Ixviii INTRODUCTION. 



and comfortable fubfidence of tb.e clergy, — or (if fuch fecu- 

 rity be more defirable) for the purchnfing of lands, the in- 

 come of which to become the property of the church for . 

 ever. But the greater number feem decidedly of opinion, 

 that, at any rate, an aiSl for procuring the total valuation and 

 fale of the unappropriated tithes (by far the greateft in amount, 

 and fuppofed to be the moft rigidly claimed) fhould be ear- 

 neftly applied for, as a meafure of relief to the country, and 

 of publick juftice, carrying its own evidence of expedience, 

 both from general fails, and the recent alarm of national 

 fcarcity. To thefe calls for the adoption of fo provident a 

 meafure, has been added the political one, of giving fcope to 

 population by an increafe of the neceflaries of life, and con- 

 fequcntly adding ftrength to an infulated country, whofe na- 

 tural advantages have been the frequent obje61:s of foreign 

 envy and hoftility. 



The pra£licability of doing this, with convenience to all 

 parties, has been, and continues to be, confidently main- 

 tained. The lay-proprietor receiving in money the fair value 

 of his tithe eftate, to be fettled by a competent jury, impar- 

 tially chofen and folemnly impannclled, cannot be faid to be 

 injured. The principle of compelling the owner of property 

 to part with it, by/uch equitable valuation, for the good of 

 the whole, ftands fandioned by numerous a6ts of parlia- 

 ment, and is proceeded on every day, in the bufinefs of in- 

 clofures, roads, canals, publick buildings, he. &c. And an 

 oppofition to the principle, in thofe matters, would be deemed 

 a preference of perfonal convenience, at the pofitive expence 

 of the publick good. 



With regard to the owners of titheable lands, if it fhould 

 be objefted, that fome of them might find it inconvenient 

 to pay down the price of the tithes in fee, — that^ it has been 



faidj 



