all parts more than once a-year. When the increasing population of the West Indies was taken into consideration, and also the earnest desire for religious instruction which prevailed there an additional Indies, and it was equally impossible for an archdeacon to live on 500l. a-year; and he was afraid that next year the noble Lord would come down to the House and propose an increase in their salaries. Under these circumstances he thought the num-responsibility rested on Government to ber of bishops be reduced from three to two, and he begged leave to move that the word "two" be substituted in the clause for the word "three." Lord J. Manners hoped the hon. and gallant Commodore would not persevere in his motion for a reduction in the number of the bishops. The grounds of the hon. and gallant Member's opposition hardly bore him out in his proposition. If the noble Lord should come down to the House next year to ask for more money for these bishops, that would be the time for this amendment, but until then, there did not appear to him to be any sufficient reason for asking the House to curtail the number of the bishops. It was his sincere conviction that it was beneath the dignity of a great and important country which could afford to spend millions in armaments to Syria, India, and China-it was, he considered, wholly beneath the dignity of such a country to haggle and peddle about some few hundreds which were wanted for ecclesiastical purposes. The hon. and gallant Member was himself a living proof of the might and puissance of the empire. To whatever quarter of the globe he might bave sailed, he must have heard the sound of the English language, and have there seen the English flag. He certainly felt some surprise, therefore, that the hon. and gallant Member should oppose the propoposition for those additional dignitaries for the colonies. Lord Stanley hoped the hon. and gallant Officer did not seriously intend to press his motion. He (Lord Stanley) declared himself incompetent to discuss the question as to a proper provision for the bishops; and whether the hon. and gallant Commodore was more competent to decide the matter than the heads of the Church, he should leave the hon. and gallant Commodore himself to determine. The question ought not to be treated in the mode adopted by the hon. and gallant Commodore. It was very well as a joke to describe the visitations of the bishops once a year as parties of pleasure-but the hon. and gallant Member should recollect, that one of the objects of the present bill was to prevent bishops having such extensive dioceses as to preclude them from visiting provide for their spiritual wants. When Government came into office, the bishopric of Barbadoes was vacant, at least the bishop had tendered his resignation, and it was only incomplete in some matter of form. By this step, Government might, had it so chosen, have filled up the appointment, which was endowed with an income of 4,000l. a-year, and 1,000l. retiring pension. Bnt, instead of so doing, Government, after a consultation with the heads of the Church, had thought it better, with the approbation of the heads of the Church, to create three dioceses out of the one bishopric, and to distribute the funds of the bishopric among them. It had been found necessary so make this division in order to supply the clerical necessities of the population. The three archdeacons were to be created bishops, and they were to have the funds of the bishopric assigned between them. The course Government had thought fit to adopt was not to increase the patronage and emoluments of the bishops, but to give the archdeacons that power over the clergy in their dioceses, by conferring on them a higher rank. He had, therefore, determined to advise her Majesty to divide the bishopric into three dioceses, and to confer them on the three archdeacons. The duties had been assigned, and the emoluments divided, under the sanction of the heads of the Church, and he had no intention to come down to Parliament hereafter for an increase of salary. He trusted, therefore, that the House would accord in a measure which had received the sanction of all parties Mr. V. Smith could not vote with the hon. and gallant Member for Marylebone, because he was satisfied with the reasons assigned for appointing three bishops. He hoped that the noble Lord would consider himself pledged not to require any addition to the salaries hereafter, and stated his dissent from the unequal apportionment of them proposed by the noble Lord, for which he had assigned no reason. He saw, though with much regret, that it was owing very much to the neglect of the Church of England in the West India colonies that the Dissenters were able to do so much more than the Church in those colonies. He trusted, however, that the | for more money, and that the Bishop of noble Lord did not mean to establish a Berbice could live very well on 1,500l. bishoprick in every colony, because nothing a-year. could be more detrimental, and especially to the spread of the Church of England itself, than the establishmeut in all the colonies of thestate religion of this country. The hon. Member concluded by suggesting, that in the present bill, retiring pensions should be provided