The Sun. — 1837-02-20 (London, England)

ROBERT—as his party style him—may safely venture -upon another journey to Rome, in the full and firm conviction that no King's Messenger will be dispatched, breathless and palpitating, after him a second time.  We mentioned on Saturday that our Reporter had been refused admission to the hole-and-cor»er Meeting which was got up at the Freemason's Tavern on that day by a few rabid Tories and ultra-highChurchmen, for the purpose of defeating the measure about to he introduced into Parliament, for the relief of the Dissenters from the compulsory support of a systein of religious worship of which they conscientiously disapprove. We cannot say that-we felt at the time any great degree of disappointment at the exclusion, which we believe was not levelled at us in particular, but extended to all the Liberal press. Nor arc we, now that we have seen the report of the proceedings furnished by the accredited organs of the clique, disposed to think that many of our readers have sustained an irreparable calamity, in consequence of the course adopted by the managers of this hocus-pocus concern. We have looked over the speeches delivered by the persons pushed for ward on this occasion to deceive the public, and we can honestly say, that we never, in all our lives, waded through such a quantity of stupid trash. Well might the people engaged in such a piece of humbug be .ashamed to let the public know what they were about, and how clumsily they performed their tricks. Lord ASHLEY was in the Chair, and afforded suffit Tent evidence that he is perfectly qualified to put on a long face, and utter a sanctitnonious whine, when by doing so he can serve a party 'impose. What must any really religions person think of this noble Mawworm's declaration, that to abolish Church-rates would be to " rob the poor man of his rights, and God of his glory." May. we not ask this sprig of nobility for what purpose it is that the State has assigned a revenue of four or five millions a year to a particular order of men ? Is this enormous amount of wealth lavished upon the State Clergy, merely that they may take care of the souls of the rich ? Are the poor to be excluded from all spiritual benefit, unlevs the Dissenters will submit to the payment of an additional sum under the name of Church-rate ? This is the argument implied in the first part of the Noble Lord's assertion. Thca as to the " robbing GOD of his glory," we cannot help saving that this is not the first time we have heard that the glory of GOD could be promoted by compelling men to violate their consciences. In the days of ignorance and persecution, when the Dissenter from the national faith was led to the stake for his heretical opinions, the glory of GOD was always Are pretence. The praises of the Almighty, the Te Deum laudamus, and the cries of the murdered victim, ascended together to the throne of peace and mercy. So it is, ris far as principle is concerned, at the present time. The persecutors now-a-days dare not proceed to the extremity of committing a Church-rate unbeliever to the flames. Public opinion has happily put a hook in their nose and a bridle in their mouth ; but there are not wanting proofs that it is the power, not the inclination, which is defective. They do not hesitate to tear him from society, from his family, from the light of day, and immure him in a dungeon, where his life may be sacrificed for " the glory of