The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-08 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TU.ESDAI MORNING, JULY 8, 1845.

Sir R. INGLIS supported the amendment of the Hon.
Member for Devonshire (Sir T. Acland). All that was
desired was what every man would require with regard
to his children in private life, therefore, he did not see
anything in it to violate the conscience of any individual.
Mr. COWPER expressed his great satisfaction in
supporting the amendment.
Lord J. MANNERS referred to the system of educa-
tion in France, supported by the Government of that
country, but which had been denounced by the Church
as infidel and atheistic. He was not prepared to say that
this was the case, yet he believed there was too much
reason for the charge. He would, therefore, support the
amendment. He believed the Bill would do no good for
Ireland whatever. _

Sir R. PEEL supported the Bill as it stood. He did
not believe that infidelity or atheism was an evil to be
guarded against in either Ireland or England. The
very avowal of such sentiments was sufficient to deter
any individual from holding such situations without any
such declaration. The state of public opinion on re-
ligion in this country was such, that no security what-
ever was required. The test pi oposed afforded no se-
curity whatever, for it was wrong for parties to take the
declaration and afterwards to put a construction on
the Scriptures as alien to their true import as any that
might be taught by the professors in France or Ger-
many, to which reference had been made. He saw
serious objections to the amendment, and should, there-
( we, decidedly oppose it.
Mr. P. HO WARD concurred in the view taken by the
Right Hon. Baronet (Sir R Peel), and should support
the Government in opposition to the amendment pro-
posed by the Hon. Baronet (Sir T. D. Aciand.)
Mr. ADDERLEY felt obliged to oppose the Govern-
ment and support the amendment.
Lord C. HAMILTON stated he felt himself bound to
oppose the amendment, and should support the Go-
vernment.
Mr. GLADSTONE said it was very natural for those
who entertained sentiments unfriendly to irreligious
education to express their opinions on the present op-
portunity. He thought, however, that with respect to
this test, there was great force in the objection of his
Right Honourable Friend, who saw it was much too
ambiguous. The Honourable Member for Here-
ford said that though there was great difference of
opinion respecting versions of the Scripture, there was
not respecting the original. This was not so. There
was great difference of opinion bete. een Protestants and
Unitarians, and between Catholics and Protestants. A
test, however explicit at first, was subject to cavil, dis-
pute, and contention ; but what would be the effect of a
test which was at the very outset ambiguous. It was a
very serious matter for the House of Commons to adopt
such a test, although enforced by the opinions of the
late Dr. Arnold, whose reasoning on this subject did not
appear to him clear or satisfactory. His Hon. Friend
had cho-en to use language in the test from that em-
ployed in the Thirty-nine Articles. Besides, he was of
opinion that the test would be anything but pleasing to
the Roman Catholics of Ireland—it was either too lax
or too exclusive ; it would be burdensome to the
consciences of many, whilst by Church of England
men its provisions must be deemed very lax indeed.
The tests proposed by the Hon. Member appeared to
him to be opan to the charge of being too loose and too
lax, and lie must confess that it held out no hope of
future advantage; but, on the contrary, it was calculated
to excite in the minds of some, if not of all, delusive ex-
pectations. The test proposed was censurably ambi-
guous, and not likely to produce those advantages for
which tests were used. He hoped, therefore, the Com-
mittee would negative the amendment of the Hon. Mem-
ber for Devonshire.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. REDINGTON was quite certain that if the pro-
, posed test were adopted by the Committee, it would have
the effect of turning the minds of the people of Ireland
against the Bill, and he could not but hope that the
Hon. Member would see the necessity for not persisting

