§ MR. BUTLERsaid, he rose to ask the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer the question of which he had given notice in consequence of the practices alleged to have taken place at the Confessional in the district of St. Barnabas, Pimlico, and the statements that similar practices are adopted by other ministers of the Established Church in that neighbourhood. In asking these questions, he (Mr. Butler) desired to say that he had always been of opinion that matters affecting religious feelings and prejudices were better avoided in that House; at all events, if it were necessary to mention such subjects, it would only be under a strong sense of public duty. He felt that with reference to this important question he had a duty to perform to those who had sent him to that House. The borough of the Tower Hamlets contained a population of over half a million of souls, and it was scarcely necessary for him to say that his constituents were deeply interested in the matter; on their behalf he desired to know if the time had not arrived when the serious question whether they were to have Auricular Confession in the Established Church of England should be decided? He (Mr. Butler) had only this morning been informed that the decision of the Bishop of London in the case of the Rev. Mr. Poole would be appealed against, and that the matter for which that rev. gentleman had been censured would be brought under the cognizance of the Primate of England. God forbid, therefore, that he should prejudge the case, or utter one word in that House to the prejudice of the rev. gentleman. He had the utmost confidence that justice would be done. But other cases had occurred, and the subject was one of the greatest importance, not only to the inhabitants of St. Barnabas, Pimlico, but to the whole community, from the Queen on the Throne of these realms but to the 27 meanest of her subjects. Without trespassing further upon the attention of the House, he would respectfully ask the right hon. Gentleman the head of the Government in that House, the questions which he had put on the paper in order that the people might receive the assurance of Her Majesty's Government, that such practices would not be allowed to be continued. Those questions were, whether it was the intention of the Government to take any steps in consequence of the practices alleged to have taken place at the Confessional in the district of St. Barnabas, Pimlico, and the statements that similar practices are being continued by other members of our Church in that neighbourhood, and whether the Government is in communication with the proper ecclesiastical authority, in order to the punishment of all who may have taken part in such practices.
§ MR. WALPOLEsaid, that as his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer would have other questions to answer, and could address the House only once upon that occasion, the hon. Gentleman would, perhaps, allow him (Mr. Walpole) to offer the explanation which the Government had to make upon that subject. He had no hesitation whatever on behalf of the Government, in distinctly stating that if such practices as those complained of had taken place as alleged, the sooner they were put an end to the better; but if, on the other hand, doubts existed that those practices had taken place as alleged—and denials had been made as to the truth of the charges—it would be better to leave the matter for the present in the hands of those under whose judicial cognizance it would come, and as the subject would come under judicial cognizance, the less they discussed it in that House the better. He believed that all discussions at present would be premature, and therefore they ought not to be sanctioned by the House.