The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-09 00:00:00

lIIPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORDS—LAST EVENING.
TliO LOUD CIIANCELLOU; took-113 Beat on woolsack at
fivo o'clock.

PETITION.

Tho Marquis of CLANRICARDE presented a petition
relating to a gentleman who bad been seized in a British
vessel by the Spanish authorities, which vessel had been
legally sent from a British port. This captive had been
confined for nearly a twelvemonth. He instanced
the case of the Abyssinian captives, and urged
upon the House that Spain had DO more right
to retain this gentleman and other persons in cap-
tivity than that semi, or rather total barbarian, the
Emperor Theodore, had.
THE CHURCH RATES ABOLITION BILL.
The Lord DE MAULEY moved the second reading
of the Church Rates Abolition Bill. Ho stated that ho
regretted a more able speaker was not to propose the
second reading of a bill on a subject of such vital
importance to the public. In this matter he was
influenced by no acrimony, no party spirit, no
wish to be obstructive, but he was desirous,
and had giventhis subject the preference, that there should
be a settlement of this church rate question, especially as
the new Reform Bill, when it came into operation,
would introduce a class of persons to whom
church rates would bo most- obnoxious. He thought
that it was possible that a compromise might be
entered into between the opposing parties, but in the
meantime he believed that this bill would strengthen
the authority of the Church, and do away with much
of . the hostility and animosity which now ex-
isted against Churchmen. It. was most desirable that
some settlement and conclusion on this subject should be
come to as soon as possible.
Lord DELAMERE moved that this bill be read a second
time that day three months. He said that it would be
found that where there was a majority in a parish
in favour of church rates the rate was passed, but when
there was a minority it was not. .Now, by this bill they
were proposing to sweep away the only law which pro-
tected the church with regard to church rates,
and they were told that because the church
had done so much they must now do away with the very
inadequate law which belonged to it and protected it.
He then animadverted upon the liberties at present en-
joyed by the Dissenters, and although he did not deny
that the Church of England was open to every
one, yet if they liked to take advantage of it they ought
not oltject to pay for it. If Quakers were to pay for ships
of war and other warlike implements, why should not Dis-
senters pay towards the Established Church? If total abo-
lition ptsses through both houses, it would be impassible
to maintain the proseut system in Scatload. Personally
he would give the greatest amount of conscientious
liberty to every denomination of religiouists ; but he coul d
not do otherwise than protest against a' DVMSUrO which
was calculated to depreciate thb position oftitnirchmen,and
quoted the words of Mr. Gladstone as to the inadvisability
of carrying out what the bill proposed. Ho finally urged
upon them the amendment which he had just proposed.
Lord ST. LEONARDS objected to the bill on the
ground that it was preposterous to take away th© legal
right which the Church had to levy a church-rate. When
afterwards it was collected it would only bo a gift or a
dole which was given in exchange for the abolishing of a
legal right.
Lord RUSSELL was understood to support the bill,
but beyond a few disjointed words and fragments of sen-
tences his lordship's remarks from first to last were almost
wholly inaudible.
After a few words from Lord HARROWBY, to the
effect that it would be better not to raise the rate com-
pulsorily,
rho Archbishop of CANTERBURY said the Church
was not averse from a compromise on this subject, and
why it had not been carried out before was simply because
the terms offered to the Church were such as she could not
possibly accept. Ho should certainly vote against the se-
cond reading of the bill.
The Duko of MARLBOROUGH was not prepared to
deny that there wore some serious grievances under the
present system, but they were bound to remember that the
promoters of the bill did not propose a fair solution or fair
compromise of the question. The cpestion with them was
simply one of establishment or no establishment. At pre-
sent he feared there was little chance of a compromise, for
the Dissenters seemed by their measures to aim at the

abolition of the Church with the church-rates.
After a few earnest words from the Bishop of Oxford,
deprecating such a swooping measure, and a brief state-
ment from Lord Taunton that ho should vote for the se-
cond reading of the bill, and from Lord Romney that he
should veto against it,
The house then divided, when there wore for tho bill—
Contents
Non-contents
Majority
The bill was therefore lost.

In committee on the Banns of Matrimony Bill a discus-
sion arose, in which the Bishops of Gloucester and Ox-
ford opposed the first clause, and Lords Cranworth and
Houghton supported it. Lord Derby suggested an omis-
sion of the clause, but Lord Houghton preferred to divido
the house, which was accordingly done, when there ap-
peared for the clause—
Contents
Non-contents
Majority
The other clauses were then agreed to, and the bill
passed through committee.
On the motion of the LORD CHANCELLOR, the
Courts of Law (Ireland) Bill was road a second time.
Several bills wero advanced a stage, and the other orders
of the day having been disposed of, their lordships ad-
journed at a quarter-past 8 o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—LAST EVENING.
The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'clock.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The following bills "wero read a third time and passad :
—Bourton on the Water Railway (Abandonment, dm),
Noweastle upon Tyno High- Level Hoist, and Waterloo
and Whitehall Railway (Extension of Timo).
• CIIARTERIIOUSE ESTATE BILL.

This bill was read a second time.
REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE BILL.
Mr. BAZLEY presented, petitions against the uso of
voting papers at the election of members of Parliament.
Mr. BAINES presented simiLtr petitions front Leeds.
Mr. NEWDEGATE presented a petition
mingham, front Bir-
signed by 4,000, in favour of the amendment
made in the House of Lords on the bill with respect to the
representation of minorities.
Mr. CRAWFORD presented a petition from the city of
London, signed by the Right Hon. the Lor
Lords d Mayor,
against tho amendments made in tao House of r
hold that
in
this bill. The petition emanated from a meeting.
day in the Guildhall.
Mr. BRIGHT presented a p3tition front Birmingham
signed by 15,000 persons, against the amendment made in
the House of Lords, with respect to voting papers and the
representation of minorities.
Mr. TORIIENS presented a similar petition from a meet-
ing held in the Hanover-square rooms last night.
Mr. FOSTER presented a similar petition from Brad-
ford.
On the motion for the consideration ore the amendments
made in the House of Lords to the Repsentation of
people Bill,
of the EXCHEQUER con-
The CHANCELLOR
gratulated the house on the prospect of the passing
of one of the most comirehensive measures ever
sent out from the House of Commons. It was
satisfactory to know that, with the exception of the
qualification for the lodger franchise, the House of Lords
had accepted the provisions of that house for the ex
tote know
nsion
of the franchitp. It was exceedingly satisfactory
that, when the House of Lords became better ncquainted
with what had taken place ha the gE9WSQ 91 Qeraniens,