Register of Events. PARLIAMENT was prorogued by his Majesty in person, on Thursday, August 29, when a speech of considerable length was delivered from the throne; in which his Majesty stated, that he continued to receive assurances of friendly dispositions from his Allies and Foreign Powers; that a definitive arragement between Belgium and Holland was not yet concluded; that he had accredited a Minister to the Court of her most faithful Majesty, Donna Maria, which thus recognizes her as Queen of Portugal; that the hostilities which had disturbed the peace of Turkey were terminated, and that his Majesty's attention would be carefully directed to any event which might affect the independance of that empire. His Majesty then adverted to the Bank Charter; the East India Company's affairs, especially the opening of the China trade; the Slave question; the amendment of the Criminal Law; the establishment of the Court of Privy Council, and the measures adopted with respect to Ireland. The Marquis of Wellesley has been appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. His Lordship was Lord Lieutenant on a former occasion, and we believe his Marchioness was the first Lord Lieutenant's Lady who ever attended a Roman Catholic Chapel in Dublin, with the Insignia of Royalty. We cannot but fear that this appointment will be accompanied with results favourable to the Popish, and most injurious to the Protestant cause. At the same time it may not be improper to add, that one measure of the Marquis's former Administration in Ireland, namely, the introduction of Public Sessions under Assistant Barristers, had a very beneficial effect throughout Ireland. We are happy to hear that the Abolition of Slavery Bill has been received with great satisfaction in the West Indies. The prospect of dividing amongst them TWENTY MILLIONS STERLING, appears to have reconciled almost all the Colonists to the projected measures; though each Colony is of course exerting its utmost efforts to obtain as large a portion as possible of the proposed grant. The following extract from the Antigua Herald of July 20, deserves attention. Never in our short editorial career has it been our lot to feel or communicate anything so truly gratifying-anything that we are sure will be responded to with such heartfelt satisfaction by all classes in this community, free and slave, white and black-as the communication of Mr. Stanley, the Secretary for the Colonies. It must be remembered that the measures already adopted are only preparatory; but none can doubt that in due time, and that as short as the necessary forms of Parliament will permit, all that is requisite will be embodied in a law, or laws, to effectuate the noble ends which every right-thinking man will do his utmost to bring to a prosperous issue. Those ends are a simultaneous partial compensation of the master, and the abolition of slavery, £20,000,000. sterling will be granted for the former purpose, and such regulations adopted to render the latter safe as may prevent the possibility of all avoidable suffering. One only point gives a shadow of dissatisfaction-that is the apprenticeships. We have conversed pretty generally on the subject, and can say, without hesitation, that masters, in this island at least, think that the freedom had better be early, simple, and unrestricted, and feel convinced that every thing will soon find its own level. Abolitionists and West Indians in England express themselves similarly, and we have no doubt that, when matters are perfected, this part will be left to be modified in the manner each island may think best. Mr. Stanley has proudly redeemed his claim to be considered an honest and able Statesman; for among all the good that is promised, our constitutional privileges are not only uninjured, but confirmed. We forbear from further remark for the present, and shall defer until our next number any analysis of the other information brought by the packet, closing our present article with a fervent intreaty to all parties to do every thing in their power to tranquillize the excitement, and gratify the curiosity, which, doubtless, will exist, by mild and simple explanations; merely adding, that the measures of Govern ment meet with the hearty concurrence of the West India body. It appears by the Jamaica Courant of the 20th, that this plan had given great satisfaction to the inhabitants, and was expected soon to allay the irritation produced by the first announcement on the subject.' Considerable clamour has been in some parts excited, in consequence of clergymen having recently commenced legal proceedings for the recovery of Tithes, &c. the fact is, that by a late Act, the clergy are compelled either to commence such proceedings in a given time, or abandon existing rights both for themselves and their successors for ever. Hence, many a clergyman who would rather lose a considerable sum, than engage in litigation, feels himself bound in conscience towards others to commence proceedings. The clergy as a body, have always been rather blameably remiss in enforcing their legitimate claims; and those who now profit by their leniency, will find a very material difference, should Tithes come into the hands of a lay owner. Notices and Acknowledgments. Received E. D.-J. M.