The Bishop of Bristolpresented a petition from the clergy of his diocess against the proposed plan for reforming the Church of 1293 Ireland. That plan was subversive of the rights of property and of the rights of the Church, and equally destructive to the best interests of Government and to the soundest principles of religion.
§ The Earl of Eldon,wondered how any man could doubt that the Bill for accomplishing the spoliation of the Irish Church, which had been introduced elsewhere, was a tax-bill. No man who had read the Bill half through could have a doubt upon the point. With regard to the measure itself, he hoped that the last act of his life might be passed in opposing it to the utmost of his power. It was adverse to every established principle of Government. He had never seen any Bill so full of spoliation as this was. As his life had been spent in the defence of the Church of England, he should be guilty of a base dereliction of all his former principles if he did not at once avow that he would rather perish in the House than give his assent to so abominable and infamous a measure.