The Sun. — London, England, 1828-02-27 00:00:00

cretary for the Home Department. That Right lion. Gentleman states what in a legislative capacity I lien not - prepared to admit—namely, that there is a difference be tween a Minister who is a Member of Parliament, and an ordinary Member of Parliament. " said he, " am A Member of Parliament, and responsible Minister of the Crown ; whereas you gentlemen opposite are called upon to act in your simple individual capacity, and therefore it is not at all proper for me to do in niy double capacity what it is for you to do in your single one." Some months ago I sat upon that side of the House on which the Right Hon. gentleman site, hut I do not contend that either I or the friends who surround me are entitled to alter our opinions and course of conduct without our altered position in the Mi e s, This doctrine is to me, Sir, quite unintelligible, but if it be intelligible, and if it' be constitutional, it would enable me to join with thiese political reformers, to whom I have sometimes been opposed, and of whom the late Major Cartwright may be considered as the outward and visible head. Those pure' reformers contended that the Mini sters of the Crown ought not to have seats in this House at all ; but I contended against the Major that they did not sit here as Ministers of the Crown ; they lost their characters of servants of the Crown, whenever they entered this House, and sat here only as the Representatives of the people. This is my argument. The Right Hon. Gentleman opposite does not merely find it.necessary to seek assistance in defending his cause ;—he is himself a sufficiently doughty combatant not to make it necessary that he should call that other and more doughty combatant, the worthy Baronet, to his aid, whom I heard with as little effect as human nature would permit, not, as he said, with a sneer, but with good humour, merriment, and a very moderate share of conviction. The arguments cf the Right Hon. Gentleman have all been put forward under the protection of the Hon. Baronet ; he has fol lowed him into the field, saying, Thou shalt be My shield and my Knight, and I will fight in thy train.—(A laugh.) Secretary Peel intimated across the table that he had not followed the arguments of the Hon. Baronet.]-- To me, Sir, it seems that the view of the Sacrament taken by the Right Honourable Gentleman, so worthy of notice, is one that he has been reminded of, and which he willingly and joyfully adopted, by the champion at his side. We are first told, Sir, by the Right Hon. Secretary, that it was proper to allot to the Dissenters the least degree of infliction, the least degree of exclusion, which was consistent with the safety and security of the Established Church.' Bat what, Sir, is the Worthy Baronet's ides of the minimum of infliction anti exclusion? Why, Sir, it is a total exclusion front ail places of profit, trust, and honour. The Hon. Baronet —who, I believe, enjoys some place of r rofit—with the other holders of offices of profit, looks down from the heights of place, trust, and emoluments:, on Dissenters, and they have discovered that the minimum of penalties they can inflict, the least conceivable exclusion, is to pre vent them ever enjoying any emoluments, any places of trust or profit, from which they as members of the Estab hefted Church have a sole right.—(A laugh.)—The Honourable Baronet said lie did not like those who spoke slightingly on the Established Church, or of institutions of ancient times ; and as I heard the Hon. Baronet, he spoke with reverence for the wisdom of our ancestors ; but the ridicule thrown on that phraseology is not of modern date, nor of modern invention. It has not been condemned in a spirit of mirth, hut in phrases as measured as the phrase itself, anti was disparaged long before the Test and Corporation Acts were enacted and put in force, it was not disparaged by ridicule, but by sound argument. The Honourable Baronet says he is not dis posed to object to improvements in the arts and sciences, though he would have us adhere to the wisdom of our ances tors in politics; but the person who first disparaged that maxim, which he would apply to political and moral sub jects—and I mention this that he may view that maxim with a mitigated respect—was a Lord High Chancellor of this kingdom. Ile was a great man who first threw doubts on the phrase, the wisdom of our ancestors. His name may, perhaps, he immaterial to the Hon. Baronet ; but it was a man of the name of Bacon who first stamped, ieot with the seal of ridicule, but with the evidence of truth, the objections he made and irrefragably urged, to the eternal repetition of the phrase, that we were to seek for wisdom in times that were far off, and not in those that were near ; and lie is an authority who would fight our pur poses. He said of the wisdom of our ancestors, or rather of the experience of past ages, that, if it was not a con tradiction, it was the grossest abuse of language. That those who went before, instead of being elder and wiser, had lees experience than we had ; that then was the youth of the world, anti the present time its old age—when our eoung men knew more than the sages of old times. The Right Hon. Gentleman and the Hon. Baronet should look into these things before they attempted to justify ap plying the sacrament and tests by their veneration for the wisdom of our ancestors, though he must congratulate both the Right Hon. Gentleman and the Hon. Member, on their veneration for these disqualifying Acts of Parlia ment, fin - preventing persons from taking office, unless they conformed, as the lion. Baronet said, in all things. I do not find this, Sir, in the Act of Uniformity. God forbid, indeed, that I should attempt to say what is not in the Statute-book ; but at least I can say I did look at the Index, I did look into the Rnhrick, I did look into the Canons of the Church of 1603, but I could not find, except in them, that uniformity is enforced; hut as those Canons were never confirmed by Act of Parliament, they were without authority. The Act of Uniformity did not ,require uniformity, unless in ease the party accepted office. But perhaps the provision the Hon. Bart. alludes to may he found in another Act. The only uniformity I can find which is required, is a uniformity in prayers, when per formed by a minister of the church, and that he should ad minister the sacraments; but, with that spirit of contra diction i 7hich unfortunately runs through our Penal Sta tutes, it is required that the Parson, Vicar, or Citrate shall read prayers once a month, and perform both sa crament.. