Mr. O'Connell said, that he also would Oriel (Viscount Fer- support the prayer of the petition, if the rard) allegations of the petitioners were true. If it could be shown that the Government regulations had the effect of taking the Bible from the Protestant children, he, for one, would agree that they ought to be altered. But, as he understood, the only effect of the regulation would be, that the acceptance of the Bible as a school-book, was not to be enforced on Catholics.

England, and Presbyterians, who wished to extinguish party spirit by allowing Government a control over education.

Petition to be printed.

GENERAL FAST-EXCLUSION OFSTRANGERS.] Mr. Perceval being called on to bring forward the Motion of which he had given notice, rose, and said, I perceive that strangers are in the House.

The Speaker: strangers must withdraw. The officers of the House proceeded to clear the gallery.

Mr. Hume: I presume I may move the suspension of the Standing Order.

The Speaker: Strangers must withdraw. The gallery was then cleared, and the House proceeded, with closed doors, to take into consideration Mr. Perceval's Motion for a general fast. The hon. Member is reported to have spoken as follows:

there were disorders. There was also the frightful collision of the two Houses of Parliament. The houses of the nobles and gentry were entered and pillaged, and one of the great cities of the nation had been plundered and devastated by the mob. Two parties were threatening a conflict so manifest, that, amidst all these things, every body, of considerate mind, should consider their ways, and mend them. Shall we not bow down before that God whose hand is on us, consider our ways, and go down on our knees to supplicate that mercy which is gone from us. The prosperity of a nation, like that of an individual, is of God. He only was the author of all the prosperity which the nation had ever enjoyed; and as obedience to God was the cause of a nation's prosperity, was not our disobedience to God and his ordinances the cause of his wrath and vengeance? He would read Mr. Perceval said, that he had moved from the Holy Book the promise and the the absence of strangers on three accounts; denunciations of God's mercy and judgfirst, that he might have more freedom of ments. That was the Magna Charta of speech himself, and the House be more nations-the words which God spoke to ready to hear him, than under the eye of Israel. And, bearing in mind the unstrangers; secondly, that no man might changeableness of God, and the mutability suppose that he was looking to approbation of man, this nation seemed to stand in that of any party out of that House, to com- position towards the Almighty in which pensate for the disapprobation he feared to Israel formerly stood. It had been the seat encounter within; thirdly, that as the of true religion, and had reared up the Motion had been objected to, as likely to finest system of civil polity that ever existlead to scandal in the debate, he would ed; and if they were as Jerusalem was, take away all temptation to blasphemy, or they must suffer equally, "Woe unto at least prevent any going forth to the thee, Chorazin; woe unto thee, Bethsaida ; country. He closed himself in with his for if the mighty works which were done fellow-commoners, face to face, and could in you, were done in Tyre and Sidon, they speak freely in the presence of baptized 'would have repented long ago in sackcloth men. He rose to address them in the and ashes. But I say unto you, it shall name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour 'be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at of the world, who was exaltedKing of kings, the day of judgment, than for you. And and Lord of lords. He called on them in thou Capernaum, which art exalted unto the glory of his name. God, too, was pre- heaven, shall be brought down to hell: sent amongst them, and he would witness for if the mighty works which have been all that passed. In the name of God, the 'done in thee had been done in Sodom, it Highest, he appealed to the House; and as would have remained until this day. But it was written in his Word, that he who I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable rejected one that appeared in the name of 'for Tyre and Sidon, at the day of judgGod despised him that sent him, he thatment, than for you.' As you have known rejected him (Mr. Perceval) rejected his more, and sinned more, ye shall suffer God, in whose name he appeared. He there- more: that was God's language of threatfore, implored the House to attend with re-ening. Then came God's promised merverence. He would risk being tedious, in or- cies to such as observed his ordinances; der to be understood. No man could deny,that And all these blessings shall come on thee the state of the nation was truly deplorable and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearkNothing had altered his opinion since heen unto the voice of the Lord thy God. last addressed the House on this subject. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and The nation trembled on the verge of de- blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed struction--no man could calculate on subor-shall be the fruit of thy body, and dination in any society-in every district the fruit of thy ground and the fruit of

'thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and everlasting, and his truth endureth from 'the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall generation to generation." If we would 'be thy basket and thy store.' Blessed yet bow down, there is in our God that 'shalt thou be when thou comest in, and fathomless store of mercies, that peradven'blessed shalt thou be when thou goest ture he will relent, and our glory will re'out.' &c. [The hon. Member read a turn. Nothing, however, but such a course number of other extracts from the Bible to would restore to us that glory. England was the same effect.] Great and glorious had no longer the country of peace, glory, and been the name and conduct of England, strength, that it had been, and we ought when she trusted in Almighty God, and to repent and return from our evil ways. when one of her Admirals wrote home Although we deserved the punishment of thus, announcing a victory over her enemies, our sins, yet, if we repented, God's mercy "It has pleased Almighty God to bless his was abundant, and we might yet be saved. Majesty's arms with a signal victory." But He spoke on authority not to be denied. this was one of the last departing signs of The word of God had expressed it, even the solemn faith of their forefathers. He when a curse against a nation had been would next refer them to God's denuncia- given. If that nation against whom I tions, some of which were these:- But it have pronounced turn from their evil, I will 'shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken' repent of the evil that I thought to do 'unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to ' unto them.' Innumerable were the in'observe to do all his commandments and his stances of God's mercy-as when the pro'statutes which I command thee this day, phet went against Ahab, but he humbled that all these curses shall come upon thee himself, and God withdrew the judgment. and overtake thee. Cursed shalt thou There was the same fact in the case of 'be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be Jonah in Nineveh. Yet forty days, and in the field. Cursed shall be thy basket Nineveh shall be overthrown. If these and thy store. Cursed shall be the fruit of applied to heathens, how much more 'thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the in- would God's mercy be shown to a nation 'crease of thy kine, and the flocks of thy of Christians? [The hon. Member then 'sheep. Cursed shalt thou be when thou read the proceedings respecting Nineveh.] 'comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when So the people of Nineveh believed God, 'thou goest out. The Lord shall send and proclaimed a fast, and put on sack'upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke cloth, from the greatest of them even in all that thou settest thy hand unto for to the least of them. For word came to do, until thou be destroyed, and until unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose 'thou perish quickly; because of the wick-from his throne, and he laid his robe from 'edness of thy doings, whereby thou hast him, and covered him with sackcloth, and 'forsaken me. The Lord shall make thesat in ashes. And he caused it to be 'pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have proclaimed and published through Nineveh 'consumed thee from off the land whither (by the decree of the king and his nobles), 'thou goest to possess it,' &c. [The hon.saying, "Let neither man nor beast, herd Member read more extracts of the same nor flock, taste anything; let them not description, and then went on] The curse 'feed nor drink water." But let man and of God was on the land, and it had overta-beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry 'ken the people.' That pestilence was in the mightily unto God; yea, let them turn land, and we ought to hasten to address the 'every one from his evil way, and from the throne to proclaim a fast, and day of hu-violence that is in their hands. Who can miliation in the land, that we might avert tell if God will turn and repent, and this dreadful wrath. We had here the turn away from his fierce anger, and we truth-we had departed from our God, and perish not. And God saw their works, God had departed from us. And unless that they turned from their evil way; and this nation went on its knees, destruction God repented him of the evil that he had would be on it. But if we return to God's said he would do unto them, and he did it ways we might expect forgiveness and bless-not.' So would it be with England, if we edness. The judgment might, perhaps, faithfully, humbly, and sincerely repented. yet be averted. For God said, "him that He trusted to be able to set before the nahonoureth me will I honour;" and though tion the truth of its weakness-first, the we have, as a nation, departed from his ways, increase of crime showed the absence of reyet as his judgments, so are his mercies; ligion and piety; secondly, the oppression "for the Lord is gracious; his mercies are of the poor was beyond his conception. He VOL. IX. {T} 2 G

