The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 28, 1866.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF COMMONS—Tins DAY.
The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock.

QUALIFICATION FOR OFFICES ABOLITION BILL
Mr. HADFIELD moved the second reading of this bill,
the object of which was to abolish the oath required to be
taken by persons taking office. Every person who
assumed municipal office, like those called to some of the
higher offices of the State, were reqUired to subscribe an
oath on the true faith of a Christian that he would not
exercise any power of which he might become possessed
of by virtue of the office he was about to take to injure the
Protestant Church of England as by law established.
There were many persons amongst the Non-Conformist
body who felt that such a declaration was highly objec-
tionable, and one great reason why the declaration should
be abolished was that it was not taken by those
of the very highest offices in the state, but that an
annual bill of indemnification was brought in to relieve
them of the consequences of not subscribing the declara-
tion. This was the sixth time he had brought the matter
forward, and ho did hope he should succeed in getting his
bill made law.

Mr. NEWDEGATE opposed the motion. He looked
upon the bill as an attempt to abolish the declaration in-
serted in the Test and Corporation Act in place of the
sacramental test. He greatly preferred the declaration to
the test which was removed, because that was objec-
tionably used as was then required. He knew that
the declaration now sought to bo removed was of
itself not of very great importance, but he looked
upon it like the bolt in a ship. Remove one of these bolts,
and where was the safety of the crew ? He objected to the
bill, because it might be one of those small causes which
would lead to great and important political changes, and
therefore moved as an amendment that the bill be read a
second time that day six months.

Mr. BAXTER was surprised that a gentleman should
getup in his place in Parliament and defend an obsolete
Aet of Parliament, which was not of the slightest use to
the Church of England. The keeping up such miserable,
absurd, and irritating tests as that now proposed to be got
rid of, only tended to keep up sectarian animosities which
it was of the last importance should be avoided. lie should
vote for the second reading of the bill.
Mr. HUNT said, having been engaged in a committee
up stairs, ho had not had the advantage of hearing the
arguments of his hon. friend on that occasion, but he sup-
posed they were the same as he had favoured the house
with on several occasions against his bill, notwithstanding
that he hoped his hon. friend would not divide the house
on his amendment.

Sir G. GREY said ho had on former occasions expressed
his approval of the bill, and therefore ho did not think there
was any necessity for him to repeat his views. The oppo-
sition benches showed that there was no desire to reject
the bill, and therefore he hoped the hon. gentleman would
not press his motion to a division.
Mr. NEWDEGATE said he felt it his duty to press his
amendment to a division.

The house then divided, when there appeared—
For the second reading I7G
Against it
Majority --121
Tho bill was then read a second time and ordered to be
committed on Friday.

FELLOWS OF COLLEGES DECLARATION BILL
Mr. BOUVERIE moved the second reading of this bill.
[LEFT SITTING.]

lIOUSE OF LORDS.-LAST EVENING:

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at
five o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The Holy Island, &c., Reclamation Bill, and the Liver-
pool Sewage Utilisation Bill were severally read a second
time.

THE CATTLE PLAGUE.

In reply to the Duke of MARLBOROUGH,
Earl GRANVILLE said that the smallpox had been
discovered amongst sheep in certain districts, and inspec-
tors had been appointed to inquire into the matter.