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to be connected with political animosities. The unpopularity of the present ministry is indicated by the character of the elections for the new members of the chamber of deputies, in lieu of those who have gone out by rotation, in those places where public feeling is most strongly expressed. In the department of the Seine, especially, which includes the capital, the Liberals have obtained a triumph, the whole of the members returned being of that party.

Some discussions have taken place on the subject of the Slave Trade, both in the chamber of peers and in the chamber of deputies. In the former, the Duc de Broglie made a motion for adopting severer measures of repression against the Slave Trade. He prefaced his motion by a speech of extraordinary talent, conveying a most luminous view of the whole subject, and urging his proposition of it by a most powerful appeal to all the high principles and feelings involved in the question. The motion was unsuccessful: the French ministers declared that they saw no necessity for any further legislative measures, the existing laws being, in their view, sufficient. Can any thing mark more clearly than such a declaration, after all the uncontroverted facts which -have been brought before the French government, a determination not to disturb the slave-trader in his nefarious and destructive career? The speech of the Duc de Broglie, we are happy to find, has been printed, and is now widely circulating in France. We have seen nothing which is more admirably calculated to enlighten the public mind in that country on this important subject; and it is now evidently to the influence of public opinion, and not to the honour and good faith of the French government, that the appeal must be made, as it is upon this alone that our hopes must now rest, We shall not, however, pursue the matter further at present, as we expect soon to have an opportunity of laying before our readers a variety of afflicting particulars respecting the illicit French Slave-trade, and the state of that trade generally,drawn from that Report of the African Institution, read at the annual meeting announced in our last Number; and from papers recently laid before the British Parliament, embracing a mass of painfully interesting information.

TURKEY.-The reports of the last
CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 245.

month are generally favourable to the progress of the Greeks in procuring their emancipation from the oppression of the Turks. The insurgent party obtained possession of the isle of Scio; but it has been reconquered by the Turks, and dreadful nassacres have followed. The Greek Peasantry, in the north of Thessaly and Upper Macedonia, are reported to have formed a body of 7000 men, warm with patriotic ardour, who have occupied the defiles of Mount Olympus, the Valley of Tempe, and the banks of the Peneus, and have traversed the country towards the sea-coast, increasing their numbers, and obtaining new successes, throughout their progress. Russia, by retaining her armies on the frontiers of Turkey, and thus drawing the Ottoman forces northward to be ready to repel invasion, is effectually, though silently, fighting the battle of the Greeks before she strikes a single blow. Her thus suffering the Greeks to acquire strength and cohesion, would lead us to hope, independently of other considerations arising out of the general policy of the great powers of Europe, that in the event of subjugating Turkey, Russia may not be unwilling to allow the Greeks to form themselves into an independent state; a course which might materially counteract, in the general opinion, any supposed evils likely to result from an accession to the strength and territory of Russia, in the southeast of Europe, of countries so favourably placed for purposes of aggression and aggrandisement as are the peninsula and archipelago of Greece. We should view the probable enfranchisement of the Greeks with more unmixed satisfaction, were it not for the torrents of blood with which it is likely to be cemented, in addition to those which have already flowed in this implacable contest. these horrors are probably light, when put in competition with those which Greece would have to endure, were she once more subjected to the Turkish yoke. May a merciful God speedily terminate these murderous conflicts!

But even

SOUTH AMERICA.-The new Republics in Spanish South America are firmly entrenching themselves in their recently acquired liberties, and are proceeding with the consolidation and improvement of their laws and constitutions. They at present amount to five; Buenos Ayres, Chili, Mexico, Co2 U