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper he might perform, and thus fulfil the regulation; hut the other Sacrament, to be administered at the exigence of death, could not be performed once a month. (Hear, and a laugh.) That there are any other Statutes which require this uni formity I must deny. I find that our Keepers of Chaees, our Park Keepers, our Keepers of Warrens, and other similar illustrious officers, cannot take office unless they qualify themselves by conforming ; but I will venture to give relief to the tender consciences of the Hon. Bart. and the Right Hon. Gentleman, and I will tell them that they D say sleep in safety, though they have omitted to conform, for there is no Statute inflicting a punishment on them_ no penalty demandable if they have not taken the sahra ments according to the Church of ilioglajtd, unless they hold -orne office. The Hon. Baronet approves of im provements in the arts and sciences ; Its approves of the people growing wiser, hut he cannot approve of improve metes in morals and in politics—he would have us adhere to the wisdom of the ancient sages of Greece and Rome, who knew nothing of a Representative Government —no ;aling of Juries —nothing of the Unpaid Magistracy—no titlng of a Church Establishment, the safety and security of which was the corner-stone of the Hon. Bart.'s argu ment. We have been told, Sir, that imposing the Sacrament es a test has been long in existence, and we hays- . been asked what it signifies? This question has been repeated, Sir, but it has been answered, and the arguments are un. answerable of my lion. Friend below me, anti of the Hon. Member who spoke last. What signifies it ? Sir, I say it signifies every thing. First, Sir, it signifies much to the Church ; and I speak as a Churchman—as a member of the Christian Church, founded in the doctrines of the Scrip tures, patronised by the State, and confirmed by the law ; and I would ask every mars —particularly ev er y ser i ous man, who has ever made religion an object of his contem plation, or who valued it a rush —I would ask him whe ther or not it is not a very great impropriety—to use no stronger word— thus to pollute and degrade it? if it is Tint an indecency, an impiety, thus to make the Seer" ment a Custom of the Constitution, and a test of office? I t is the most holy rite of our religion—of the purest re ligion en earth—of a religion which, of all others, is most ablitierent to any securities or ties, most alien from any fleshly purposes, of a peculiar mild character, and which from its beginning had declared, though other re ligions admitted mankind to share with other Gods, and were connected with their fle , by lusts and worldly appetite',; yet this religion allowed no other Gods, and if a luau were a Christian, said his faith anti his services should be exclusive ; tide religion, the parent of all religtions, and this rite, the most holy rite nf this religion, were degraded and polluted by being made the passports to the place of a common gamekeeper,— (Hear, hear.) Is not this enough, is not this suffici e nt to make us all say that it shall exist no longer ? And what arguments do the Gentlemen use to support theee measur es ? The first they use is that of time. They say thatthereis no grievance, that what the C hurchman can have, that also the Dissenter can have. But is it not a grievance, ae was eaid in speaking of the situation of the Catholics, that they should still shew the mark of the chain, though the fetters weie knocked off. 'That was, Sir, I bell, vei Mr. Canning's expression. Assuming for argument t' :it there i 3 no practical grievance inflicted by these laws- though that there is none I utterly deny—is the stigma n ,thing? But this is not the only reason why these lass are a grievance. I contend , Sir , that t h ey inflict a di! 4. tem poral and worldly injury on the Dissenters. The ere ex cluded by theselaws from Corporations. No Dies titer can stand a contest for any place in a Corporation. It Item been . „ . said,' that the late Lord Mayor of London was a Dissenter ; and whim I saw. the Sheriff approach the Right Hon. Gentleman, 1 felt alarmed, for I have a natural horror of Sheriffs ; but 1 found he only served the Right Hun. Gen tleman with an argument ; but that argument, which was the statement that the late Lord Mayor was a Dissenter, if worth anything, is an argument for me, and proves my case. He being a Dissenter • was only able to hold this place by taking the Sacrament of the Established Church ; he was obliged, therefore, to repress his repugnance to that sacrament before lie could hold his office. And many Dissenters, Sir, will not take that Sacrament. It may not signify to members of the Church of England, yet many of them, like Richard Baxter, may net take that Sacra ment ; but I do net believe that one in a thousand of the Presbyterians will, on any terms, take the Sacrament of the Church of England. The stern Presbyterians of old would not go into a church in which there was an organ, and would on no aecount kneel at an altar. They did net think the Church of England so very different from the Church of Rome, that they could leave the one and adhere to the other. If, they said, you put two eggs on a plate, one of those eggs is not more like the other than the Church of England is like the Church of Rome. might' be groundless, but it shewed their, _jealousy. If the Presbyterians disliked the Romish Church on ac count of the vestments of the Priesthood, and (lis• liked altars, and regarded kneeling as an idolatry, can they like the service of the Church of England ? The Right Hon. Member for Liverpool may recollect, per haps, a contest which recently took place in that town, and which was one of the most absurd I ever heard of. Two gentlemen, both of the same party, contested the office of Mayor, and they spent a large sum of money in the election ; but if one of these candidates had differed from the Church of England, so as not to subscribe to the 39 Articles, and refused to take the Test, that would immediately have ended the contest, and placed his oppo nent in the office. So also in London, where a contest has lately taken place for the place of Alderman of the Vintry Ward, in which a friend of mine is concerned, and which is not yet decided ; if it could have been established that either of the Candidates, from difference about transubstantiation, or any other matter, lied refused to take the Test, there would have been an end of the contest, and the King's Bench would never have heard of the subject. If this is not a real grievrnci, what is a grievance ? We only know the effect of the laws as the laws are called into operation, but what the effects of these laws are in preventing many persons from entering into contests, in keeping them out of public. life, in driving them into privacy, we do not know. The Dissen ters will not go to seek place; they go elsewhere—go to their libraries—go into private—lose their appetite for Government—lose their appetite for our free Constitu tion ; and they are doomed to privacy and retirement, by no fault of theirs, but by laws which may be brought to operate against them, should they stand a contest for the public honours their fellow-citizens can bestow. —(Hear, hear, hear.)—ls this the way to conciliate their attachment ? Will it make the three millions of Dissenters now in this kingdom, who must feel and know it, sad who have shewn that they feel and know it, contented, and will they, as ignorant as the Right Hon. Member for Liverpool, ask, what does it signify ? They feel that wrong is done them ; they ask for the restoration of their privileges, and not till they are] restored can you , boast of the freedom of your Constitution, in Church and State, the advantages will all be gained by you, for they are only made more hostile to the Church by the restriction, and worse subjects. Again, it is said, that after having so long passed over the matter in silence, they have no reason to come forward and claim the abolition of these laws ; but they have not at any time suffered in silence. In 1787, they brought forward their claims, and in that year, or 1789, I do not exactly recollect which, they were defeated by so small a majority as 120 to 100, or something of that kind ; but it is so long since I read that debate, that I can not speak precisely. If matters had gone on smoothly, if the anticipations of Mr. Pitt, in 1790 and 1792, had been realized-eehad peace been continued through the whole world and had this country continued to enjoy the blessings of internal tranquillity, had not that other event occurred which had injured the prosperity of so many nations and of France itself, though ultimately tending greatly to her improvement—if the French Revolution had not taken place, I may venture to say, that, before now, the Dis senters would have been released from the Test and Corpo ration Acts, for under the circumstances of that time the majority of 20 was not a victory, but a defeat. It must not be forgotten, that, under the benignant influence of • Right Hon. Secretaries, this system had not gone on for ages without disturbing the public tranquillity ; for what were the riots at Birmingham? And had no tests existed, pointing out one set of men to the animosity of others, those evils would never have taken place.— There would have been no means of influencing the passions of the people, or of causing those outrages which were so much to be deplored. After this, exasperated feelings came into existence, and if the Dissenters failed immedi ately to prosecute their claims, it was because they hoped for a more favourable opportunity, and they ceased to press them. Subsequent to this delay, the Catholic Question began to agitate the country. In 1787 the Ca tholic Question was not stirred—it was brought forward subsequently, and during the twelve years which elapsed, the country was carrying on war against France, and all Europe was agitated by the French Revolution. After the Catholic Question was brought into Parliament one party became alarmed.—the country was filled with the contest, and the Dissenters acted wisely, nay generously, in not pro secuting their own claims. This is not an inference ; I know it for a fact, that from the time Mr. Fox introduced his measure into the Commons, and Lord Grenville his measure into the Lords, relative to the Catholics, the Dis senters abstained from pressing their own claims for fear of injuring the cause of the Catholics. This showed their great good sense ; and now, when the time is favourable, they again come forward and pro secute their claims. The Right. Hon. Gentleman does not think the Petitions are spontaneously sent to the House, and he says, if I could think they were, I would —what does the House think—remove their grievance? No. Think it was time to inquire if any grievance existed. This is very illogical. My Noble Friend pro ceeds on a different principle. He says the petitions are a proof of the grievance ; do not, therefore, stop to inquire if it exists, but inquire into the means of re medying it. But if these Dissenters have been influ enced to send in petitions, are there not in every parish in the Kingdom, Clergymen and other persons who have an interest in opposing the Dissenters, but where are their petitions? The Dissenters have petitioned, which shows they feel the grievance which the Right Honourable Gentleman cannot see ; but the Clergy of the Established Church and the friends of that Clergy have not petitioned, whence it is to be concluded that they see no danger, and are under no ap prehension from what the Dissenters claim. Sir, I de rive the greatest consolation from this circumstance, be cause I now speak in the hearing of a very large body of the Representatives of the people of this country, and it enables me to impress upon them this fact, that where as a very large portion of their worthy, influential, and able constituents are Dissenters, it is quite clear that they may do their duty to those individuals, that they may I support the cause of civil and religious liberty, and that they may agree to my