Third

was lost in astonishment to account for it, ['resist shall receive to themselves damnaand was wholly unable to point out humantion. For rulers are not a terror to good remedies. This was a matter surrounded by works, but to the evil: wilt thou then not tremendous danger. The rich lived in luxury be afraid of the power? do that which is and plenty; the labourer was in a state of good, and thou shalt have praise of the actual starvation, and a degree of distress same. For he is the Minister of God to that ought to harrow up their very souls.thee for good; but if thou do that which He could not point out the causes, but the is evil, be afraid: for he beareth not the fact was glaring. He appealed to the hon.sword in vain: for he is the Minister of member for Boroughbridge (Mr. Sadler) to God, a revenger to execute wrath upon point out the sufferings of the children of him that doeth evil.' See what is going the poor. The heathens made their child-on in France and England. It is blasphemy ren pass through the fire to their God, to attribute power to the people. He deMoloch-we make our children pass through fied the noble Lord to point out a word in misery for our gain. These things proved the Bible that power was from the peothe sins of the land, and that God's curse ple! that slavish bowing to public opinion was upon it. The destruction of Bristol was had robbed the noble Lord of all his honesty a sample of God's wrath when abroad. and manhood. In the councils of the Passing that and the pestilence, which they nation they were slaves to that blasphemy; were told, "goeth before him," the state of but power was only from God. He was the poor was enough to induce that House to aware that he was speaking loud and with address the Crown to order a fast. It must warmth, but not with violence; he was not be supposed that he was a fool to call on sincere, and was urging these truths in his that House, which he did, as a body, only in usual way, when he was under an influence. love and truth. He did not rise to make The Motion belonged to each Member inpersonal attacks, but to lift up his voice dividually, as every man had been baptized in the name of God. "You sit here (said in the name of the Father, Son, and Holv the hon. Member), like a race of infidels Ghost, and could not disobey the precepts and -you do not consult your Maker. This laws of their God. They might disregard the House meets here, and talks on public laws-father and brother-but would they affairs as if there was no God. Let every refuse the precepts of God? "I was taken man answer for himself. You have no up," said the hon. Member, "on the death more consideration than if you acknow- of my father, by the nation, which abundledged no God. You are all infidels. Look antly provided for me and mine; and it is at the public Press, the march of intellect, in gratitude for that kindness that I call on -the spirit of the day is sheer idolatry. the House to address the Crown to issue a You forget God, and think of doing every proclamation for a fast. It has been done thing by capital, by machinery, by laws; before by Parliament, and I do not admit boasts are daily made of the liberal mind the objection, that this place is not a fit and that is marching through Europe, and proper place. Are we not chosen to meet which arrogates to itself all the blessings and advise what, as Christians, we ought that are enjoyed by man: but you are act- to advise for the good of the nation? Are ing on a wrong principle. All those acts we to leave all religion at the door of the of ungodliness have been practised by other House, and listen to the wiles of Satan? nations. For example, the French left out No. I stated it last year, and I will repeat that "the king ruled by the grace of God;" the character of infidelity that pervades the denying thereby their fealty to that power public mind. At that time there was the by whom alone kings reign and princes blasphemous proposition to admit the Jew 'deal justice,' and from whom cometh into this House. If our Saviour was raised, 'all counsel, wisdom, and understanding.' and is now in Heaven, at the head of his Then they had also that blasphemy in Eng- Church, are we to admit a Jew to our land, "that all power was from the people" councils? The Edinburgh Review-the sheer blasphemy,as all power was from God, fifth sign of the infidelity of the timesand the duty of man was to submit and to defended that. It said, that it was as abobey! Let every soul,' said the Holy Writ, surd to talk of Christian government, as of be subject unto the higher powers, for Christian cookery.' Man is a fool in his there is no power but of God: the powers heart, and sayeth those things. It is that be are ordained of God. Whosoever, enormous, that this body of Christians 'therefore, resisteth that power, resisteth should say, we are not inclined to consider 'the ordinance of God: and they that of God's greatness and mercy; if so ungodly

6

morrah-and that is a type of the judgment that is fast coming upon Christendom. My cry is, that God's mercy may be on us if we humble ourselves. Let all the people praise and sing for joy, and the desolating force of God shall pass by." The hon. Member concluded by moving, that an humble Address be presented to the King, to order a day for a general fast and humiliation.

