The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-19 00:00:00

QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICES BILL.

Lord TAUNTON moved the second reading of this bill,
the object of which was to remove a certain declaration
which was now required to be taken by every
person appointed to any office under the Crown.
The declaration at present required to be taken,
bound the person never to use any power vested
in him by virtue of his office to do anything calculated to
injuto the Church as by law established. The bill he
thought would have .been agreed to without opposition,
but he found that it was to be opposed. The declaration
had for years been disregarded, and he doubted whether
the noble earl opposite, when he took the high and respon-
sible office of First Minister of the Crown, subscribed to the
declaration. [The Earl of Derby—l did.] (Hear, and
laughter.) The noble and learned lord then who sat
next the noble lord, when he was elevated to
the woolsack, and had to dispense Church patronage, did
not subscribe to the declaration. [Lord Chelmsford.—Yes,
I did.]—(Laughter.) He was unfortunate in mentioning
names, but he knew that although he (Lord Taunton) had
held several offices under the Crown, he never made the
declaration, and it was notorious that a number of the persons
holding very high offices dispensed with it also, and a bill
of indemnity was regularly passed every year to exempt such
persons from the consequences of the omission. He knew
many very sensible persons who thought it was highly ob-
jectionable, and who felt so scrupulous, that they thought
it an infringement of the declaration to sign a petition for
the abolition of Church-rates. He was of opinion that no
danger could result to the Church by the abolishing the
declaration, and he hoped their lordships would be of
opinion that it ought no longer to be retained.
Lord CHELMSFORD said, in spite of the strong appeal
of the noble lord, he felt it his duty to oppose the bill, and
he hoped the house would uphold its former decision. He
thought the Dissenters had in years gone by received a
benefit with a certain condition, and they were now, by
objecting to make the required declaration, attempting to
retain the benefit and get rid of the condition. For thirty
years the doclarationhad been in force, and now it was dis-
covered to be highly inconvenient. He had no sympathy
with the members of the Church who had such sickly
scruples as prevented them from taking the declaration,
and he must say he was astonished at some of the remarks
of the noble lord opposite as to the little danger likely to be
apprehended by the Church by repealing this declaration,
when it was well known that these large bodies of persons
were exeru.s .uenerleivvo
.-
ante of Church and State.

[LEST SrEAKING.]

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(This EVENING).
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following bills were considered and ordered for third
reading :—Kendal Fell, Llantrissant and Taff Vale Junc-
tion Railway, and Stockton and Darlington Railway (New
Railway at Marske and Skelton, &c.)
PETITIONS.

Several petitions were presented against the Parochial
Assessment Bill and the Poor Law Removal Act, as well
as the Metropolitan Improvement (No. 1) Bill, &c.
BALLOT SOCIETY.
On the motion of Mr. H. BERKELEY copies of a letter
from the Secretary of the Ballot Society to the Postmaster.
General respecting the alleged suppression of certain letters
at Ripon, from the secretary of the same soeiety to the Se •
cretary of the Treasury, and of the letter on behalf of the
Postmaster-General to the Secretary of the Ballot Society,
and a reply to the same, inclosing a declaration, signed by
60 electors of Ripon, were ordered.