The Archbishop of Canterbury moved ou Thursday the second reading
of a Bill intended to diminish the abuse of patronage in the Church, in a speech in which he showed how strong the objections were to Mr. Leatham's Church Patronage Bill, read a second time in the House of Commons. He thought the clauses of that Bill intended to give Queen Anne's bounty the power of buying up livings in the Church, and providing a sink- ing fund out of the proceeds of the livings themselves, quite un- workable. What he himself proposes is to establish in every diocese a Patronage Council, consisting half of laymen and half of clergymen, and presided over by the Bishop ; the laymen to be nominated by the churchwardens of the diocese, the Chair- men of Quarter-Sessions, and the Lord-Lieutenant. How the clerical half of the Council is to he appointed, we, are not told, but we suppose by the clergy of the diocese. This Council would have the power of approving or disapproving of the exercise of patronage within the diocese ; and as regards local appointments, there would be a local Council, consisting chiefly of local persons, but containing also members. of the central Diocesan Council, and this local body would bave_the• weer of investigating the parishioners' objections: to any opointinent� and of confirming them or pronouncing them :frivolous. The Bill was read a second time, but referred to a Select Committee.
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