The Sun. — London, England, 1829-03-17 00:00:00

il' .~ - - ~ ;' ~► o represent was not se much oppoeed to Roman Catholic e encesmion as had been supposed. An Hon. MEMBER. stated, that out of 37,000 inhabi tants of Exeter, only 400 had signed this petition. Ordered to be printed. Mr. ROI3ARTS presented petitions from Protestant Dissenters of Craubrook, and from Maidstone, in the county of Kent (the latter signed by 400 inhabitants) in favour of the Catholic claims. With reference to the last mentioned petition, the Hon. Member said he felt justified in assuming, from the respectability of the signatures, that the great question of Catholic emancipation was advancing in Maidstone. Mr. WELLS denied that the petition represented the sense of the great majority of the freeholders and inhabit ants of Maidstone. The question was one which involved the fate of the Constitution and the country, and the po pulation of Kent had given the best evidence of their dis approbation of any attempt to deal with it in the manner proposed by his Majesty's Ministers. The excitement produced in the county of Kent by the agitation of this question had not subsided. It was only on Saturday he visited his own place, and he found that, on the preceding Friday, the people had assembled to burn in effigy an ad vocate of the Roman Catholic Claiins.—(Hear.)—He thought it unbecoming in the Hon. and Learned Gentle man, the Solicitor-General for Ireland, to taunt his Hon. and Learned Friend the Member for Dublin, as he did on a preceding evening, with his reiterated appeals and anti 'ions to the principles of the Revolution of 1688. Too frequent appeals could not be made of those principles and that e vent. He would like to have a starling taught to repeat the words " Constitution of 1688,"—(a laugh),— for the edification of some Gentlemen in that House, and 'if we understood the Hon. Member, who was but in distinctly beard in the gallery, aright), it might be as well if the bird also repeated his lesson at Windsor Castle.— (Laughter.)--The Hon. Member concluded by expressing his firm conviction, that it would be impossible to pre serve the Constitution if Roman Catholics were admitted to the privilege of having seats in Parliament. Mr. J. MARTIN thought we need not wonder at the excitement that had been produced in the minds of the people upon this eubject, when we observed Noble Peers calling upon them to give " one cheer more for Protestant .Ameendancy,"—when we saw Clergymen interposing in a manner not the most seemly, or in accordance with their sacred character, to inflame the populace—and when a Magistrate and Member of Parliament, at a period when no excitement existed, declared his readiness to " fight up to his knees in blood"—(Hear) —in a cause to which it sues unnecessary more particularly to allude. When such inflammatory language had been made use of, and on such questions, be did not wonder at the excitement of the p eo pl e ,—(Hear, hear,)—Much might b.: said on behalf of the Ruction Catholic agitators of Ireland—much in ex tenuation if not in defence of their conduct. They had suffered lung and severely—the cup of hope had been often dashed from their lips, and under such circumstances their intemperance was not to be wondered at; but the agitators this country, who endeavour to influence the feelings of the peoiile hy seta] and language like those in quebtion, had no excuse. Mr. WELLS—I rise to explain— The SPEAKER—If the Hon. Member will allow me, I AO first put the question on the petitions. The petitions having been ordered to be brought up, on the question that they be read, Mr. WELLS rose and said, apparently under the influ ence of strong feeling,—the Hon. Member has alluded to wie—of that I shall speak presently. With respect to what he has said of a Noble Lord and other individuals, it would be extremely improper for me to enter upon that. I have only to say of that Noble Lord, that I entertain feel ings of respect towards him which few people cin appre ciate, and . wbich I am wholly unabie to express ; but I shall not Wee into the Hon. Member's observations upon that subject. With respect to myself, the manner in which he has chosen to allude to me is such, that I can only say I treat his remarks with the utmost degree of contempt. The SPEAKER.—Order, order. Mr. Weets 'resumed his seat, amidst cries of " Chair, chair ; order, order." After a short pause— • The SPEAKER—Mr. Wells. Mr. WELLS, in a tone of voice almost inarticulate, said, that nothing was farther from his intentions than to tootinit any breach of the order or regulations of the House; and that if he had done so inadvertently, he re gretted it extremely. (Hear.) He acknowledged he felt hurt, when he, of all persons in the world, was accused of an endeavour to excite ill-will and bad feeling among any cities of his fellow-subjects. His conduct on the occasion in question teas, he thought, capable of the most satisfactory explanation. A meeting was got up in the place which he hod the honour to represent, the object of which was, first, merely to express the attachment of the individuals there awe:tabled to our Protestant Constitution ; and in the next place to ascertain the fe4ings of the people of the county at large no the subject of coneecions to the Roman Catholics. He repeated, the meeting was not intended for any thing further than to accomplish the first named object, to take the opinion of the county of Kent on the queetion alluded to, and consider the best means for doing that. At that meeting an opposition was made to the object for &rich it bad been convened. Allusion was made to the agitators of Ireland, and one individual in favour of con• cession went so far as to menace us with the dangers that might arise found irritating the "millions" of' frith Catho lics by delaying to grant what they requirad. No man could lament more than he did that such a tone was adopted ; anti it was under these circumstances, and in reply to such menaces, that he said what he did, After a few words from Sir E. KNATCHEULC, Sir J. Emmons, Mr. B. CLARKE, and Mr. TRANT, the petitioti was read and ordered to he printed. Admiral EVANS presented two petitions from baronies in county Cork, against further concession to the Catholics. A similar petition, from the inhabitant)) of Romney, in Kent, was presented by Mr. D. PENNANT. Mr. G. PHILLIPS presented a petition from certain Unitarian Dissenters of .Hyde Worlam, in Cheshire, in favour of concession.--Ordered to be printed. Similar petitions from Chelmsford, Bamford, Bradwell, Manuingtree, and six other placei, were presented by Sir E. HARVEY.-Ordered to be printed. Mr. WESTEN tr; A. presented six petitions, from parishes in the King's county, is favour of concession ; and one against the Select ysntiy-Act....-Ordered to be printed. Mr. R. TREVOR presented S. oetitioo from Merthyr Tidvil, Glamorganshire, and from a paiLSlt in Carenarthen shire, against concession. Ordered to be priii:S'L A similar petition followed, from the Archdeacrin 4, " Clergy of Armagh, presented by Sir A. CHICHESTER; one from a parish of Roxburghshire, by Mr. Scorn. Mr. - PROTHEROE presented two petitions—from Evesham in Worcestershire, arid a parish of Gloucester shire, in favour of concession.—Ordered to be printed. Sir 0. MURRAY presented a similar petition from cer tain persoos in Perthshire, exercising the profession of procurators.--Ordered Lis be printed. Sir G. HILL presented a peation from the Clergy, Ma gistrates, and Freeholders of the county of Londonderry against any further concession to the Rornais Catholics.