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lumbia, and Peru. Their independency, as Sovereign States, has for some time been virtually, and is now openly and authoritatively, recognized by the Government of the United States of America, who, from the circumstances of their own history, and republican constitution, as well as from their proximity, and from the deep commercial interest they have in cultívating a good understanding with their southern neighbours, might naturally be expected to take the lead in this recognition. A bill is now passing through our own parliament which is intended to regulate our commercial intercourse with these states, and to admit their ships freely into our ports, the effect of which will be a real and substantial, if not a formal, acknowledgment of their independent sovereignty. -It is gratifying to find, that among these infant republics there prevails, to a considerable extent, a spirit of humane and enlightened legislation. In Columbia, in particular, which is constituted nearly after the model of the United States of America,-General Bolivar, like General Washington, being the first President,--the House of Representatives have adopted many provisions of a most praiseworthy character;-among others, the removal of every vestige of the inquisition; the decreeing of toleration and equal civil rights to all members of the community who have not forfeited their citizenship by their crimes; the declaring every man free to write, print, and publish his opinions, but being responsible for the abuse of this privilege; the making provision for trial by jury, as soon and extensively as the feelings and habits of the people may allow of this regulation; the allotting specific funds for the education of all classes of the people on the system of mutual instruction; and lastly, what involves no trifling sacrifice in slaveholders, the decreeing the early aboli. tion of slavery, not only by declaring all free who shall be born within, the limits of the republic, but by appropriating large funds for the gradual manumission of the adults who are now in bondage. Nor has this measure of Christian benevolence and true policy been confined to Columbia. It has been adopted likewise by the other Independent States, who have also, with a magnanimity which it would be well if Europeans could be induced to imitate, abolished all dis-tiuctions arising from Colour, and admitted the Indian and the Negro to a

common and equal participation of all civil and political rights with the White. Every Christian mind must hail with delight, and with fervent gratitude to God, the opening thus made for the diffusion of freedom, and for the admission of the sacred Scriptures and religious instruction, in regions where hitherto "the true light" has either never shone, or has been lost in the thick gloom of papal bigotry and superstition. The example may well make the parliament of Great Britain itself to blush when it contemplates the cruel and unmitigated bondage in which so many of her subjects still groan in our colonies, and the inidnight darkness as to all moral and religious improvement in which their successive generations are permitted to live and die. Fifteen years have elapsed since the abolition of the slave trade was decreed by the British parliament; and to this hour not one effective law has yet been adopted by it, or by any of the colonial legislatures, for raising the civil condition of the slave, or for paving the way for his future emancipation.

DOMESTIC.

The parliamentary proceedings of the last few weeks have been very various and important. We can only glance at a few of the chief occurrences.

The state of the agricultural interest has undergone several animated discussions, the result of which has been the adoption of the chief measure suggested in the late report of the agricultural committee of the house of commons. The first proposition of the committee; namely, to grant the sum of one million to be laid out in corn to be warehoused, in order to secure the growers against being compelled to carry their produce to an over-stocked market, was clearly so unwise and futile a scheme, and was so generally and strongly disapproved by the house of commons, that after a brief discussion, it was abandoned. The principal feature of the regulations now intended to be adopted is to repeal the law which prohibits the importation of wheat (we omit the details respecting the other species of corn, all of which however are included in the regulations, according to their relative value,) till it rises to the average price of 80s. per quarter; and also to rescind the permission to import freely for three months from the period of its so rising; and to substi

tute a regulation allowing of the open
ing of the ports as before at 80s. and
continuing them open till the price
falls to 70s. and three months after it
begins to fall below it; but subject
throughout to a duty of 12s. per quar-
ter, with an additional duty of 5s. for
the first three months after opening.
We will not enter into any discussion
of the comparative merits of this mode
of protection with that which previ-
ously existed. It may perhaps, on the
whole, be a better plan than that which
it has superseded; or rather it may be
attended with a smaller portion of
practical evil to the agriculturist as
well as to the community. But both
systems, we hesitate not to say, are
radically vicious; and while either of
them is persisted in, we must be con-
demned to suffer all the afflicting al-
ternations arising from a great fluctua-
tion in the price of the main articles
of human subsistence. At one time
they will be depressed so low as not
to remunerate the grower, and at ano-
ther raised so high as to subject a
great part of our population to want
and wretchedness, and to expose us
to all the evils of disaffection and
tumult. We are fixed in the clear
persuasion, that the only remedy for
these evils, and for many others, is to
be found in a free and unfettered trade
in corn; and that in such a free and
unfettered trade, not only would the
community at large, but the farmers
and the landholders find their true and
permanent advantage. The subject is.
far too wide for us to enter upon in
this place; but those who are disposed
to examine it, or who wish to know
by what process of reasoning we have
arrived at this conclusion, we would
refer to the report of the agricul-
tural committee of the house of
commons, which sat in the last ses-
sion, where the true principles by
which this mighty question should be
regulated are ably and luminously
exhibited, (principles by the way com-
pletely at war with the practical recom-
mendations that report); we would
refer them also to a recent pamphlet of
Mr. Ricardo, on this question, and to
a review of the agricultural report
which has appeared in the 72d Num-
ber of the Edinburgh Review, and
in a late Number of the Quarterly.
We think it absolutely impossible for
any dispassionate and disinterested
individual to read these articles with-
out a thorough persuasion that our
only true wisdom, even if we were to
look exclusively to the permanent

