§ .—Mr. Kinnaird, pursuant to his notice of yesterday, moved that there be laid before the house an account 828 of the Ministers' Stipend of the Kirk of Scotland, specifying the stipend of each Parish, with the augmentations lately made to them. and the state of the Tiends in each; also an account of the population of each Parish, arranged alphabetically, with other accounts of a similar nature.
§ The Secretary at Warwished the hon. gent. had stated some ground for this motion, because, though if upon grounds he did not mean to oppose it, yet appeared to him to require very good grounds indeed to justify the expence and trouble that the production of such accounts must inevitably create. He did not think that, even on parliamentary grounds, a paper was to be given on the mere motion for it, without adducing any satisfactory reason. Such a proceeding besides, he was certain, would create a very extraordinary sensation in that part of the country.
§ Mr. Kinnairdstated, as the object if his motion, certain regulations respecting the Tiends and Stipends applicable to the support of the clergy of Scotland, which were at present on a confused system, and not in a fair state of proportion. Had he expected any opposition to the motion, he should not have brought it forward on so short a notice; but he did not at all see how the trouble or expence attending the making out of those accounts could be so great as the right hon. gent. wished to represent. That part of the motion that related to the population, it was true, might be attended with some difficulty, and therefore he had no great objections to withdraw that part of his motion. The accounts might be made out during the recess of parliament, and be ready to be presented to the house by the beginning of next session.
§ Mr. R. Dundas thought it would be impracticable for the clergymen to make such returns as those moved for, without a great deal of time and trouble. The discussion of such a subject would give rise to no small degree of alarm in that part of the country, and therefore the hon. gent. should be aware of the grounds of his motion before introducing so delicate a topic. He advised the hon. gent. to take the summer months to consider of it, and to converse on it with people who were well acquainted with the subject.—Mr. Kinnaird, after some observations, withdrew his motion.