The Sun. — London, England, 1829-02-17 00:00:00

btrry were favouraMe to Catholic Emancipation, he had better make the exderiment at the next general election, for his own part he believed that they were not favourable to that measure. Lord NUGENT explained. Sir G. WARRENOER said that many persons of large property in the county of Buckingham had expressed opi nions contrary to those expressed by the Noble Lord,— (Cheers.) He wished to ask to ask the Noble Lord if notice bad been given of those parish meetings, so that the matter might be known before the petitions were signed.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.")—For his awn part he never heard of them, and, therefore, he would take the petitions as expressive of the opinions of 7,000 people, and he would also take it, that the sentiments of the mass of the people were quite the contrary. (I fear, hear.) When he heard it stated that the universal opinion of the couhtry was hostile, he could not resist the opportunity of stating his opinion on the subject. The petition was then ordered to, be printed. The Marquis of CHANDOS gave notice that he would move to-morrow for a call of the House for Thursday the sth of March Colonel SIBTHORPE said be was instructed to present a petition, most numerously and respectably signed, from the town of Kencvick, against any further concessions to the Roman Catholics. He thought the numerous peti tions that were nightly presented must convince the House that the opinion of the country was against the measure ; be trusted his Majesty's Ministers would not hurry this great question through the House, but would allow time for a full discussion. The recommendation in his Majesty's speech had acted like a thunderbolt upon the public. He fully concurred in the sentiments of the petition, but felt bound to oppose the measure whenever it was brought be fore the House. Sir ROBERT HERON said the gallant Colonel in formed the House that they must be aware of the opinions of the people, from the number of the petitions presented against the measure ; now lie would beg leave to say, that out of the 52 counties of England and Wales only two bad given any opinion upon the subject. Colonel SIBTHORPE explained. Mr. SHIRLEY presented several petitions from Stour briclge, and other places, against the Catholic Claims. Sir ROWLAND HILL presented a petition from St. Maple, in the county of Salop, against further concessions to the Roman Catholics. Mr. EGERTON presented a similar petition from a village in Cheshire. • Mr. T. POTTER MACQUEEN presented a similar petition from Hitehin. Mr. W. FITZGERALD. presented a petition from Kildare in favour of Emancipation. Sir JOHN NEWPORT presented seueral similar peti tions from places in the county of Waterford. Mr. S. RICE, in presenting several petitions from plaees in the county of Limerick in favour of the Catholic Claims, said that the petitioners were entitled to the favour able consideration of that House. It was:a matter of great satisfaction to hear that the Association dissolved itself, as stated in the news received this day from Ireland—a fact of which he could have no doubt. He was happy to say there were other associations which were not brought within the scope of the Bill that had likewise come to the resolution to dissolve themselves—an example worthy of imitation by their opponents, the Brunswick Clubs.— (Hear, hear, hear.)—These associations had not waited for the !automates to pass through Parliament, but had dis banded themselves. Mr. TRANT never would advise those associations formed for the support of the Constitution to dissolve themselves whilst' that Constitution was in such danger. Whenever the question came before the fierce, he would oppose it in all its stages. Mr. SYKES, in presenting a petition from Hull in fa vour of emancipation, observed that the petitioners very properly stated, that no person ought to be subjected to civil disabilities on account of his religious principles—a senti ment in which he (Mr. Sykes) perfectly coincided. It had been stated by an Hon. Member on a former night, that the majority of the town of Hull were against granting Catholic Enaanipation. He must take that opportunity of giving that statement an unqualified denial. The petition against the measure, contained out of the population only four or five hundred signatures. The recommendation in his Majesty's Speech had not altered his opinion of the people in that part of the country ;—the ma jority were always in favour o f Catholic Eusaacipation. He had always publicly avowed himself in favour of that measure, and bad been twice returned to represent Hull in Parliament—a fact which he thought pretty strongly showed the opinion of the people on that subject.— (Hear.)—At all events, said the Hon. Member, if there was that feeling against Emancipation--here I am ; (Great laughter.) Mr. OTWAY CAVE—With respect to the statement that the general feelins , of the country was hoatiic to the Catholic claims, begged to mention one fact, and leave the House to draw their own inference from it. The day bee fore the opening of Parliament, a meeting, consisting of several thousand persons, was held in the town which he bad the honour to represent. At that meeting a resolution in favour of the Catholic claims was proposed, and only -one hand was held up against it. On the resolution be ing put a second time, that one hand was withdrawn.— (Hear, hear.)—This town had not always held such opi nions, and it was only fair to suppose that a change might have taken place in otleeplaces as well as this. Mr. WOOD said, that a similar feeling prevailed in the town which be had the honour to represent, and he rose now to make this statement, because the gallant General, the Member tor Liverpool, had said, when he (Mr. Wood) was presenting a petition from Liverpool in favour of the Catholics, that he (Mr. Wood) would shortly have to present a petition from Preston against the Catholics. This statement had caused the greatest surprise in PrestoP, and he begged leave to call the attention of the House to a short note which he had received upon this subject, from one of the most influential men in that town :—" Dear Sir—l observe by the papers of Saturday that General Gascoyne rtated in the House —" The SPEAKER—Order ! order! The Hon. Member must surely see, that of all the notes be could read in this House, a note which refers to the debates of this House, and especially to debates of this House in a newspaper, is the most irregular.—(Hear, and laughter.) Mr. WOOD would content himself with stating, that if any attempt were made to get up a petition against the Catholic, at Preston, such an attempt would be met by a counter-petition, signed by overwhelming numbers. It was then ordered that the petition be printed. Sir E. KNATCHBULL presented a petition from the Archdeacon and Clergy of Canterbury against the claims of the Catholics.—To be printed, Mr. MOORE presented similar petitions from Muskerry and Rochestown.—To be printed. Mr. H. MAXWELL presented petitions—praying that no farther concessions be granted to the Catholics ; that the forty-shilling freeholders be abolished ; and that an in quiry be made into Jesuitieal establishments in Ireland— from Enniscorthy and other places in Leinster.