§ Their Lordships went into a Committee on the Church Temporalities Bill.
Lord Ellenboroughobserved, that as the deaneries, together with their emoluments, were in a great measure removed, it would be a very proper act to enable his Majesty, by a clause in the Act, to bestow on pious and exemplary clergymen, as a reward for their good conduct, the honorary title without emolument. The noble Lord proved a clause to that effect, which was agreed to.
When the clause was read respecting the election of clergymen to fill livings appropriated to the University of Dublin,
The Earl of Wicklowobserved, that when this Bill was first brought before their Lordships, the noble Dube (the Duke of Wellington) below him had proposed that a certain number of livings should be appropriated to the use of the University of Dublin. That proposition was acceded to, and the noble Earl, then at the head of the Government, undertook to frame a clause to meet the wishes of the noble Duke. That clause gave the nomination to the Primate of Ireland and the Archbishop of Dublin alternately. Now, he (the Earl of Wicklow) proposed, that the 1229 nomination should be conjoint on the part of those dignitaries, and not alternate. He thought that the selection would be much more judicious and proper if made by the two prelates together, than if they acted alternately. If they made appointments conjointly, it appeared to him that these most reverend prelates would have but one object in view—namely, that of selecting the most eligible persons in the college. When he proposed this, he was happy to find that the Archbishop of Dublin, who then sat in that House, coincided with him in opinion, and supported his view of the case. The noble Earl also at once acceded to his view, and it was agreed that the Primate and the Archbishop of Dublin should nominate conjointly. Some error, or oversight, in drawing up the Bill, had, however, created confusion on this point; for in the Bill it was stated, "that the first nomination should be by the Primate, the Archbishop of Armagh." This left a doubt as to the course and mode of presentation. Now, he wished the words which he had quoted to be omitted, and that the clause should be reinstated in its original form, giving to the Primate and the Archbishop of Dublin the conjoint right of nomination. He should, therefore, move to expunge the words "that the first nomination shall be by the Archbishop of Armagh."
The Bishop of Londonapproved of the alternate nomination, and he had at the time objected to the proposition, which was agreed to by the First Lord of the Treasury. It was most difficult to decide on a question of patronage, where two parties had the gift. He was decidedly of opinion that the better way would be for the two Archbishops to nominate alternately.
The Earl of Carberysaid, if there were a conjoint nomination, and the parties disagreed, it would be proper to refer the matter to the provost as arbiter.
The Bishop of Londonobserved, that a collision might take place between the two most reverend Prelates as to the nomination, if they were called on to act conjointly, and he would put it to their Lordships whether it was not better to avoid such a collision. Either, as had been proposed by the noble Earl, the provost ought finally to decide, or the most reverend prelates should nominate alternately.
§ The Amendment was agreed to. The Bill went through the Committee.
§ The House resumed.