THE BISHOP OF LONDON,in presenting Petitions from Christchurch, Paddington, and elsewhere against the Abolition of Church rates, said, that while all the petitioners were opposed to the unconditional abolition of church rates, yet, all the petitions implied that the law on the subject ought, as soon as possible, to be changed. He was authorized by the most rev. Prelate who presided over that province to say, that he would hail —as he himself certainly would—with pleasure the speedy settlement of the question upon the basis of the Report 105 of the Select Committee of their Lordships' House which sat last year. He believed he spoke the sentiments of all his right rev. Brethren when he said that they would deplore any settlement which would leave anything rankling in the minds of their Dissenting brethren; but they held that the Report of the Select Committee offered the grounds of an amicable adjustment. They were of opinion that it was impossible to satisfy certain persons who were bent on the dissolution of the connection between Church and State, but they were convinced that these persons formed a very small minority in the country, and undoubtedly a very small proportion of that majority in the House of Commons which had hitherto passed the Bill for the total abolition of church rates. They believed that many Churchmen were so much dissatisfied with the present law that they would be glad to vote for the total abolition of the rates rather than leave things as they were; but he was sure that any proposal for the speedy, final, and amicable settlement of the question would receive the support of the large majority of the right reverend Bench,
§ THE DUKE OF MARLBOROUGHsaid, that a Bill for the amendment of the law related to church rates having been introduced into the other House, Which he hoped their Lordships would have an opportunity of considering, he would withdraw his own measure on the subject.