Mr. Hughes Hughespresented a Petition from the Clergy and other Inhabitants of Southampton, praying the House to pass an Act to enable individuals to erect and endow Churches, and hold the perpetual presentation thereof, after they have been consecrated by the Bishop. The hon. Gentleman represented the facility which Dissenters enjoyed in this respect compared with the difficulties which stood in the way of the members of the Church of England, and supported the prayer of the petition.
Mr. Humealso supported the prayer of the petition. He regretted that some general measure of a similar nature had not been agreed to a year and a half ago, instead of wasting a million and a half of the public money. The public would have readily built whatever Churches were necessary, had it not been for the unreasonable demand of the clergy for purposes of patronage. It appeared to him to be an unaccountable folly in a country like this to throw any bars in the way of private persons erecting Churches.
Mr. Wilkssupported the prayer of the petition, and expressed the readiness of the Dissenters to concur with the clergy in obtaining for them the power asked.