interests of agriculture itself, is in retracing our legislative progress, from the present system of restriction and. prohibition, to one of perfect freedom, regulated only by a regard to the taxes which fall mainly or exclusively on the growers of corn. Of all human evils which can befal our population, there is none which can be compared to that arising from a difficulty of procuring food; and of all taxes to which the poor man is subject, none can be a hundredth part so oppressive as that which these prohibitory enactments are more or less calculated to produce, the doubling or trebling of the price of his quartern loaf.

The state of Ireland has been prominently brought before Parliament and the country. The distresses of the poor, that is, of ninety nine persons out of a hundred, in the southern provinces of that country, are most deeply afflicting. A scarcity of provisions, or rather of money to purchase them, amounting in some parts almost to absolute famine, has more or less prevailed for a considerable time, and is now truly affecting. The immediate cause has been chiefly the defective character and quantity of the last potatoe crop. The effect, in addition to the personal sufferings of the half-famished peasantry, and the recent disturbances which may be traced in a considerable measure to this source, has been a return of typhus fever, which is making great ravages. We shall not dwell upon particulars, as we trust they will have been already laid before most of our readers in the shape of an appeal to their sympathy and Christian liberality. We are happy to state that this appeal has met with a most generous reply in the bountiful subscriptions which are flowing in from the British public, and from the richer classes in Ireland, for the temporary relief of the necessities of these our fellowChristians and fellow-subjects. Large quantities of provisions, chiefly potatoes, have been already shipped for Ireland, and measures taken to promote an equal and effective supply. Government also has largely assisted the object; and we trust, not only that the temporary pressure will be considerably alleviated, but that the supplies will have allowed of sowing and planting for the approaching harvest. We earnestly recommend the object to the liberal contributions of our readers. Should the funds raised be more than necessary for the

cine.

Such circumstances are probably unprecedented in the history of Ireland or any other country; and they call loudly, especially when taken in connexion with the present afflicted and distressed condition of that island, on those who have a voice in filling up these important places, to select for the office men of distinguished zeal, simplicity, and piety, of well-known liberality and disinterestedness, of conciliating character, and endued with wisdom to guide those within the pale of the church, and to win those, who are without. Deeply afflicting would be the thought, and truly awful the responsibility, if, in appointments like these, considerations of mere favour or interest should be allowed to operate!

The bill of Mr. Canning, for the admission of Roman Catholic peers into parliament, has passed the house of commons, and is about to be debated in the house of lords.

immediate exigency, they will admit of being employed with great advan tage to the general welfare of Ireland, by promoting useful and productive labour. Parliament has wisely voted a sum of 50,000l. to be expended in opening roads in the wilder and less frequented parts of the kingdom, and in other works of public utility. All this, however, will effect comparatively little for Ireland. The evils which afflict her lie deeper; and many of them have been strongly pressed upon the attention of Parliament during the last few weeks. The tithe-system, in particular, has been amply discussed; and, from its present oppressive nature, as well as the unpopularity which it attaches to the Established Church and the cause of -Protestantism in that country, it ought to be commuted. An obvious remedy seems to be to throw the burden, as -in Scotland, not on the tenant, but on the proprietor of the soil. And we rejoice to say, that many of the great lay impropriators in that country, have, much to their honour, expressed not merely their willingness but their solicitude to concur in such a proposition. We shall, probably, have occasion to resume this subject next month, in considering the nature of the measures which Mr. Goulburn proposes to bring forward for the ame-a-bushel of the 15s. paid on salt, half lioration of the general condition of Ireland; and which, we trust, will not be merely of a palliative or superficial kind, but deep and prospective, and grounded on plans of moral and religious, as well as merely financial or agricultural, improvement. Events have occurred, during the month, connected with the Protestant Established Church, of a truly solemn and admonitory nature. No less than three Irish prelates have been called to give an account of their stewardship before the bar of God. Two of them, two primates, the Archbishops of Armagh and Cashel, were taken off in one day; the latter by illness, and the former by an accidental administration of a bottle of laudanum instead of medi