— The petition had upwards of 20,000 signatures. Sir J. ISRYDGES was desired by the Mayor of Cole raine, Which borough' lie bad the honour of representing, and whir:' was one of the principal towns in the county of Londonderry': to support the measure just presented by the Right Hon. ,Ilaronet. This he did with great satis faction, as his own ocsisions agreed with those of the peti tioners, who constituted the majority of the wealth and respectability of the county. • Mr. G. DAWSON said the psstition just presented by his Right Hon. Friend had been ustsSillv intrusted to his care. Its respectability he did not mean S's deny; nor would be take up the time of the House in stating the va rious artifices, with a view to obtaining numerous signa tures, which letters that he had received from Laotian derry infornsed hint, had been had recourse to. Ife was quite satisfied to allow that the petition was that of up wards of 20,000 respectable Protestant inhabitants of the county which be had the honour of representing, against the Catholic claims. It contained signatures of m agistrates and clergymen of whose respectability he was a willing wit neso. But while he admitted this respectability, he must distinctly deny that the petition expressed the unanimous sentiments of the county on the Catholic question. On the oontrary, lie must say that the far larger portion of the re speeteshility, intelligence, and wealth of the county had not • s i gne d I t Nay more, that more th in a moiety of the landed property o f Landontleery had signed a petition in favour of concession to time Catholics. It was true that that petition had but 170 signatures, but thcee included, he repeated, the proprietoso of'ettore than half the landed property of the county; and if eZef don bad been made, be had no doubt that it would have bean at least as ,numereitsly signed as that just presented iq.ltis Right Hon. Friend. He felt justified in stating that the people: of the north of Iceland were beginning to see the necessity of settling the Catholic Question, and be was contident that in 3 few anotiths longer, they would he unanirossiw in favour of it. I Was there not a proof of his statement before the House? Vor, thooe,h his Right Hon. Friend (Sir G. Hill) had .:hanged his opinions on the Catholic Question, lie was I nt rus ted with a petition by gentlemen, many of w h o m tie was convinced would in a short time imitate his Right Hon. Friewl's conduct, and change their opinions. sonow ART concurred with what had fallen from his Right 1-Ton. Colleague, and was sore tisat the peti tioners would in a short time be friendly to the measure they were then opposing. Mr. TUITE also agreed with the Right Hon. Member for Londonderry (Mr. G. Dawson), that the intended measures of the Government would be hailed with unqua lified gratitude by the Catholics, and with satisfaction by the Protestants of Ireland. The Hon. Member read ex tracts from private letters to him from some of his consti tuents in Westmeath, in which the writers state, that the Bill for raising the elective franchise to 10/. would be hailed as a benefit by the freeholders themselves, while it would do away with the mischievous inducement of sub dividing small farms. Mr. TRANT was sure that the petition presented by the Right Hon. Baronet wag entrusted to him before the petitioners were aware of the change in his sentiments. Hon. Members ought honestly to confess the cause of their tergiversation, and say at once, " the Government has changed its opinions, therefore I shall change mine." (Hear, and a laugh.) Mr. ROBINSON wished to know from the Hon. Member for Coleraine what mode of settlement of the state of Ireland he had to propose, instead of that pro posed by illiiiisters, to which he had objected ? Sir J. BRYDGES replied, that though he could not say what should be done, he could say what ought not to be done. Sir G. HILL presented petitions against any further concession to the Catholics from the Corporation of Lon donderry, Kilray, Portadown, and three other places in the county of Armagh. Similar petitions were presented from Conna, Ballo menagh, and Antrim, by General O'NEILL. CROWN AND ANCHOR PETITION. Mr. C. PALLMER gave notice, that lie would on Thursday next present a petition, signed by 100,000 householders of Loudon and Middlesex, against the Ca tholic claims. Lord STANLEY presented a petition from Ashton under-Line in favour of the Catholics. The petition was signed by the large majority of the respectable inhabitants of that town, from which a petition of an opposite ten dency, which he was instructed to say was signed indis criminately by men, women, and children, and by persons 'miler other names, over and over, had been a few nights since presented by a Noble Marquis. It would have had many more signatures, but that the inhabitants thought it almost unnecessary to sign it, feeling confidence in the wis dom and policy of Ministers. Ile had only to add, that the Right Hon. Gentleman's (Mr. Peel's) speech had made many who were opposed to the Catholic claims converts to the opinions of the Government. The Noble Lord also presented two petitions from the Licensed Victuallers of Oldham for a reduction of the As sessed Taxes, and against unlicensed victuallers; and a pe tion from the corporals and strummers of the Lancashire Militia, against the proposed reduction of the Military Staff. Lord MORPETH presented a petition from the inha bitants of the parish of St. Audeon's, in the city of Dublin, praying for unqualified emancipation ; and another petition from a parish in Yorkshire, in favour of Catholic claims. Sir J. WROTTESLEY presented petition, in favour of emancipation from the Protestant Dissenters of Burton upon- ['rent, and from two other places in the county of Staffoi d ; and another aetition against emancipation, from a parish in the same county. The same Hon. Member presented a petition from the Magistrates assembled at the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the county of St Jou], in favour of the hir e ing of Servants' Bill. Mr. TRANT presented petitions against Catholic emancipation from the Protestant Dissenters of Grantham and its neighbourhood ; from the congregation of Particu lar Baptists ip Shouldham-street, parish of Merylebone; ansl front the inhabitants of the parish of Littleport, in the Isle of Ely. Lord MILTON presented petitions in favour of the Ca tholic elaitns from the Roman Catholics of the parish of Hackelstown, and of another parish in the county of Car low ; from the Protestant Dissenting Students of Arid Independent College, in the county of York; from the un dersigned clergy of the Archdeaconry of Cleveland, in the same county; from Doncaster, signed by almost all the landed z entry in the neighbourhood; from the inhabi tants of seeds. To the last petition his Lordship said Le wished to call the particular attention of the House. It h a d ,attached to it the signatures of no less than 16,000 of the inhabitrinta of that wealthy, poptalone, and en terprising town, and these signatures were obtained in the short alpaca of two days. It might be in the recollection of the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite, that in the course of last winter a public meeting was held in the town of Leeds, at which from 15,000 to 20,000 persons attended. The question of einaaci pation was there warmly debated, and the meeting decided in favour of en Address; to his Majesty, praying him graci ously to take into his consideration the f ittlaolit.: Claims, with a view to recommend to Parliament their final and satisfactory adjustment. Since that meeting bad tajecu place, it was not, lie believed, the intention of that portion of the inhabitants of Leeds who were favourable to eman cipation to agitate the questieo forther,uow that it was in a fair way of being settled ; but the conduct of those per sons there who were averse to the Catholic claims had left then; no alternative, but to conic forward and express their sentiments in a decided manner upon this important suese tion. 