The Bishop of Norwich, in presenting fourteen petition upwards of 2,000 persons, on the subject of Temperance, said that, as he had paid much attention to that subject, few persons, perhaps, were better able to give evidence on it than himself. On the first introduction of the system of Temperance Societies he was opposed to it, considering it an Utopian scheme altogether; but he was ultimately overborne by the strong evidences of its value and importance, which he found in every direction in which he moved, especially by the many instances of 2 improvement he had observed in the large manufacturing town in which he himself resided. He had witnessed there, not only individuals, but masses of persons, who before had been heedless, profligate, and irreligious, turning over a new leaf when they became members of Temperance Societies, and becoming valuable members of society; and those who had never frequented places of worship before, now regular in their attendance on divine worship; and houses which used to be scenes of depravity and revolting vice, changed into places of comfort and happiness. His evidence on this subject ought to have some weight, as he had commenced by opposing those societies, and had ended by being convinced of their utility. There was no individual who in his day was more entitled to thanks than one of whose name their Lordships had all heard in connexion with the temperance movement; and he was sure that every noble Lord connected with Ireland would be glad to bear testimony in favour of that individual—Father Mathew. It had been objected that that Gentleman 3 was a Roman Catholic; but, be he what he might, they were all aware that he became a member of the Temperance Association in consequence of receiving the pledge from a Protestant, and that, too, a Protestant clergyman. The prayer of the petitions he had to present was, that measures might be taken to promote temperance, especially on the Sabbath Day. By the census of 1841, it appeared that the proportion of beer-shops was one to thirty-two families, and most of those beer-shops were open on Sundays. The consequence was, that the increase of drunkenness on the Sabbath Day was quite remarkable, which was proved by the fact, that the number of drunken cases in York on Mondays was 33 per cent. on the average number of the whole cases of offences. He trusted the Government would not consider this subject beneath their notice. The right rev. Prelate then presented the fourteen petitions, from places in Norfolk, Carnarvonshire, Lincolnshire, Anglesea, Cardiganshire, etc.