The Sun.
London, England, 1818-05-26 00:00:00

CHUBCIIES BUILDING BILL.

The Earl of Sna.F-rv.snunv having brought up
the Report of the Committee on the Churches
Building Bill,
Lord HOLLAND moved a clause, enacting, that,
from and after the passing of the Act, no person
in IJuly Orders should be liable to any penalty for
reading the Service of the Church of England,
or sucii parts of the Scriptures 114, according to
the Service of the Church of England. might be
read in Churches, in any part of England or
Wale.s, any Canon or Statute to the contrary not-
withstanding,
Lord liAnßownY observed, that all the ob-
noxious provisions of the 22c1 Charles 11. had
been repealed in 1812. Ile emiceived the Clause
moved by thL. Noble Lord would have the effect
of subverting the discipline of the Church.
The Archbishop of CANTERBURY was perfectly satisfied,
that whatever interpretation was 'given to the Act of Charles
the second—whether it was to be considered as repealed- (re-
pealed_ it certainly was with respect to the Dissenters)—or
whether it still had any authority over the Meinhers of the
Church of En:4land—he was certain that the whole Canons
of the Church would be over-ruled by the proposed clause.

Lord I-10t,L. ND ext,hiued.
The 1,01:0 (t- ANC:ELT:OR said,
_if this clans- shontd be
ad°lll,ds there would he nothing t prevent Dii hie tier ice
hying performed in any portonr or in any shop of the hang-
dom.
The clonse was then negatived, and the Report agreed to,
and the Bill ordered to be read a third tune to-worrow.—
Adjourned.

110VE OF CONINIONS.

PETITIONS.

Petitions were presented from Sir T. Alderson, from the
Glaziers and Piumbers of London, from the proprietors of
Mines in Cumberland and Northumberland, against the
Mines Assessment Bill ; also from Mr. Fuller, praying to.
be heard by Counsel against the same.
Petitions were presented against the Poor Settlement Bill,
from Worcestkr shire by Mr. Lyttelton, from Eieter by Mr.
Ctrurtcnav, from Plymouth by Sir C Pole, front Wolver-
hampton 'by MY. Littleton, and from some other places.
Mr. CHICHESTER presented a Petition from John Thom-
son, a distiller of Carrickfergus, complaining of his business
being stopped by the arbitrary conduct of the Commissioners
of-Excise. Mr. C. urged the necessity of revising the law so
as to limit the powers of the Commissioners.
The Negotiable Securities Bill was read a second time.
The East India shipping Bill and the East India Marriage
Bill severally went through Committees, and were reported.
The 'Widows' Prize-money Bill was read a second time.
The Clandestine Marriage Bill went through a Committee.
The Report was received, and ordered to he printed.
• The Irish Fever Bill, the Silk Bounty Bill, the Irish Bank
Restrioion Bill, and the Irish Auction Bill, were severally
read a third time, and passed.
• Mr. lIKOUGHANI brought up the evidence of the Com-
mittee on Eduction.
Mr, D. GILBERT brought up the Eleventh Report of the
Committee of Finance.

MINES' ASSESSMENT BII.L.
Mr. MOREIrr moved the second reading of the Mines'
Assessmeot Bill.
Mr. BROUGHAM said, that as this was a late period (Attie
'Session to introduce a Bill on the delicate subject of the Poor
Laws—a Bill, too, objectionable in principle, as it went to
extend and not to narrow the limits of the assessment, he
trusted the I-lon Mover would consent to withdraw it.
Mr. Nionurr contended, that the Bill was only to pre-
vent an evasion of the present laws. By a decision of the
Court of King's Bench it was determined, that though the
Owners of Mines who received a share of the gross produce
wet e to be assessed to the Poor Rates on that share, yet if
they commuted it for a money rent they were not liable to he
assessed at all. The Bill was to remedy this inequality, and
at any rate he thou:4A that. either all mines should be sub-
ject to the rates or all should lie exempted.
Mr. D. GiLBERT said, that though, front his property in
a mining country, it would be his interest to oppose all
charges on mines, he could not help considerim; the Bill a
fair one. In the county of Cornwall, where 9- intlis of the
mineral produce of the Liegdom was raised, with the excep-
tiro. of coals. which were subject to peculiar laws, the owners
of the mines bad always been rated, and it was only a quibble
that the owners of any min-•s had heed exempted. There was
a difficulty in the case in which the owner was the sole adven-
turer in the mine. In that case the Honourable Mover.of the
Bill had talsen the share which might lie considered due to
him in his cha; octet. of 'proprietor, as 1-12th, which he (Mr.
G.) thought a fair proportion, and had rated hint accordingly.
Sir C. MONCK opposed the Bill.
Lord L..iSCELLF.S trusted the- House would adopt the
measure. Little hml liven said against the principle, and the
Clauses which *Ore considered objtictionable might be amend-
ed in the Committee.
Mr. S. BOURNE professed himself friendly to the
The conduct of his Honourable Friend (Mr. Gilbert) on the
occasion redounded witch to his integrity and public-spirit.
Lord NIORPETH spoke, but in solow atone that we could•
not hear him in the Gallery.
Sir .1. GRAHA NI conceived it doe to the parties whose in-
terests were affected by the measure, to postpone its further
consideration until the next. Session. As an Amendment, he
therefore moved, that it be read a second time that day six
Months.
The 1.-louse then divided...-.
For the Bill
A;aittst it 54
Majority —lB

