§ MR. WHALLEYthen rose to move that this House resolve itself into Committee of the Whole House, in order that the Chairman might be directed to move that leave be given to bring in a Bill for better enforcing the Law against illegal usages and ornaments in the Church of England, and especially in respect to the practice of Auricular Confession. He said that letters had reached him respecting several Protestant ladies who had been locked up in religious establishments, and he feared that the tendency in all these cases was that the girls lost their reason. As a sample of these institutions he would refer to the one presided over by Miss Sellon. He believed that many of these institutions 775 were possessed of considerable revenues, which they obtained from persons who were induced to become inmates, and he hoped the House would allow him to intro duce a Bill on the subject.
§ SIR GEORGE GREYsaid, that he could not consent to the introduction of a Bill of the provisions of which he was entirely ignorant. It might be desirable to amend the law with relation to clergy discipline, but this Bill appeared to be direct ed only against two particular practices, and as its introduction would lead to the renewal of discussions which were very much to be deprecated, he hoped that the House would not allow it to be brought in.
§ Resolved, That this House will immediately resolve itself into a Committee to consider of the means of enforcing the Law as to illegal usages and ornaments in the Church of England, and especially in respect of the practice of Auricular confession.—(Mr. Whalley.)
§ Motion made, and Question "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair," put, and negatived.