—To he printed. Mr. MACLEOD presented petitions from several pa rishes in Sudbury, against the Catholic claims. The Hon. Member stated, that all these petitions had been signed since the circulation of the King's Speech, and that al though the language of them was respectful, ye;; it was stronger than the petitioners had ever used before, while the numbers by which they were signed were greater than on any former cecasion. He had given only one vote on this subject. That vote was against the claims of the Ca tholics; and he saw no reason to give a different vote.— The petitions to be printed. Petitions against Roman Catholic Emancipation were presented by Mr. F. WEST, from two parishes in Den bigh ; by Mr. HART Davis, from two places in the city of Bristol ; and by Admiral Surnizaon, from eight places in the county of Nottingham. Lord ENNISMORE presented two petitions in favour of Roman Catholic Emancipation, from parishes in the county of Kerry. Mr. PALMER presented four petitions from places in Berkshire, against any further concession to the Roman Catholics. The Hon. Member always thought it his duty to oppose any measure having for its object the granting political power to the Catholics, but he never said that the time might not come when the question ought to he taken into consideration, with a view to a satisfactory ad justment of the claims. He had always had confidence in the individuals who compose his Majesty's Ministry, and he would .not say, until he knew what the measure would be which they intended to bring forward, whether he would be compelled to oppose it.--(Hear.) Mr. ASHURST presented two petitions of the same prayer as the last—one from the Archdeacon and Clergy of Oxford, and the other from a place in Northamptonshire, He stated that he concurred in the prayer of the petitions, for he had as yet seen no circumstances to induce him to alter his opinion. Lord BECTIVE presented several petitions from the county of Westmeath, praying fate . Roman Catholic Eman cipation, and fur the repeal of the Sub-letting Act. Admiral EVANS presented a petition from Wexford, praying that no further concessions be granted to the Catholics. The petitioners stated the Roman Catholic Priests, during the late election in Ireland, violated all the privileges of Parliament, and invoked the anathemas of Heaven against those who dared to vote again,t their favourite candidate. We lived in an age of wonders ; we scarcely knew the meaning of the commonest words; we were told that a question should be buried in oblivion, and the way that question was to be buried in oblivion was, by bringing it under the consideration of Parliament, by a recommendation from the throne.—(Laughter.)—He was sure that the measure proposed by Government would not prove a measure of conciliation, for the Catholics had de clared that nothing but unconditional emancipation would satisfy them, and unconditional emancipation would never satisfy the Protestants. He had heard the other 4411 t an Hon. Member on the other side (Mr. Butler Clarke) say that he would be glad to see a Catholic in his place in that House. It the Hon. Gentleman had but a little patience, his wish no doubt would be gratified, and a Catholic would not only have his place in that House, but in the country also. Mr. G. MOORE bore testimony to the respectability of the persons who signed the petition just presented by the Hon. Member, and supported its prayer. The LORD MAYOR moved for certain returns re- specting tobacco and segars, imported during the last year. —Ordered. BRITISH CATHOLICS' PETITION. Lord NUGENT presented petitions in favour of Roman ! Catholic Emancipation from several places in Oxfordshire, Somereetshire, and Yorkshire, and, lastly, from the Ro man Catholics of England and Scotland. This petition was signed by the Duke of Norfolk, eight Peers, 16 Ba ronets, and 18,000 persons. He could truly say that this was the petition of the most illustrious body of persons in the kingdom, and they prayed for the total and unquali fied re-admission to all the rights and privileges of British subjects. The English Catholics had been misunderstood and misrepresented. They had been represented as peti tioning for one thing, and being content to accept another. This, however, was not the case. They prayed for total and unqualified Emancipation, but at the same time they threw themselves with perfect confidence on the country and Parliament, convinced that Parliament will not pass any Act, charged with such terms as might be repugnant to their honour as gentlemen or their religion as Roman Catholics. He implored the House, when they passed this measure, to make it a final one, and not conflicting with the duties and feelings of the petitioners. Let it be an act of grace and favour of complete and final concession ' • let it be such an act as would enable us to Withdraw from Ireland the immense garrison of troops which was burden some to this country, affronting to Ireland, and disgraceful to both countries ; let it be an act which would create in Ire land, from one end to the other, universal and concurrent af- t fection ; above all, let it be an act which should enable a Roman Catholic gentleman to conform, which none has been able to do since the 30th Charles 11. without taint or suspicion on his motives. Then, and not till then, should we he children of the same State, and enjoy the same privileges. The question which was now on the eve of being carried had obtained the support of the most eminent men of all parties. It had been adopted by Burke, supported by the commanding, talents of Curran, by the statesmen-like wisdom of Fox, by the severe but philosophical patriotism of Grattan, and the accomplished eloquence of Canning.— He might also perhaps he allowed to allude to another in dividual (Lord Grenville), and to say that the question had been much advanced by his uncompromising, steady, faithful advocacy ; and though now compelled by his health to retire from public life, he was at the present moment still watching its progress with all the eagerness of youthful hope. The cause which received the support of any one of the statesmen he had mentioned must be respectable, but that which obtained their united advocacy was rendered illustrious. This question, with its host of great supporters, might he compared to a crown 'set round with choicest stones ; but one gem was, until lately, wanting. The Right Hon. Gent. opposite having become one of the supporters of the measure, the circle was now filled up and the crown complete. In taking leave of the petition which he had for many years presented and advocated to the best of his humble abilities, it was gratifying to reflect that before long he might be able to hail the appearance in that house of the Howerds, the Tariots, and the Jerninghams, restored to a full participation in the privileges of that Constitution which, be would repeat, their ancestors framed. (Hear.) Sir CHRISTOPHER COLE the representative of a highly respectable county, would certainly not vote for any measure which might be brought forward for the pur pose of relieving the Roman Catholics from their disabili ties, unless it was accompanied with strong securities in favour of the Protestant Church and Establishments.