'Co this petition were attached the signatures of three Aldermen, and of seine of the most wealthy inhabi tants of that wealthy town, and he conceived that it was one which well deserved the attentive consideration of the House. Sir U. NOM, presented petitions against the Catholic claims from the inhabitants of the hundred of Uppingliam, in the county of Rutland, and from the freeholders and in habitants of the county of Rutland. Air. S. RICE presented petitions in favour of eman cipation from the parishes or Tralee, Kilgobbin, Bally, house, and three other places in the county Kerry, and from Killenaute an nine other places in the counties 'Tipperary and Limeriek ; and a petition from Rathmore, in the county Tipperary, against the Vestry and Sub letting Azts. Mr, EASTHQPE presented a petition from the pr,o testarit Baptists sad Dissenters of a parish in Dorsetehire, in favour of Catholic emancipation. Colonel WOOD presented a petition from a place in the county of Brecon, against the Catholic claims, He wished to take this opportunity to state that a meeting of the inha bitants of that county had been held, at which a petition against the Bill now before Parliament had been almost unanimously adopted :: 110 was also desirous to explain the position in which he was now placed in consequence of the adoption of that petition. The Rosters was probably not awes that he (Colonel Wood) had never Wore given a , Ite upon this question, anti he wished to explain the tea, sons avlich had ioeloced him to refrain from voting OP 4. He had had the happi&xa of having been connected for many years with A deceased aati,nimter, whose whole poli tical life was honestly and zealously doyoted to the advo cacy of the Catholic cause. At the same ti rag hp (3olonel Wood) was aware that the great body of the coostitoenta whom he represented were adverse to the Catholic claims ; ' and under these circumstances he hald himself neutral on the question, on tide express understanding, that whenever the county should at a public meeting declare its epioison in ti decided manner, his vote would be regulated accord- ingly. A meeting of the county had been held within the last few days, and he understood from a gentleman who was present, that the great majority were in favour of the pee tition which was adopted against the Catholic claims, and that only 10 or 12 hands ware held up against it. He (Colonel Wood) should therefore voae,ageiast the measure. Some Ilea, Members might consider such a asao!let of pro ceeding unconstitotional, but be (Colonel Wood) deemed it the only course which he could adopt in justice to his coastituetits. Mr. V AN HOMRIGH would take that opportunity to deelare his opinion,—an opinion which he had always mainteined from his first entrance into public life,-.-that the penal dieoualifications affecting the Roman Catholics were unjust, inapelitic, and degrading, and that their re • aeoval would be highly beneficial to the Constitution and the vomit e at large. Mr. D. W. HAR VEY rose to pa:afoot a petition in favour of the great principle of religious liberty ood equal rights, front Colchester, The petition, the Hon. Menihee stated, was signed by Members of the Established Church, and by persons connected with various dissenting congre gations. He was aware that on a former evening a pee tition p4mer ously signed had been presented by his lion. Colleague ageioet the Catholic Claims, and he had now to state that these petitioners 44 no wish to detract from the respectability of that petition, or to 1445,ti the motives of those who signed it. They felt, that' an giving es , eiree• 1 sion to their own feelings, they had no right 'to d c 6tract from the honest conscientioos feelings of those who differed front theft in opinion. He could trot ; however, omit to ;mention a circumstance as illustrative of the. industry of , those seho had prepared and got up the petition peeeented: by his tlon. Colte a g ue—namel y , that the signatures of 1501 children, who attended a r e ehool belonging to the Established church in that neighbourhood, #ere affixed to it. The Dis sentere who had signed the present children,inha also a 36001 there, zootaining full ds many eqaaliy as .competent to judge en such an abstract question as the athildren in the school connected with the Established Church, but they very properly absaaiaed from h av i ng their signatures affixed to a public document of this na fture.—(litar)---as he was 04 his legs, Ile would avail hireelf dais opportunity of saying a revs , words in re ference to the language which had been employed, and the spirit which had been manifested, by the Hon. Member for Limerick, on a former evening, in consequence of some observations which he (Mr. Harvey) hasl made upon that occasion. On that occasion, be (Mr. Harvey) ven tured for the first time to express his sentiments to the House on the subject of the measure at present before them —he said then, and be still thought, that such a measure either went too far, or did not go far enough he said then, and he would still maintain, that the measure which had been so ably introduced by the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Peel), founded upon the recommendation in his Ma jesty's speech to take the whole state of Ireland into con sideration, with a view to its pacification, was not cal. ciliated completely to attain that object ; and he then de clared, as he still felt, that they would never perma nently pacify Ireland, unless some arrangement were made for a provision for the Catholic Clergy.—(Hear, hear.)—He (Mr. Harvey) suggested at the time, and he still entertained the opinion, that an ample fund for that purpose should be appropriated out of the revenues of the Established Church in Ireland. As long as the Catholics of Ireland continued, like the Catholics in other countries, sincerely devoted to their religion, it was impossible that they could sincerely or tamely submit to a system under which the immense majority of the people were deprived of the ecclesiastical revenues, while those revenues were enjoyed by a church to which but a small proportion of the inhabitants of the country belonged. He therefore declared, that the present measure would not accomplish any permanent result in the way of pacifying the country, while such a matter as that was left undressed. For offer ing such a suggestion, he was attacked by the Hon. Mem ber for Limerick, and his sentiments were animadverted upon in a dictatorial, and, he would add, in that House an unprecedented tone by that Hon. Member. When upon a succeeding evening he (Mr. Harvey) taxed that lion. Member with supporting himself a motion which directly tended to diminish the revenues of the Established Church ' in Ireland, that Hon. Member replied, that in the whole course of his public life he had never supported a motion that had such a tendency. Now the impression upon his (Mr. Harvey's) mind was, that the Hon. Member had upon some former occasion supported a motion which had a direct tendency to interfere win the Ec clesiastical Revenues of the Established Church in Le 1 init. Now what was the fact ? He found that in 1824, on the occasion of a motion brought forward by