AN ECCLESIASTICAL CONVICT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2906, 19 July 1882, Page 2

AN ECCLESIASTICAL CONVICT.

At last, says a correspondent, n really practical effort is being made to secure the liberation of Mr Greeny the High Church clergyman, whose long imprisonment has all but invested him with the dignity of a martyr in the eyes of many, thousands of churchmen. At present their is no power to unlock the prison door unless with the consent or . the prosecutors. The Prime Minister is powerless, and even the Queen cannot exercise the royal prerogative of mercy unless those who set the law in motion against Mr Green are willing that he should be released. The Church ASsociation, which has spent £30,000 or £40,000 in the prosecution of Ritualists, is inexorable, and requires either that Mr (Jreen shall make his submission to the law, or that he shall suffer the penalty of deprivation. Under these circumstances, the. Upper House of convocation has come to the rescue. Finding that all its expressions of sympathy with Mr Green, land of dieapproval of the conduct of his enemies were of no avail, the Archbishop of Canterbury , has introduced into the House of Lords a short Bill, which provides that persons in the position of Mr Green may be released with the consent, of the Primate instead of the; prosecutors. Every effort ' will be made to pass this Bill, which .will probably have the support of the Government; but it will 'liiebt with • .ditomiiuhdti opposition in the House of Commons from the Lower Church party, who bate Mr Green and all his trays, and aleo

from the Nonconformists, who are anxious to force on disestablishment by keeping up the friction within the Church. I fear that the chances of Mr Green regaining bis liberty during the present session of Parliament are very slender indeed.