The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-05-01 00:00:00

lion, if a particular infloctoce is exerted to make
them to do so. Ido out say that ouch is the ease,
but, in some insistices. I cannot avoid suspecting
the motive. If a Prtition be ttttt eroosly signed,
by the aid of interest and prejudice, it dors slot, in
my mind, produce so strong a feeling or conviction,
as u Petition signed by ,t► torn of independent
spirit. lii point of reason, the latter far outweighs
the former, however short it n►ay fall of it with re-
spect to numbers. Public meeting', I know. can-
not be convened, except under the sanction of Go.
vernment.—(fro ! No !)—You will soirctly find a
I high Sheriff willing to call a comity Ineetiug, ex-
cept with the concurrence of Government. I know
the difficulty, for 1 experienced it myself."
An lion. Member, under the gallery, said, meet-
ings might he called by the Magistrates, without
any intervention of the liieb Sheriff.
Mr. LESLIE—" I humbly move, that this Peti-
tion he not received, until I bring forwa►.l my de-
claration."—( Lorsghter.j
The Petition was then laid on the table, and or-
dered to be tainted.
Mr. CANNING ruse to present a Petition. he was
sorry to say, against the Catholic Claims, piped try
near tell thousand inhabitant. of the town of Li-
verpool. The Petitioners commpri•ed smite of the
most respectable inhabitants of that town ; and,
amongst them were many of those whose friendship
be hall the happiness to enjoy. 'Flue Petition con-
tained a summary of till the arguments against ad-
mitting the Roman Catholics to any further parti-
cipation io political power. Those erg ttttt riots were
stated in a manner most impressive—in a manner
winch placed the opinioios of the Petitioners in tile
most advantageous light before the House. They
&elated that ►t was not passible to grant any fur.
thae privileges to the Roman Catholics, without
t miaow rung the frame of that Constitution,
which Ihey rtvereol, Hood they called on the Rouse
nut tII eXtrilli them beyond the point at which they
at present stood. It was !caterly necessary for loon
to owe, that lir did not concur in the view the Pe-
titioners had taken sin this subject—( I lear.)—
There was, between himself and his constituents,
truce he first became kcquweted wit li them, a perfect
understanding, as to the opinion he entertained on
Ibis pm tictilar question.--(Hear. hrar.)— As their
represeeitanve It W 11,4 his duty to present this Peti-
tion—but, on a subject respecting the great consti-
tutiosoul policy of the empire, he always had, and
he always would, as long as he had the honour to
hold a ►eat iii the Legislature, act from his own de-
liberate judrn►eut on the question.—(l/ear. hear.)

General IiASCOY IS F. said, that though only a day
and a half wrrr allowed for 'procuring signatures to
this Petition, yet, in that time, no less than 10,700
mimes were obtained. lle must, at the same time,
observe, that a Petition hail already been presented,
purportii.g to be :rout Liverpool, of a different ten-
dency, but lie knew not by whom it was signed.—
lie had been acquainted, fur 23 years, with the
town of Liver, I ; and lie was persuaded, that
two-thirds or three-fourths of the inhabitants pro-
fessed those sentiments—sentiments opposed to any
further coocessiun to the Catholics—which lie had
invariably supported in that Douse.—Laid on the
table.

The CHANCELLOR Of the EXCHEQUER oreient-
erl a Petition from Harwich against the Catholic
Claina.—Laid on the table.

51r. W. 'l'. lionsturs presented a Petition of the
Tike nature Iron tit. Albans.—Laid on the table.

Lord EBRINGTON prevented it Petition in favour
of the Catholic front Ovwestry, al we col-
lected.—Laid on the table.

Sir 11. PARNELL presented a Petition from the
Roman Catholic Inhabitants of a district in the
County of Kildare, graying fur a repeal of the
Penal Laws.—Laid on the table.

Lord SEFTON ineSColeti a Petition from certain
lob:Animas of the Town and Neighbourhood of
Liverpool, iii favour of the Catholic Claims. The
Noble Lord observed, that the Petition way signed
by 3,000 persons, not merely Itoinaii Ciiihotics,
but of all religious persuasions, who were *lotions
that their Catholic brethren should participate in
the full enjoyment of civil imintmitiev.—Laid on