The Express.
London, England, 1851-03-15 00:00:00

to go on step by step in this course we should not have a
development of the Roman catholic religion in this country,
but a Serve and bloody contest. (Cheers and expressions of
dissent.) To prey: eat that, he would put a stop to the de-
velopment at once. (Cheers.) The honourable mem-
ber for Marylehone had spoken of a tierce and persecuting
spirit, and had said that if 1w had been a Roman catholic
he should be opposed to this measure of the l'ope, for it
was the very spirit of persecution anal his hon. friend's
argument was founded on this-14 said, " Look at what
the Roman catholic had to do—what the Roman catholic
did"—and in no country, even catholic, were they
found promoting measures like these without the
sanction of the sovereign. (Hear, hear.) In Belgium
'it was said, something had been done ; but if so it must bo
something recent, laud he wished them joy of the exception, I
if so it were, as one of the most Roman catholis communi-
ties. But with that exception, if it were one, there was no
catholic country that had permitted these acts. le found that
even Lingard told us that the Roman catholic bishops were
appointed in olden time by the metropolitan with the consent
of the King and the Witten. We had the head of the house of
Iloward protesting as1011(11j03 he had before the reformation.
They might talk of fanatical feelings—but at the bottom of
those feelings there was the Saxon spirit of independence
from ecclesiastical control and interposition, which had
animated the Wittan—that spirit which afterwards passed
the law of Richard 11., which effected the Reformation in
the reign of Henry VIII., and which later still drove James
li. from the throne, and allowed our sovereigns to reign
only so long as they renounced that system which he in his
conscience believed alike injurious to religious and chid
liberty. (Cheer.) Amongst the numerous arguments his
I hon. and learned friend had advanced, he confessed none
I had surprised him more than when, addressing himself to
an observation of the hon. member for Marsh:bone, he said
as that hon. member did not object to the vicars apostolic
he did not see how they could object to the diocesan bishops,
for the difference was in nothing but the name.
(Hear, hear.) They might be told that Cardinal Wise-
man could govern thane only who would submit to his
power. True, but they owes' him no thanks for that.
(Cheers.) But would he nut proclaim and anathematise all
who refused to submit ? (Hear, hear.) Would he not as-
sert the power ? (Cheers.) And let him call attention
to this—often as Cardinal Wiseman had been charged with
it, he had never denied that he did claim this power,
Ile challenged any man to paint teeny renunciation, on the
part of Cardinal Wiseman, of the claim to govern others
than the Roman catholic, of his diocese. (Hear, hear.)
He would also challenge any Roman catholic to say that
he would suffer any inconvenieuce in ecclesiastical mat-
ters if Cardinal Wiseman were acting merely as vicar
apostolic under the title of Bishop of blelipotainul, in-
stead of a territorial archbishop, with the title of Arch
bishop of Westminster. (Hear.) If so, would the people
of England be justified in allowing this assertion 'f eccle-
siastical and temporal right (fur they went together)
which was made by this act on the part of the
Pope ? (licar, hear.) Ile contended that in de-
nouncing and resisting this first step they were
taking the wisest course to preserve their civil and religi-
ous liberties. His lion. anal learned friend had said there
need be no fear as to the endowments .if the established
church. That was not his (Mr. WIMMVP) fear, but he
feared for the civil liberties of the church. (Ileac) Ile
did not agree with his hon. friend who spoke early in the
evening, in thinking that this question should give place
to the business of finance, trade, and commerce. He con-
sidered it was more important that they should in the
first instance take Walls to preserve unimpaired those
civil and religious rights and privileges which had been
handed down to them from their ancestors. and that while
conceding to all others spiritual mid temporal freedom
they should assert the same freedom far themselves, de-
claring that they would not allow any ecclesiastic to inter-
fere between the people anal the government, or between
the people and their allegiance to their sovereign. (Ileac
hear.) The hon. and learned gentleman concluded lay
asserting his conviction that any attempt to introduce the
'tarnish canon law into this country as it existed ahroitel
would be met with the game spirit of resistance which in ,
former ages had resulted in the Reformation. (Cheers.)
On the motion of Mr. MOORE the debate was then ad-
journed to Monday next.
PRISONS (SCOTLAND).
Mr. FOX MAULE ruse to move for leave to bring in a
bill to amend certain acts for the improvement of prisons
and prison discipline in Scotland. lie observed that
the chief object of the bill was to extend the
repayment of the money, advanced for these prisms over
a greater number of years than the present act provided.
The only other object of the bill wan to enable either the
local or generalb=rd to acquire certain small plots of
ground which might be useful and beneficial, and which
might prevent the erection of buildings in the vicinity.
Leave was given to bring in the bill.

MEDICAL CHARITIES (IRELAND) BILL.
Sir Wm. SOMERVILLE moved for leave to bring in
a bill on the subject of the medical charities of Ireland.
There was no gentleman connected with Ireland who
would say that the medical charities were on a satisfactory
footing. The bill was the same us that which secured the
approval of the house last session, with the exception that
the present hill provided fur a differently constituted hoard.
Mr. CLEMENTS hoped that, on the second reading of
the bill, full explanations would he given of the nature
of the measure. Although the bill was certainly culled for,
he had a very strong opinion that it would not be productive
of economy.
Sir C. NORRF.TS spoke in support of the bill.
Sir Wm. SOMERVILLE promised that on the second'
reading every neeemary explanation would be given. He
had no doubt that he would then prove not only that the
bill would be productive of economy, hut that it would
promote the interests of the sick poor of Ireland.
leave was then given I. Intthgluce the hill.
The other orders of the day were disposed of, and the
house adjourned at one o'clock.