Noble Friend's motion to send the Acts in question to a Committee, with out giving any material, or, indeed, without giving any 'offence to the rest of their constituents. We have, heard much to-night of the authority of great names. The Right Honourable Secretary of State for the HoMe Department has said that the present is not like the Catholic Question, where all the great ;tames are ranged on one aide. Sir, we have the names of Fox, and Chat ham, and Walpole, with us. Mr. Pitt is certainly an ex ception ;—I mean in his conduct in this House. • But in his letters—and I heartily thank the publisher of those let ters for the good they have done to the cause, which, in deed, it is evident he intended to support; the cause of the Catholics—(a laugh)—in his letters Mr. Pitt expresses a distinct and unequivocal opinion in favour of the repealof the Test and Corporation Acts. With respect to combining the cause of the Dissenters with the cause of the Catho lics, I, for one, am anxious that they should be kept sepa rate. The sense and the feeling of the leaders of the Ca tholics lead them to he unanimous in separating the two questions, and keeping them apart. They say that whe ther it will serve the Dissenters to adopt this course they do not know ; but that theya i re be sure it s o lci , l . l serve Sttt tthoeCa tholic?. That is also my humble pro ceed with the authorities. There is Burke, who was on his own statement decidedly in favour of the repeal of civil disabilities under which the Dissenters la bour. It was only the fears generated in him by the French Revolution iwhich prevented bins from ex pressing that opinion. The same apprehension operated on Mr. Burke's sentiments respecting the Slave Trade. An Hen. Gentleman, not now possessing a seat in this House —would to God that he were here; for we should have the weight of his judgment as well as the influence of his feelings in our favour ;—I mean Mr. Wilberforce—told nue that Mr. Burke avowed to him that he had once been very friendly to the abolition of the Slave Trade; but that he had ceased to be so, because he became satisfied " that it was all a shred of the accursed web of Jacobinisni." To say that much respect is due to the opinion of a man, however great in other respects, who viewed a question in volving the rights and privileges of three millions of his fellow-subjects through the distorted medium of the passion r•hich the consideration of one overwhelming event--the French Revolution—always excited in his mind, would be merely an affectation of candour. Then, Sir, there was Mr. Windham ; who, although he agreed with Mr. Burke in many of his extravagant doctrines respecting the French Revolution, yet was throughoUt his life friendly to the Repeal of these obnoxious Acts. Even considered on the ground of authority, therefore, I am justified in considering that the question comes well recommended to the House. But then there is Mr. Canning. Sir, I must ever regret, for two reasons, that Mr. Canning ever made the declaration which he did make, unfavourable to the object of my Noble Friend. In the first place, I regret it on his own account, because I think that it was a very rash and a very ill-advised declaration, and calculated to he injurious to his personal character ; in the second place, I regret it----not on account of the question, because to that, proceeding as the declaration did on a total misinformatio n with regard to the facts, it can do no harm—but on acoonnt of the injury it is calculated to inflict on those liberal prin ciples of which Mr. Canning, during the latter part of his life, was the usual asserter and patron, by throwing some discredit on the soundness of judgment on general subjects of a large and important body of Statesmen. Much, Sir, as I respect the memory of Mr. Canning, still, as I cannot give any weight to the authority of Mr. Burke, viewing every thing, as he did, through the distorted medium of one engrossing subject, so I cannot give any weight to the authority of Mr. Canning, labouring, as he evidently did, under a most complete misconcep tion, with reference to the whole of this question. The very words used by Mr. Canning—" As there is no practical grievance" abnndantly prove this. Mr. Can ning never knew that persons dissenting from the Church of England might be kept out of Corporations ; that they were liable to undergo a second election after having been unanimously chosen for an office in the first in stance. If Mr. Canning had known all this, he would have revolted from considering the Annual Indemnity Act a cure for the grievance. Sir, that Bill is the last matter, on which I beg leave to trouble yon with a few words. As long as the Dissenters were hostile to the existing Govern ment, so long it might be necessary to retain the Corpo ration and Test Acts for the protection of the Restored Family. But, Sir, we have for eighty-five years past bad the best possible proof that all such danger was felt to be at an end. Year after year such has been the confidence of Parliament in the Dissenters, that the Annual In demnity Bill was passed without opposition in the House, and without exciting the slightest alarm in the country. Why not then pass a perpetual Indemnity Bill, now that you find an annual Indemnity Bill is not sufficient for the purpose in view ? Sir, the sum and substance of the whole argument seems to be this : —We are told that little remains to he done for the Dissenters. Our answer is,— why then not (lo that little ? In proportion to the little which they have to ask, is the little which you are called upon to give. Be influenced by the duty which you owe to the Dissenters ; but above all, be influenced by the respect which you owe to the rights and ordinances of your own church, obviously profaned by those very Acts which were passed to support them. Nor is that profanation rare. In one not very distant Corporation which I could name, above 60 of those outrages take place annually ; nay, a par ticular church is set apart for that subject, in order that the Common Council of the Corporation may there qualify. It is a mockery, under such circumstances, to say that a great grievance does not exist. Such an assertion is utterly repugnant to truth and to common sense. Let any one 'telly the fact ; let any one deny the law ; let any one contend that evil is ideal; and I will answer him by refer ring to the seventeen hundred petitions to which I implore the attention of the House.