The Sun.
London, England, 1840-05-23 00:00:00

INSANE PRISONERS' CUSTODY BILL.

The Marquis of NORMANBY moved that the House
should resolve itself into a Committee on this Bill.

The Duke of RICHMOND thought it would be
better to postpone going into Committee on the measure.
The Noble Duke objected to the Bill not giving sufficient
power to guardians, and proposed that the Noble Marquis
should introduce some change into the measure.
The Marquis of NORMANBY could have no objec-
tion to accede to the proposition of the Noble Lord.
After some immaterial alterations suggested, by various
Noble Lords, the Bill passed through Committee, and the
House resumed.
CHURCH EXTENSION.

The Bishop of LL AN DA FF rose to present the peti-
tion from Merthyr Tydvil, of which on a previous evening
he had given notice. It was signed by 1,750 persons, they
alleged their single church would contain but 1,200 persons.
There was a hamlet near containing 1,200 persons, which
had also but a single church, which would contain no more
than 800 persons. He had some time ago requested that
a place in that district, which had formerly been used for
this purpose might be re-consecrated, but met with a do
cided repulse. He knew many of the ironmasters and
others were some of them anxious to adopt those mea-
sures for providing for the spiritual welfare of those who
were in their employment, which their duty as Christians
rendered imperative ; but there were societies formed
among them who objected to their funds being appro-
priated for that purpose. 'There were conventicles there of
various kinds, of more or less purity of doctrine ; but for
one Christian establishment which was formed, there were
hundreds of an immoral character, which were chiefly ori-
ginated by that most baneful measure, the Beer Bill.
What they differed from in these Sectarians was nothing
compared to those points in which they agreed ; but great
discord arose from this disunion. There were some cir-
cumitances which entitled this country to consideration.
It had not only an immense population, but this was daily
increasing. In the course of ten years it was to be ex-
pected the increase would be much more rapid than
even the enormous increase which had taken place
during the same period which had just elapsed.
He thought that it followed as a corollary to the prin-
ciple that the Church was connected with the State, that
any money given by the State for the promotion of reli-
gion should flow in that channel. He regretted that so
many petitions had been presented against Church Ex-
tension. He believed that those petitions had been ob-
tained by clamour, and he trusted that an independent
legislature would act upon its own judgment, and would
not he swayed by popular clamour.—( Hear, hear.)
The petition was then read at length by the clerk at
the table.

The Marquis of BUTE thought he should fail in the
duty which he owed to the Right Rev. Prelate if he did
not thank him on the part of the people of Merthyr for the
very kind and affectionate manner in which he had pleaded
their cause. The population had of late years very much
increased, but the increase did not appear from the return
of 1831 to be as great as it really was. The census was
taken immediately after the riots, and three or four thou-
sand persons were consequently absent from their homes
at the time.