It was essentially necessary,--so said Mr. Daubeny and his
friends,--that the country should know and discuss the proposed
measure during the vacation. There was, of course, a good deal of
retaliation. Mr. Daubeny had not given the country, or even his own
party, much time to discuss his Church Bill. Mr. Gresham assured Mr.
Daubeny that he would not feel himself equal to producing a measure
that should change the religious position of every individual in the
country, and annihilate the traditions and systems of centuries,
altogether complete out of his own unaided brain; and he went on
to say that were he to do so, he did not think that he should find
himself supported in such an effort by the friends with whom he
usually worked. On this occasion he declared that the magnitude of
the subject and the immense importance of the interests concerned
forbade him to anticipate the passing of any measure of general
Church reform in the next Session. He was undoubtedly in favour of
Church reform, but was by no means sure that the question was one
which required immediate settlement.
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