—(Hear, hear.) Lord PALMERSTON opposed the motion, on the ground that the disabilities under which the Dissenters had laboured were practically repealed. If any grievance remained, it was so slight, that he would certainly re commend Parliament to strike off the fetters of the Ca tholic before they deal with this minor evil. The House then divided— For the Alotion 237 Against it... 193 • Majority —44 The result of the division when ascertained in the House was received with loud and continued cheering. The Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and at a Quarter before Two o'Clock this morning the House ad journed. FASHIONABLE AND MISCELLANEOUS. The Duchess of KENT visited the Duchess of CLAR.ENCE yesterday, at her residence in the Admiralty. The LORD MAYOR waited upon the Duke of CPARENCE at the Admiralty yesterday, and had an inter view with his Royal Highness. The Prince and Princess of HOIIENLOIIE LAuGENBouRG left the residence of Prince LEOEOLD at Claremont about eleven o'clock on Monday morning, to proceed through Dartford to Dover, where their High nesses would embark for the Continent. The Prince and Princess will, it is expected, stay a few days at Ghent, on a visit to a relation of the Prince, and from thence proceed to the residence of his Serene Highness near Frankfort. Letters have been received in town from the Duke of CAMBRIDGF, at Hanover, dated the 15th instant, at which time his Royal Highness, we are happy to state, was in the enjoyment of excellent health. Mr. STRATFORD CANNING, our Ambas cadet to the Sublime PoRTE, arrived at the Foreign Office, in Downing-street, about half-past eleven o'clock yesterday morning, in a post-chaise and four, from Sit tingbourne, Kent, where the Right Hon. Gentleman had arrived the preceding night, on his return from Constan tinople. Mr. CANNING, after quitting Constantinople, proceeded to Corfu, from which island he embarked in one of his Majesty's frigates, and sailed to Ancona, where, after performing quarantine for six days, Mr. CANNING was allowed to land on the 13th instant, and immediately set off for Paris, which city the Right Hon. Gentleman reached on the 24th instant. On leaving Paris, Mr. CANNING travelled by way of Calais, where he arrived about five o'clock on Monday afternoon. After crossing the Channel to Dover the same afternoon, Mr. CANNING proceeded as far as Sittingbourne in Kent, where he slept, and left early yesterday morning for London. Mrs. STRATFORD CAN NING did not accompany Mr. CANNING from Ancona, but WWI to follow the Right Hon. Gentleman by easy stages. Mr. TURNER, Secretary of Legation to the British Embassy at Constantinople, and Mr. CANTINI, a messenger attached to the lonian Government, arrived at the Foreign-office ahout eight o'clock yesterday morning, from Sittingbourne, from whence they had been despatched by Mr. STRATFORD CANNING. Mr. CANTINI landed at Ancona on the 17th inst., and brought despatches from Si' FREDERICK ADAM, the Lord High Commissioner of the lonian Isles. Mr. CANTINI also brought despatches from Viscount GRANVILLE. our Ambassador at Paris. Mr. STRATFORD CANNING, on his arrival in town, proceeded to the residence of Earl DUDLEY, in Arlington-street, and had an interview with the Noble Earl for near two hours. On leaving his Lordship, Mr. CAN NING visited the Duke of WELLINGTON at the Treasury, and had a long conference with his Grace. Mr. CANNING afterwards transacted business for a considerable time at the Foreign-office. Hi s MAJ EST Y received despatches at the Royal Lodge, in Windsor Park, on Monday night, from Mr, Secretary PEET.. Despatches also arrived yesterday, at the Royal Lodge, from Mr. Secretary PEET.. Prince ESTERIIAZY, the Austrian Ambassa dor, the Marquis de PALMELLA, the Portuguese Minister, and Count de MaNnEsr.on, the Wurtemberg Minister, transacted business with Earl DITDI.EI7 yesterday, at the office of Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Earl BATHURST, the Earl Of ABERDEEN, Lord EILLENBOROUG /I, and Viscount STRANG FORD, trans acted busiues yesterday at the Foreign Office. DOVER, FEB. 2G.—Sailed for Calais his Majesty's steam vessel Echo, wits their Serene Highnesses the Prince and Princess HOHENLOHE LAUCENEOURG and suite, under a salute from the batteries. Arrived from Boulogne the steam packet, Royal George, with his Ex yellency the Prince PomartAc, who has proceeded to Lon don to resume his duties us Ambassador from France. LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 27, 1828. The division of last night on Lord JOHN RUSSELL'S motion will be ever memorable in the history of this nation. An interval of eight-and-thirty years had elapsed since the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts last came under the consideration of Parlia ment, and the different results at these two different periods is* a bright omen that the happy time is ap proaching when religious distinctions will no longer constitute grounds for political disabilities, and when Catholics and Dissenters of all denominations will have their equal share of the blessings as well as of the responsibilities of the State. Did we, however, suspect, with Mr. HusKissoN, that the triumph of the Dissenters would injure the Catholic Question, we should view, not the division of last Right, but the ultimate success of their cause with regret. Dissenters have their disabilities, their difficulties to encounter, but these obstacles are not insurmountable. The Catholics have no way of evading those which lie in their way, but by swal lowing oaths which, nevertheless, are strangely enough said to be with them no objection on earth. We are well aware that the Dissenters unfortu nately have not made common cause with their fel low sufferers, the Catholics, but that many of them have, on the contrary, expressed decided hostility to their claims. It should, however, be borne in mind, that the repeal of the Test Act will introduce no new Mem bers to Parliament, and as those who now sit in that high assembly are the more enlightened of their