— (Hear, hear.)—lt had been triumphantly asked why those who called for securities did not state what kind of securi ties they wanted. At the risk of exposing himself to odiem, he would declare that he would not vote for any measure of relief, unless the strongest securities should 'ee furnished agaieet. the power of the Papal Church. If he was asked why he del - nee - Wed securities against that power, he would reply by directing attentien to the effects of that power as they had appeared in Italy for ages.---ae they exhi bited themselves in Spain at the present moment in the persons of a Al/Jaded nobility and a debased population.— This was entirely owing to the influence of the Papal church.—(Hear, hear.l-eeleek at the present state of Portugal. Had not the deplorable eittiation of affairs in that coeuky been produced by the power of the Papal church ?—(ffeee, hear.)—lle had no wish to offend the feelings of the iuhabitapta of the sister kingdom in alluding to the events which had taken place in that county, but he could not help attributing much of gee mischief which had occurred there to the influence of the same church.--(Hear.) As an officer who had served his country fur 15 years in an honourable profession, it was impossible that he should feel any disinclination to remove the civil disabilities which pressed upon a greet body of his oontrymen, if satisfied that it could be done with safety. He pipet ray that when it was the question to serve king and Country, he never found it necessary to inquire whether the men under his command were Catholics or Protestants.—(Hear, hear,) —He could not ait down without adverting to the conduct of the Right Hon. Geretleman below him. He believed the Right Host. Gentleman to haye been actuated by the purest principles of patriotism—(hee,r)-,and when lie looked at tha Noble Duke at the head of the Government, he could not think it extraordinary that the man who sited tears of humanity over the field of Waterloo should sh;ink with horror from the prospect a ,pi)ling the blood of his fellow-countrymen—( Hear.) Mr. BICKFORD felt himself called upon to &glare, in allusion to what had fallen from his Noble Colleague (Lord Nugent) respecting the sentiments of the electors of Ayles bury, that he canvassed every one of them, and he could safely say that 15 out of every 20 weep opposed to the Ca tholic Clairne, Mr. HUSKISSON was not going to enter up.eu the great question ; but as the present was probably the last of the many appeals which had (Keen fruitlessly made by the Roman Catholics of England to the justice of Parliament, he trusted he might be permitted to offer a very few words on the occasion. The prospect which was now opening on the nobility and gentry of this kingdom who professed the Roman Catholic religion, meat be in the highest de gree gratifying to every unbiassed and generous mind. Looking at the cot:duct of the English Roman Catholics apart from the merits of the Catholic Question, no man, be thought, let him be ever so uncompromising au opponent to concession, could feel that whatever might Le granted to them arose front a sense of intimidation. No man could be so mistrustful or unforgiving as to tender the boon about to he offered to the Roman Ca tholics of England with any aiing like reproach or iniegiving with respect to what their oreoduct had been during the long period the question had bean no der the consideration of Parliament. The friends of emanaipee, tion could not behold Fpglish Catholics admitted to the privileges of British subjects eviehout feelings of satisfac tion, unalloyed with any regret or apprehension of evil consequences, To the petition before the Mew were annexed names the most ancient in the peerage—of tlee highest rank in this seerient and powerful state. The families to which those names belonged had seen generation after generation pass away with the spas upon them of a Bill of perpetual pains and penalties—with the blight of perpetual forfeiture of the privileges of the Constitution, and of the honours which their ancestors earned from the gratitude of former Sovereigns. It wits impossible not to &el for persons in the situation of the Englith Catholic Peers, eziaansil for so long a time to unwarrantable priva tions. So far &a the English Catholics were concerned, it was not necessary thee ;chief to them should have been preceded by any measure of peeeantien. It was not nee coesary to meet them with a Bill of reenciliation in one hand, reoal a Bill of severity in the other. To tieem much ' should be given, because - from them, looking at their con- duct, mote had been withheld than from any other portion of his Majesty's subjects. If any mail was conscious that his hostility to concession arose from eke agitatory and violent proceedings which had occurred in trelanel, he would say to him, in the name of the English Roman Ctee tholies, " Let tie ocoduct of the latter allay every angry feeling and induce you to ferget all that has passed." He was convinced that the Catholics woold by their future conduct amply discharge the debt of gratitude which they F would owe to . the Crown and the Legislature. The Bight Hon: Gentleman .coneloded by observing, that he could not refuse to himself the pleasure 0f bearing testimony to the character and conduct of the English Romeo Catholics on former oecasiora, and of heartily congratulating them on the prospect now opening on them, soon, lie trusted, to be realized. Mr. TRANT begged leave to say a few wprds in refer ence to what had fallen from the Right Hon. Gentleman who had just addressed the House. The Right Hon. Gentleman had argued, that whatever opinion might be entertained of the conduct of the Irish Catholics, it at least' must be admitted that those of England bad been uniformly well behaved. He had observed with great concern, through the Newspapers, that a resolution approving of the conduct of the Irish Association, and expressing thanks for it, had been proposed and passed at a meeting of the English Association.—(Hear, hear.)—lf he was wrong on this point, he hoped some iron. Member would do him the favour to set him right. He was not at all inclined to bear hard on his own countrymen (for he was an Irish man), and lie must say, that consideting the encouragement held out to the Irish Association in various ways, and' he was sorry to acknowledge it, the want of attention on the part of the Government, he was not surprised that its agi tation bad arrived at that pitch which had compelled the Government to adopt that line of conduct generally called submission.—(Hear, and a laugh.)—He must, however, say that a spirit had been displayed on the part of the Ca tholics of this country which led him to think, that had they been placed in circumstances equally favourable to agitation as those which attended the Irish Association, their conduct would not have been very different.— (Hear.)