Political Extracts.

Anglo-Maori Warder, Volume 1, Issue 4, 16 May 1848, Page 3

Political Extracts.

DR. HAMPDEN. ( From the Home News, Jan. 7, 1848.) Among our internal agitations at the present moment the church has the greatest part to act. When the Church of England threw off the power of the Pupe, and made it treason and worse for ud> bUhup to accept the Pallium from Rome, she did to with a xievv to her own freedom, and could scarcely coatein-

plate a time when a minister of the Crown should feci himself entitled to decide ngiinst the vote of a university and the voices of a round do2en of the prelates, on the fitness of a candidate for the mitre. Lord John Russell, however, in the name of the church, and, as he believes, for the sake ot the church, has overcome the church, and Dr. Hampden is Bishop Elect of Hereford. The struggle b'ts exposed a wide division in the church, and even yet threatens more important consequences. The D<*hd of Hereford having memorialized the Queen, addressed Lord John Russell in a letter stating his determination to oppote the election in the chapter, and concluding with these words : " When thf congc ctflirc did appear, I at once presumed, humbly tut faithfully, though I stood alnne, to petition the Crown; and now, when I am officially informed that 4 Her Majesty has not bean pleased to issue any commands thereupon* I feel it to be my bounden duty, after a fuil and culm deliberation on the whole subject, having couuted the est, but remembering the words of Him whose most unworthy servant I am. 4 He that loveth house or lands more than me, is not worthy of me'—loving my children dearly, and ardently desiiin.? to romplete the noble work which I hive f»r seven years laboured to promote, yet not lorgeuing that there is au hour of death and a dsy of judgment* when I trust, through the merits of my Redeemer, to be allowed to look up with hope that 1 may be considered, by the intercessions of mercy and piiy, to have been faithful in the hour of trial, to have ' fought the good fight, to have kept the faith, to have finished my course'—believing that I risk much, and shall incur your lordthip's heavy displeasure, who may, if jou will, dnect the eword of power against me and mine—being certain that i preclude myself from that which otherwise have been my lot, and expecting that I shall bring down upon mytelf the abuse and | blame of some—l say, my lord, having fully couuted the cost, having weighed the sense of bounden duty in the one scale, against the consequences in the dtbei, I have come to the uelioera'e resolve, that on Tuesday next no earthly consideration shall induce me to give my vote in the Chapter of Hereford Cathedral for Dr. Hampden's elevation to the see of Hereford." i^ord John llussell acknowledged this appeal in the following laconic reply : " Woburo Abbey, 25th December. " Sir,—l had the honour to receive your letter of the 22nd instant* in which you intimate to mc your inteution of violating the law. " 1 have the honor to be your obedient servant, " J. Kussell. "The Very Reverend the Dean of Hereford." " Pope John," as the High Church party have called the Premier since the publication of this curt epistle, persevered, and the chapter of election was held un the day of the " Holy Innocents," (Tuesday, December 28). The ceremouy, which is generally the merest mutter of routine, excited, on this occasion, the liveliest interest, and crowds were present at Hereford to witness it. The Ludye Chapel of the Cathedral is now used as the Chapter-house; and there were asstmbled the dean, canou residentiary aud honorary, the prebends and <i number of the clergy. The service in the choir was attended by all, and then were read the Conge d'J£ii>e as usual, and afterwards the following letter missive : " To our trusty and well beloved Dean and Chapter of Heieford, in the Diocese ot Hereford. " Trusty and well beloved, we greet