ebe Country.
There was a large muster of Conservatives at a dinnergiven in Can- terbury on Thursday, to commemorate his Majesty's gracious declara- tion to the Bishops. Lords Winehilsea, Roden, and Maidstone, Sir Edward Knatchbull, Sir Edward Hering, and Mr. Plumptre, were the principal persons present. The Morning Post gives a long list of names of individuals, about whom the public in general knows hut little : forty-two of them were clergymen. The principal orators were Lords Winchilsea and Roden, and Sir Edward Knatchbull. The health of the King was received with three times three ; but the Queen's was given by Lord Winchilsea, the Chairman, with "the true Kentish tire." The "I-louse of Lords" was proposed by Sir Edward Dering ; and elicited a brief speech in reply from Lord Winchilsea- The House of Peers, he granted, were placed in a perilous situation; but they were determined, notwithstanding. in defiance of those perils, and in de- fence of their constitution to do their duty. They might fall, and would fall, lie would say, in that defence. (cheers.) They felt that they had great and important duties to discharge to their country ; and whatever the character of the difficulties and perils which might arise could be he would again say that they would, fairly and conscientiously, discharge the Obligations due of them to their country in defence of its institutions.
Mr. Plumptre bad the courage to speak some unpalatable truths to the assembled parsons.
There were, he was sorry to say, abuses in the Established religion requiring such removal. He wished -honestly to speak his opinions on the subject ; and in doing so, he refuted more particularly to abuses connected with "pluralities"— i" " Hear, hear !" and applause)—the abuses connected with " non-residence "— Hear, hear!" )_and, in some instances, the abuses connected with " sinecures."
me clergymen, he regretted, were overpaid ; while others, and those too who laboured hard in the discharge of their duties, and on whom devolved the most heavy burdens, were deplorably underpaid. (Much applause, and cries of " Hear l") He felt proud to acknowledge the sentiment of the gentleman near him, that " the clergy of the present day were the most peifect and effi- cient which had ever adorned the Church." But he spoke his honest opinion when he stated, that the Church had suffered much by malappointments, and the various other circumstances to which he had alluded. In other professions, they were all aware, no man could rise but by his talents and assiduity ; and on this point he would refer them to the case of a lazy farmer ; but this was not wholly the case in the Church. In the present day, men were apt, they were
aware to look below the surface, and for something beyond mere professions
from the ministers of religion ; and it would therefore be well that they should, in looking, not be disappointed : but he was sorry to say, that in some instances there were men in the Church who did not act up to the duties and obligations of their sacred calling. [Here some confusion arose in various parts of the room and cries of "No, no, no!" mingled with hisses, here and there, pre- vailed for some time.] Lord Roden whined a good deal about the deplorable state of the Irish Protestants, and soon afterwards the party separated. In the list of names published by the Post, we do not see that of Mr. Gleig—per- haps the cleverest man of his party in Kent. Does the Chelsea ap- ponament begin to produce the expected fruits ?
There is every probability that the venerable Earl of Eldon will visit Exeter within a short time; when he will receive the freedom of the
city, voted to him by the Camber of Exeter, and accept of an invitation to dine with a numerous party of the nobility, magistrates, and gentry of Devon and Exeter, by whom the noble Earl's high legal attainments and Constitutional principles are held in great estimation..—Hroohner's
Keeler Gazette. • There is a prospect of a musical entertainment being shortly given in Newcastle, worthy of the public support. It is under the patronage of the Duke and Dutchess of Northumberland, the Duke of Cleveland, the Marquis of Londonderry, the Earl of Durham, and other persons of distinction. The evenings of the 21st and 28d of October have been fixed for two grand concerts of miscellaneous vocal and instrumental music, in the large Assembly-room. The orchestra will consist of about sixty instrumental performers and a numerous and effective chorus, and
will comprise most of the principal professors and amateurs of the two counties. The receipts of this entertainment are to be applied in aid of the charities of Newcastle and Gateshead.—Tyne Mercury.
The Earl of Ripon and Sir Robert Smirke the architect were expected at Nocton during the present week, to decide on a plan for a mansion there, to supply the place of the one lately destroyed by fire.
The Court-martial on Assistant-Surgeon John Christie, of his Majesty's ship Dublin, terminated at Plymouth on Wednesday, after the delivery of an excellent and comprehensive defence, which was permitted by the Court to be read by Mr. Elworthy, the advocate of Devonport. The Court found that part only of the charges had been proved ; and taking into consideration the particular circumstances of the case, they judged that Mr. Christie should lose one year's rank, and be severely reprimanded.
We have on more than one occasion censured the imperious de- meanour and cutting words of Sir James Graham, when on a visit to our Dockyard, as First Lord of the Admiralty. It affords us great plea- sure to learn that both in bearing and language, Lord Auckland fur- nishes a striking contrast to his predecessor. We are assured that, while recently here, in the discharge of his official duties, he won the esteem of all who had occasion to approach him, by the kindness of his man- viers and the suavity of his address.—Dcconpurt Independent. The splendid Customhouse at Liverpool is fur advanced towards completion without the use of a single scaffold-pole. The stones, bricks, timber, and mortar' were all raised by steam. This intreduction of machinery was caused by the workmen having, at the commencement of the work, struck for wages.
A short time since, a tradesman in Retford was both surprised and alarmed at receiving, postag.!-free, a large, portentous, and official-look. ing letter, with "Municipal Corporation Commission" printed on it in large characters. With a heart palpitating with anxiety, the ample seal was broken; when lo ! the inelosure proved to be nothing more than a London silversmith's circular, soliciting orders !—Lincolnshire Chronicle.
Previous page