—One word as to what had fallen from the Right Hon. Gentleman as to the little danger to be apprehended from the admission of English Roman Catholics into Par liament. His ejection to the admission of Catholics into the Legislature, with or without securities, was this—that he knew from all experience that in that House a little leaven leavens the whole.—(A laugh. )—He was what was called a good sitter in the House. He came early and re mained late, and he was fully aware how much might be effected by a very few Members when animated by a corn ' tnon spirit in support of a common object.—(Hear.)— Upon this point he might he allowed to quote the words employed by his Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Peel) in 1817. They were as follow:—" It is observed by Hu►ne, when speaking of the reigns of James I. and his successor, that religious spirit when it mingles with the spirit of faction, contains in it something supernatural ; and that in its operations upon society, effects correspond less to known causes than in any other circumstance of Govern ment. And this," says he, " while it constitutes some apology for those who, having interfered in religious mat ters, are disappointed of the expected event, imposes at the same time a grievous responsibility on all who lightly inno vate in so delicate an article." That had always been his chief reason for opposing what was called Emancipation. It was not without great pain that he found himself compelled to withhold from any portion of his fellow-subjects the pri vileg,es which he himself enjoyed ; but being fortified in the opinions he held by the experience of all history, lie must, however reluctantly, continue to oppose concession to the Catholics. Ile would conclude by quoting the re►nainder of the passage to which he had already referred in the speech of his Right Hon. Friend :—" This reflection," says he (Hume), " is confirmed by all history; and may it be a warning to us how we proceed to unsettle that which we find established. Let us recollect that under the Constitu tion which we have derived from our ancestors, we have enjoyed more liberty, we have acquired more glory, we pos sess more character and power than has hitherto fallen to the lot of any other country on the globe; and if there be any man yet undecided on this question, I entreat him that he will give the benefit of his doubt to the existing order of things, and that before he gives his vote to a measure, of the consequences of which be is at least uncertain, lie will weigh the substantial blessings which he knows to have been de rived from the Government,—that is, against all the spe culative advantages which he is promised from the Govern ment that is to he."—(Hear.) Dr. LUSHINGTON said, that nothing, except the profound ignorance of the Hon. Member who spoke last, and his total and entire want of knowledge of what had occurred during the last 30 years, could plead an apology for the unfounded aspersions which he had cast upon the Catholic nobles and gentry of England. (A laugh.) Dur ing all that period they had been bound down by penalties not only equal in severity to those which prevailed in Ire land, but still mere powerful—by restrictions still greater and less justifiable on every principle of justice and policy. But these were the individuals to whom the Hon. Member was inclined to ascribe every disposition, if they had but the power, to do evil ;—of whom he knew nothing, of whom he had no experience, and whose whole conduct had been a system of patience and endurance under disap pointed hope. Would the Hon. Member, if it had hap pened to him to have inherited the Catholic religion from his ancestors—to have seen all his hopes of rising in the world blighted—to find that no exertions, no honourable services could raise him beyond the level to which injustice had assigned him—would he have displayed so much pa tience as the English Catholics had done? He would ad vise the lion. Member, when next he Lad the courage to vent his unfounded accusations, to acquire some little knowledge whereon to build them, and not to asperse per sons respecting whose character and conduct he was utterly destitue of information. The Hon. Member ended his speech in a manner quite worthy its commencement. With the littleness and shallowness which distinguished a mind that was narrow, he endeavoured to twit the Right Hon. Secretary with a:garbled extract from a speech which he had delivered. He was convinced that the Right Hon. Gentleman had a mind infinitely superior to taunts so petty, Conscious of having discharged a great duty to his country, he was not a man to be turned aside, or even nettled by such insignificant, puny, and contemptible taunts. Was the Right lion. Gentleman, after having made sacrifices which the Hon. Member could not even comprehend, to be lectured by him? He had abstained from saying one word with respect to the measures in progress, and he ietended to have done the same with re spect to the course which the Right Hon. Gentleman had pursued; but if the Right Hon. Gentleman was to be at tacked by the Hon. Member for Dover, he hoped he would estimate his attacks as they deserved. He had heard va rious accusations against the Right Hon. Gentleman. He had been charged with inconsistency on the one hand, and with the love of place on the other. In his bumble judg meat the Right Hon. Gentleman was guilty of neither. That opinion, undoubtedly, could not be formed on the principle of favour; for when the Right Hon. Gentleman had sitter) on one side of the House, he had invariably sitten on the other. He, however, knew of no inconsistency in varying the means to attain the same end. He saw no inconsistency, when the Right Hon. Gentleman's object was to preserve the integrity of the Protestant church, in his resorting to Catholic Emancipation as the means. The House had been told that there was no change of circumstance—that the circumstances which the Right Honourable Gentleman had detailed were the same which had occurred before; but, in the name of common ?prise, was not the very continuance of those circumstances a change? He would ask any man whether it did not prove, first, that the. causes of the disturbances were per manent ; and, secondly, that the remedies which kad been attempted to be applied had failed ? He world ask whe ther a Government which was desirous of preserving peace with foreign countries might not, without inconsistency feel itself called upon to declare war in order to attain their object more effectually. In the physical as in the moral system, remedies were frequently resorted to in the last ex tremity, which at the commencement of the disorder would have been most deprecated. With respect to the Right Hon. Gentleman's remaining in office, he (Dr. Lushing ton) would say, that if he had resigned office he would have deserted his duty. If his advice to bring forward the measure of emancipation had been honestly given and been accepted by the Crown,—if he had then withdrawn his authority and power,—if he had been guilty of the cow ardice, the pusillanimity, and, he would add, the basenecs, for the 4 . e of continuing at the head of a great party, to abandon his office, and thus have deprived the Government of the most effectual meana of carrying the measure, he would have pronounced him a traitor to his filing and country. (Hear.) The Right Hon. Gentleman's coati nusuce. in office was the best test of his sincerity, and of the greatest macrikce ly,e could make. He well knew how the Right Hon. Gent. had atcod, and now stood, in this country. He knew that he had been considered the great leader and head of a great and powerful body, consisting p ar tly o f the old aristocracy, and of the great body of the ecclesias tical establishment, It was, indeed, a-matter of pride and glory to be the bead of spelt a party. Differing as he (Dr. Lushington) did in opinion from that party, still he must acirnowledge that its rank, talent, and respectability, ren dered of ambition in any man t o b e dered It a just and fair .0 at its head. —(Hear.)