The Burials question will, it is now clear, soon be
settled, pro- bably this Session. On Thursday night, on the Bill going into Committe in the Lords, Lord Granville withdrew his amendment in favour of one drawn up by Lord Harrowby, which allows any person who signifies his wish, "to inter the deceased" in the church- yard "with such Christian and orderly religious services as he shall think fit, or without any religious service," and makes disorderly conduct or lecturing against Christianity of any kind over the grave a misdemeanour. This amendment, which concedes all that the Dissenters demand, and all that it is at all expedient to grant, was excepted by 102 Peers and rejected by the same number, and only lost because by ancient tradition a "tie is held in the Lords to be equivalent to rejection. The Arch- bishop of Canterbury and the Bishops of Oxford and Exeter were among the Contents, and had the Archbishop of York voted as he spoke, the clause would have been carried. As it is, the clause must be inserted in the Bill when it reaches Committee in the. Commons, and if it is carried, as it will be, by a large majority, will be sent up again to the Lords, where, after this vote, it can hardly be defeated. In presence of this success, the other amendments. become trivial ; but we may mention that the Archbishop of Canterbury's, which provides that any minister may read any
religious Berries authorised by the Ordinary, instead of the usual service, was carried by 65 to 60. Dr. Tait'a object is, of course, a good one,—but as a compromise, the clause is useless, as it Leaves everything to the discretion of the incumbent.
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