A measure has been proposed by the chancellor of the exchequer for relieving the country of two millions of taxes, by converting the military and civil half-pay and pensions, amounting to about five millions, into annuities for 45 years. The taxes he proposes to remove are 13s.

of the present leather tax, the window and hearth tax of Ireland, and the tonnage duty on shipping. These are certainly gratifying remissions, though we could earnestly wish the salt tax were entirely abolished. As to the plan of converting five millions of life annuities into annuities for 45 years, with which these remissions are connected, we do not conceive that there is any valid objection to it. It certainly, however, would be a much more simple and economical plan, to take the money required for the purpose at once from the sinking fund, than to be creating annually new stock, and yet keeping the sinking fund at what is in that case its merely nominal amount of five millions.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

"Notice sur M. R.;" F. S.; SCRUTATOR; M. M.; J. B.; F. S.; A Constant READER; OnPEUTAS; CUMBRIENSIS; A. M. C.; J. W. M.; A. C. G.; and two or three papers, without signature, are under consideration.

We are much obliged to several correspondents for accounts of the anniversary meetings of various societies; but our limits will not allow of our entering much into details of this nature. We shall, however, be happy, as far as our plan permits, to give the results of their proceedings, from their Reports, when published.

EKRATA.-P. 266, col. 2, line 18, for feelings, read failings.

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CHRISTIAN OBSERVER.

No. 246.]

JUNE, 1822. [No. 6. Vol. XXII.

RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATIONS.

For the Christian Observer.

ON THE CAUSES OF WANT OF SUCCESS IN THE MINISTRY.

AERIST in the Christian

Observer for last September having asked, What are the chief causes of want of success in the ministry? and his inquiry not having yet received a reply, the following suggestions are humbly submitted for consideration.

It is necessary to inquire, in the first place, What is success in the Christian ministry? And here it would be difficult to give a satisfactory solution, as no relative standard of success or failure can be laid down to decide the question. What is success in one age or place, or as respects one individual or congregation, may, under other circumstances, be comparative failure. Ministers also may bave very different talents, and may be successful in different ways; either, for example, in first exciting attention to religion, or in awakening the conscience, or in instructing, or in comforting, or in stimulating, according to the varied necessities of mankind. In order, then, to narrow the ground to dimensions convenient for the purpose of practical discussion, let us confine it to our own age and country, and to the Established Church of England. It will not probably be denied, that the beneficial effects resulting from the labours of our clergy, are much less extensive than might reasonably be hoped for, when their number and influence, and other favourable circumstances, are fairly considered. The ques tion is thus reduced to the follow

CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 246.

ing shape; What are the causes of the want of religious success of our clergy among their flocks in the present day?

The field, however, is still too wide for discussion; unless it were practicable to enumerate every defect of ecclesiastical doctrine and discipline,-every error in the edu-, cation and lives of our clergy,-and every possible impediment, natural or artificial, to the full efficiency of the ministerial function. Without, however, entangling the argument with those general causes which apply to every age and variety of mankind, or inquiring into the very obvious reasons why those individuals are not useful as ministers who take no pains to be so, let us confine the argument to the case of such of the clergy as are in the main scriptural in their doctrines, and whose personal piety and zealous wishes for the salvation of their people, might seem to open a door for much wider suc cess than it is to be feared, generally speaking, attends their la bours. Certain it is, that out of the numerous individuals who form a Christian parish or congregation, but a small number, comparatively, are seen in most instances in earnest respecting their salvation, or living consistently with their high calling, as professed disciples of Jesus Christ,-and this even in places blessed with pious and faithful instructors. The fact itself is too notorious to need proof: let us hope that, in examining into some of its causes, a few remarks of practical utility may be suggested with a view to their removal.

The Parable of the Sower will 2 X

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