CHURCH-RATES. (Hansard, 17 August 1836)

§ Lord J. Russell

said, that he would take 1272 the present opportunity to correct a misunderstanding respecting some words which fell from him on the subject of Church-rates. A discussion had taken place on the subject in the course of the present Session, and an hon. Member had stated that his vote would depend on the answer which he (Lord J. Russell) might give to questions put to him on the subject. He thought that it would be very unfair to induce the hon. Member to give a vote on his (Lord J. Russell's) side, when it might appear afterwards that the remedy which he had to propose was not such as the hon. Member anticipated. But this statement had been supposed to imply a determination on his part that the measure to be brought in next Session should be framed in a manner unsatisfactory to that hon. Gentleman, to his hon. Friend who presented this petition, and to most of those who entertained similar opinions. He begged to state that this was not at all the meaning which he intended to convey. He had thought it unfair to ask any hon. Member for a vote, when the measure which he proposed might not come up to that hon. Member's expectations; but it had been, and was, his hope, that the measure which he had to propose would be satisfactory to his hon. Friend, and to the great mass of those who coincided with him in opinion.