The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

The 22d of February, the Gallery of the House of Commons, Lobby and different Avenues were fuller of Clergymen of different Denominations than the House itself of Members, in expectation of great debates coming on relative to the relief of his Majesty's Protestant Subjects dissenting from the Church of England; and after Governor Pownall's harangue relative to General Officers executing Civil Offices in North-America was finished, the Speaker quitted the Chair in favor of the Chairman of the Committee of the whole House upon the occasion; when Sir Harry Haughton moved for leave to bring in a Bill: The Debate closed the Business of the Day.

It was easy to discern the opposite Interests espoused by the Gentlemen in the Galleries, by the opposite passions of hope and fear, so visibly pourtrayed in their countenances. The more intelligent of the Party, were solicitous for the introduction of the Bill, saw sufficient to convince them of the Complexion of the House, & looked on the permission to bring it in as a matter of mere form; from whence no success could be inferred; whilst others deemed the division amongst the Dissenters themselves fatal to their cause; and it must be allowed, that nothing could obstruct the bringing in and passing such a Bill more, than a party of the Dissenters, objecting to the measure as unnecessary, dangerous, and answering no good end.