-ORIGINAL LETTER OF THE LATE REV. J. NEWTON. We think SOPHIA should not absolutely determine never more to make observations in the case described, if the party appear desirous of them. Is she not forming an opinion on rather slight grounds? If the party read the books mentioned in her letter, and preach according to the sentiments they contain, there is hope; if any glaring contradiction occur, it might be pointed out. There is no Canon which enjoins the preaching of written Sermons. Ministers are perfectly at liberty to adopt that mode of preaching which appears to themselves most conducive to edification. We quite agree with HIBERNICUS, that the statement given in the paper referred to, namely, that FOUR MILLIONS of Irish usually speak the vernacular tongues, is an amazing exaggeration.' Probably the number does not exceed ONE MILLION. The number of those who speak Irish exclusively, is said to be HALF A MILLION, and this number we conceive is rapidly diminishing. HIBERNICUS should however remember, that whether the number is one million, or only one quarter of a million, it is only by preaching the gospel to them in Irish, and teaching them to read the Holy Scriptures in Irish, that they can humanly speaking, be made wise unto salvation; and therefore while those are to be censured who publish exaggerated accounts of the numbers of those who exclusively speak the Irish tongue, they are to be commended who endeavour to communicate to our perishing fellow men, the words of eternal life in that language they best understand. We believe there are Two principal dialects of Irish, the Munster and the Connaught; and the Irish-speaking population of these two provinces do not very easily understand each other. The Irish version of the Scriptures by Archbishop Daniel and Bishop Bedell, and the Irish PrayerBook, do not we believe exactly correspond with the common dialect of either Province; and are not therefore so generally intelligible as might be desired. We should very much doubt, however, whether the individual mentioned in the paper forwarded by HIBERNICUS, is competent to revise these versions. We have reason to know that his own publications have not given any thing like general satisfaction. We agree with HIBERNICUS that some of the statements about the Irish language given at public meetings, are not only worn threadbare, but apply to a state of things which has long since ceased to exist. Yet, after all, HIBERNICUs must excuse our recommending him to employ his energies in support of one or more of the institutions which seek the good of the people of Ireland, rather than in censuring the speeches and conduct of those who, though they may sometimes err and mistake, yet are still zealous for the word of God, and anxious to promote its circulation amongst our benighted fellowsubjects in Ireland. CHRISTIAN GUARDIAN, AND Church of England Magazine. NOVEMBER 1833. MEMOIR OF GRANVILLE SHARP, ESQ. pro AT the present ara, when the British Parliament has at length signed the death warrant of West Indian Slavery, the mind naturally looks back to the time when the opposition to this oppressive system began, and to the first actors in a contest which, after the tracted struggle of half a century, is now about to obtain a triumphant victory. Among these benevolent individuals the late Granville Sharp, Esq. appears to have occupied the foremost place; and it may not therefore be unimportant to advert to the narrative of an individual, who commencing life under some disadvantages, and to ordinary observation, exhibiting few of those qualifications which hold forth the promise of extraordinary results, was yet, under the divine blessing, the means of communicating most essential services to his fellow men. Granville Sharp, the youngest son of the Rev. Thomas Sharp, Prebendary of Durham, Archdeacon of Northumberland, and Rector of Rothbury, in that county, was born at Durham, Nov. 10, 1735. The education of his two elder brothers having employed a large part of his father's fortune, the remainder was appropriated in equal portions, for the benefit of the younger children, and the sum allotted for Granville was set apart place him in trade. In his fifteenth year, therefore, he was withdrawn from school, and bound apprentice to a linen draper, on Great Tower Hill, London. His master, who was a quaker, dying in about three years, he remained under the same indentures with his father-in-law, who was a Presbyterian, and concluded his apprenticeship in the house of a Roman Catholic in Cheapside. The opportunity which Mr. Sharp thus enjoyed of conversing with persons of very different sentiments, and observing the effect which those sentiments had upon their conduct, assisted him very much in his subsequent extensive intercourse with persons of all denominations. At the same time we cannot by any means approve of his father's conduct, in thus placing his son in a situation, where for ought he could foresee, he would very probably be tempted to unite with persons of a different communion. In writing to Dr. Fothergill, some years after, Mr. Sharp observes— 6 Though my father was a dignified clergyman of the Church of England, and brought me up in the public profession of that church, yet he was so far from being prejudiced against any man for being of a different persuasion from himself, that he did not scruple to bind me as an apprentice to a quaker, at the distance |