THERE is at present a general attack going on against
Mr. HUME.against it 10. The Tories, the Whigs, the Outs, the Ins—all whose end in pub-
lie life is the promotion of private or party interest—have combined Mirror of Parliament gives a more diffuse version, which, how- to assail him. Sir FRANCIS BURDETT sneers at the petty details of ME his attempts at retrenchment ; Sir JOHN lloaHousE hands about other day at the Enfield meeting. It runs thus— his letters in order to expose his blundering; the Standard " I am sure I am happy at all times to hear the observations of the honourable baronet. It was only yesterday that I assigned my reasons for thinking that the charges him with irreligion, the Times with presumption, and amendment in the English Bill, sinfilar to the one now introduced, should nut be both with ignorance and unfitness. From the wo that is pro- pressed, and it was withdrawn; if any thing has happened since to alter the opinion of Almighty to afflict the country with a pestilence, he also ought to have stated that I him, may, however, for the present, be reduced to two; and these added. that it was all cant and hypocrisy. I do not wish to retract these words; awl two rest mainly on two facts,—his irreligion, as evidenced in the the reason why I do not wish it is this—that at this time of day there are people goiug debate on the Scotch Cholera Bill in February last ; his misrepre- sentations, as evidenced in the assertion that-a postscript was ap- irreverent and unbecoming. I say, further, that treating such matters with irreverence pended to his late letter to Sir JOHN HOBHOUSE, where in fact no is highly improper, and that religion ought not to be brought forward in this place, to be made a stalking-horse of. How often do we see persons showing sanctity in their postscript appears. countenances without following it up by any act? I therefore cannot permit the in- First of the last. We incline, on the subject of the postscript, troduetion of such words, by such parties, without protesting against it. Why. I con- to give up Mr. HUME at discretion. That he meant to write such almost to blasphemy. What did the Emperor Nicholas do after returning from a postscript—that he really believed he had done as he meant—we slaughtering hundreds and thousands of Poles? Did he not make use of the same Ian- see no reason to doubt. It was impossible that he should be so Image? and are not we becoming the dupes of men who would introduce this language on all occasions? I think the statement of my noble friend was proper yesterday, when insane as wittingly to make a false assertion, where the ready re- he said that this was not a proper idace to introduce subjects of this kind; and I hoped futation was in the hands of his entire and cordial enemy. Had that it would have been taken as it was given—in a proper feeling. I quite agree that the slightest doubt of the fact once crossed him, he would never every thing in this world depends on Providence; but I have yet to learn that it is in public places, in market-places, in theatres, or in a House of Commons, where such have put it in Sir JOHN HOBHOUSE'S power to mike the ex- precepts are to be introduced as we have recently heard. I do think that we shall be- posure, which he must have known Sir JOHN would be eager to come like the Pharisees of old, if we are to show in our conduct such irreverence for make. But sincerity is not enough in this world. Mr. HumE's religion. And let me tell the honourable baronet, that it is nut customary for houour- conduct in the matter was wrong ab ori gine. public." In the first place, be was wrong in proffering to inform Mr. Here, then, is the whole head and front of Mr. HUME'S Offending HENRY HOBHOUSE of his determination to go to Bath. Mr. —the sole foundation on which a charge of Atheism (for no less HENRY HOBHOUSE had no right to interfere with Mr. HUME'S will suffice) is sought to be raised against him. Mr. HUME has motions or intentions, much less with the motions or intentions of asked his cpponents to look to his education as a Presbyterian, a the electors of Bath. We know of no terms in the English Ian- denomination of more than ordinary strictness—to the current of guage by which to designate with sufficient reprobation the gross his domestic life—to his attendance on divine worship—as tests impertinence of the gentleman candidate who presumes to question of his religious belief. But the cuckoo-cry still is "You would - the right of Mr. HUME, or of any other individual in England, not admit that cholera was a Providential infliction." It is not to give his counsel or countenance to any body of electors on very easy to answer such arguers gravely, and still the more so, their solicitation, because, forsooth, such a giving may interfere that we cannot persuade ourselves they arc not smiling in secret with the gentleman candidate's interests. But, in the second at their own logic. We might observe, that an Atheist, of all place, having proffered to inform Mr. HENRY HOBHOUSE of his men, was the least likely to expose himself to obloquy on such an intentions, Mr. HUME ought to have informed him in a direct, occasion. A man who had no thought or care of religion, would business-like way. A postscript of a letter to Sir JOHN Hon- have said within himself, "Let the wiseacres have their way ; what HOUSE, was not the place in which to put down a piece of info' ma- matters it to what unreal cause the cholera is assigned ? ' and ho tion meant for the direction of Mr. HENRY HOBHOUSE. would have divided, if he divided at all, with the majority. Mr, Mr. HUME'S error in this case, and in other similar cases, has a HUME'S persisting in dividing the House, was the best proof he: plain and evident source—he is perpetually led, from a wish to could give of the sincerity of his belipf, 40 9.f hi5 mhclief, TP. an not, we think, charge us with exaggerating the influence which it make himself useful, to undertake more business than he datt has had in urging the people to take their present threatening adequately manage ; and from file bungling, imperfect method, position. in which the public business (of Parliament niore especially) is ar- The Church, then, being in aCtual collision not only with the ranged, so great a proportion falls on the shoulders of a few indi. Dissenters, but also with a large body of her own undutiful chil- viduals, that even Mr. HUME, with all his zeal and activity, tot- - must take some speedy and decisive measures for her pre- ters under the weight; and, since something must be neglected, dre,
ervation. We think it is perfectly clear what the nature of these he fails in the minor though not unimportant points of form and
measures should Pe. They may be thus generally and briefly etiquette and verbal accuracy. He must, if he would avoid such stated—the retirement of the Bishops from Parliament, where blunders—for it is worse than ridiculous to term it any thing else their conduct is usually odious to the nation and discreditable to than a blunder—be content in future to attempt less ; and in his themselves ; the abolition of tithes, 'sinecures, and pluralities; and attempts, to introduce a portion of that lucidus ordo which he that a reform of the Ecclesiastical Courts, the laws and regulation of neglects to choose his task discreetly will never attain to. which are as annoying and abominable as the ingenuity of man Now for the irreligious argument. When the English Cholera could invent. It cannot be denied, however, that every possible Bill was in Committee in the Commons, Mr. Buiscok: moved the exertion may now be made too late to save the Establishment— introduction into the preamble of words to the effect that the that, after all, it will perhaps be deprived of its exclusive privi- Cholera was an infliction of God. The following is our own note " r. HUME thought it might with quite as much propriety be denominated Mr.' " LEFROY and Mr. SHAW professed themselves of opinion that the words were peculiarly applicable ; and exhorted Mr. 13riscoe to persist in inov-
ing their insertion.
