him. although to avoid the mention OF the OBJ
noxous candidate. the whole clerical order was
put under the ban. All the arguments which
then passed muster were reproduced with less
effect by the opponents OF repeal in 1870 and
they seem TO have hinged chiefly on tho
alleged indecency Of clergymen passing back
and forth between legislative and ecclesiastical
functions. between the pulpit on Sunday and
the noisy arena OF political strife on the other
days Of the week.
The change effected by tho last Parliament did
not 20 so fan as the would-be clerical Legislators
and their friends desired The act OF repeal
consented to remove political disabilities. pro-
vided the clerical status was for all civil pur-
poses lrrevocably rcnounccd. As the bill origi-
nally stood. the clergyman who abandoned his
orders to take seat in the House OF Commons
might. II he proved mistaken in his vocation.
receive them back again aiterward. But this
two-fol1 change was forbidden by the House of
Lords. and the measure thus amended had by
no means the striking results which the advo-
Gates Of clerical aptitude for legislative duties
had prophesied. Instead OF hundreds OF cler-
gymen availing themselves Of the coveted privi-
lege. and presenting themselves upon the
hastings. very few were venturcsome enough
to accept the conditions OF withdrawal from
their profession. However conscious he might
be of high political capacity the average par
son shrank from the surrender Of his bene-
fee for the chance Of a seat in the Commons.
that carries no salary and is sure
to entail heavy outlay And after
all. II seems unfair to impose disabilities on the
clerical vocation from which other callings are
exempt. and to prohibit clergyman who hap
pens to be a member OF the Legislature from
supporting himself by the practice OF his pro-
iession. like lawyer or doctor in the same po-
sition. No doubt. however, 1t should belong to
the parishioners in the ono case. as II does to
clients or patients in the other to decide wheth-
er they will sanction such n combination OF en-
Payments and division Of attention. 1t is rea-
sonably urged by the clergy that II they were
constrained to resign their livings on becoming
members OF the House. they ought at least TO be
capable of receiving new preierment on their
Withdrawal from public life. But at present ms
We hsvo said. such resumption OF pastoral
functions is barred by statute md there seems
to be no prospect Of change in this regard. AS
| II il. clergymen who feel keenly tho lawmAking
impulse ana are conscious OF the gilt OF par
liamentary eloquence must burn their ships and
once for all forego ecclesiastical emoluments.
None Of these objections. which seem to have
held back most men Of his cloth. would be likely
| 10 have much weight with Thorold Rogers. He
has always taken an active part in political dis
cussion. both as speaker and writer. and
few members OF the Golden Club have given
more efficient aid to the reforms OF recent years
He is man OF singular range and accuracy OF
knowledge. and his researches have tended TO
those practical subjects which constitute the
business OF legislation. His power Of fluent
lucid. and vigorous exposition has been IA
miliar for some fifteen years to the readers OF
Liberal newspapers and to the attendants upon
political meetings in the great Radical centres.
Besides his genera! qualifications as a debater
and student of affairs. Prot Rogers would
bring to his seat in the House the authority OF
specialist upon questions Of finance and trade,
and the momentous problems growing out OF
the relation OF capital 10 labor. Since the cleo
tion OF j. 5. Mill and Prof. Fawcett the Liberal
party in tho House Of Commons will have gained
no more creditahle recruit The choice OF such
man would reflect honor upon any constitu-
cncy. and would OF itself go far TO Justify the
admission Of clergymen to Parliament.