Mr. O'Connellsaid, that he had given notice of a Motion for the abolition of Tithes in Ireland. Since he had given that notice, a plan of Church Reform for Ireland had been suggested by his Majesty's Ministers. That plan did not include any relief to the people of Ireland with respect to tithes at the present period; nor, in what bad been announced to the House, had it yet been explained what was to be done with regard to tithes, or how the surplus revenue arising from the Ecclesiastical Reforms was intended to be appropriated; but as the plan of his Majesty's Ministers had only been explained in part, 974 as the whole details were not before the House, he thought it would be better for him, under the circumstances, not to interfere with a measure of so great importance, which was brought forward by his Majesty's Ministers, and had the sanction, he believed, of a great majority of the House. He would not, therefore, bring the subject under discussion until the whole details of the plan of his Majesty's Ministers should be before the House, and would put off his Motion on the subject till the 9th May. He had also given notice of a second motion respecting the Vestry Cess. He had been fortified in his opinion respecting that impost by the arrangements which were proposed by Ministers in the bill which had been brought in by his Majesty's Ministers. Part of their plan went to accomplish those very objects which he had in view. Still he should wish to obtain leave to bring in a bill, because the subject was entirely distinct from the other matters included in the provisions of his Majesty's Ministers. There were several statutes which were applicable to Ireland and not to England, which it was desirable to have repealed. He wished to leave the matter unembarrassed by other measures. He wanted no portion of the merit of the great change which was about to be effected in the Irish Church, and it was not with any view of that kind that he gave the notice in question. If it were intended to oppose that Motion, therefore, he would not press it to a division.
§ Lord Althorpsaid, he thought it still more desirable to postpone the Motion which the hon. and learned member for Dublin had now brought forward. It was quite clear, that the statutes which applied exclusively to Ireland, and to which he had referred, might be repealed by the Bill. He, therefore, thought it most desirable that the whole enactment should be included in one Bill. When the hon. and learned Member saw the Bill he would be able to judge whether any other measure were necessary.
§ Motion withdrawn.