body, we should hope that their own deliverance would only urge them on to still greater exertions in be half of men still excluded from such an invaluable distinction as the rank and privileges of a British Citizen. We need hardly say that the Debate of last night is worthy of an attentive perusal, but no part of it is more striking than the exposure of the dreadful profanation of the Lord's Supper, to secular purposes. Being decided supporters of the present Adminis tration, and having the highest personal respect for some of its Members, it may appear extraordinary, that we do not regret the result of a motion, origi nating in the Opposition Benches, but which cannot be regarded as a party question. This course we shall leave to such of our cotemporaries as may prefer a uni form and uninterrupted adulation,to the more valuable, because more sincere, testimony of those who, though warm friends, cannot change their opinions at the beck of power, and who hold that they owe a para mount duty to the public, to which the continuance in office, of any Minister, or set of Ministers, is al together subservient. And sincerely do we hope, that the result of last night's division will deter an infatuated party in this land from urging on (as their inclination would lead them) the distinguished Individual at the head of his Majesty's Go- Vernment, to make shipwreck of his fame and his popularity, by opposing himself to those blessings on behalf of his fellow-subjects, in defence of which, when foreign nations only were concerned, he has perilled his life and his reputation in many a well debated field. Frankfort Papers and the Allgemeine Zeitung of the 20th inst. have been received this morn-. ing, but their contents possess no novelty or im portance. The remains of the Egyptian fleet are said to have arrived at Alexandria on the 3d of January, and the inhabitants were extremely struck with its deplorable appearance. There were onlyßsßixAiti shi i‘ p i s pofAwcliA. ar at Navarin at the dis posal of i The harbour of Cronstadt has lately had a great addition to its fortifications since the ac cession of the Enweror NICHOLAS:-- ♦IENNA, FEB. 15. MetaLitipe,, 90 11-16. Bank Shares, 1,046. By the French Papers of Sunday and Mon day the triumph of the Liberals in the election of President is confirmed, M. DELALOT being chosen in place of AL RAvEz. On Monday se'ennight at Barnardcastle, a woman, aged 63, engaged to walk 100 miles M 2 4, hours, which She completed iu hours.,—eatzdkniian Mercury. PRICKS OP STOCKS THIS Bank Stock 3 per Cent. Red B4 3 per Cent. Cons.. ......... 3%:per Cent .9. % Ditto Red. 92 % 4 per Cent New WO N, Ditto, 1826 K2% 2 - Bank L. Ann. 194% India Stock 244 Ditto Bonds B5 88pm. PRICES OF FOREIGN FUNDS Austrian Bonds, 5 per cent. I Brazilian Bonds.. ....... ...61N 2 Buenos Ayres Bonds 37 Chilian Bonds, 6 per ct. Colombian Bonds — Ditto, 1824. Danish, 3 per cent. Greek Bonds Ditto, 1R25 Guatimala hlexican Bond.. 2.5% Do. 1825 .33% PRICES or SHARES THI• Brazilian Mining Co. (is&. at 5/. Bolivar Mining Co. Columbian Mining Co. (iss. at 5/ General Mining Association Mexican Mining Co. Real del Monte Mining Co. United Mex. Min. Co. (iss. at 21 Alliance Marine Insurance Comi DAY AT OW O'CLOCK. Paid. Per Share. pm.) £2O fa 65 67 £7% pm.) 22K, 5 23 450 . pm.) 35 tp 5 16!-; v--- 415 420 'l4 4:ZY COURSE OF NICHA Amsterdam C.F.12 21 Ditto, at sight 11 19/1 Rotterdam 2 U. 12 Antwerp l2 3 Hamburgh M. B. 13 12 Altona 13 121 Paris, 3 days' sight Ditto 2 U. 25 00 Bordeaux 25 65 Berlin Frankfort on Maine, Ex. M. 1501 Petersburgh, rble... 3 Us. 10 Vienna, effective A. 2M. 10 5 Trieste do. Madrid 36 Cadiz 36 Bilboa Barcelona 35 Seville 35% Gibraltar 46 Arrived. DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. South Sea Stock Old Annuities New Ditto Ex. Bills, 11,000 2d. 55 56 pm. Ditto 5OO 2d. 55 56 pm. Ditto Small ...... 2d. 55 56 pm. Ditto Commercial pm. Bank for Account ... ...... India for Account Cons. for Ac.... 88%%3'e%%% THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Neapolitan, 1924 Peruvian Bonds .22% 3 Portuguese Bonds Prussian, 5 per cent. lOO% Ditto, New — Russian, New 9 - 2% Spanish, 1821 — French Rentes, sp. c. —1 •-c. -- Exchange —t. —c. 3 per cent —f. --c. --- Exchange —f —c. NGI2 YESTIRDAY. Leghorn 43 Genoa 25 Venice Malta Naples 39 Palermo per oz. 117 Lisbon 44 1 14 Oporto Rio Janeiro Ti Bahia 35 Buenos Ayres Dublin, 21 days' sight Cork BULLION, PER 07. s. d. Portugal Gold, coin 0 0 0 Foreign GoM, in bars 3 17 6 New Doubloons 0 0 0 New Dollars 0 4 10 Silver. ham standard 0 0 0 Due. I Arrived, ....,.... 0 America 0 0 Hamburgh 2 O Brazil 0 0 Holland 0 O Buenos Ayres ...... 1 1 Jamaica 1 Dublin O Flanders 0 1 Lisbon U O France O Gottenbursh ...... ... 1 0 Mexico 0 O Guernsey& Jersey. 0 , 1 Waterford 0 ,4 414 110;ir • .1 1 "...i67 at ti n . ( e' a P : : : " 1 4--4Z4 . 1k • THE ARMY. Detachments of the 13th Light Dragoons, 30th, 41st, 45th, and 48th Regiments of Infantry, embarked on board the James Bibbald, private trader, at Madras, on the 15th October last, and dis embarked at Gravesend on the 25th inst. OLD BAILEY.-(THIS DAY.) HORSE STEALING. Thomas Johnson, aged 20, was indicted for stealing a horse and chaise.—The Jury found him 'guilty. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.) FROM LLOYD'S. DEAL, FEB. H.—Wind S. W.--Arrived from London and remain the Caledonia, Hodnett, for Jamaica ; St. Ann, Adlard, for Grenada; Hebe, Smith, for Jamaica ; with the Thames, for Calcutta —the latter has her bowsprit sprung. PORTSMOUTH, FEB. 26.--Wind S.W.--Arrived from London the Earl of Balcarras, Broughton, for India. FALMOUTH, FEB. 25.--Wind S.W.--Arrived the Sandwich Packet, from Lisbon, sailed the 15th instant ; also the Lady Wellington Packet, from Carthagena, sailed the 2d January, Jamaica the 15th January, and Crooked Island the 22d. THE RING. A fight took place yesterday in a meadow on the Barret road, between Ned Brown (the Sprig of Myrtle) and Sol. Reubens, a Jew, for five pounds. Brown, after being re peatedly nohbed down, in the 82d round, received the coup de grace from the Jew's left hand, which meeting him full in the phiz, dropped him for the last time; after as game a display as it was possible for nature to make, which lasted one hour and 45 minutes. The defeat of Brown astonished the knowing once, whose pockets went home lighter than they came out. Nan NEAL and BAt.nv,lN.