§ MR. LABOUCHEREasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he has observed that the following gravamen was adopted in the Lower House of Convocation on Thursday last, as an articulus cleri:—
That it is understood that a relaxation of the rules governing the admission of Representatives in the Lower House of Parliament is proposed, and that for certain reasons this House has the deepest interest in deprecating any such relaxation at the present time;whether he has further observed that, during the discussion upon the said gravamen, Archdeacon Palmer asked if the Lower House of Convocation would not be acting impertinently to deal with anything connected with the action of the Houses of Parliament, and if it was not coming near a violation of privileges; whether the Lower House of Convocation did not only come near a violation of privileges, but was actually guilty of a violation of privileges in dealing with anything connected with the action of this House of Parliament; and, if so, whether he intends to take any steps 1071 to convey to the clerical dignitaries and deacons forming the Lower House of Convocation the serious danger to that House of such conduct; and, whether he will relieve the anxieties of Members of this House and of electors of the United Kingdom by explaining what are the effects (if any), spiritual or temporal, of the adoption of the gravamen already referred to as an articulus cleri by the Lower House of Convocation?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTSir, my hon. Friend asks me whether I will relieve the anxiety of the Members of this House by explaining what is likely to be the effect, spiritual or temporal, of a gravamen adopted in the Lower House of Convocation on Thursday last as an articulus cleri. My hon. Friend has, I am afraid, been a little more alarmed than he need be by these ecclesiastical terms, due probably to the fact that he has not a very intimate acquaintance with Convocation or the individuals who compose it, for I observe in the last paragraph but one he requests me to convey to the "clerical dignitaries and deacons"—[Mr. LABOUCIIIRE: That is a mistake. "Deacons" should be "divines."]—I can assure the hon. Gentleman, however, that he need have no anxiety in the matter, and that the gravamen is not likely to prejudice him or any other Member of the House. I observe that the Lower House of Convocation express an opinion somewhat adverse to the admission of clergymen into the House of Commons, mid as that opinion agrees with that which has been pronounced by the House itself, I do not think we can complain of Convocation confirming our decision. Under these circumstances, having relieved my hon. Friend's anxieties, I hope that he will not expect that I should proceed any further in this matter.