APRIL 7. kuntiap AmitOcincntlt DEFENCE OF THE CLF.RGY.-TIIE NEW RELIGIOUS sEGT IN RUSSIA., icc. &c. &e. WE are compelled to be very brief in this depart ment fur the present week ; but whatever we may want in extent will be amply compensated by variety. We commence with some notice of the National Society for Promoting the Fducation of the Poor in the Principles of the Established Church. It is pleasing to mark the progress of religion anti education among the poor ; and it is highly to the honour of our national clergy that they exert them selves, with so much rational zeal, for the spread of knowledge among the lower or lers of society. much does this conduct heli-• the iattecent and infa mous libels which disaffected and restless refiirm ers, arc for ever cast ng fiirth against the persons and profession of the ministers of religion, as if it were the wish of the clergy to " keep Vic people in ignorance, than which a greater falsehood never is-.tied from the " father of lies.' It is their wish and their interest, as the guardians of the public morals, to pro mote the ditilision of knowledge and u.;clUl learning. We have only to east our eyes over the lists of sub scribers to and patrons of all our gre tt establishments for the support of these objects, and we shall soon learn that the clergy of the established church are every where exe:ting themselves, both by their personal ser vices and by their purses to enlighten and instruct the ignorant poor. Ignorance has ceased to be (if it ever was) the m ether of devotion. The most undevolit and profane are generally the most ignorant and illiterate. The NIP ti011:11 S )(Am has now been established about five years, and already we real on the lists of its sub scribers the names of many hundreds of the dig f ace 1 clergy of the chureh. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the President; and the co:n nittee includes the wh 'te bench of bishops, with the Archbishop of York at their head, in which also we find the bishops of Quebec, Cal cutta, and Nova Scotia. They are all Vice Presidents. The two Universities, the Dean and Chapters of our Cathedrals; and in fine, the whole strength of church influence, anti church patronage, has been exerted to the support of this great object. Alxmt one thousand two hundred diocesan and district societies and schools, &c &e. are mentioned in the last report, generally in union with, and all having the same object in view as the National Society. These are scattered throughout the various towns and villages of the united king loin, and th..ir influence is extending through all parts of u rope. Yet we are told that the cler g y wish to keep the people in i g norance, that they discourage learning among the poor, and seek only to enslave the minds of theia parishioners, that they may more easily lead them into superstition, and futea on the fruits of their in dustry.—Calumnies like these are the natural effects of infidelity and irreligion.—No man ventures to slan der the clergy, whose own conduct in life is not re proached by the religion which the clergy preach; and nothing is so gratifying to the minds of the profligate and the unbelieving, as the errors and defects of persons professing the religion of the Son of God. These are their flmd—these, their "crown of rejoicing."—lt seems to bring their superiors on a level with them selves; and they are mighty lovers of equality in every thing of a vicious and base nature; but, at the same time, arc highly indignant at whatever seems to reflect on their views, their feelings, and their privileges, for sooth! These Age-of-Reason-men are the most unrea sonable men breathing. On Saturday a new weekly l'o!ith.al Register made its appearance. We have not had time to notice its contents with sufficient attention to warrant any remarks on its spirit and tendency What little we have seen of it, however, seems to be marked with a rather more ;gentlemanlike character than its predecessors have, thought proper to as sume; bat Mr. Sherwin's attack at tit..., Ministers of religion shall not escape our animadversions. The Duchal,orski, or as they ought more properly to he called, Ikukabors, to whom the Emperor Alexander has recently accorded his royal toleration, are a fort of Quakers of the Greek Church. They profess a system of universal equality, founded on a pecular interpreta tion of the Evangelists, refuse obstinately to make the sign of the cross, and reprobate the use of oaths.—Paul d. by persecuting them, only augmented their numbers. The present Emperor thought it a wiser plan to isolate them, and for this purpose assigned to them certain fertile but desert lands on the borders of the river Mo lochne. north-west of the sea of A zof, in the Government of Tauridium. Here they have accordingly settled and have built a village, which they called " Bogdanowka," or the Gift of God. The number of males in the set tlement amounts to 1150. The Swidv of Evangelical Missions at Basle, have commenced a Journal which is intended to serve as a history of foreign Missions, and of the propagation of the Scriptures. Blumhart is the Editor. The first number states, that ofthe population of the four quar ters of the globe, 63 millions are Christians, 9 millions are Jews, 160 millions arc Mahomedans, and 65(3 mil litms are Po:211r". THE NATIONAL REGISTER. AUGSDURG, MARCH 2. .