§ Viscount Melbourne,referring to the order of the day for the third reading of the Deanery of Exeter Appointment Bill, stated, that he had received an intimation that there would be a meeting of the Chapter on Friday next, and that there was an anxiety on the part of some of the Members of the Chapter that the bill should not be passed until after that meeting. He was desirous of complying with their wish, and he should therefore move that the third reading be deferred till Friday next.
The Bishop of Exeterwould take that opportunity to correct a misstatement made by the noble Viscount (Viscount Melbourne) on a former evening. The noble Viscount then said, that the Dean of Exeter had, since the year 1560, been regularly elected at the recommendation of the Crown. Now, the facts were these. In 1560 Queen Elizabeth addressed a letter to the Chapter of Exeter, recommending a Dean to them, and not doubting that they would comply with that recommendation by electing him. Considering the notions of that Queen on the subject of her prerogative, he must say that this did not appear a very strong mode of exercising it. Subsequently to the letter of Elizabeth, however, three deans in succession were appointed without the interference of the Crown. Charles 1st, also a Prince entertaining a great regard for his prerogative, subsequently sent down a letter recommendatory, but at the same time mandatory. After the Restoration, Charles 2nd. continued to pursue the same course, always recommending, however, persons qualified according to the Statute. At length it suited him to recommend a person who was not qualified according to the statute, and then was adopted the system of letters patent. It thus appeared, notwithstanding the statement of the noble Viscount, that this practice had no higher origin than the time of the Stuarts—a period generally considered the worst with regard to all precedents relating to extension of the prerogative.
§ Third reading postponed.