§ THE EARL OF DERBYpresented a Bill for amending the Oath of Abjuration. The noble Earl said, that his Amendment of the present Act was confined to striking out all the words which referred to the descendants of James II. He would not ask their Lordships to proceed further with the Bill until the result was known of the debate, which had been fixed for Monday next, on the abolition Bill brought up from the other House. If their Lordships should resolve to adopt the latter he would of course withdraw his Bill; if not, he would ask them to give it a second reading on an early day.
LORD CAMPBELLasked the noble Earl whether he intended to continue the words "upon the true faith of a Christian"?
§ THE EARL OF DERBYreplied, that his Bill was confined to the object he had stated—namely, the Amendment of the Oath of Abjuration by striking out the words referring to the Stuarts.
LORD CAMPBELLsuggested to the noble Earl that he might effect his object, which was a very laudable one, by moving an Amendment in Committee to the Bill which was about to come up from the other House.
§ THE EARL OF DERBYthanked the noble and learned Lord for his suggestion, but he did not think it would be either prudent or politic to adopt it.
§ Bill read 1a.