§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ MR. E. STANHOPE,in moving that the Bill be now read a second time, said, he proposed to adopt the course lately recommended by the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer—namely, to go into Committee on the Bill pro formâ, and to cut it into two parts. He might add that he had communicated with the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr. Leatham), who was ready to renew the discussion on the measure upon the Motion for going into Committee. He proposed to withdraw the 17th clause altogether, and he also intended to bring up a new clause as a safeguard against any evasion of the 846 provision in the Bill for the abolition of the sale of next presentations. He hoped the House would consent to the second reading of the measure. The Bill, if road a second time, would be re-printed, and considerable time would elapse before the House would be asked to discuss its principles in Committee.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now road a second time."—(Mr. E. Stanhope.)
§ MR. ILLINGWORTHopposed the Motion. There had been no adequate discussion on the Bill, and at that hour (20 minutes to 6) it could not possibly be discussed. Besides, he did not see why the Bill should not be withdrawn and another one introduced in the ordinary manner. The Church was a branch of the Public Service of the country as well as the Army and Navy; and when abolition of purchase was resolved on in the Army it was undertaken by the Government, and the Clerical Service of the State was equally deserving the care and protection of the Government as the Army and Navy. Therefore, he, for one, should regard the Government as failing in its duty in the most manifest manner if it were to leave this question in the hands of a private Member. The great objection to the Bill was that it merely touched the fringe of the question.
§ And it being a quarter of an hour before Six of the clock, the Debate stood adjourned till To-morrow.