26Mar1873, Burials Bill Carried by 63

LONDON, Wednesday, March 26th, 1873.
—The precious Burials Bill (2nd reading) carried by 63, in spite of a capital, I shd say unanswerable speech, unluckily of Dizzy's. The line is to talk as if the Church was the persecuting virago in the matter, which is rather too bad when she meekly buries everybody, unlike any sect, and merely begs to be left to use her own service on her own ground. Dizzy's best point was the inconsistency of the Dissenters claiming exemption from the Ch. rates some years ago because they wd not pay for what did not concern them, and now, while never offering to pay rates as before, calmly claiming a right to what, on their own showing, is the Church's ground. Of course there is not a shadow left in their way, either of principle, logic, or common sense, when they take it into their heads to announce their "right" to do what they please in the Church's fabrics. But in this proposal, as in the sister-in-law one, consistency and principle are utterly scouted. And to think that my perverse Fred shd support them both! It isn't for want of many a talking to.