the lion. Member for Montrose, which motion consisted of the following words—" That it is expedient to inquire whether the present Church Establishment of Ireland be not more than commensurate to the services to be per formed, both as regards the number of persons employed and the incomes they receive," the Hon. Member for Limerick was amonget the minority. In the spirit of that resolution, he (Mr. Harvey) perfectly concurred ; and if he had a seat than in that House, he would have been in company with the Hon. Member for Limerick in the minority. But what were the terms in which that motion was characterised by a then eloquent Member of that House, who had since been promoted to the House of Peers—he meant Lord Plunkett. Mr. Plunkett said— " Really, when the Hon. Gentleman coupled the expres • sion of his approbation of that priesthood, with the expo sition of his p'an for pulling down the revenue of the Pro testant Church in that country—of transferring and de livering it into the hands of the Roman Catholic hierarchy (for such was the scope of his proposition), the House would give him (Mr. Plunkett) leave to say, that he deprecated the Honourable Gentleman's advo cacy of their cause more than he should lament his hostility to it." Such was the motion, so characterized by Lord Plunkett, which had been supported by the Hon. Member for Limerick. Lord Plunkett on that occa sion further sal I—" The Hon. Member (Mr. Hume) was for no Church Establishment." Such was the description given of the preposition in favour of which the Hon. Mem ber for Limerick voted. " Speaking of it (continued Lord Plunkett on that occasion) in a political point of view, he had no hesitation to state, that the existence of the Protestant establishment was the great bond of union between the two countries ; and if that unfortunate mo ment should arrive when they would rashly lay their hands on the property of the church, to rob it of its rights, that moment they would seal the doom and terminate the con nexion between the two countries." Such were the ob jects attributed to this motion, and the character given of it by Lord Plunkett. He (Mr. Harvey) had referred to this subject in consequence of the uncalled-for and unjus tifiable course which the Hon. Member for Limerick had adopted towards him, and he thought he had already ad duced sufficient evidence to prove that at least on one occa sion the Hon. Member had voted for a motion which tended to diminish the,revenues of the Established Church in Ire land. The lion. Member for Louth, one of the miraculous converts of the present day-e--(a laugh)—in speaking of this motion, introduced by the Hon. Member for Montrose, on that occasion said, that " the question appeared to be, how mush or how little of the property of the church of Ireland was now to be confiscated Here was a motion supported by the Hon. Member for Limerick, and involving the question—" How much or how little of the Protestant Church in Ireland was to be confiscated ;" and yet that Hoe. Member now declared, that if lie thought the present measere of Catholic emancipation would have the slightest tendency to injure the interests of the Esta blished Church, it would not have his support.—(Hear, hear.)—He wished it to be understood that he did not rise to attack any Hon. Member for the course which he might think fit to pursue in that House, but he would always rise when he conceived it necessary to defend himself; and he would endeavour, on all occasions, strenuously to defend himself, let the attack be directed from whatsoever quarter it might. He felt that this was a subject which ought to be seriously discussed in that House. It was not, however, his purpose to enter further on it at pre sent ; but he trusted that an opportunity would be afforded to him in the course of the discussion on the Bill to show that how ever the measure of the Right Hon, Gentleman opposite was calculated, pro tauto, to effect much good, it would not effect that which his Majesty and his Ministers directed —namely, the permanent pacificatioe of Ireland. It could not do this, it was evident, whilst it left so large a subject for future debate and division.—(Hear hear.) —They would have the Catholic Association in Parliament, backed by the feelings of millions of discontented people of Ire land.—(Heir, heer.)—He trusted thee an opportunity would hereafter occur that would enable him to state his opinions more fully than he could now do. Mr. S. RICE could assure the Hon. and Learned Gene tleman, that no other feeling but a sense of duty could have indaced him, either on former eecasioes, or on the present, to bring himself in collision with the Hon. and Learned Gentleman. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman declared, with apparent sincerity, his readiness to support the Bill, end yet he took a course which no individual in that Uouse or out of that Hoece could doubt was, of all others, the most decidedly calculated to injure the cause which he de clared he would espouse.—( Hear, hear. )—He demanded, with what other object could the Hon. and Learned Qen tleman have made those observations to which he (Me. Rice) alluded' Did not the Hon. and Learned Gentle man know, that eueli observations evidently tended to en danger the success of the incesere ? lie begged of the Hon. and Learned Gentleman to contradict him, if ha peuld, when lie averted, that every word which the lion. end Learned Gentleman had uttered was calculated to injure the Catholic cause. He would willingly go in iseoe with the Honourable and le.,eereed Gentleman on that point, If the Honourable and Learned Gentieman could riot coutractice him—apd he was sure that 6e could not,—with what face, ire asked, could the Honourable and Learned Gentleman come into that House, 444 say s that he would support a measure which appeared beneficial to the ped;lie interest, and at the same time take a course that had an immediate tendereey to defeat that very object (Hear, hear.)--The Hon: and ii.eaeneel Gentleman must have heard and marked to-night, as lie muse iaae.s heard and pinked before, by whom his obsrvatiorie were cheered. When be said that the Hon. and Learned Gen tleman's remarks were cafe:elated to e injure the Catholic question, he did not speak lightly, pr from any peesorial feeling. He had not forgotten the two geutlemien who followed the lion. and Learned Member on a former night, nor the language which had been used by them. The plllant Officer, the Member for Norwich (Colonel Peel), exclaimed en that occasion, " I thank the honourable, end honest, and frank ember for Colchester, for the manly declaration which he has male. 11, 7 has stated hide, filet the effect of Il a lis si rtij i as ia l i ii t e rib w u ll t l e b ,,as to pti p i u d l l t H h o e ta t : r an te d st rear t g e l er Csll4l"tkrian by Hon. Ftiend of his (Mr. Rice's), the Merril-a fire the Pniyerisity of Oxford (Sir R. Inglis), and tie sentiinunt was echoed in vsiion,4 to the IftiOcations which are under the controul of those opposer' to the e....aeieelic question. What did the course adopted by the thie. and Learned centleman amount to? Why, it might be described thus:L—lt wee peeciaimed, " Whereas, the graCioui message of the King reCommereie iris pea .