180 
Wo one is more defirous than myfelf 
to better the condition, and increafe the 
happinefs, of my fcelow-miortals:.] have 
long been an eye-witnefs to the moft 
poignant diftreffes of the families of 
cottagers, where, netwithfanding the 
utmoft exertions of the. parents, the 
children have been deftitute of many of 
the neceffaries of life: yet, amidf all 
thefe hardfhips, they have hardly dared 
to utter a complaint; fearful left the 
cruel hand of opprefiion fhould feize 
their little all for rent, and turn them, 
pale, fhivering, and deftirute, out of a 
miferable hovel, which fcarcely proteéts 
them from the inclemencies of © the 
weather, 
The benefits likely to arife from 
H. B.’s plan, are not to be denied ; and 
if that pleafing pi€ture which his ima- 
gination has painted as the confequences ~ 
of its adoption, was happily veritied, 
it would be of the greateft benefit to the 
community at large, and add innumerable 
comferts to that unfortunate cla{fs of 
ber 7 ; le 
beings, who have been !ong infulted, 
degraded, and opprefied. Your’s, &c. 
Norfolk, February 7, 1797- B.D. 
———_— - 
To the Ediicr of ive Manibly Magaxize. 
SIR, 
JPPRESUME it will not be difpleafing to 
many of your lberal-minded readers, 
to fee that the Effay on the Aboliton of 
Tithes, in your Supplementary Number, 
has been noticed’ by a correfpondent, 
who feems to be a clergyman. This 
gentleman, whether he be or be not 
of the eftablifhed church, is entitled to 
the refpeét of his fellow-citizens, for his 
avowed gocd-will to ‘‘ a Reform,” in the 
matter of Tithes.—I!t was natural to 
fuppofe_ there would be found, in the 
Magnitude’ and boldnefs of the plan 
alluded to, fome points about which many 
clergymen would be ‘far from agree- 
ing” with the author. Such difagree— 
ment will be uferul, by leading to a can- 
did difcutfion. 
Your correfpondent, J. W. diffents, at 
the threthold, from the poflibility that 
tithes “can be valued at all;? and 
tis fingular idea he feems to adopr, from 
the poffibility, that what is now fairly 
valued, may, a century hence, be worth 
far more money. But, fhould we grant 
the whole force of the argument, in this 
cafe, we might. bring it againfi an at- 
tempt at the pre/ext valuation of. any 
thing; becaufe, as the value of all pro- 
perty is fluctuating, and a thing may 
very materially difter in value, at 
Abvlition of Tithes. 
[ March, 
7 
difiant day, from that which this day 
is affixed to it, fo, by curious mathema~ 
tical induétion, fome variation may take 
place to-morrow, or before a transfer can 
be legally made. Bur this kind of rea- 
foning is not to govern common ufes. 
In matters of property, it is fufficient 
that, by the judgment of perfons mof 
competent to determine, we afcertain 
~ 
what a thing is worth xew. Every man 
will allow this may be done, refpecting 
an efiate im houfes, lands, or goods, or a 
given reverfionary interef{ in_ either. 
On this principle, I have no fcruple in 
maintaining, that there is no eftate or 
intereft in tithes (which are taxes of pro- 
perty ) however peculiar, but will-admit 
of equally fair valuation. Where the 
confideration money, for the amount of 
the valuation, goes to an individual as his 
‘own entire right, he exercifes his choice 
in difpofing of it, and the bufinefs ends 
without any impeachment of the general 
principle or juttice...1f he be a truftee, 
he either is to follow a prefcribed mode 
for the intereft of his ducceffor, or to 
exercife his beft judgment in the vefting 
of the meney —and this, by common 
confent is deemed confiftenr with the 
general interefts and good of fociety.--- 
Thefe principles would be allowed te 
apply to more than one half of the 
tithes in the kingdom, becaufe they are 
fuppofed to be in jay-hands: ‘der being 
fo difpofed of by valuation, would be 
confiderea as atranfaétion perfecily fair 
in itfelf, and falutary in its confequences. 
The principle applied to the other part, 
which goes to the maintenance of the na- 
tional clergy for the time beang, ts equal- 
ly clear, up to the moment -of paying 
the money. The difpofal of this money 
to the greateft pofiible advantage, we 
will fuppofe, brings on the, main*diffi- 
culty—and your correfpondent {feems 
chiefly to reft his objeGiions againft the 
pian, on the ground of ome mode of dife 
pofal, that is, the creation of a fund for 
yielding an intereft. underthe guarantee 
of government. He fuppofes a confe- 
quent deduction from the nett income, 
by an extenfive civil eftablifhment for 
the management of the fund, and the 
payment of the annuitants: but fucl 
an expenfive eftablifhment. is not necef- 
iary, and may eafily be avoided by a judi- 
cious organization of a -proper beard, 
at which-I fee no objection to the admif- 
fion ot fome clerical gentlemen—nor can 
I think their {piritual funétion weuld be- 
more degraded thereby, than the whole 
body of beneficed clergy, efpecially 
many. 
