The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-20 00:00:00

FACTORIES BILL.

The Earl of CLARENDON present©d a petition from
Halifax against the Factories Bill.

REPORTS.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE laid the second
report from the Relief Commissioners in Ireland, the
report of the Commissioners on Lunatic Asylums (Ire-
land) for 1846, and other reports, on their Lordships
table.

The NOBLE MARQUIS also moved, that the House, at
its rising, do adjourn till Friday week.
CLERGY OFFENCES BILL.

Lord CAMPBELL moved the second reading of the
Clergy Offences Bill.
The Bishop of LONDON, who was but indistinctly
heard in the gallery, said that alteration in the existing
law was allowed on all hands to be absolutely necessary.
He himself submitted a Bill last session, to persons who
were well acquainted with the state of the law eccle-
siastical and common which was intended to effect some
of these alterations. The Bill of this year referred
those cases of offences in the doctrines and opinions of
the clergy to the usual the ancient court where
those sat on the bench who were acquainted with the eccle-
siastical and the common law. It proposed likewise an
alteration in the trial of a clergyman before the bishop.
Hitherto that had been conducted without the intervention
of a jury. Now, bowevet, there was a eonstitutod and
organised body in the Church, the canons, and canons
residentary, including the archdeacons; and in case there
should be no canons residentiary, the rural deans, who
should be a jury, with power to the accused
of challenging two of the jury, and likewise the next
two that should be appointed in room of these by the
Bishop. The Bill, likewise, provided against the
suspension of accusations over a clergyman's head
for a length of time,—it provided that no
person should have power to prefer a charge against
a clergyman after fire years subsequent to the
alleged occurrence, except the bishop. He had
stated to their Lordships his views with regard
to this Bill. It um not so arbitrary as the measure
under which the clergy now laid, for, under the old law,
they might be brought to the bar of the court without any
assistance from either their brethren or counsel. They
might be now brought before the Court assisted by their
brethern who would naturally be inclined to protect them,
and by experienced lawyers. He would attend as far as
was consistent with the main principle of the Bill to any
suggestion for its alteration. There was nothing in the
Bill contrary to the spirit or constitution of the Church
or clergy, or to the principles of justice, either civil or
ecclesiastical. He only desired to give to the clergy
that protection which the law as it now stood did not
give.
_ .

- Lord BROUGHAM (who was nearly inaudible) was
not prepared to deny that some such measure as the
one proposed by the Right Rev. Prelate was necessary.
Cases of the most scandalous description had come
before him in the Court of Queen's Bench which
would have come completely under the operation of this
law. He was, however, far from saying that the whole of
this measure ought to be carried into effect,and he wished
shortly to state two objectionable points to which he wished
to direct the attention of their Lordships. The deputies
might be chosen by the Crown, and indeed there was
nothing to limit the choice of them ; but, in the first
place, such a court was not a regular, constant,
or permanent Court, and it could only meet as a
distinct court every time any offence was committed.
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