—We have just received the Proclamation which Count Sanran, Governor of Lom bardy, has issued at Milan, respecting. the Jews ; and which says—" It is the will of his Majesty, that no person who professes the Mosaic religion should either by coercion or stratagem, be induced to adopt the Chris tian flith. Wherever a change of religion is agitated, as respecting the sons and minors of the Jewish creed, it is ordained, that the legitimate rights of fathers and tutors are never to be impeached." The Presbyteries throughout Scotland have supported with great zeal, the overture of last General Assembly, respecting pluralities; thirty five Presbyteries having ap proved of it, while scarcely half a dozen have given it a negative. SOUTHWARK BIBLE SOClETY.—Tuestlay, the Fifth Anniversary Meeting of this Society was held at the Horns Tavern, Kennington. His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex took the chair between twelve and one o'clock. Besides a great number of the fair sex, there were present the Rev. Messrs. Mann, Wilcox, Steinkopft, Hill, Hughes,and Clayton, Benjamin Shaw, Esq. M. I' Mr. Robert Barclay, Mt. Curling, and Mr. Benjamin. It appeared from the Report, that up%var•ls of 20,000 bibles bad been distributed by the Swiety since its formation. The decease of its late President, the Earl of Rothes, was mentioned in the most affecting terms, and deeply lamented. Several excellent speeches were delivered. The Duke of Sus sex left the room amidst loud acclamations, and the meeting did not separate till nearly four o clock.— Owing to the fineness of the day, the room was unu sually full, and every one seemed to be animated with that " good-will on earth" which is calculated to insure the happiness of mankind. THE PLANET VENUS.—This beautiful planet has lately, from locality of situation, very rapidly crossed the Constellation Aries, and is proceeding► gradually into Taurus ; will be, May 1, a few degrees north of Aldebaran, where it becomes stationary, and will then retrogade westerly, and meet the Sun on the confines of Taurus and Gemini, May 20, 21 . Through the month of April this planet, approaching the Earth to within ow-tsiirl solar distance, will assume the crescent from, and become fi►lcated like the Moon, and if the air be clear may be seen with the naked eye in the day time ; about two hours behind the Sun, near the mid dle of the month, it will be bright enough to cast a sha dow at night, and will bs in conjunction with the April new Moon, April 19, between Aldebaran and the Pleiades. When his Royal Highness the Prince Regent was pleased to devote 30,0001. of his income at the shrine of national distress, orders were sent to Brighton to countermand every alteration ; but as some part had been demolished, his Royal Highness gave commands for the erection upon the most economical scale of ex penditure. The buildings removed only included two apartments, which were added to the original edifice many years ago, and were, even from the period of their construction, intended to be but temporary. There were no apartments over either of these wings ; that to the north having been used us a kind of orchestra for several seasons past ; and, in its place, a more commo dious concert-room is erecting, to connect the Pavilion with Marlborough House. The south wing was scarcely available for any US'2, and a dining-room is now erecting. These are the only improvements in con templation. - - - A Paris Paper says, that the Princess of Wales is shortly expected at Vienna. Her Royal Highness stays there a few days ; and then proceeds to Odessa in une of the southern proyienees of Russia, and after that to Constantinople. OF THE Cutxrse.—Two British frigates, of 36 guns each, would beat all the naval three of China, from the ignorance of the Chinese in the military art, of which the following is a proof: the present Emperor, Kia King, has been defiled for years by the Chinese and compelled their crews to join them, mail their num bers, at last, amounted to 45,000 men. About thur or five years since, rather than risk a battle with a Por tuguese frigate and two brigs, assisted by eight of the Emperor's war boats, half manned with Portuguese, the pirates capitulated on terms, and peace has since been restored. The former teats of the Portuguese in India have impressed the Chinese with the idea of their superiority over other nations ; and this opinion the Portuguese in China keep up, to the detriment of the English nation. Count Borolowski, the celebnited Polish dwarf, the elegance of whose manners, end smallness of stature, have attracted the attention of all the Courts of Europe, is now a resident in the City of Durirtm, and the next door neighbour of Mr. Stephen Kean!)le, with whom he lives in habits of the closest intimacy. These Gentle men form, perhaps, as striking a con t rast us any in human• nature. The fir,t stow- of the Cornwall Lunatic A•Vlnm, wa9 I t , t ...eek. nt hr Hi : Alt lion. It. P. , inwf: 7.! •.; RELIEF OF THE POOR. io, MR. CURWEN'S MOTION RESPECTING THE DIS TRESSED STATE OF THE MANU FACTE RI AND AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS. The motion given notice of by Mr. Curwen, for Fri,lay the 18th, is understood to be fbr bringing be fore Parliament the distressed state of various mono factoring and agricultural pari4tes, in order to show the indispensable necessity of some temporary relief being granted them For this purpose, Mr. Curwen's plan is to tax funded property, to form a fund to be charged in aid of such distressed places ; but as it is supposed that Administration has some measure in view for granting temporary relief; if such plan should prove efficient, it scents probable Mr. Curwen will not per sist, as he has disclaimed every party motive, or any desire to add to the embarrassments which the distresses of the times naturally occasion to Ministers. We have frennently taken pains to recommend bene - mlent institutions tin• the good of the poor, and, we hope, not always without