Lords Sitting of 29 April 1811

PROTESTANT DISSENTING MINISTERS.
Viscount Sidmouth, in pursuance of the notice he had given previous to the recess, rose to acquaint, the House, that it was
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his intention on Thursday, the 9th of May, to submit certain propositions to the consideration of their lordships, respecting the acts of the 1st of William and Mary, cap. 18, and the 19th of the King, cap. 44. They would relate to some existing abuses; which he held as not only inconsistent with the due interpretation and meaning of those acts, but with the real and important objects of them. It would be premature at present to enter into any particular statements respecting the propositions he should then have the honour to submit, further than to state, that he proposed bringing in a Bill, of which he should then move the first reading. It would be a Bill to render more efficient the acts in question, as far as they related to Protestant Dissenting Ministers. All he had to ask on the present occasion was, that their lordships would suspend their opinions respecting the measure he might be supposed to have in contemplation, until he should have an opportunity of stating precisely and distinctly the nature and details of it. The noble viscount moved, That the lords be summoned for Thursday May 9th; which was ordered accordingly.