--The Right flop. Gentleman had abandoned that eminent station—that was indeed e sacri fice. He could hardly restrain his indignation when ha l-,cerd it insinuated that it was attachment to office which kept the - hi& Hon. Gentleman in place. Above all men living, he could have no .aclt olect. Compared with being at the head of a great and powerful party, if his principles would have permitted, the holding of office must r be to the Hon. Gentleman but as dust. The Right 'Hon. Gentle Man Lad giyen notice of his intention to vacate his seat for the University of o. , .:fprd, and he perceived that many persons whom he had the h . onour to 'snow c,f -es* character, learning, and respectability, had declared their opposition to his re-election. Giving those gentlemen all Possible credit, a;acl believing that if the question to be de cided were between the merits of ;he Roman C a th o li c an d the Protestant religion , the r e could be no better tribunal tp refer it to than that which they composed; but when the question wee one of a political nature,—when the interests of the state were at stake,—when the settlement of it re quired a knowledge of every thing connected with the sub ject, required liberality of mind and feeling, and above all required the recollection that the great aim of all Was peace and the preservation of the country's establishments, he must confess that he could pay no great deference to the de termination of the individuals to whom he had alluded. Men even with their opinionsand feelings, if they could see and understand at all, must be aivate that the question of emancipation could not stand over for a single day. Con sidering that the question about to be decided at Oxford ,was not whether the opinion of the Catholic emancipators or of the Catholic oppressors was the right one, but only who was the fittest person to represent the University, he thought they could not do themselves more honour than by re-electing the Right Hon. Gentleman. Elect whoth they might, they could find no one capable of giving greater proofs of talent and honourable principle than their present representative.—(Hear.) Mr. PEEL was indebted to the courtesy of his Hon. Friend (Mr. Trani) for a copy of the speech, an extract of which he had read as a warning to him against the course which he was pursuing on the present occasion. He had no doubt that it was not the intefition of his Hon. Friend to wound his feelings by the reference ; but in one sense he might be said to have done so ; for as his Hon. Friend had found only one strong passage in the whole, he (Mr. Peel) owned he was ashamed at having made so had a speech.—(A laugh.)—But the very passage by which his Hon. Friend had meant indirectly to reproach him, and to confirm his own views of continued resistance to the ques tion of emancipation, would apply to the present state of circumstances, and to the course he was now taking. He would ask his Hon. Friend to look to Ireland, and say whether the state of politicalexcitement into which it was cast from one end to the other, is a state in which it ought to be allowed to remain. Let him ask himself seriously if such a state of things as put party against party,—Ca tholic against Protestant,—as placed the House of Lords, as it were, in opposition to the Mouse of Commons,—whe ther that was a state in which a nation ought to be al lowed to remain without a hope being held out that there was to be no settlement of the question which created such division ? Was not that, he would ask, a state to which the opinion of Mr. Hume, which he had quoted on the oc casion referred to, would well apply? Mr. Hume, he had observed, when speaking of the reigns of James I. and his two successors, said " that a religious spirit, when it min gles with the spirit of faction, contains in it something supernatural, and in its operations on society effects 1 correspond less to their known causes than in any other circumstances of Government." It was because he (Mr. Peel) saw that a spirit of religion had mingled with a spirit of faction, and that from this mixture he foresaw consequences upon which no man could think without just apprehension, that he had- come to the conclusion that it would he better for the security of Protestant interests and the safety of Protestant establishments, to come to an ami cable settlement of the question rather than allow it to remain in its unbalanced state. It was because he feared the consequences of leaving it unsettled that he had taken the course which his Honourable Friend had blamed as in consistent. As his Hon. Friend had been studying the speech to which he referred, would lie allow him to state with reference to the allusion made to the British Catholics, that now, in the altered state of circumstances, he looked back with pleasure to the fact, that though lie had felt it his duty to give his decided opposition to any further con cessions to the Catholics of Ireland, he had not evinced an uncompromising resistance, for he had advocated the ex tension of the privileges of the Roman Catholics of Eng land?—(" Hear, hear," from Lord Nugent.)—ln advert ing to the opinions of his Hon. Friend on this question, which he fully admitted were dictated by the purest motives, lie would beg of him to consider attentively the principles on which be had stated and evinced his opinion, that an opposition to the measure ought to be candid; and , as his Hon. Friend had dune him the honour to notice his speech, he would venture to assure him that his opposition would not be the less effectual if its tone and temper were more in conformity with the spirit and principles of that speech.—(Hear.)—He would particularly call the atten tion of his Hon. Friend to the passage of the speech which lie was about to read,—" I will avoid as far as possible every topic which can tend to inflame, or even to give offence. I will not revive the memory of ancient struegles for ascendancy, and if any advantage to my argument might be derived from dwelling on instances wherein power has been abused, or revengeful feelings have, been indulged, those advantages I cheerfully resign ; I will not impute to the Roman Catholic church any doctrines which are not avowed; and I will give to the:professors of that faith the full advantage of every disclaimer they have made. If the privileges required are to be conceded, I have no wish to lessen the grace of concession. If the hopes of the Roman Catholics shall be disappointed, that disap pointment I will not aggravate."