One of the most important questions which came before parliament during this session was the renewal of the East India Company’s charter. On the 22nd of May Lord Castlereagh observed that the term of the existing charter would expire in May, 1814, and his majesty’s ministers had to consider these three propositions.—“Whether the existing government in India should be allowed to continue in its present state;—whether an entire change should take place in the system;—or whether a middle course should be adopted.” Evidence was heard at the bar of the house in order to throw light upon this important subject; and the witnesses, chiefly persons who had occupied high stations in India, were generally against opening the trade, or allowing missionaries to repair to the East for the purpose of converting the natives to the Christian religion. Finally, a bill was enacted for the prolongation of the company’s territorial power to April, 1834. At the same time it was resolved that such measures ought to be adopted as might tend to the introduction of useful knowledge, and of religious and moral improvement among the natives. The church establishment of the British territories in India was now, indeed, placed under the direction of a bishop and three archdeacons, and missionaries were to be licensed for the propagation of the gospel among the natives.
THE CATHOLIC QUESTION.
During this session Mr. Grattan carried a motion for referring the Catholic claims to a committee of the whole house. On the 30th of April, he presented to the house a bill for the removal of the civil and military disqualifications under which his majesty’s Roman Catholic subjects laboured; but this bill, though read a second time, was lost on its passage through the committee, Mr. Abbott, the speaker, having divided the house on the clause by which Catholic members were to be admitted to a seat in Parliament. This was rejected by a majority of two hundred and fifty-one against two hundred and forty-seven, and then the bill was abandoned by its supporters.
CURATES’ BILL, ETC.
The toleration displayed in the debates on the Catholic question induced Mr. Smith, one of the members for Norwich, to bring in a bill for the relief of Unitarian dissenters from the pains and penalties to which they were subject by a statute of William III. This bill passed into a law; neither the ministers nor the bench of bishops opposing its principle. Another bill, introduced by Lord Harrowby, was also passed, for the augmentation of stipends payable to curates; a class of divines who, though they bear “the burden and heat of the day,” have always, even to the present hour, been inadequately paid for their labours.
APPOINTMENT OF VICE-CHANCELLOR.
In consequence of the great accumulation of business in the court of chancery, a bill, proposed by Lord Redesdale, was passed this session, for the appointment of a vice-chancellor of England. This new official was to have full power to determine all cases of law and equity in the court of chancery to the same extent as the chancellors had been accustomed to determine; and his decrees were to be of equal validity, only they were to be subject to the revision of the lord chancellor, and not to be enrolled until signed by him.