- 'sure Lc, your consideration ; but it only r ec o mmends 'it so far as it ease lrs eTected' consistently- with the 'safety and security of the Vtote6tani : and whereas, a Secretary of State, in the true s p irit of sincerity, Lied teeith an anxious desire that the Bill shall pass, has declared, 'JP a freeed ea the measure, wish it only to proceed; if it interfere not with the Cliurcai, app every man see that if it be not consistent with the interests of the rieloreele there is na l chance that the measure will be carried,'' 'After this came the lion, and Learned Gentleman—"the supporter of the measure—the new convert=and he spoke of miraculous conversions—(Laughter,)--Aut such a conversion he hail never sun before, and certainly never wished to see again— it looked so much like one of the stratagems of war, where an individual went over from one party to another, but in stead of assisting, injured those by whom he was received; and what line did he pursue? Why, he said, " You must put no confidence in the declarations of Mr. Grattan, of Mr. Plunkett, of the Right Hon. Member for the city of Waterford, or of any of those great men who have so ably and zealously supported the Cutholic claims--you must dis believe them, for the real effect of this measure will be, to overturn the Established Church." This statement of the Hon. and Learned Member for Colchester was cheered by Uon. Members under the gallery, and it was also received with cheers out of doors. He gave those who cheered it joy of their newly-discovered authority. For his own part, he was perfectly satisfied with the authorities which he had on his side, and he left those gentlemen to take full posse,- sion of their's.—(Hear.)—lf lie thought the observations made by the Hon. and Learned Gentleman were lightly or inadvertently spoken, be would not have made a remark on the subject ; but it was evident to him that they were not lightly or inadvertently spoken. If the observation which he (Mr. Rice) made on a former occasion was so erroneous as the lion. and Learned Member seemed to think it, a full opportunity was given to him for replying to it on the Friday night, when that observation was thrown out; but the Hon. and Learned Gentleman did not think proper to come forward till the Tuesday follow ing. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman had stated, that it was owing to him (Mr. Rice), and for his convenience, that the postponement of the matter took place. Now, he wished that the Hon. and Learned Member had fa voured him with his remarks on the evening when the occurrence happened. He (Mr. Rice) however, came down when the House again met, and stayed till its rising, but the 'Hon. and Learned Member did not appear. Ile also came down on the day after, but, as he could not wait till a late period in the evening, he left a note for the lion. and Learned Gentleman. Therefore, he con ceived there was no fault on his part. With respect to the charge of inconsistency which the Hon. and Learned Gentleman had brought against him, he should be able to show to the House, if they w, u'd follow him for a few minutes, that he had been guilty of no inconsistency; and he stood on grounds which he should be able fully to vindicate, whenever a proper occasion arrived ; but he would not vindicate his conduct now, except to expose the fallacy that lurked throughout the speech of the Honourable and Learned Gentleman. When he entered Parliament there were two opinions on the subject of church property. He stated this plainly, and he called on the Hon. and Learned Gentleman to contradict him, if he could. The first of those opinions was the opinion of that class of persons who maintained that the church property was, in all respects, sacred, in violable, and not to be touched by the nation. Thesecond was the opinion maintained by an Hon. Friend of his (Mr. Hume) who, by some miracle, was not then in his piece. (Hear, and laughter.) The opinion of the Hon. Member for Montrose was, that church property was liable to be confiscated by the State, and was liable to be applied to any other purpose, caving the existing rights of individuals.— Now, from the first to the last, since he had been in Par liament, he had differed from both those opinions. He thought that they were extremes, far removed from the truth. He considered the church property of England and Ireland as created and protected by the law, like other property, but differed from it in this respect--that it was not held absolutely, but on a certain condition.— Therefore, while he denied the right assumed by one class to confiscate or appropriate the property of the church, he equally denied the right of the other class to refuse inquiry into the way in which those public trusts were discharged, or in which the stipulated condi tions were fulfilled. Acting on this principle, whenever in Parliament a proposition was made for laying hold of the rights of the church, and for confiscating that property, to such a proposition lie had always and ever said " No." In no one instance had he ever supported such a proposition ; and, leaving it to the Lion. and Learned Member for Colchester, whenever such a proposition was made, to give his assent to it, he certainly should take an opposite course, and refuse his. But, on the other hand, whenever a proposition was made for inquiry into the state of Irish church property, fur the purpose of eyeing that it was properly applied, he would give that motion his cor dial assent. He had voted uniformly against confiscation, but he had as uniformly voted for inquiry. Thu, stood the case between him and the Hon. and Learned Member. In 1522 (and this was the reply,which he had made on a former occasion)—in 1822, when the Hon. Member for Montrose brnught forward a motion relative to Irish church property, to that motion he could not give his as sent, and lie drew up an amendment himself, which his Hon. Friend, the Member for Waterford, seconded. Ore that occasion, however, the House came to no resolu tion oo the subject. That was in 1822. In 1823 a more specific proposition was submitted to the House by the lion. Member for Montrose. He moved, " that the property of the church was public property," and he fol lowed this up with several other propositions. This was in 1823. He could, not, however, give his assent to any one of these propositions, and he was not present at their discussion. He now came to 1824. In that year the Hon. Member for Montrose moved, not a proposition for the confiscation of church property, as was asserted by the Hon. and Learned Gentleman, but a proposition for in quiry. His motion for confiscation leaving been negatived in 1823, he moved for inquiry in 1824. His motion embraced the question of plurality of livings—the question of the residence of the clergy—the question of tithes—and the qoestion of first-fruits. Now he (Mr. Rice) did, in ' 1 182+, think that those matters should be fairly inquired into. Still, said _the Hon. and Learned Member for Col chester, it was a measure of confiscation, and was so stated by hie (Mr. Rice's) Hon. Friend (Lord filunkett), who was then a Member of this House. He, however, would not take the explanation of his lion. Friend as to the nature of the measure proposed by the Hon. Member for Montrone. But, if the opinion of Lord Plunkett were good on this subject, with respect to the object of the motion of 1824, he conceived that the authority of the Hon. Member fee Montrose was still better ; and what did he say ? Ile said, all he wanted was an inquiry into the state of church property in Ireland, and he was op posed to any ilea of robbery or spoliation. . Therefore the statement and opinion of the Honourable Member far Montrose were with hini, and against the Honourable and Learned Gentleman ; and if any proposition were brought forward for the spoliation or robbery of the church property, unquestionably the Honourable and Learned Geetlemen . would pot find it to this instance,_ He did not speak qn that occasion, but fortunately for him he did speak on , another occasion, in the course of that year, and he took at that time precisely the same distinction to winch he now referred. He made use of these words in the cotirse of his observations on a proposition relative to the first fruits-e-"He was as sin eclat a friend to the Church establishment of Ireland as the Right lira,. apd Learned geetlenien (the Attorney-General, to whom be was then replying), and he thought he best proved his attachment to it, by advorating that species of reform which would extend the duties.. of the Clergy, Mocit bed ilceq said on whet was called the spoliation the Church ; but Oat efiensive word could not he justly applied to the motion before the Hearse, It was one thing for the Crown to seize the property of the Church, and epe ply it to the purposes of the state, and another to apply the flitO4F tif the c4orcit to its maintenance, and to the ad, o ancement of religion and morality. 