sent constituted, can boast of no superiority over her Transatlantic " Mr. BRISCOE, however, on the entreaty of _Lord Altlzorp, withdrew his daughter. motion; protesting that his only reason for calling the disease an infliction of
senters. "Your (Tame, gentlemen, is not an easy one to play. At This was on Wednesday the 15th of February. On Thursday present you are driving matters rather too furiously. The wealth, the 16th, the Scotch Cholera Bill was introduced ; into the pm- intelligence, pride, and spirit of the Churchmen, will yet present amble of which Lord Advocate JEFFREY moved to insert the formidable obstacles to your design, if you entertain such, of words " by the interposition of God." On this motion a debate overthrowing the Establishment. Your best and most eflicient took place; of which it is only necessary to give the following ex-
amens, those cool-headed Reformers who still love and revere the "Mr. HII3IE objected to the words : they were uncalled for by any feature of Church, as the grand depository and safeguard of the pure doe- the bill or the disease. trines of the Protestant religion,—though they deplore and would "It would appear that, in resuming his seat, Mr. Hume had uttered the remove the blots which obscure her original brightuess. If you word 'humbug, not to the House, but to the member next him. On the pre- amble being read, Sir ROBERT INGLIS complained of this; and Mr. III131E re- exasperate this party, and drive them by your precipitancy to plied—' It was not usual for honourable members to mention publicly words coalesce with your opponents—the advocates of things as they which were not intended for their ears. However, as the honourable Baronet are—your success, should you succeed, would be attended with took the trouble of informing the House that he had said it was 4 humbug' to disasters to the nation at large, for which the abolition of church- set forth in an Act of Parliament that it had pleased God to afflict the country rates would be a miserable compensation. Proceed, then, with with a pestilence, he ought to have also stated that he added the words ' cant caution, for your own sakes and the nation's. There is a Coin-
and hypocrisy.' So far from wishing to retract these words, lie would repeat
them ; and assure the honourable Baronet, that he looked with suspicion upon mission appointed to inquire into the state of Church property and the religious professions of people who, like the Pharisee in Scripture, were over- the mode in which clerical duties arc performed; and this Coin- ostentatious in the display of their sanetity."—Spectator, No. 190. mission is said to be an honest, searching, and zealous one. Now, Subsequently, Mr. J. E. GORDON expressed a hope that the will it not be both fair and prudent to wait for the result of its question would be pressed to a division, in order that the names of labours, and the proceedings of a Reformed Parliament, before those who thought fit to reject such an amendment mkt be put resorting to such extreme measures as refusing to vote the rates, on record, and the names of those who stood up to vindicate their and thereby closing the church-doors ?" principles might equally ,be known. Mr. HUME on this said, that " being dared to divide, he would divide. And the House did
MR. HUME. divide accordingly ; when there appeared—for the amendment 53, , Of the speech of Mr. HUME in reply to Sir HARRY INGLIS, the ever, agrees substantially with our own.. Mr. HU quoted it the
about as the Pharisees did of old, saying they am the only people who are chosen as holy, and sent by God to preach to us as ministers of grace. Such language, I say, is sider that the words which were quoted last night, and on such anoccasion, amounted
able members to answer publicly, words which were not intended for the ears of the unbeliever, the question was not worth a tithe of the ink we have bestowed upon it. Then, granting that his belief was erroneous, what was the amount of the error ? Mr. BRISCOE appears to have expressed his opinion that the cholera was an infliction of God, because it was incurable. • Suppose a specific to have been discovered the next day, in what condition was the House placed? They must have unvoted their former vote, and declared that cholera was not an infliction of God, as bad been previously resolved. The ques- tion of a general superintending Providence, be it observed, was not once mooted ; the only question was, whether cholera was a special chastisement, or not. If Mr. HUME, and the ten members who divided with him, were ipso facto unbelievers, Mr. JEFFREY and the fifty-five who voted with him were of course believers. Let any man look to the list of the majority—we make no indivi- dual allusions—and say whether among the fifty-five he cannot put his finger on one—on ten—who are devoid even of pretence to re- ligion. "When you state a fact," observes an ancient philosopher, " state it strictly:. We wish that modern philosophers would obey his injunctions,—that when they speak of Mr. HUME, they would not say " He is an irreligious man," but "lie is a man who does not believe that cholera is a special infliction of God." And as their censures, so be their praises : let them not say of Mr. J. E. GORDON, or Mr. Recorder SHAW, or Mr. Sergeant LEFROY, " They are religious men," but" They are men who be- lieve cholera to be a special infliction of God."
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