—(Hear.)—" Under the altered circumstances," concluded Mr. Peel, "in which I stand with reference to this question, if 1 should be re minded of my uniform opposition to it heretofore, it is no inconsiderable satisfaction to me to have placed in my hands such a record of the epirit and temper in which that op position was conducted."—(Hear.) The petitions were ordered to he brought up. On the question that they be read, . . . . Mr. TRANT said, that it was not his intention when he entered that House, to offer any observations on the subject on which he had spoken. He had risen merely to remark on the comparison made by the Hon. Member for Liverpool between the English and Irish Catholics, and let the Right Mon. Gentleman right on that point. As to the speech of the Right Hon. Gentleman who had just sat down, he must allow him to say, that he took it in the sense in which it was used on the occasion referred to, and he owned he felt much convinced by the arguments which it contained, Mr. HUSKISSON was glad that the speech of his Right Hon. Friend had been referred to, as it elicited that illustration which had given so much satisfaction to the House. He begged to set the Hon. Member opposite right as to what he said on the subject of the English and Irish Catholics. He had not made any comparison with the view to the disparagement of the latter, but he had said that if any opposition to this question grew out of the conduct of the Irish Catholics, he hoped those with whom the objection existed might be propitiated by the moderate and unobtrusive conduct of the Catholics of Eng land, with reference to their grievances. The petitions were then read. They were frotn the Catholics of Yarm, Shepton-Mallet, and two other places, and also one from the Catholics of England. The latter was ordered to be printed. Sir IL HARDINGE presented a petition from Stainton, against any further concession to the Catholics. The gal lant officer would content himself with saying that he did not agree in the prayer of the petition. The Earl of UXBRIDGE presented petitions from Anglesea, Holyhead, and some other places in Wales, against further concession to the Catholics. The Noble Lord, in stating his concurrence in the prayer of the peti tions, could not but express hie surprise and regret at the measure which the Noble Duke at the head of the Govern ment had proposed to Parliament, more particularly after the letter on the subject which he had written to Dr. Curtis. He could not avoid expressing his d e cided o pi n i on that the Noble Duke had deceived both Protestants and Catholics. The petitions were read, and ordered to lie on the table. SILK-TRADE. Mr. FYLER moved that there be laid before the House a return of all articles of silk, or of silk and other mate rials, imported into England (we did not collect within what time), and also the amount of thrown and manufac tuted silk imported, and the amount of duty paid. Mr. C. GRANT suggested that tie should insert in the motion the words, " and taken out of the warehouses for consumption." With this amendment the Motion was agreed to. EAST RETFORD DISFRANCHISEMENT BILL. ju r , TgNNYSON proposed his motion for the" intro duction of this Bill, from to-morrow (this day). For the present lie would let it stand for Wednesday. REPORT OF SUPPLY. Sir A. GRANT brought up the Report of Supply. The resolution that a hum trot exceeding 28,468,000/. be granted to his Majesty to pay off an d di sc h arge Excite quer Bills to that amount for 1829, was read and agreed to. On the next resolution, that a sum not exceeding 792,000/. he granted, to pay off Exchequer Bills to that amount, is sued for carrying on public works and the fisheries, Sir J. WROTTESLEY asked what was the cause of there being 28,000,0001. this, when there were only 0,000,0001. last year? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replie d, that the 3,000,0001. of Mr. Canning's budget of 1826 were included, which they were not last year. There was also 790,000/. issued for public works, which made up the differetm. There was no addition to the amount of Ex che'quer Bills in the tnarket. The resolution was then agreed to, as was the pet, for the grant of 4,000,000/. to discharge a similar amount of Exchequer Bills, issued for the supplies of 1823 to 1828. A 04 ~was ordered to be brought in to carry these Re solutions into effect. CATHOLIC ASSOCIA'I'ION SUPPRESSION BILL. On the motion of the SOLICITOR-GENERAL, this Bill wq,s recommitted, Some verbal amendments to, after which The SOLICITOR-GENERAL moved, that after the word "association," the words "assembly or meeting" be added. —Agreed to. . He then moved, thit in the clause making it a misde meanour to attend meetings which might be prohibited by the inisdemeagoßr shonld gtend to the 11yrelgel148 who should "compel, procure, or solicit," the attendance of any person at any such meeting. Similar words were added in the clause respecting the subscription to any rent. In answer to a question from Mr. JEPHSON, as to what length of time should be allowed to pass after a meeting had notice to disperse, before the parties composing it would incur the guilt of a misdemeanour for non-compliance, The SOLICITOR-GENERAL replied that a quarter of an hour would be allowed, after notice to disperse. The House then resumed, and the report was brought up. On the question that it be read, Col. SIBTHORPE said, I wish to ask the Right Hon. Gentleman on what day does he intend to bring in, or give notice of, the other measure with which this is to be followed ? Mr. PEEL—I do not mean to give any notice until this Bill shall have passed into a law. When that is done, I will then give notice of the other measure. Colonel SIBTHORPE—I asked the question that the public might not be taken as much by surprise as to the day, as they have already been with respect to the first announcement. The report was then agreed to, and the Bill ordered to be read a third time to-morrow. ARMY ESTIMATES. Sir HENRY HARDINGE gave notice, that on Friday he would move the consideration of the Army Estimates in the Committee of Supply. The House then adjourned at a Quarter past Eight o'Clock. PARLIAMENTARY PAPER. THE ARMY ESTIMATES. ABSTRACT OF THE ESTIMATES OF ARMY SERVICES FOR TILE YEAR 1829. .3 1Cc10,9. .1 0 • ; rb TOTA L CHARGE. 