'flip 01.0 might be termed spoliation ; but the latter wes rather to be looked erpoo as the preservation of the Church property. For the selie pf the peace of 11-elate!, it was absolutely necessary that the whole of this inapertent subject should be 'nest thoroughly investigated." (Heer, hear.) Now, he would leave it to the House whether the Hon . and Learned Gen tleman had dealt fairly with him. He had gone through all hie'i:gr. liee's) speeches, for the purpose of bringing a c l i erge against him, yet he had {neither the candopr per the fair-dealing to bring forward that peesege whieh he had just read, and which gage 'a complete contradiction to Otioil p4Ft 9t tile flottp.urable aqd Learned Gentlemap's charge. The Honourable and t.eartted gentleineo had clui o f uen. life, Itti and a n t c he a had not ge ne over ten years of his public life, but he boldly defied s him to adduce a particle of evidence in support of his accusation. In like manner, in 1825, the lion. Member for Montrose brought forward his final attack on the Church—an attack which called forth that magnificent pf Mr. canning in its defence. The motion on that occasion vas that the prpperty r t ow in the posses; sion orOle Establiehed ptiurei in ireland is public pro perty, under the controul of the Legislature, end . aPP.li c4ldO to spell purposes ee in its wisdom it may deem bc .flefieia, to rile hest 4itereqs of religion Ind of the commo e pity at large, due regard being had to the eights o; every person in the actual enjoyment of any part of that pro perty. Did be vote for that motion? Certainly not. It he bad, on either of the two occasions to which he had ailtegedr cer such a proposition, then the Hon. and Learned Gentiertian might 'go orb sad 11',17; He bad gOne over ten years' of lips political he voted ;Or bp:3*. , n a ow Hon. Member for Montrose. thoWn. that neither in 1823 or 184 . 11 ail Ile Leg was, t'aa;; noGive yote .1, for them ; for h tut i i n stances the propositions so brou g ht f o rward were negati ve d withbut a division. lie felt , h e odOi:iw.le4ge4r somewhat warmly on this subject, because he was ready to 4(.6 veipi an open enemy--an oven, manly, and fir alfveraary challenged his raw"; but when he • found that a secret, indirect, and tortuous course was pur sued, it moved his indignation. Mr. D. W. HARVEY said the speech of the Hon. Gentleman was not a reply to the observations which he had made that night or at a former period. He denied that he bad put the Hon. Gentleman on his defence ; but he undoubtedly felt it necessary to defend himself. The Hon. Gentleman said thitt he (Mr. Harvey) had ransacked his political life, and had examined all his speeches, for the purpose of bringing a charge against him. Now it would he thought, be a very severe task—and, he would say, no slight punishment—to go through the Hon. Gentleman's speeches for the last ten years.—(Laughter.)—The Hon. Gentleman had found hint guilty ; but he trusted that he would. not be allowed to award the punishment. If lie were, doubtless he (Mr. Harvey) should be compelled to go through the Parliamentary debates, to read the long speeches of the lion. Gentleman, and, what would be still more difficult, to reconcile one with the other. The lion. Gentleman had imputed to him that which was ground- Hiss, but which was perfectly applicable to himself, if he looked through a few yews. The .Hon. Gentleman said that if an individual supported a measure, he ought to do so wholly and entirely. He was, it appeared, to look upon it as not capable of improvement or alteration. Now he must disclaim such a doctrine. He might be favourable to this measure, and yet see plainly enough that it wsuld not effect the object which was intended. That was the opi nion he before expressed, and lie thought so still. Mr. P. THOMSON deprecated personal discussions of this nature. Lord AIORPETII vindicated the conduct of his party in reference to the Catholic question. Mr. HARVEY then brought up three petitions in fa vour of the Catholic claims,—one from the inhabitants of Colchester, another from the Protestant Dissenters of the Independent Chapel at Colchester, and a third from Wal tham Abbey. Mr. DAWSON, in the absence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, presented two petitions from Ireland against the Catholic claims,—one from the Arcbishop and Clergy of Armagh, the other from the Bishop and Clergy of the dioce,e of Ossory. General GASCOYNE presented a petition from the Churchwardens and Inhabitants of Ratcliffe, in the parish of Stepney, against the Catholic claims. Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN begged to state some cir cumstances connected with this petition, which had been got up by the trustees of the parish of Stepney. The number of inhabitants in this parish was 47,000, and this petition had been got up in a part of the parish containing 7,000 inhabitants, and was signed by 1,400 persons only. There were ten trustees in the parish, six were in favour of the petition, and four against it. The petition originally bore the name of the Rector, who refused to sign it, where upon a new petition was drawn up. Every device had been used to get signatures to this petition, which had been signed by the charity children in the parish, and by the children in an academy. Many of the signatures were in the same handwriting ; Hon. Members need only look at the petition to be convinced of the fact he stated, that six, eight, and even ten signatures were affixed to it by the same hand. General GASCOYNE remarked, that it was not un usual, and certainly not objectionable, for persons who Were present, to get another to put their names to a petition. He complained of the petty objections made to petitions on this subject, many of which recoiled upon the objectors, though they produced a strong feeling amongst petitioners throughout the country. Mr. Alderman WAIT HMAN explained. General GASCOYNE then presented petitions from the parishes of St. Peter's, St. Finbar's, and St. Mary Shan don, in the city of Cork, against the Catholic claims. Mr. GUEST presented a petition film Merthyr Tydvil, against the Catholic claims. Mr. MABERLY presented a petition from Abingdon, in favour of concession. Mr. PEEL had been 'guested to present a petition from certain Protestants of Ireland, praying that the monopoly of privileges hitherto enjoyed by the Protestants might be restored to the Roman Catholics, and that they might be allowed to participate with the Protestants in the rights and privileges of the Constitution. The first petition was from Belfast, which might be considered