THE
CHRONICLES
OF EARLY
MELBOURNE.
935
its nature, one would think could be discussed without the indulgence of acrimonious expressions and the display of angry feeling. O n the resumption of the House, Mr. Dunlop gave notice of his intention to move, " That public prayers to Almighty G o d be offered up daily at the opening of this Council, so soon as the Speaker shall have taken the Chair. That it be referred to a Committee of this Council to select or prepare a suitable F o r m of Prayer for this purpose ; and that the said Form of Prayer, when approved of by the Council, be used exclusively on all such occasions, and be read by the Speaker." Mr. O'Shanassy immediately rose, and notified his intention to move, contingent on the Council adopting M r . Dunlop's motion, "That it be an instruction to the Committee appointed to draw up a Form of Prayer, to m o v e an Address to his Excellency, praying that his Excellency will be pleased to place a s u m not exceeding £10,000 on the Estimates, to be placed by this Council at the disposal of the Prayerful Committee, to enable them to offer a premium for the best Form of Prayer submitted to them by tender, designed especially not to interfere with the civil rights or religious opinions or privileges of any M e m b e r of this H o u s e ; and also that it be a special instruction of this Council that every m e m b e r of the Committee of Prayer shall, on agreeing to their Report, accompany it with their letters patent of Inspiration, and the date of their origin."* Mr. Stawell objected to the reception of the amendment, and he moved " That, inasmuch as the contingent notice of motion is blasphemous and unparliamentary, it be expunged from the notice paper of the Council." Seconded by M r . Haines. Mr. O'Shanassy designated the original motion as one brought forward with indecent haste. A n official m e m b e r had that day communicated to him that such a motion would be introduced, and of this he complained. Under the circumstances, he was ready to admit that the amendment had been prepared under the influence of excited feelings. Mr. Stawell, after such an admission, would withdraw his motion if a similar course were adopted as regarded the amendment. Mr. O'Shanassy would agree to do so if Mr. Stawell would withdraw some of the remarks in which he had indulged. H e entertained as deep a horror of blasphemy, and knew what it was, as well as Mr. Stawell did, though, perhaps, not its legal definition. T h e use of a set Form of Prayer in the Legislature of Victoria would be an invasion of his right of private judgment as a m e m b e r of the Council, and an insult to him as a R o m a n Catholic. Furthermore, it would be a violation of Her Majesty's instructions to Colonial Governments, that there should be no interference in matters of religion. T h e discussion was continued for a short time in a rather peppery style, and eventually the amendment was by consent withdrawn. O n the 14th November the Prayer Question was to be discussed, and an amusing contretemps occurred, for it had dropped out of the notice paper, and Mr. Fawkner stoutly objected to its restoration. T h e Speaker ruled that as regular notice had been given, and the motion handed to the Clerk, it could be proceeded with. Mr. Dunlop moved for permission to divide his motion, which was objected to, but on a division leave was given by a majority of 21 to 5. T h efirstportion was next formally proposed, and seconded by M r . Rutledge, upon which M r . O'Shanassy moved, and M r . Johnston seconded, the " previous question." Another acrimonious debate followed, and an amendment " That the question be now put," was carried. A s this was thefirstdivision on record, the names are appended :—Ayes, 13: Messrs. Mercer, Campbell, Rutledge, Haines, Pohlman, Russell, Lonsdale, Stawell, Barry, Goldsmith, Griffith, Wilkinson, Dunlop (teller). Noes, 14 : Messrs. Ebden, Miller, Robinson, Fawkner, O'Shanassy, Murphy, Ross, Westgarth, Dight, Johnston, Snodgrass, Turnbull, Strachan, Splatt (teller). A b s e n t Messrs. Smith and Osborne. [ cannot resist the temptation (for which I trust to be exxused) of here stating, that Mr. O Shanassy did m e the honour to submit for m y opinion his amendment before its public announcement, when 1 frankly declared m y disapproval of its style, and questioned tne wisdom of movinir it ; but O'Shanassy was a man, who, though from some mental vagary, would occasionally condescend to seek advice, seldom or ever took it when given. Of this failing, or otherwise, I was well aware, and it was, therefore, with no surprise 1 heard m y opinion scornfully derided in terms he reverse of complimentary to m y self-supposed sagacity.—[Till-: AUTHOR].