you well# '»Whereas the bishoprick of Heietord is at present void by the translation of the Righc Reverend Father iu Goii, Thomas, late bishop thereof, we let you know, that for certain considerations as at this time moving, we of our princely disposition and zeal being desirous to prefer unto the eame see a. person meet lUereunto ; and considering the virtue, learning, wisdom, gravity, and o her good gifts wherewith our trusty and we 1 beloved Dr. ilenu Dickson Hampden, our Reader of Tueolo&y iu oar University of C'xford, is endued, we bare been pleased to uauie and recommend him unto you by these (resents to be tkciedandchoa.n uutothe said bishopric of Hereford. " Wbeid'ure we require you, upon the receipt hereof, to proceed to jour electiou, according to the laws and statutes ot this our realm mid our d'elire herewith sent unto you ; and the same election so maje, to certify to us under your common sea). '* Given under our sigoet, a*, our Palace of Westminster, the Ilth day of December, in the eleventh year of our re-gn.*' The chapter having been ca'led over, and those absent pronounced "contumacious," the full chapter was constituted- A c.rtificate of the receipt ot the conge d'elire was applied for and refused. Lord Saye aud Sele, who is one of the resideuttaiy canons, announced that the Bishop of Oxford hud withdrawn from the Court of Arches the writ against Dr. Hump* den citing him for heresy. The juuior prebend, the Rev. K. L. Freer, theu vuted for Dr. Hampden, and so did all the others present up to (he Rev. Cauou Huntingford, who objected in these words *• With the utmost respect for the Koyal prerogative, and with the full conviction that it is for the peace and safety of the Churca that the Crown alone should nominate to vacant sees, yet, on this particular occasion, I feel obliged to defer complying with the recommendation which has been seut down to us, until a competent tribunal shall have pronounced to be well founded, or not, the sentiments expressed by so many bishops of our church, and by do rnaoy members of one When the dean's turn came, he ruse amid solemn silence, and said 44 1 am standing in the sanctuary of the Most High God, and, together with my brethren, the ordained ministers of our Lord and Master Je»us Christ, am called upon, in the name ot the Sovereign of this land, to choose and elect such a person as may be meet to be the bishop and pastor ot this diocese. I solemnly declare, here, in the Divine ptesence, that it is my ea'nest and hearty desire to oe faithful and bear true allegiance, to pay all humble duty and submissive obedience to her Mont ENccltent Majesty the (jueen of these dominions, who, 1 leel as-ured on her part, ' knowing whose minister she is, will, above all things, seek his honour and glory, *ho is the Kiug of and Lord of lords,' to whom, above all, I owe my allegiance. [Here the dean bnefly rec.ted how the Crown, in the exercise of its prerogative, had nominated Dr. Kenn Dickson Ham|den; how the dean and chapter were forbidden, under penalty, to elect any other person; how Ovlord University in convocation had coudemued Dr. Hampdeu's theological writings ; how the dean had petitioned the Queen to delay the election until due inve»tigation tliould havebeeu made, and had presented to the Prime Minister the entire cireumstancee of the cjse; and how the Primate of all England, with thirteen bishops or more, hud pre* feired their objections to the said appointment. The dean then proceeded J We, taking all the afores.ud premises into our mu>t seiuus consideration, do n>o s t humbly and imploringly supplicate Him whose holy word declares tuat the heart* of kings are m his rule and governance, that her Mi-jestv m.i) even yet be to reconsider our eain>M aud disinterested prayer, to coirect and amend the errors and misfortunes which have arisen, [and *till more seriously threaten, freiu the ill consulted advicw ol a mtsiu-