for bishops no longer able to perform their duties. Mr. William Williams would support the amendment of the hon. and gallant Commodore, because he believed that a Bishop in the West Indies could not live upon 1,500l. a-year, and that, before two years passed by, the noble Lord or his successor would come down to the House and make a strong appeal to Parliament for an increase of these salaries. It was, besides, a great injustice to the people of this country that they should be taxed to pay for Bishops in the West-India colonies. Those colonies ought to pay for their bishops. The people of this country had quite enough to do to maintain their own bishops, and were taxed quite sufficiently for these colonies, without paying anything more. To protect these new colonies they had already to pay a double price for their sugar. Had the noble Lords opposite heard the right hon. Gentleman's statement of the embarrassment of our finances? What had brought our finances to this state, but expenditure like this, which was quite uncalled for? If he went through all the items of our expenditure he could point out how they could save the whole amount of the taxes now required, without impairing the efficiency of any part of the public service. The hon. Gentleman the late Under Secretary for the Colonies (Mr. V. Smith), had asked the noble Lord (Lord Stanley) to assure the House that he would not come down and ask for an increase of salaries to these bishops, but he believed, that if the hon. Gentleman himself were in office, he would be just as likely to propose such an increase as the noble Lord. Mr. Vernon Smith was perfectly ready to pledge himself, that he would make no such proposal. Mr. Borthwick had sat quite long enough in that House to know that the less was said so much the better, and he had never seen that maxim better illustrated than the speech of the hon. Gentleman; for this was not a question of money, but simply of an increase of bishops; and he was satisfied that there would be no demand Sir C. Napier assured the two noble Lords opposite, that he was quite as sensible of the value of religion as any noble Lord. He made no joke about the party of pleasure. He said, that now steam communication was established, the Bishop of Barbadoes might make a round of visits to all the islands in fourteen or twenty-one days. He had as much respect for the Church as the noble Lord, and he never would have proposed to give a bishop in the West Indies, where living was expensive, such a salary as 1,500l. a-year. Lord Stanley said, that if that was the only objection he could easily remove it, for the Bishop of Berbice and Demerara, in addition to the 1,500l. a-year out of the consolidated fund, would have 500l. out of the colonial revenue, which he now received as archdeacon, so that he would receive in all 2,000l. a-year. Mr. O'Connell, in allusion to the claim of the hon. Gentleman the Member for Oxford University, for his vote, begged to say that he did not mean to vote. The committee divided on the question that the word "three" stand part of the clause: Ayes 126; Noes 17; Majority 109, List of the AYES. Herbert, hon. S. Hinde, J. H. Patten, J. W. Hindley, C. Peel, J. Hobhouse, rt.hn. Sir J. Praed, W. T. Hodgson, R. Pringle, A. Hope, A. Rashleigh, W. Hornby, J. Reade, W. M. Howard, hn. E. G. G. Rushbrooke, Colonel trusted with a view to their being advanced for the purpose of carrying on public works upon good security for the re-payment of their amounts being given. The object which he had in bringing this subject before the committee was, to continue that system for a limited time, but upon a footing more advantageous to the public. The course had been to make advances on Exchequer-bills, which were sold in the market, and at the end of twelve months, were exchanged by the Government for supply bills; and so they formed part of the unfunded debt of the country The amount of the advance, being subsequently repaid, was carried to the general account of the Consolidated Fund, and the result was, that we went on spending as income the money which should have been applied to getting rid of debt. In 1837, it was proposed, that this system should be put an end to, and that, instead of these Wilbraham, hon. R. B. bills being converted into supply bills, Scott, hon. F. Wilde, Sir T. TELLERS. Fremantle, Sir T. List of the NOES. Berkeley, hon. C. Berkeley, hon. H. F. Bernal, R. Bowring, Dr. Brotherton, J. Crawford, W. S. Duncombe, T. Gore, hon. R. TELLERS. Napier, Sir C. Remaining clauses of the bill agreed to the House resumed, and the report received. EXCHEQUER BILLS LOAN ACTS.] House resolved itself into a committee of the whole House to consider the Exchequer Bills Loan Acts. they should be annually discharged, and the inconvenience of increasing our funded debt thus obviated. The result of this was beneficial in one sense, but had led to other inconvenience; it was this, that these Exchequer-bills became depreciated in the market, and were only taken at par by the commissioners of the national debt on account of the savings banks, and held by them; and at this moment the bulk of these bills were held by the commissioners, and were liable to be paid off in money. He need not state to the