§ Order for Third Reading read.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read the Third Time."
952§ MR. HAGGITT moved that it be read a third time that day three months. He considered it impossible that the Bill could pass through Parliament this Session; and, at any rate, he objected to its being disposed of now, when there was scarcely a University Member in town, and when so many other Members had left. The Bill did not apply to any practical question, as there was no real grievance to be remedied. He was convinced that no clergyman becoming a bonâ fide Dissenter, or joining the Church of Rome, would ever be molested by any bishop. He objected to the Bill, because it would reduce the functions of the bishop from a judicial to a mere ministerial capacity; and also, because it would lead to the abolition of the extreme censure of the Church, namely, excommunication, which, though rarely used, was still in existence. Parliament in former days never thought of legislating on ecclesiastical subjects, having contented itself with sanctioning that which the Church had previously agreed to, and he thought that the reasons that then existed for abstaining from such legislation were in equal force now.
§ Amendment proposed, to leave out the word "now," and at the end of the Question to add the words "upon this day three months."
§ MR. BOUVERIEsaid, the Bill had been carefully considered by a Select Committee, two of the Members of which represented the Universities of Oxford and Dublin, and all the recommendations of that Committee had been carefully attended to. As to the time of the Session, he found seven or eight Bills on the Paper not so far advanced as this one was, and therefore he looked upon that as no valid objection to the third reading. The hon. Gentleman said there was no practical grievance to remedy; whereas the Bill was brought in on the occurrence of an actual practical grievance. The mode taken by the Bill to remedy the evil complained of, was less open to objection than any other that could be devised, and he hoped the House would now consent to the third reading.
§ DR. NICHOLLurged his hon. Friend to withdraw this Bill, as there was no chance of its being passed at that late period of the Session.
MR. HAGGFITobserved, as the general feeling of his Friends around him appeared to be against a division, he would 953 withdraw his Amendment. His great object was to protest against this Bill.
§ Question, "That the word 'now' stand part of the Question," put, and agreed to.
§ Main Question put, and agreed to.
§ Bill read 3°, and passed.