The Committal of the Bill, after a desultory conversation,
in which a further postponement was recommended by Mr.
Brougham, in order to afferd time to the parties, was fixed
fur Wednesday next. . .
CHARITABLE FUNDS.
Mr. BROUGHAM rose to propose an Address to the Crown
for certain Account A. It appeared, that, some years ago, an
individual had bequeathed a sum, amounting to 120,000.1. to
charitable purposes. The will, on the ground of. some
in-
formality, was set aside ; and the testator having noliindred,
the property devolved to the Crown. His intention, in mov-
ing for an account of that property, was to consider whe-
ther that might not he a proper fund to meet the expence of
the Commission about to inquire into the Grants for the Edu-
cation of the Poor? He therefore moved an Address. to that
effect.•---Ordered.

PRIVILEGE.
The SPEAKER took the opportunity of adverting to an
important question of privilege. It was a matter of notoriety,
that, on a recent trial in the Courts below, viz. The King, v.
slerceron, an examination had taken place of the short-hard
writer of that House, relative t• the practice of that House
in its Committes, and to what passed in them The House
would feel there could net be a more important duty than to
protect its witnesses. But it would be impossible to
afford that protection, unless the House had some re-
straint on the manner in which either its proceedings
or its witnesses were produced' .in evidence before the
Courts of Law. All the instances that he had considered
concurred in sheaving, that an application had either been
made to the House of Commons, or to the Speaker, for the
permission. In a former case, here the short-hand writer
was examined, and that situation was then held ,by Mr.
Gurney, the Gentleman who holds it at presint, application
was made to the Speaker, and a permission granted. It was
an extenuation 'of the present irregularity, that, though the
permission was given, Mr. Gurney was ignorant of the fact,
and remained soup• to the present time. He attended, there-
fore, in the present case, on the subpcena, under a belief that
he followed the same course as WAS adopted before. He
thought-the House should ma<ke some Resolution on this ques-
tion of its privileges.
Mr. BATHURST, as we could collect, expressed his inten-
tion to submit a motion on the subject.

SETTLEMENT OF THE POOR.
Ou tbs skotiou of Mr. S.. BOURNE, the furinir considers•

tion of the Report upon the Settlement of the Poor Bill was
postponed for three months.
The Bill for regulating the Payment ofNavy Prize Money—
the nil for authorizing and regulating the Transfer of Stock
between England and Ireland—and the Malt. Duty Bill, were
read a second time:and ordered to he committed to-morrow
The second reading of the Lunatic Asylum Bill was put off
until Monday next.
The Irish Assessed Taxes Bill was real a third time and
passed, with an amendment, proposed by Mr. Lushington,
that no person usually resident within ten miles of any dis-
trict shall be appointed to collect the Assessed Taxes of such
district.
The third reading of the Portugal_ Slave Trade Bill was
postponed until to-morrow.
The Vinegar Duty Bill, and the Tobacco Importation Bill,
were severally committed.-I's-port to-morrow%
The committal of the Scotch Churches Bill, and the Sol-
diers' Family Bill, was postponed until to-morrow.
The Cutlery Trade Bill went through a Committee, and re-
ceived several new clauses._Relun•t on Wednesday,
The London-Coal Bill, the Irish 7.xcise Licenses Bill, and
the Bill for the Encouragement .of Partnerships in Ireland,
were severally reported and ordered to be read a third time

to-morrow.
Mr. LUSHINGTON brought in n Bill to authorize the
issue of eleven millions of Exchequer Bills; also a Bill to
raise 800,000/. by the issue of Treasury Bills in Ireland ; also a
Bill to alter and amend the 43(1 it the King,with regard to the
:Ippointment of certain Commissioners; which Bills were
severally read a first, and ordered to be read a second time
to-morrow.