formed minuter, as on other occasions her Majesty's rovat predecessors hive done, and so may avert the injury which must otherwise be inflicted on the church, and pacify ths outraged feelings of her members. And here, in the sight of God, in the midit of his temple, and iu the performance of our priestly office, I solemnly protest, that it is no deficiency iu the smallest degree of loyalty and bumble devotion to our sovereign, or of implicit respect and deference to the laws of this realm, which impels me toFmakc this declaration. It j is the dictate of my conscience, the conviction of my : mind, that I nm constrained so to act, as I tender the I safety of my sou', and dread the vengeance due to : infidelity and inuncerity, mockery and profanencss, . from a justly offended God, if I did not then discharge what seems to me to be my duty. I, therefore, John Merewether, Doctor of Divinity, Dean of the Cathedral Church of am dissentient. I cannot vote ; for Dr. llenn Dickson Hampden, as bishop aud pastor of the cathedral church where I am dean." iHe then read the official form of protest, and further protested against the votes of the honorary cunons. This led to a dispute as to the dean's promise, ou a former occasion, not to dispute their votes. Another dispute arose on a point urged by the dean, " that according to the statutes of the cathedral church of; Hereford, in til matters that were done, nothing could be of force or sti enßtli unless the dean and three canons residentiary were ot the majority." Lord Saye and Seale read a clause of the 4th and sth Victoria, ei»« powering a majority of the chapter to decide with or without the dean. After several other points had been disputed, although the dean reminded those present that they were still engaged in divine service, the dean said : • " ! will now proceed to state to you the number of votes polled. Three canons residentiary have voted for Dr. Hampden j five prebendaries of the old order have voted for Dr. Ilampden, nineteen of that body being ab.ent; sis juaior prebendaries have voted for Dr. Hampden, three of that body being absent. The dean aud one canon residentiary have vo:ed against Dr. Hampden," He then called upon the chaplain to decide whether that was an election of Dr. Hampden or not. The statutes, he said, demanded an unanimous chapter, and here were fourteen for, and two against Dr. Hampden: The election was declared a due election, and the declaration scaled with the capitular seal. Three certificates were drawn up, one to the t'rown, one to the primate, and one to the Hsbop elect. The following address to Dr. Hampden was theu " We, the Dean and Chapter of Hereford, being capitularly assembled, and prayers to Almighty God before all things, we did. according to the statutes and ecclesiastical laws of the famous kingdom of Great Britain, canonically proceed to the election aforesaid in manner aud form following, to wit—First, after mature and serioa* considewtiou had between ourselves concerning a fL and pioper person in that behalf to be electea, (and saving to ourselves all the privileges that ought to be saved with regard to said election, as well by the laws of this our famous kingdom of Great Britain, as by the ancient and (audible customs of oar said cathedtal church,) we did at length give our votes for you, the Reverend Rena Dickson Hampden, D.D., &c." These docuoien's were received, and the capitular seal was ordered to be attached to them. The Chapter theu returned to the ch.ir, and the usuil service of the day pioceeded. Many questions have arsen out of this elec'oin. We cordially believe tl a all things"were done according tu the conscience ot the parties pre>en',anddonot believe the imputatiuu thrown out, that the deau was influenced'against Dr. Hao,pden by the fact that the oishopric had been promised to himself, for which, indeed, ha had been an avowed candidate, even before the appointment of the late bishop, Dr. Musgrave, with whom he notwithstanding cordially co-operaied it is impoitaut, on the other side, to know that tb.s Bishop of Oxford, after due enquiry, withdrew himself from Hie remonstrant party, Bnd wrote a letter of ex[il.watio i and congratulation to Dr. Hampden, for which the epithet " Subtle Sam" has been awarded his lord-.li pin the university. Upwards of seventy-eight of the clergx aud laity cf London, and many of the bishops and* of other dioceses, have addressed Lord John Russell, to thank him for the stand he has made lor the privileges of the Crown, and also Dr. Hampden, to wuom the most grateful testimouy must have been an address of congratulation and compliment fiO'ii fifteen luads of houses of his uimersity. One of those wno do not sign is ninety years of age, and take no hand in public business; another is Dr. Hampde himself; and four more are said to be favourable tithe memorial, silent. There remain, there, tore, but three out of the twenty-four heads of houses, who ab>olut<-ly and unequivocally condemn Dr. Hampden as unlit to be the bishop, in what is called par excellence " the Protestant portion of the Church." The Low Church, as opposed to the Traclarian and the Evangelical party, as opposed to lers tor authority, join a song of triumph on the election, hut there ure still breakers a*hcad of Dr. Hampden The confirmation ot the election is to come, and it U boldly staled tli.it the Archbrshop of Canterbury will ; refuse to consetraie, while Mr. Gladstone, as member ( of Parliament tor the University of Oxford, is prepared to forbid the confirmaiion. This, we believe, may be i clone, and, It is stated, will be done in the chapel ot the Court ot Aiches (Bow church), when the time for the confirmation comes. On the other hanJ, it is I stated that Dr. Hampden will be consecrated before I Dr. Lee, the new bishop of Manchester (whose mitre ' is suspended until alter the trial for scandal against ! him), and will thus take his seat in the Lords, while 1 Manchester will remain, as regards the Upper Hoase, a silent see. Whether this matter may be comproraised, or cau<e —as violent men conteud it will—a complete schism in the church, comparable only to the division between the " tistabltshed" and the " Free Kirk'' m Scotland, remains to be seen. We shall net speculate upon anything so uncertain as the will of mea who ure the partizans of opposing principles. Weba*e said enough to place the matter as it stands before the reader, and we leave to his judgment to draw his own conclusions, advising him to wait with us the result of events which may oecur between the present and the next mail.