79: z V- 5 c..t X. 2. d. 3,115,75215 5 117,136 16 0 105,W8 10 2 16,569 14 6 64.4988 9 2 3,437,367 3 3 669,001 18 29,530 15 4 698,622 13 11 10,029 17 1 186,000 0 0 86,862 18 11 109,000 0 0 719,018 17 10 97,279 0 0 46,610 12 4 1,278,103 13 1) 24,155 13 8 143,411 0 0 189,037 0 0 56,044, 0 10 33,900 0 0 2,898,863 11 , 5 SERVICES. Land Forces Staff; exclusive of - India Public Departments Med clues Volunteer Corps Regiments 'in the East India Com. pany's Territories (exclusive of Re. cruit,ng Troops and Companies) Recruiting Troops and Companies of ditto Royal Military College Army Pay of General Officers Garrisons Full Pay for Retired Officers Half Pay and Military Allowances Foreign Half Pay In-Pensioners of Chelsea and Kil mainham Hospitals Out-Pensioners of Chelsea Hospital Royal Military Asylum Widows' Pensions Compassionate List, Bounty War rants, and Pensions for wounds Superana tutted Allowances Exchequer Fees TOTAL Deduct the Regiments for Service in India Remains, the Charge for the Year 1829 War Office, Feb. 12, 1821). S if'ck 19,719 100,442 7,C31,853 13 7 19,719 6g8,622 13 11 89,723 16,336,230 19 8 H. HAIMINGE. SPIRIT OF THE PROVINCIAL JOURNALS. (From the Glasgow Chronicle, Feb. 13.) Never was the triumph of liberal and enlightened policy more signal than in the case of Mr. Peel. Beginning his career as a Minister, when the intolerant and paltry politics of Perceval prevailed, he was exposed to all the clamorous vituperations of'the Catholics, and to the reprehension of even the temperate friends of liberty. The moment, how ever, that the decay of the Spy-Minister, Sidgiouth, made way for him as a leading Member of the Government, he entered upon that humane, liberal, and glorious course which, after putting down one abuse after• another, is now about to extinguish persecution for conscience sake. Nor does he enter upon Catholic Emancipation with any of that compromising spirit which would, at the expence of con stitutional principle, exact a price for the right. It will be seen that he scouts the advice which has been given him to disfranchise the forty-shilling freeholders. Let the odium of that proposal stick to Messrs. O'Connell and Skeil, who offered to barter the rights of the bulk of their countrymen for their own deliverance, and who gave evi dence on oath that the disfranchisement would be beneficial to the country ! (From the Aberdeen Chronicle of Feb. 14.) At last his Majesty's Ministers have declared their in tentions of doing tardy justice to the Irish Catholics ; and all parties, with the exception of a very small number, in deed, rejoice at the prospect of peace in Ireland. Our sentiments on this subject are well known to our readers. We never could comprehend by what right or principle the few should prescribe to the many. We never could see why a few Protestants should declare the great majority of the Irish nation incapable of political power, because they dif fered with them in their religious creed. We always con sidered this as an act of pure insolence and injustice; and the charges that were got up against the Catholics as the mere pretext for this insolence. Men must find out some plea or pretext to justify their actions. NEW PUBLICATIONS.---Th© following are just published by Mr. Bull, Holles'-street :-1. Conversa tions on Intellectual Philosophy, or a Familiar Explana tion of the Nature and Operations of the Human Mind, 2 vols.-2. The Manual for Invalids, by a Physician, 1 vol. —3. A Second Edition of the Trials of Life, by the Author of De Lisle, 3 vols.-4. A Third Edition of the Romance of History, by Henry Neele, 3 vols.—and on the Ist of March will be ready, 5. The Life of Francis the First, King of France, 2 vole. Bvo. embellished with a Portrait front Titian's Painting in the Louvre. MR. ABERNETHY.---We understand that Mr. Abernethy is fast recovering from his late severe indispo sition, and is expected shortly to be enabled to resume his usual avocations. In person, we understand, the worthy physician is much altered, owing to the effects of the illness ender which he has laboured. ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC.—A triumph highly honourable to the purposes and character of this In stitution was obtained at the King's Theatre on Saturday night, when Miss Bel!chambers, first pupil of the estab lishment, appeared as Elena, in the " Donna del Logo," a part which Signora Monticelli, on account of severe ill ness, had been compelled to resign. Miss Bellchambers came forward to avert the disappointment which Mr. La porte must have felt in closing the house, and this readi ness deserved all the approbation that her claims, in their best light, could have acquired. The delightful quartet, " Ciel it mio labbro," transplanted from another of Ros sini's productions, experienced a rapturous encore. Upon the system which has produZed these beneficial results we shall offer no comment ; but the Directors of the Academy may safely indulge the conscious thought of giving to their country a school of music, that must eventually raise our nuive professors, in point of skill and taste, to a level with the proud superiority, in every sister art, which Eng land enjoys.. orore n g a u ri n ab de ly r We would wish to caution medical practi tioners against a fellow who is going about the town, calling at their houses under pretence of requiring their attendance on a patient s e o i m th e er s a h t or t t he d i t s i t i a n n e ce, wl n ien lie return i i v n , of something that the Doctor i s represente d to have left behind. h(m at house, pretence robs A country gentleman, who lately came to town to consult with a certain eminent surgeon, finding that the learned anatomist did nut treat him with all the respect be thought himself entitled to, screwing himself up into a pompous posture, said he was " a Magistrate.'' Then, Sir," rejoined Mr. A,, "if that is the case, the best thing you can do is to give yourself a turn or two upon the tread-mill." One of the Exeter Papers has published a letter from Mr. Buck, the Member for that city, dated House of Commons, Feb. 0, in which he says, " When the gill comes forward, I hope it will meet with strong opposition; but I clearly perceive, if the Duke is deter. mined, the question is already disposed of," N o t w itliswiding the ravings of some of the, most furious of the intolerants—ravings which are, per. hape, the more bitter because so few j oin in them,—we a re convinced that the decided tone of 'Ministers will soon still all the clamour which the bigots are attempting to ra i se. Th e enemies - to concession are almost entirely Tories,-men whose political principle'. is to support the government right or wrung ; and they will soon follow the example which has been set them by Mbsisters and the dignitaries of the church. They_windd be disloyal in their uwn estimation if they did n0t,../Ifandoster ANECDOTES OF MOORE, THE POET. At Mayfield, near Ashbourne, is a cottage where Moore, it is stated, composed Lalla Rookh. For some years this distinguished poet lived at the neigh bouring village of Mayfield; and there was no end to the pleasantries and anecdotes that were floating about its coteries respecting him ; no limit to the recollections which existed of the peculiarities of the poet, of the wit and drollery of the man. Our de sire to go over the cottage which he had inhabited was irresistible. It is neat, but. very small, and re markable for nothing except combining a most shel tered situation with the most extensive prospect. Still one had pleasure in going over it, and peeping into the little book-room, yclept th e " P oet ' s D en ," from which so much true poetry had issued to de light and amuse mankind. But our satisfaction was not without its portion of alloy. As we approached the cottage, a figure scarcely human appeared at one of the windows. Unaware that it was ag a in inhabited, we hesitated about entering; when a livid, half-starved visage presented itself through the lattice, and a thin, shrill voice discord antly ejaculated—" Come in, gentlemen, come in. Don't be