as the second city in that part of the empire, not only from the extent of Al trade, but because it was distinguished by great in tellectual refinement, and by its attention to the amts. Al though be (Mr. Peel) had no local connection with the city, he had been assured, in a letter which accompanied the petition, that although it contained apparently but few signatures, the names represented, if not all the respectable inhabitants of Belfast, at least those who possessed pro perty to between five and seven millions. Gentlemen ac quainted with Belfast had confirmed the statements in the letter lie held in his hand, as to the great respectability of the persons who bad signed this petition, which prayed that the Roman Catholics might be admitted to an equal par ticipation in the benefits of the Constitution with the Protestants. The petition was brought up, and read. It purported to be from the bankers, merchants, traders, and Protestant inhabitants of Belfast. Mr. VAN HOMRIGH said a few words in support of the petition. Mr. PEEL then presented two other petitions in favour of the Catholics—one from a place, the name of which we could not hear, in the county of Galway ; the other from the parish of St. Audeon's in the city of Dublin. Mr. W. PEEL brought' tip a copy of the deposition of Sir Jonah Barrington, before the Commissioners of Judicial Inquiry in Ireland. Mr. FYLER gave notice, that on Tuesday the 31st of March, Ire would move for a Committee of Inquiry to in vestigate the state of the Silk Trade. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. On the motion of Mr. DAWSON that the House do re solve into a Committee of Supply, Mr. RIDLEY COLBORNE inquired whether it was the intention of the Government to renew the Act for the composition of the Assessed Taxes, which would expire on the sth of April, 1830. Mr. DAWSON could not give -an immediate answer to the question, but would make inquiry. The House then went into a Committee, and the sum of 402,929/. was votud to enable his Majesty to defray the expenses of the Commissariat Department fur the year 1829. The House then resumed, the Chairman reported pro gress, and obtained leave to sit again on Wednesday. Or► the motion of Mr. STUART WORTLEY, the Game Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Friday. The Creditors' (Scotland) Bill went through a Com mittee of the whole House. THE MILITIA. Mr. PEEL rose to move for leave to bring in a Bill to suspend feral limited period the making lists and ballotting for the militia of the United Kingdom ; and to reduce the permanent staff. The Right Hon. Gentleman referred to the speech of his Majesty at the close of the last session, which promised an inquiry into the public establishments with a view to any practicable reduction. Owing to this recommendation, the militia had been a subject of 'Consi deration by his Majesty's Government, and it did appear to them that some reduction of that force was practicable, without injury to the country, and with a very consider able saving. The object of the Bill he now proposed to bring in was two-Sold ; brat, to enable the Crown to suspend far a limited period the preparation of lists and the ballotting for the militia ; and, secondly, to authorize a certain reduction of the stair of that force. He proposed a suspension of the ballot, made to avoid an unnecessary, and at the same time an expensive process, and with tt view of giving time to his Majesty's Government to consider by what mode that constitutional force could in future be adequately supplied. At present, no one could look to the system of ballotting and not perceive that the country and counties were subjected to an expense for an object not available for any useful purposes, lie would t4lie as 411 ex ample one county—that of atigord. The establishment of the militia force in that county was'l,l3() men. The r e q uiccd that all vacanies occurring in each year. should be filled up by n ballot, and every parish in thy. county was consequantly called upon to make out lists andpass through the form of a ballot, in order to sup ply the annual vacancies. During the last year, the number of vacancies was 21 in t h e Staff ordshire Militia ; and to supply these vacan cies, the fo r m ofa ballot was absolutely necessary. Th e ex p enses attending the Ballot, for these 21 men itinoniitral 4001.—Piear)„--of which t 2 he oq. c9u w p i t 's' y. the il e s s i i r , a lL e ;3 ; f iis t , l7 2001. fell upon 4 %Va necessary for parties claimed an exemption to auger pe;•scinally end appeal. The pliinhff eppall ' l ast year was from ;09, AQQ. This tq sliPPli a 744n 7 of '`4l ( .1 'faking the average number of persons annually required to urge their claims to exemption, the grievance must be severe; most of them were probably labourers in agricul ture ;--there was then their loss of time, and if sickness was the ground of exemption, a medical cfr ;"; t. 4 Cate was necessary. !Pine Oefp an expense of 25g. per man incurred, although no active Service was required of them, at the same time we were raising able men for the regi ment; of the . lirethe of three. goineas per man.--, (Ilerar.)—Vithoet entering further into the details of this subject, be inust Save stated enough to satisfy the House of the expediency of suspending the laallot, 1 with a view of avert IA wot mess be • • '' talon to give efficiency toillis force at lean expellee. He proposed merely to suspend the ballot till next Session, and, if circumstances required it, to give power to the Crown to direct, by order in Council, the making out lists in cutler to meet any emergency, which he trusted would not occur. This alteration would effect a saving of 24,0001. The other object of the Bill was to effect a saving in the staff by a reduction of certain officers, which would restore the militia to its original constitution. The paymaster was an addition to the original construction of the militia; and be (Mr. Peel) saw no reason why. in time of peace, the adjutant could not perform that duty, with the aid of a pay clerk. Then the surgeon could be dispersed with. In the present state of the militia, the permanent attendance of the surgeon was not required. The staff of the militia on permanent pay in each corps would then be,—one adjutant, one sergeant-major, and, in regiments comprising two battalions, a drum-major. The total permanent saving by this reduction of the staff would be full 65,0001. a-year.—(Hear.)—ln the present year, as the salaries would be paid up to June, the saving on the militia staff would be 40,0001. only; but then there would be 24,0001. saved by suspending the ballot, which would make the saving this year 64,0001. The expense of the ballot would not be permanently saved ; but the saving of 65,0001. in the staff would be permanent. He trusted that the Bill would fulfil the expectations formed by this House from the speech of his Majesty at the close of the last Session. Colonel SIBTHORPE intimated his intention of op posing the measure in some of its details when they came before the House. Mr. S. RICE asked if it was intended to include the Militia Staff of Ireland. Mr. PEEL said he had used the term " United King dom" in the Bill; it was his intention that it should apply to Ireland, in order that both countries might, be equally stuatefl After a few words from Mr. MABXRLY and Lord PAL.. lIERSTON, leave was given. Mr. PEEL then brought in the Bill, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Thursday. Mr. WARBURTON moved for some returns, the ,nature of which could not be heard in the gallery. The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at a Quarter before Twelve o'clock. EDINBURGH. MEETING IN SUPPORT OF THE CA THOLIC CLAIMS-(THIS DAY). 