in the amendment.
The Committee then divided, when there appeared—
For the amendmert
Against it
Majarity against it
On our return to the gallery we found
Mr. HINDLEY speaking against the 14th clause, and
urging upon the Committee the necessity for Parliament
leaving religious matters,to be dealt with entirely by the
Church itself. The clause would retard instead of ad-,
vancing the progress religious liberty, and, therefore
without troubling the House further, he would simply
move that the clause be altogether expunged from the Bill.
The Committee accordingly again divided, when there
appeared—
For the Amendment 0
For the clause
Majority —lOO
The clause was ordered to stand part of the Bill.
On clause 15 being proposed,
Mr. J. S. WORTLEY said, that as the clause first
stood, it was liable to very great objection, but in its
amended form he should offer it no opposition.
The clause was consequently agreed to.
Clauses 17 and 18 were passed without opposition.
On clause 19 being proposed,
Mr. SPOONER objected to it, because it allowed
teachers of all denominations to be elected for profes-
sorships. In this way, Turks, Jews, and others might
be introduced into the College. He would not detain
the House further at that hour, but he must, in conclu-
sion, enter his strong protest against the Bill.
Mr. P. HOWARD did not see any objection to the
alause. Ireland was divided into three great sects,
the Episcopalians, the Roman Catholics, and the Pres-
byterians, and they well knew that opposition prevented
imposition.— (Laugh ter.)
Mr. HINDLEY objected to the clause, but the result
of the last division did not encourage him to press an
amendment.—(Laugh ter.) He should be contented
with this expression of his disapprobation.
Clauses 20 awl 21 were passed without opposition.
The preamble of the Bill was then agreed to, the
House resumed, and the Bill was ordered to be re-
ported this day.
EXCISE AND CUSTOMS ACT.
The House then went into Committee on the above
Bill, when

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that he was anxious to bring up certain resolutions
which had reference to the Excise Act of George IV.,
where the duty was levied on two classes of licensed
victuallers in Ireland. The object of the Bill was to
give persons the same power under the Act with the re-
tail spirit dealers in that country. Another question
which he had to introduce was of a different character,
and related to the importation of spirits from the islands
of Guernsey and Jersey. By the Customs Acts of this
country goods, spirits, &c., could be imported from the
Channel Islands duty free ; but a countervailing duty
sufficient to protect the article was enacted by. the same
statute. This Act, however, had been found ineffectual
in preventing frauds upon the revenue ; and it was
with the view of remedying this evil that the present
amended Act was brought in. With respect to the case
of Heligoland, it .must be known that any spirit manu-
factured in those islands could not be produced from
grain grown in those islands.
The resolutions were then reported to the House.
The Charitable Trusts Bill was read a second time.
The Law Valuation Bill was read a second time.
The Earl of LINCOLN moved for leave to bring in a
Bill to enable the Commissioners of her Majesty's Woods
and Works to apply certain moneys now in their hands
towards discharging incumbrances affecting the Shrews-
bury and Holyhead road. Also a Bill to facilitate the
completion of a geological survey of Great Britain and
Ireland, under the direction of the First Commissioner
of her Majesty's Woods and Works. Also
a Bill to alter and amend an Act passed in the tenth
year of the reign of his late Majesty King George
the Fourth, intituled, " an Act to consolidate and amend
the laws relating to the management and improvement of
his Majesty's woods, forests, parks, and chases of the
land revenue of the Crown within the survey of the
Exchequer in England, and of the land revenue of the
Crown in Ireland ; and for extending certain provisions
relating to the same to the Isles of Wan and Alderney ;
and for other purposes."—Agreed to.
The Earl of LINCOLN moved for leave to bring in a
Bill for the Improvement of the Sewerage and Drainage
of towns and populous districts, and for making provi-
sion for an ample supply of water, and for otherwise
promoting the health and convenience of the inhabitants.
—Agreed to.'

Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL moved for copies of all
memorials, correspondence, surveys, valuations, and re-
ports, in relation to the extension of canal or river navi-
gation between Lough Erne and the river Shannon.—
Ordered.
Mr. CORRY moved for leave to bring in a Bill for
the constitution and government of tne Naval Medical
Supplemental Fund Society, and the management of the
funds thereof.—Agreed to.
Sir T. FREMANTLE obtained leave to bring in a
Bill to amend the County of Dublin Grand Jury Act.
Also Bills to continue the Unlawful Oaths Act in Ire-
land, and to amend the Fisheries Act in Ireland.
Mr.f T. B. C. SMITH moved for leave to bring in a
Bill for regulating the criminal
jurisdiction of Assis-
tant-Barristers as to certain counties of cities and
ohen disposed of,
tott Two o'clock.
ca onuTdnhtteiheeos
tiohifeortuosower ndasedrjison
ulorrrneeltdahneadt.
d—aa
quarter
ra
reetreer ed