THE LORD CHANCELLORin moving the Second Reading said, the object of the measure was to remedy a doubt which had been raised with respect to an Act passed in the reign of William IV., rendering lawful educational charities for Roman Catholics, as to whether that Act was retrospective or not. Doubt still existing in spite of decisions, it had been thought desirable to introduce the present Bill, so as to put an end to all doubt on the subject. The Bill provided that it shall be lawful for the trustees of Catholic charities to enrol them within a year after the passing of the present Act, and should thereby have the same rights as if they had been registered from the beginning. It enacted also that in the case of what were called "Charities for Superstitious Uses," the Court of Chancery should decide how much was applicable to lawful and how much to unlawful purposes. There was also a clause which provided that where there was a doubt about the charity the usage of twenty-five years should be conclusive. Such being briefly the object of the Measure, he hoped their Lordships would offer no opposition to its being read a Second Time.
LORD RBDBSDALEwould not oppose the Second Reading of the Bill, but he was understood to express a hope that the Bill would not pass without some discussion in Committee.
§ Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next.
§ House adjourned at a quarter to Ten o'clock, to Thursday next, half past Ten o'clock.