HC Deb 04 March 1835 vol 26 cc528-30
Colonel Conolly

rose to present three Petitions from Parishes in the County of Donegal, connected with the Synod of Ulster, praying that an equal amount of the Royal bounty, or Regium Donum, should be paid to each minister of the Synod, by endowing them with a stipend of 100l. a-year each. He admitted that, as his proposition went to equalize the stipends of the ministers by increasing the lower class up to the rate of the higher, it would occasion an additional expense of 7,000l. a-year; but coming as it did from a very peaceable, orderly, and loyal class of his Majesty's subjects, he did hope that it would receive the attention of Government. The hon. and gallant Member was proceeding with his remarks, when he was interrupted by

The Speaker,

who inquired if the hon. Gentleman had obtained his Majesty's Assent to the prayer of these petitions. If he had not, there was an informality which would prevent the reception of the petitions, as they prayed for a grant of money. He would take that opportunity of stating to the House, that a petition which contained the same prayer, and which had not received the Royal Assent, presented on a former evening, had been the object and extent of the prayer not having been fully explained to or understood by the House.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer

was not at all surprised that the petition presented on a former evening had escaped the vigilance of the Speaker; for, as the Speaker could not see the petition until after it was presented, he must of course depend for all his knowledge of its contents upon the hon. Member's word who presented it. This petition prayed for an equalization of stipends, which certainly might be effected by reducing the higher stipends to the same level with the lower; but that he believed was not the object of the petitioners. Indeed, the hon. and gallant Member had frankly admitted that he intended to effect the equalization, not by reducing the higher, but by raising the lower stipends. He was intrusted with a certain power on the part of the Crown, by which he could give or withhold its assent to the presentation of petitions of this nature, which involved an increase of the public burthens. He thought that the House would agree with him that, if he gave his assent to the presentation of such a petition, that assent ought to imply an acquiescence in the prayer of it, and ought to be followed by a recommendation to the House to grant it. He was bound to say, that though he could bear willing testimony to the respectability of the petitioners, to their high character, to the important services which their ministers rendered to their respective congregations, and to the country at large, yet, when there was made to him on a sudden, without any opportunity of deliberation, a proposition on their behalf, which involved a perpetual increase of an annual grant, he could not venture to say at once that he would accede to it. Those who recommended the lasting increase of an annual estimate of this nature, were bound to lay before the House the extent of the congregations to which those ministers belonged, and other facts, which must occur to the mind of every Member who then heard him. He had not had an opportunity of inquiring into any of these circumstances; and he knew, besides, that this application, if it were acceded to, would be followed by similar applications from other bodies, who now received a portion of the Regium Donum. For instance, there were seceders from the Synod of Ulster, whose ministers were paid out of that fund. This subject had not been brought under his notice until after the meeting of Parliament. He had not, therefore, had time to give it due deliberation; and as it was full of extensive details, he hoped he should meet the support of the House when he said that he felt it his duty to withhold his assent from the petition.

Colonel Conolly,

under such circumstances, had no other course but to withdraw the petition.

Petition withdrawn.