etfeet. Establishments of spelt a nature as may not degrade then► by the unqualified acceptance of charity, lint may make their own little funds applicable to the relief of their own want•, are the most honourable and useful. An institution of the kind here spoken of has been completed at Dorking; anal as its utility is now matter of expel icnce, anJ not of theory, we would warmly recommend the considera tion as it to the actively lit ()evident of other parishes. The principle of it is contained in the 4111 resolution of a general meeting of the inhabitants held last summer, which is—" That every person for himself and his wife, do pay one penny per meek ; if one child, two pence ; if three or more, three pence; which is nut to be exceeded." We cannot here, of course, lay before our trailers the plans and arrangements by which the stains thus so itseribed have been mime avail ableoltrough the expiring winter, for the suppi rt of those subscribers st Ito 11,11 need of it. The whole is contained, and clearly illustrated, in sect ral tables, and a small pam phlet, addressed to Mr. Denison. The perusal of this little work will greatly facilitate the labour of others who may be disposed to similar arts of 1 , 110411(illopy, but may not be so able to go through the di tails of the 1,1 siness attendant upon such institutions. The details are numerous, but the plat' is very simple and practicality. liOIIIIIBLE EXPLOSION OF 1 STEAM PACKET. Friday mornin g, about 20 passengers had taken their places on board the c!•'am packet I,'olll Norwich to Yarmouth : just as they were pushing from the moorings, the whole blew op; ti , dit were killed, seven al no every limb broken ; the whole were thrown in different direction•, and to a considerable distance.—Of the se% en taken to the Hospital, there is uut the least chance of two living. (Timm THE NORWICH PAPER,) One of those unfortunate accidents vs high attend even the best arranged establishments, that carry with them a err taiii though remote danger, occurred here yesterday 1110111- ing, and we state the extensive cal entity With nitic4 acute pain. The horrible spectacle of eight mangled carcases is yet before our eyes. These are Ilse miserable victims of' the bursting of the steam boiler in the packet which sails front the Fonsidery-bridge. Just after the boat had started, it hail not gone twenty yards. when the tremendous explosion took place. The vessel was resit to atones, so that little remains entire, from the stern to the cm:isle-room, except the' keel and the flooring. Twenty-two passengers appear to have been on board. The bodies of eight are found—five into and three women; one child yet missing, and six have been sent to the Hospital in a wounded state: six escaped unhurt. Of these last. one Man was standing user the boiler when the explosion happened. It is said Major Mason was another. whose clothes were t :rib by the shock, but who was otherwise uninjured. The third was an infant, two mouths old, and the little innocent was discovered at the Iridium of the vessel in a protbusid sleep, after the removal of the dreadful list eck. " At this moment the Coroner's Inquest is sitting, and we have only time to subjoin the names of the dead : " James Squires. of Oorlemon ; Miircon, a linen ili ape'. Butler, of Pocktliorpe; Win. Nicholson, the Ateresnutti Of the boat ; Mrs. Smith, who lived n. at . the Nor fitl► and Norwich Hospital ; Eliza Stevens, of Variootith ; man unknown, in a sailor's dies., front Lynn, apparently be tween 50 and 60. Both his leg, arr torn off ; a voting woman, mime unknown, who ',toted that ,he had been to Hingham foe relief. 'lke infant as her child." A DeAPEn %Tr: FooTPAD.—A most dating attempt was music lately by a footpad, to rob Iwo gentleman iii tient, and which was attended with some eNtramtlinary riretim,st 'awes. .Ir. Brown, a sin gemi, in company with his hrotherindaw, quitted the coach which had conveyed them from town in the unoighboonrhood of Lewisham, in older to proceed by a foot palh across the fields, the neatest way to that will tee, where one or both of the gentlemen re.ided. The matt they had to pass lay close to Cite liver s:de, ..ii the hanks of a hirli were growing some Loge bushes: from behind title tot them .1 ruffian suddenly sprung, who, without uttering a word, snapped pistol at It. Brown, which fortunately missed the. At the balm, moment Mi. H. seized the villain, and in the vitollesit struggle that ensiled they both feil into the water together: Mr. Mown endeavoured to keep his kohl of the robber, and lie as resolutely fought for his liberty. Mr. Brute Ws brother was prompt in OM; ding assistanre to his relation, and having 'tastily snatched the first weapon he could tind, he began to lay at lustily about the stirs of the •irtain; when the lath r de liberately Mosel ved, " If y ,, u do not lea, e me alone, I shall drown your friend, for I line to zod him snug enough under the water." With this the villain meth. another etibrt, diet. gaged I self from Mr. Brown, and scrambled down the raver to sonic distance before he velum eit to gain the land. Just as he reached the bunk, and :%lr. Brunt's friend in pursuit, a countryman came in sight, having no his head a basket of eggs. 'Clic brother called to him to stop thief, but in attempt ing to obey him, the villain upset hint, eggs and all, into the river, and got clear 011. Mt. Itrown, by this time, had been assisted em shore iis a nianelrd and exhausted state. The villain was a stout fellow, and, during the contest in and out of the water, he had beaten the fate of Mr. Brown most vio lently, and brOks o :4 0.. 0, „I, • ht.,. N t %;t. v tit •. ‘•, ••• , re, he to le t.)