—The seventh deposit for this match was made good at Tom Cribb's last night. The next meeting will take place at Marry Holt's on Tues day next. Neal is backed at even to win in fifty minutes. HorrlNG.—Greaves, the Manchester hopper, who was recently barked agailst Jackson to bop twenty Lops, but to whom Jackson's backers forfeited, is now backed to hop seventy yards in wooden clogs in twenty hops. This extraordinary feat be is to perform on Friday next, at one o'clock, on Kew Green. MR. ENEAS MACDONNELL. (From the Dublin Evening Post of Saturday.) The following affidavit, made by a gentleman pos sessed by inheritance of probity and honour, which the reader will see, is dated the 30th of January, was transmitted forthwith to Mr. Macdonnell, so that he must have had it in his possession the day the judg ment was pronounced, the 12th of February, and would have used it if he had chose to violate his notions of honorable obligation. In using this affidavit Mr. Macdonnell makes no appeal to the pro secutor or to the crown. Although we do not feel ourselves bound by Mr. Macdonnell's view of the case, yet we agree with him, that after what has oc curred, the appeal should be to the public at large. We have not room at present to discuss this matter, but we shall only add, from our own knowledge, that Mr. Macdonnell always spoke in terms of cordial commendation of the conduct of Mr. Staunton in this transaction KING'S BENCH, IRELAND. THE KING AT THE PROSECUTION OF THE HON. C. LE POER TRENCH V. ENEAS 3 , I'I3ONNELL, ESQ. " James Sheridan, late of the city of Dublin, and now of No. 10, Arundel-street, Westminster, maketh oath and saith, that he is well acquainted with the circumstances attending the Report of the proceedings at Ballinasloe, on Thursday, the 16th of October, 1826, which was published in the Morn ing and Weekly Register Newspapers, in Dublin, on Saturday, the 21st of said month, and which con tained the alleged: libellous matters referred to in this cause. Deponent positively saith, that neither said Report, nor any part thereof, was prepared or furnished, or composed, or written, or dictated or printed, or published, or in any way directly or in directly provided by the defendant, or under his control, nor was it ever read to him, nor could it, by possibility, have been read by him, until after it had been published in said Newspapers; nor was he informed of its contents, nor had he any opportuity of knowing them previous to their appearance in said Newspapers; nor did he cause or procure it to be written, or composed, or printed, or published ; nor had he any connection or privity whatever with it, except as speaker at a public Meeting, of a speech of which said Report purports to give an account. Deponent saith, that said Report was a very long one to be taken down, as in fact it was, by a single individual, in a very crowded assembly, and under other circumstances of peculiar inconvenience. Saith that the principal part of said Report was made out by the Reporter after he returned to Dublin, when defendant was in the county of Galway, as depo nent believes. _ " JAMES SHERIDAN. " 'worn before me this 30th day of January, 1828, in my office, in Southampton-buildings, Chan cery-lane, in the county of Middlesex.--Before me, Thomas P. King, a Commissioner for taking affida vits in the Court of King's Bench, in Ireland, for the said county of Middlesex." THE SPEAKING FRENCH GRAMMAR• BY J. V. DOUVILLE, PROFESSOR OF TRZ FRENCH LANOUSOZ, No. 1, Soho-square, near the Bazaar; and V, Lawrance-lane, Cheapizide, London, 1827. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SIR,—In presenting the public with this new pro duction, my grand object has been to render the speak ing of French as easy and familiar to English persons, as if they studied in Paris. To accomplish this great desideratum, I have composed the essays on the rules of passages and sentences used in ordinary discourse. By construing them into French, the pupil will not only store his mind with useful expressions, but he will likewise insensibly imbibe just notions of the Grammatical technicalities of the language. This is of the utmost importance for speaking French ; for, unless the learner is properly trained up in the prac tical part, he will never be able to hold the least dis 7 course with a native of France, although he may be a proficient in the theory of the language. The na ure of the French Verbs is, also, exhibited in quite, a new and clear manner, and the remarks on pro nunciation are collected from the present practice of the fashionable circles in Paris. The work is con cluded by a Grammatical Analysis, and a Treatise on French Prosody and Versification ; besides a classified vocabulary, a compendium of familiar phrases, and numerous models of notes, letters of compliment and business. In the execution of the whole, in short, the speaking of the language has a prominent feature; and I flatter myself this Gram mar will be found peculiarly adapted to the capacity of the generality of learners, being divided into sixty easy lessons and essays, which will prove no less instructive than agreeable. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient humble servant, London, Feb. 18, 1828. J. v. DOUVILLE. P.S. A Key to the Essays is just published. The Lord Provost has recei ved from thq Se cretary of State a respite in favour of ANDREW EWART, now under sentence of death in the jail of this city, until farther signification of his MAJESTY'S pleasure.