The Sun.
London, England, 1833-08-20 00:00:00

HOUSE OF LORDS, Avougr-lt.

The LORD CHANCELLOR did not take his seat on the
woolsack till nearly half past five o'clock.
Lord SUFFIELD presented a petition, most nume-
rously and respectably signed by the clergy, merchants,
bankers, and others, of King's County, praying that the
disabilities of the Quakers might be removed.
Viscount MELBOURNE presented a petition from
Christ Church, Surrey, for the repeal of the assessedt axes.
Lord WYNFORD presented a petition from the
Notaries Public of Newcastle-upon-Tyne against the
Notaries Bill.
Lord GOSFORD presented a petition from Maryle-
bone in favour of the Separatists' Affirmation Bill.
VINDICATION OF THE CHARGE AGAINST THE

BISHOP OF ROCHESTER.
The Bishop of ROCHESTER said that he wished to
address their Lordships, upon a subject personal to him-
self. He conceived when any charge was made in pub-
lic against any Member of that House, of corrupt prac-
tices, it was the duty of that individual to rebut the
accusation in the presence of their Lordships as publicly
as possible. He now held in his hands a statement
of the proceedings at a vestry meeting held at St. Ni-
cholas, in Brighton, where a person named English
stated that at Bayswater, or Broadwater, the Bishop of
Rochester had been applied to, to consecrate a piece of
ground for a church and that he stated he would not do it
under '7OO/ —(Cries of " Shame")—that at last he con-
sented to take 500/., and that he made that statement from
authority." He (the Bishop of Rochester) hoped that he
need not state that that statement was wholly without
foundation—(Hear)—that there was no place named either
Bayswater or Broadwater, in the diocese ; that the
Bishops received no fees whatever for consecrating church-
yards ; and that they received no fees on any occasion
whatever ; at least, for himself he could say, he received
none. He did not mean to make any motion on the sub
jest, but he thought it his duty, when a charge was made in
public, to deny it.
The Bishop of CHICHESTER rose, because one of
the parishes named was in his diocese—he meant Broad.
water. He had never had any duty to perform in that
parish except lately a confirmation ; and with respect to
any emolument, it was quite tl.e contrary. (here was a
contest about some pews, and so far from receiving any
thing, he offered to pay a sum, in order to put
an end to the dispute.—(Hear, hear.) He believed
what his Right Reverend Brother had stated was true.
When Bishops proceeded upon visitations, they received a
very small sum from the Clergy, but not sufficient to pay
the expenses of their journey. When they went upon
col &mations, or any other occasions, they did not receive
the slightest remuneration, but were at considerable ex•
pelage.

The Bishop of HEREFORD said he trusted it was
clearly proved to their Lordships that the Bishops re-
c,ived no fees.

The LORD CHANCELLOR said the Right Rev.
Prelate had totally cleared himself from the absurd
charge; but their Lordships must perceive that
there was a certain inconvenience in vindications
of that description made by Noble Lords, Mem-
bers of that House, of themselves in that place,
and with respect to matters not connected with their
Parliamentary duty.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") In
former days in both Houses of Parliament an attack
upon Members was made a breach of privilege,
although the attack was not levelled against any portion
of their Parliamentary conduct. There was no doubt that
an attack out of the Houses by a private indi-
vidual, was a course to be treated as a con-
tempt of the House, of which the parties
attacked was a Member. But of late years he thought
he was accurate in stating that that rule of principle
bad, in a certain degree, been relaxed.—(Hear.) He
did not mean to say that the law did not remain
as before ; but in practice of late years a breach of privilege
had been confined to attack upon the conduct of a Member
in Parliament. There was an obvious convenience in so
restricting it. He did not mean to say they should exclude
themselves from the power, but there was an obvious con-
venience in restraining themselves within these limits.
He wished to remind them that if Members were to ac-
custom themselves to vindicate themselves from an attack
unconnected with their Parliamentary duty, not only
would a great mass of business be thrown upon the House,
hut whoever did not choose to follow such a course, would
be taken to admit the truth of charges which had been
levelled against him. He would therefore press upon their
Lordships the convenience and propriety of the course
which had of late sears been taken, except in cases where
their Parliamentary duty had been attacked. He did not
mean, of course, to complain that the Right Rev. Prelate
had taken that opportunity, for it was natural to suppose
that he should have wished to have taken the earliest mode
of clearing himself. _ _

Lord WYNFORD said the Right Rev. Prelate had
acted as a Christian minister in the course he had pur-
sued, for he might have brought his action for the slander,
or he might have called the printer to the bar.