House that, under the existing circumstances of the country, the payment of an amount exceeding one million at the end of the April quarter, would be a measure which would produce extreme inconvenience to the public finances. He, therefore, proposed that the commissioners of the national debt should avail themselves of the power which they possessed by law, and should deliver up the Exchequer-bills of this character which they held for the purpose of being cancelled, receiving stock in exchange for it under the provisions of the law as it now stood. Having, therefore, disposed of these bills, the accumulation of which was mainly attributable to the vote of large sums of money for the con struction of workhouses in Ireland, it would rest with Parliament to decide what course should be adopted in future. There were two lines which might be pursued. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, that the subject which he was about to bring before the attention of the committee, was one of considerable importance, but upon which he did not apprehend that any great difference of opinion would prevail. The committee was aware that com-liament might, in the first place, say that missioners had, some years since, been ap- it would not sanction the continuance of pointed to whom Exchequer-bills were en- advances of this description; or, secondly, Par five years devoted himself almost incessantly to the public service, and with the greatest advantage, the thanks of the public were more especially due. Having made this explanation of his views, he should propose a resolution to the committee em. bodying his proposition, which would form the foundation of a bill to be hereafter introduced. The right hon. Gentleman concluded by moving the following resolution. Mr. F. T. Baring expressed his entire concurrence in the views of the right hon. Gentleman, and his approval of his proposition, which appeared to be nearly exactly similar to one which had been before him while he was in office. He must also express his cordial concurrence in the observations of the right hon. Gentleman with regard to the services of Mr. Harrison. He believed, that the public was much indebted to that gentleman for his eminent services; but the tribute of the publie respect came better from the right hon. Gentleman, who was in office, than from him. it might make arrangements to obviate the possibility of similar difficulties again arising. His own opinion, was that the system of making advances for carrying on public works, was one which it would not be wise to depart from, more especially considering that it had been carried on with advantage and profit to the public. From papers which had been laid before the House, it appeared that the repayments receivable by Government would amount to 360,000l. a-year, and, as a sum of that amount would enable these commissioners issues to be made out of the consolidated fund "That her Majesty be enabled to direct to continue their advances to applicants of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and upon the scale upon which they had be- Ireland, to an amount not exceeding 360,000!. fore acted, the proposition which he sub- per annum, to commissioners, to be by them mitted to the House was, that the money advanced towards the completion of works of paid in on account of the repayment of a public nature, for the encouragement of the the loans already advanced, should be re-fisheries, or the employment of the poor, on advanced upon the proper securities to of the sum so advanced." due security being given for the re-payment the parties applying. By this means a constant circulating fund would be provided, which would enable them to provide for the wants of the country with regard to the execution of public works, which would not increase our unfunded debt, and which Parliament might, at any time, put an end to, if it were discovered that the system did not work well. He proposed, that the bill to be introduced to carry out this plan should be in force only for a limited period, and that it should render the works in England, Scotland, and Ireland equally entitled to the advantages of the system, provided their conductors were equally able to give security for the repayment of the money. This was a necessary enactment Mr. Hardy would caution the Govern with regard to Ireland, because it appeared ment to discourage over-speculation by its that sums had been granted for the com-loans, which only produced ruin to the pletion of work houses there, which had speculator and those trusting to the suc been found to be insufficient for the com-cess of his exertions. plete fulfilment of the object in view. He believed, that the House would concur in this measure, and that they would be the less disposed to object to it on account of the admirable mode in which the commis. sioners, who had heretofore managed these advances, had conducted the duties of their department. The public knew the merits of those individuals, and they ought to know also that they had discharged their duties entirely gratuitously. They were persons of consideration, and whose time was highly valuable to them; but they had given up other engagements for the purpose of investigating claims made upon the public; and having done so, the cases were rare indeed of any loss having been sustained by the public. To one, more especially-he meant Mr. Harrison-who had for twenty Resolution agreed to. House resumed. Report to be received this day. Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, MINUTER Saturday, March 12, 1842. BILLA Puble.-3 Newgate Gaol, (Dublin) City of Dublin, that every individual in British India, and Adjourned. HOUSE OF LORDS, Monday, March 14, 1842. MINOTES.] BILLS. Public.-3a Loan Societies; Regu lation of Apprentices. Private.-1 Brewood Free Grammar Schools; Hinck ley Roads; Leicester and Ashby-de-la-Zouch Road; Liehert's Naturalization. 2 Bunsen's Naturalization. PETITIONS PRESENTED. By Lord Campbell, Lord Hawarden, and other noble Lords, from places in Down, Tyrone and Antrim, in favour of the Presbyterian Marriages Bill.-By Lord Kenyon from the Church of England Lay Association, for support to the Established Church. -By the Marquess of Clanricarde, from Millers in the county of Galway, against the Importation of Foreign Flour.-By Lord Denman, from the Baptists of Lea mington Priors, for the Baptists Affirmation Bill-By Earl Fitzwilliam, Lord Brougham, and other noble Lords, from Northamptonshire, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Durham, Sheffield, Sunderland, St. James's, Westminster, Glasgow, and other places, for a Repeal of the Cornlaws. MARRIAGE LAW (IRELAND).] The Lord Chancellor said, that the select committee appointed to inquire into the present state of the Marriage-law in Ireland, and to whom had been referred the Marriages (Ireland) Bill, with leave to report from time to time to the House, had directed him to report that the committee, having considered the matter referred to them and the said bill, had come to the following resolution : "Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee that further proceedings on this bill be postponed until the return of the judges from circuit." He would take leave to mention to their Lordships that a case, similar to that which gave rise to the bill, had lately come before one of the judges on circuit in Ireland, and for the purpose of giving a full opportunity to consider the question a special verdict, had been found by direction of the judge, in consequence of which it would be referred to the Queen's Bench in Ireland, and might ultimately come before their Lordships. Their Lordships would allow him also to suggest, that in consequence of that public notification, he apprehended no inconvenience could result from the short postponement with respect to the proceedings in the bill. He begged further to mention, that the committee would proceed, notwithstanding the delay, to the further consideration of the other matters which had been referred to their determination. Lord Brougham entirely agreed with what had fallen from his noble and learned Friend. He hoped, that every publicity would be given to his noble and learned Friend's statement. It should be known universally in Ireland in what state the inquiry was before the committee and before their Lordships, in order that the miserable consequences might not ensue, which would arise from persons acting on the supposition that marriages already contracted were invalid, and contracting new marriages. "Whoever does so," said the noble and learned Lord, "after the notice of my noble and learned Friend, must be understood to do it at his or her high peril." Lord Campbell had received a letter from one of the judges in Ireland, stating, that a second case had occurred during the present circuit, and a second special verdict had been taken. The first was before Judge Perrin at Carrickfergus, and the second before Judge Crampton at Armagh.-Report agreed to. SPAIN THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR.] The Marquess of Clanricarde begged to put a question to the noble Earl, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. It had been stated in the French Chamber, that when a difference arose between the French and Spanish Governments as to the mode of receiving the French Ambassador, who was not long since sent to Madrid, the noble Earl instructed our Minister at Madrid to take the same view of the question that had arisen as the French Government. But M. Gonzales was said to have stated in the senate of Madrid that the English Government subsequently thought right to change its opinion on that subject. These statements having been made to the French and Spanish Chambers respecting the views of the English Government, there could be no reason why our Houses of Parliament should not be equally well informed. He believed, therefore, that he should not be considered guilty of any indiscretion in asking whether the noble Earl had any objection to lay on the Table of the House the instruction which had been given on this subject to our Minister at Madrid; or if he did not think that course convenient, would the noble Earl state whether there had or had not taken place any variation in the views of her Majesty's Government as to the instructions which they thought fit to give in this matter? The Earl of Aberdeen had no objection to answer the question of the noble Marquess, although the subject was one, per |