Mr. John Weyland seconded the Motion. Lord Althorp stated that discussion on such a topic was highly inexpedient. He disclaimed being tinctured with infidelity; but he was of opinion that such discussions did not tend to the honour of religion. The Motion was neither desirable nor necessary. He gave the hon. Member who had brought the question forward credit for good intentions. He meant no disrespect to him by not following him in his argument, and should move the previous question; by which he intended that the House should express its opinion, that questions like the present ought not to be taken up. It was the intention of Government to appoint a day of fasting.

as to entertain the question, what a state was the nation in! The bent of the human mind is now to set aside kings and priests, and to set up the people as the sovereigns; and I would call on the nation to humiliate themselves, and avert such evils. If the House reject the Motionalthough Government may afterwards order the Fast-yet in that case the House will have dissociated itself from the act, and will give room for infidels and scoffers to say, Aye! Let the kings and priests, and 'those who are fools enough to be led by 'them, go out with this last piece of mum'mery before they are expelled for ever. We, the nation, will have none of it. 'We know better; and so do our Repre'sentatives.' If you agree to my Motion, I will request the House of Lords also to supplicate for a fast, and we all shall then be bound up together in one solemn act." He would not withdraw his Motion (the hon. Member continued) as he did last year; he would not give way, but would divide the House. He would force the House of Commons to declare whether they would bend their knee to their God. If they Mr. Hunt could not avoid reading two would not, the nation should know their or three verses from the Bible. The hon. refusal. He would have the whole nation, Mover had talked of Sodom and of Bristol, the Lords, and Commons, to join in the act and had called us infidels, idolators, and of humiliation. The Ministers had not what not; but had the hon. Member fordone it-the House of Commons had put gotten this passage of Isaiah? Is it such it aside. But, by that anointed name by a fast that I have chosen-a day for which he acted, he would appeal to them, a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow and it must be done. Moving the previous down his head like a bulrush, and to question would not do: the House must spread sackcloth and ashes under him? reject the Motion. "If it does reject it, Wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptall Europe will see (said the hon. Member)able day to the Lord? Is not this the that ye reject your God's authority. You fast that I have chosen-to loose the bands cannot escape this charge. By the name, of wickedness, to undo the heavy burand by the blood of that Saviour, I implore'dens, and let the oppressed go free, and you to support this Motion. But I have been told formerly, that in this blasphemous and unhallowed atmosphere I ought not to have used that name. But it is in that blessed name the name of that living God and Saviour, who now sees us and is amongst us---that I alone appeal and act. Christian men should love to hear me call on the name of Him in whose name they were baptized. Cast not off the reverence due to that name: beware of that infidelity that is creeping on you on both sides of the House, and depriving you of your manhood; for the safety of your own souls, I call on you to honour that name. I have done my duty to avert the evils that are coming on Christendom, preceded by the pestilence. Beware of the wrath that went forth on the plain against Sodom and Go

that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh.' What the hon. Member (Mr. Perceval) wanted was not a real fast: a real fast was one that would feed the hungry and clothe the naked.

Mr. Goulburn understood the noble Lord to say, that the object would be accomplished without going to the vote. If the noble Lord did not make such a promise, he hoped the Motion would be pressed.

Sir Thomas Baring would vote for the Motion, if a fast-day were not to be appointed.

Lord Althorp: It is the intention of the Government to appoint a fast-day.