Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/90

 82] ENGLISH HISTOKY. apbil

No contest had taken place since 1892 when Mr. Ambrose had been elected by a Conservative majority of 2,619 votes. On the present occasion Mr. J. E. Cox polled 6,303 votes against 5,198 given to his Liberal opponent, Mr. Corrie Grant. This election, however, could not be taken as conclusive of the opinion of the constituency, inasmuch as nearly 6,000 persons — a third of the constituency — abstained from voting.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer's annual financial state- ment was preluded by a debate (April 13) on clerical obedience, introduced by Mr. Gedge (Walsall) who desired to pledge the Government to not giving preferment to any clergyman unless satisfied that he would obey both his bishop and the courts having ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Mr. S. Hoare (Norwich) moved as an amendment that obedience to the bishops and the Prayer-book should be the test. Mr. Balfour expressed a strong preference for the latter course, holding that it would be a pity to select for recorded censure any particular association of Churchmen. Moreover the motion had the air of persecution, but it was persecution which could hurt nobody. Another objection to the resolution was that it did not cover the whole ground. The House disapproved of all lawlessness in the Church, and •did not deprecate it only in the case of one particular section. He did not believe that any effectual remedy could be found lor existing troubles in a mere strengthening of the measures against lawlessness. Lord H. Cecil (Greenwich) deprecated the resolution as likely to rally the whole of the High Church party to the flag of the English Church Union, the existence of which he personally regretted. He urged the House not to hamper by any injudicious action the archbishops and bishops in their efforts to maintain order in the Church. Sir E. Clarke (Ply- mouth) did not think it desirable to pass any resolution on this subject. Parliament had no right to interfere with the doctrines or ceremonial or discipline of the Church ; but its duty was to see that the law of the Church, as accepted by the Church and realm, was impartially enforced in the courts established for the purpose. Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman thought the debate might have ended after the strenuous and admirable speech of the First Lord of the Treasury. Ultimately the resolution, which Mr. Gedge had offered to withdraw, was negatived without a division. The amendment having thus become the substantive motion, Mr. Bartley (Islington, N.) moved to add to it the words — "And the law as declared by the courts which have jurisdiction in matters ecclesiastical.' ' Mr. Balfour could not agree to the amendment, which would impose an improper test upon clergymen seeking preferment. Sir H. Campbell- Bannerman said all that would be asked of a clergyman was whether he would obey the law as declared by the properly constituted authorities. In the end Mr. Balfour withdrew his opposition to the amendment, as he understood from what had been said that it was interpreted to mean merely that the law