'From the Second Edition of the Caledonian Mercury of Saturday.) It is with feelings of no ordinary pride and satisfaction that we lay before our readers an ample, and, notwith standing the shortness of the time, we will say accurate and faithful report of the proceedings and speeches at the great Meeting held this day in lie Assembly-room, George street, for the purpose of petitioning both Houses of Par liament in favour of the measures now in progress for the removal of all civil disabilities from our Catholic fellow subjects. In point of numbers, rank, respectability, and talent, no meeting of equal weight and importance was ever, perhaps, convened in this city. The speech of Dr. Chalmers formed one of the most striking features of this meeting. That celebrated man rose above him self, and above all his former efforts upon this occasion, • exemplifying, in the effects produced by his address upon the minds and feelings of his auditory, all the wonders which are related of the great ancient masters of oratory. At the conclusion the whole assembly, amounting to little short of two thousand person, simultaneously rose, and waving their hats in the air, raised deafening shouts and huzzas, which continued for a number of minutes, and would have been prolonged but for the necessity of pro ceeding with the remaining business of the meeting. Nor • was Dr. Chalmers the only member of the Learned Body to which be belongs present upon this occasion. To the eternal honour of our great Metropolitan University no less than ten of her Professors, including the most distin guished names of which she can boast, attended the raeei- ' ing ; for, besides Dr. Chalmers, we observed Professors Leslie, Wallace, Jameson, Bell, Napier, Pillans, Alison, • Russell,- and Sir Win. Hamilton. Among the other die tinguished persons present were, Sir - James W I )Aoss creiff, Baronet, Dean of Faculty, Sir William Fettes, Baronet, Sir William Arbuthnot, Baronet, Sir Roberi Liston, Bart., the Solicitor-General, Francis Jeffrey, Esj., ' Thos. Thomson, Esq., J. A. Murray, Esq., James Fer guson, Esq., Robert Jamieson, Esq., Thomas Maitland, Esq., Archibald Alison, Esq., A. D., Alexander Wood, Esq., A.D., A. E. Monteith, Esq., Alexander Fletcher, Esq., the Hon. Charles Hope, J. J. Hope Johnstone, Esq. R. Clerk Rattray, Esq., D. Carnegie, Esq., of Craigo ; Francis Walker Drummond, Esq., of Hawthornden ; Mr. James Mackay, jeweller; Mr. Adam Black, bookseller; the Rev. Dr. Morehead, the Rev. Dr. Ritchie, Potterrow, the Rev. Dr. Hunter, the Rev. John Browne, Rose street ; the Rev. Henry Grey, St. Mary's, &c. &c.— The room was crowded to excess in every part, and, with the exception of a momentary and accidental interruptions the greatest order prevailed. At five o'clock P.m., that is two hours after the Meeting separated, upwards of 1,5 00 gentlemen had signed the petitions. On the Chair being taken, Sir WILLIAM Aantrratttar explained the object of the Meeting, after which Sir JAMES MONCREIFF rose, and was received by loud cheering. He addressed the meeting nearly as follows:-- Sir William Arbuthnot--Gentlemen—Having been long thoroughly convinced that the removal of the disabilities from our Roman Catholic brethren was not merely an act of justice now imperiously demanded—or, lest any gentle man should not like that term, let me say an act of gene rosity, which no man of a generous spirit can refusee—but also an object of the deepest and most vital importance to the welfare and prosperity, to the dearest interests, and most precious rights of all the inhabitants of these islands-- • (Cheers)—and being still convinced that the true interests and honour, the true greatness, strength, and security of the Protestant'Establishment and faith, will be best promoted by the removal of those trammels which the zealous efforts , of some have hitherto resisted. Having these convictions,. I say, it is impossible for me not to feel a glow of warm satisfaction and gratitude, when I now see this mighty sub ject, this great and important question, recommended by his most gracious Majesty himself, and firmly pursued by the Ministers who now wield the power of the Government. It is—it would be idle and uncandid to disguise the feet. - that there is, still a difference of opinion in the country on ' this subject ; though I will not readily admit that its extent is to be estimated by the popular clamour, end by ' the unfair means which have been taken to raise that clamour, by those who have either misunderstood or wil fully misrepresented the true question at issue. It was the opinion of many of those gentlemen who were iu favour of the measure of Government, considering the position . which the question had assumed is the hands of thelli nisters of the Crown, that it was not either necessary or - expedient to agitate the minds of the public of Edinburgh on the subject. But the proceedings adopted by others ,• rendered it impossible to allow the matter to stand. When • we see a petition against all concessions to _Roman Cathoe lies advertised as the petition of the citizens of Edinburgh. , I!, without thinking of the manner in which it wee got up, Vie " the conduct of those who have prepared it, we never can ' permit that the petition to go to Parliament was expres sing the sense of the people of Edinburgh, knowing and believing, as we sincerely do, that a large majority of the intelligence, of all those Scotsmen in. Edinburgh who are capable of estimating the question of civil rights, • are in favour of the removal of the Catholic Disa bilities,--(liear, bear, hear.)-..We therefore came to the resolution of desiring a meeting to propose resolutions in favour of the measure, never doubting that this was . the only way to prepare men's minds to consider the ~ .•;‘ , l O, • and that it can only be fairly done by 1-Vt'olffillt the subject • prsvioualy before theta at a pudic; Pealng. (Cheers.) This is no question aliaut the errors of the Roman Catholic , religion, This is no question concerning the truth of the Protestant religion, as the true doctrines of the Holy Scriptures, will stand its ground without the aid of Mini. sters, or petitions to Parlioreent, or any resolution of Par liament itself. (Loud cheers.) lam a friend to the re moval of Vey disabilities that oppress the Roman Catholics, ' pet because I think lightly of the difference which, accord ing to my best informaticia, subsists between their religion , and Protestaotism—zvat because I think lightly of the crcc.n.i'nf the goniap, Catholic faith, but for the very oppo-• ' site reason. desire to grant to the Roman Catholic the . free eaereise of hie religion, according to his conscience, and the free declaration of his opinions, because I think I am entitled to claim the same pi ivilege I would grant to, him. I have' therefore no hesitation in declaring 1 4 opinion against the errors of the Roman Catheko rAgion, In the doctrines, observances, and copititutiOn of the Roman Catholic Church, th3.ke i 3 4 wide, a dangerous, ' and perhaps, I may say, a false departure from the truth of .' }he revealed religion of Jesus Christ. But because I think so, am I to impose civil disabilities upon them, or continue .• those to which they are liable, when the necessity for doing so has long since departed ? Quite the reverse ! The more earnestly and fervently I think of the truths of Pro— nistantism, the more do I desire to see all disabilities for r conscience sake removed, from our Roman Catholic fel- I tiot cap No