p of London (Blomfield) retorted fiercely upon him.
The Tories lauded and the Whigs abused the Bishops, both
vehemently. I don't admire their conduct, either as to temper or
discretion. The Church had better not be militant, and to see the
Bench of Bishops in direct and angry collision with the King's
Prime Minister is a sorry sight.

The angry debate which took place was not contemplated by the
Bishops. It had been settled that the Archbishop should make his
declaration against the measure in the name of his brethren,
which he did in a speech (for him) remarkably good, for he is a
miserable speaker at all times. Melbourne's severe remarks
provoked the Bishop of London (Blomfield), who had not intended
to speak, and he said to the Archbishop, 'I must answer this,'
who replied, 'Do.' His abrupt and animated exordium, 'And so, my
Lords,' was very much admired.

This Church rate Bill, however, is a bad Bill; it gives little
satisfaction to anybody except to the Dissenters, who have no
right to require such a concession to what they absurdly call
their scruples of conscience. One of the underwhippers of
Government dropped the truth as to the real cause of such a
measure, when he said that, 'if they had proposed Althorp's plan,
they should have had all the Dissenters against them at the next
elections.' The question, originally one of considerable
difficulty, is now doubly so, and its solution will not be easy,
especially by this Government; but nothing can prevent its being
settled. It is strange that no experience can open the eyes of
inveterate Tories and High Churchmen, and that successive defeats
have not demonstrated to them the futility of their expectations
of being able to resist the passing of measures which great
interests support, and which are congenial to public opinion.
There is, however, something discreditable in the conduct of
Government, and which shows the compromising, half-cunning,
hand-to-mouth way in which they are compelled to scramble on.
Upon the ballot the 'Times' published a list of at least twenty
members of the Government who stayed away, leaving the Tories to
fight the Radicals and make the majority, and such a measure as
this Church-rate Bill is utterly inconsistent with Lord John
Russell's declarations last year. This division has again revived
the question of dissolution and change of Government, and made a
great deal of speculation. If the Lords dare throw out the
Corporation Bill, th