afeard ! I'm only a tailor at work on the premises." The villanous salutation damped sadly the illusion of the scene, and it was some time before we rallied sufficiently rom this horrible dese cration to descend to the poet's walk in the shrub bery, where pacing up and down the live-long morns ing, he composed his " Lalla Rookh." kis a little confined gravel-walk, in length about twenty paces; so narrow, that there is barely room on it for two persons to walk abreast; bounded on one side by a struggling row of stinted laurels, on the other by some old decayed wooden paling; at the end of it was a huge haystack. Here, without prospect, space, fields, flowers, or natural beauties of any de scription, was that most imaginative poem con ceived, planned, anti executed. It was at Mayfield, too, that those bitter stanzas were written on the death of Sheridan. There is a curious circumstance connected with them : they were sent to Perry, the well-known editor of the Morning Chronicle. Perry, though no stickler in a general way, was staggered at the venom of two stanzas, to which I need not more particularly allude, and wrote to inquire whether he might be permitted to omit them. The reply which he received was shortly this :—" You may insert the lines in the Chronicle or not, as you please : am perfectly indifferent about it : but if you do in sert them, it must be verbatim." Some of his hap piest efforts are connected with the localities of Ash bourne. The beautiful lines, beginning • " Those evening bells, those evening bells," were suggested, it is said, by hearing the Ashbourue peal, and sweetly indeed do they sound at that dis tance, " both mournfully and slow ;" while those exquisitely touching stanzas, " Weep not far those whom the veil of the tomb In life's happy morning bath hid from our eyes." were avowedly written on the _sister of an Ash bourne gentleman, Mr. P— B—. B u t to hi s drol leries. He avowed on all occasions an utter horror of ugly women. He was heard, one evening, to ob serve to a' lady, whose person was pre-eminently plain, but who nevertheless had been anxiously do ing her little endeavours to attract his attention, " I cannot endure an ugly woman. I'm sure I could never live with one. A man that mar ries an ugly woman cannot be happy." The lady observed, that " such an observation she could not permit to pass without remark. She knew many plain couples who lived most•happily." " Don't talk of it," said the wit; " don't talk of it. It can not be." - " But I tell you," said the lady, who became all at once both piqued and positive, "it can be, and it is. I will name individuals so circumstanced. You have" heard of Colonel and Mrs. —. She speaks in a deep, gruff bass voice; he in a thin, shrill treble. She looks like John Doree ;he like a dried alligator. They are called Bubble and Squeak by some of their neigh bours : Venus and Adonis by others. But what of that ? They are not handsome, to be sure; and there is neither mirror nor pier -glass to be found, search their house from one end to the other. But what of that ? No unhandsome reflections can, in such a case, be cast by either party ! I know 'them well,' and a more harmonious couple I never met with. Now Mr. Moore, in reply, wh a t h ave you to urge ? I flatter myself I have overthrown your theory completely." C 4 Not a whit. Colonel has got into a scrape, and like a _soldier puts the best face he can upon it." Those still exist who were witnesses to his exultation when one morning lie entered Mrs. --'s drawing-room, with an open letter in his hand, and' in his peculiarly joyous and animated manner exclaimed,'" Don't be surprised if I play all sorts of antics r I am like child with a new rattle ! Here is a letter from nay friend Lord Byron, telling me he has dedicated to me his poem of the Corsair. Ah, Mrs . . ,--.., it is nothing new for a poor poet to dedicate his poem to a great Lord ; but it is something passing strange for a great Lord to dedicate his book to poor poet." Those who know him most intimately feel no sort of hesitation in 'declaring, that he has again and again been heard to express regret at 'the earlier efforts of his muse; or reluctance in stating, at the same time, as a fact, that Mr. M., oil two different occasions, endeavoured to re-pur chase the copyright of certain poems; but, in each instance, the sum demanded was so ex orbitant, as of itself to. put an end to the iiego ciation. The attempt, however, dees him honour. And, affectionate father as he is well known to be when be looks at his beautiful little daughter, and those fears, and hopes, and cares, and anxieties, come over him which almost choke a parent's utter ance as he gazes on a promising and idolized child, lie will own the censures passed on those poems to be just, nay, more —every year will find him more and more sensible of the para Mount importance of the union of female purity with female loveliness-- more alive to the imperative duty on a father's part to guard the maiden bosom from the slightest taint of licentiousness. It is a fact not generally sus pected, though his last work, " The Epicurean," affords strong internal evidence of the truth of the observation, that few are more thoroughly conver sant with Scripture than himself, Many of Alethe's most beautiful remarks are simple paraphrases of die sacred volume, He has been heard to quote from it with the happiest effect; to' say there was no book like it, no book, regardi ng i t assa mere human composition, which could on any subject even " approach it in poetry, beauty, pathos, and sublimity." Long may these sentiments abide •io him !—Literary Gazette, It is rumoured that Mr. Poodle ilyng is to be placed at the head of the new system of Police. On Wednesday last Viscount - Holmesdale, the eldest son of the Earl Amherst, was returned to Parlia ment for the Borough of East Grinstead, on the vacancy occasioned by the Earl of Liverpool. The new prison is about to be erected in lieu of Tothill-fields Bridewell is to be capable of contain ing 600 prisoners, with the means of adding to it.besides. A- Company has been formed 'at - Berlin for the supply of that city with gas, from . the impurities which are now taken to the environs, and used as manure. The further consideration of the proposed Middlesex Lunatic Asylum stands adjourned to the next Quarter Sessions, in April. In the course of clearing away the rubbish out Of the Minster choir, it has been found that the hollow under the stalls has been filled up with a composition of sand and oak ssw-dust, and amongst this between 61) and 70 coins of different reigns and countries have been found, some of them very curious and of remote dates. A large silver thimble, and several smaller thimbles, some round pieces of coloured glass, &e. hare also been taken out.—. The coins are most ta them in the possession of Mr. Arch.. deacon Markham.•.-- York Herald. A seal was caught a few days ago at Queens ferry, in one of the herring nets ‘. and brought to Falkirk, where it was exhibited as a show. All the efforts, how ever, of the person who brought it, to overcome its wild ness, were unsuccessful, as it was rather too old, and it had to be killed.—Fife Herald. \