— Caledo nian Mercury. A murder was perpetrated near Swinesford, in the County of Mayo, last week, and six persons sus pected of being concerned, have been committed to Morning Poet THE FUNDS-(THIS DAY). CITY, TWBLPE o' CLocz. To-morrow being settling day in the British Funds, the Brokers and Jobbers have been busily employed in making up accounts, although there have been some heavy sales in the course of the morning for the April account. Consols opened at 631 for to-morrow, have since declined to 831 k' and are now 83i -I for this, and 831 for next time, ap pearing at present pretty steady; the money stock market is heavy, and the Commissioners were served at *St. The premium on India Bonds and Exchequer Bills continues to decline, the format being 84 6, and the latter 56 6. Scarcely any thing is doing in the Foreign Funds, some enquiry has been made about Chilian Bonds, from a report that funds were expected for the payment of the dividends, the present price is 25 '7; Colombian, 25 ; Mexican, 6 per cent., 334 4 ; Guatemala, 33 5 ; Russian, 92 ; Danish, 61 ; Portuguese, '74 ; and Greek, 174 4. In Shares, the fall which took place yesterday in Bra zilian Mines was succeeded by a consequent advanee, before the close of the day, from 28 30 pm. to 38 pm., and this morning they are quoted at 40 2 pm. ; in the other speculations there is nothing new to report. Three per Cent. Consols, 63+ 1; and for April Account, 63i ; India Bonds, 84 6 pm. ; Exchequer Bills, 55 6 pm. FoastaN.—Brazilian, 611 21; Bneaos Ayres, 36 7 ; Chilian, 24 5; Colombian, 24+ 5; Danish, 61 3; Greek, 17 18 ; Mexican, 5 per Cent., 25 ; Ditto 6 per Cent., 331 4 ; Peruvian, 22+ 3 ; Portuguese, 74 + ; Russian, 92 ; Spanish, 10 ; Guatemala, ss 5. MiNrs.—Anglo Mexican, cei 60 die. ; Brazilian, 87 89 pm ; Bolivar, 3 21 die. ; Colombian, '7 6 .dis. ; United Mexican, 81+ 21 ; General ;lining Asso ciation, 11+ 121 pm. TWO O'CLOCK. Consols are looking up, and 83 for this, and buyers; for April, with a stiff appearance. It is nowreported ia, the City that the remaining European Powers have come to the resolution of giving their adherence to the Treaty of the 6th of July relative to the Turkish question, and there is also a rumour in town that on the arrival of General Gue lliminot at Corfu, lie found a communication from the Turkish Government waiting for him. Chilian. Bonds are 27, and Mexican 34k. THREE 0' CL O Clk. Consols, 831 4 ; and for April, 84 FOUR O'CLOCK.—CLOSING PRICES. Consols 831 Danish 61k Do. for Ac. 831 Greek, 1825 Brazilian Bonds 62f Mexican, 1825 34f Buenos Ayres 37 Peruvian 23 Chinon Do. 26f Russian 93 Columbian, 1824 254 Spanish, 18/1 MAR THE PS.-(TH' Es DAY ) CORN EXCHANGE. There are this week small supplies of all kinds of Grain. There is scarcely a sample of dry Wheat in tke market, and for other qualities the demand is very slack, prices, therefore, remain as reported on Monday. Barley main tains last quotations with firmness. Beans and Pease con tinua dull sale. Oats meet a limited demand, at the terms of last market day. Flour continues very dull. ARRIVALS. Wheat. Barley. I Oats. I Flour. English Irish Foreign FISH-MARKET, RILLINGSGATE. The market this day was glutted with fish, and, to use the fishmongers' phrase, a great deal of it was queer, we would therefore„ at the present time, recommend a sharp look out, to prevent this description of fish being foisted upon the public. The primest fish went off at the fol lowing prices:— Prime Turbot. each lBs. od. to 21*. 0,1. Ditto small, per do ....... 5 0 10 0 Fine Cod-fish, each 0 0 15 0 Inferior ditto Salmon, per lb. Smelts, per 26 l6 0 18 0 Fine 'Whitings, per 15 0 0 10 U Seate, each Fine Soles, per three pairs 1 6 9 0 Brill, each Gurnetts, each 1 0 1 6 Live Flounders, per quartern Live Eets,r slb Fine Lofttip pe , per score 0 0 50 9 inferior ditto , lO 0 20 0 Shrimps, per gallon ......., ................. Fine Yarmouth Red Herrings, per hundred 6 0 '7 0 Scotch ditto 0 0 6 0 Best Common Oysters, per bushel Natives ' 2O 0 30 0 COUNTRY CORN MARKETS DURING THE WEEK. Wheat. Barbay. Per Quarter. Boston _ Grantham Hull Lincoln Spilsby Stamford 9. to s. 40 56 49 53 48 54 46 50 42 54 48 55 46 50 45 56 44 60 s. to s. 22 22 26 33 25 28 24 29 26 30 28 34 26 30 St 32 26 02 s. to s. 15 83 18 26 19 21 16 24 16 26 18 26 16 22 20 25 16 30 s. to s. 96 4V 40 44, 42 44 38 40 39 41 :36 40 X4O iS COTTON WOOL. LIST OF IMPORTS AND 'EXPORTS. IMPORTED. Same pe- This riod last year. year. • Bne.&c. :MAIO EXFORIMD. rreviouss ly this year. Bags,'&c. Raga, &c. 66.3 1.150 W 7 3,110 .. 5,556. Bags, &c. Liverpool 71,046 London 3,526 2;270 Glasgow in 6,28 8,177 Total exported 194$ --- COTTON WOOL—OLASGOW. The sales during the week amounted to 1,681 balm. 33 Sea Islands 5 Do. Stained 718 Boweds 305 Orleans 180 Mobile ... Cad. a 6td. 60 Egyptians Bd. a 8 d. 53 West Indies 6d. a Od. 327 Surats 4d. a 4%d. Imports none. CON' BRITISH EXPORTS. Statement of the Quantities of the under-mantional Arti cles of British Manufacture Exported from Liverpool, from the 16thto the 23d inst. inclusive. Cotton 124,496 Pieces. 1,298,032 Yard.. Liner 4,113 ... 407,236 Blanketing - ••• $lO ... _ _ Carpeting - •• • 6,250 Calicoes 4,666 ... 5,600 ... Flannel Woollen Stuff• 1,199 ... 392 Eacia. Kerseymeres - 304 ... Worsted Stuffs 7,926 ... 20 .., Baize Inferior Woollens 5,750 846 „. Cotton Yarn Cotton Thread. Sail Cloth Cotton Hose Silk Hose Cotton Handkerchiefs Cotton Braces Worsted Caps ............................ . Hats Haberdashery Earthenware Hardware .................................... £21,666 Salt, White Salt, Rock 51ate5.......................................... Coals ................................ 0 Tone, 0 Cwt. 0 Chat. Iron .................................... 549 Tons, 79 Cwt. MARRIED. On the 26th inst., by the Rev. Philip Le Geyt, Lieut. Burke Cuppage, of the Royal Horse Artillery, to Emily Anne, second daughter of Lieutenant-General Sit John Macleod, G.C.H. On the 4th inst., at the Palace of Hanover, Sir Wm. Davison, Aid-de-Camp to his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, to the Baroness Rosalie, of Lestaow. At Much Dewchurch, Walter Palmer, Esq., of Pen coyd, to Sarah Horneastle Pendergrass. DIED. On Sunday. the 24th inst., at Armytaga Park, in the county of Stafford, after a short illness, Thomas Lister, Msg., in the 56th year of his age—an irreparable loss to his afflicted family, an d deep . ) , I regretted by his numerous friends and relatives. On the 23d imt., in the 20th year of her age, at St. Peter's Cottage, Manchester, Sarah Matilda, daughter of the late Lieut. William John Powell, 60th Regiment of Foot. PRINTED and PUBLISHED by M. YOUNG, at the SUN OFFICE, No. 112, Strand. I 7 f .. 1 ~_ T' T b .~ qtt-1 VE MIST In Si Ti WIL Th count Pagat Bank the F TI Taal Who The Meta Saul be e 4 Hobo --am By J Clag of • Stij - Bed ont the. Exe Vet sion "NA 'lll Teo ISo 1 41 the _Ma vol 89.