The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-04-23 00:00:00

CATHOLIC CLAIMS.

Sir T. LETHBRIDGE rose to present a petition against the
Catholic Claims. He hoped the arguments contained in It would
still have weight and authority. although the Catholic Relief Bill
had unfortunately been carried through a second reading last night
by a majority of 27. He regretted the absence of the Secretary for
foreign Affairs, the more particularly as it was occasioned by
illness. No man could entertain higher respect than he did for the
great eloquence and abilities of that distinguished individual ; still
he felt himself called on to state his views on one part of the Right
Hon. Gentleman's speech on last evening. (" No, no.") lie must
persevere ; he could not suffer the sentiments of the petitioners to
be misrepresented without appealing to the wisdom of the House.
He could rot listen to their being attacked without taking the first
opportunity of wiping off the wain so unjustly cast on them.
The Right Hon.Gentlemin in question, in the course of last night's
debate, made some remarks 1111 to the ignorance of the petitioners
a,nsinot Catholic Claims; was it to be endured triat people could
not come before the House without suffering unjust imputations,
particularly when so respectable and enlightened as he was deter_
wined to stow they were? (" No, no.") Since the wish of thellouse
was opposed to his going on, be would reserve his observations for
some thiure opportunity. The present petitions caine from a re-
spectable portion of his constituents; it was signed by the clergy-
men of the parish, and he (Sir T. Lethbridge) was determined it
should not be treated as one to which the finger of scorn wax to be
affixed. (A laugh.) With respect to the Bill before the House,
he was determined to oppose it in every stage, and he implored the
House to pause ere by passing it they drove the country to utter
ruination. (A laugh.)
Mr. N. CALVERT said, the allusion made last evening was
not to the general ignorance of the petitioners, but to the absence of
a particular information—to their reverence for the feelings for old
data t they might be styled ignorant pro Mato.
Lord BINNING thought it irregular to allude to the speech of
the Right Hon. Gentleman in his absence. The Hen. Baronet
misapprehended the Ri.tht Hon. Gentleman, and hue consequently
misrepresented him. The ignorance alluded to was in ignorance
of the existing laws affecting the Catholics, rod it apparel from
the petitions that they were not only ignorant of theism' as they
now stood, but even of the nature of the Relief Bill.

Sir H. *ILSON—If I said that the Hon. Baronet was in igno.
rance of the Right Hon. Osothertin's 'ova, !andel troth sup.
posed to mean any thing ofrcnsive; thaefovo it was poem-,
ble to have ignorance attributed without otrence rneaPuetr.fe( ear.)
Mr. H. MAXWELL complained of his being reprosooted io
du public pints as chiming Moliondhsessa on ftiolellef of Oa: •
theist Emmictmetivd. ne speech was that of 'he Hon. blemberi
for Dow trick (Mr. W. Mas
r;tra anolig sod not his—b.
an Mt looked oft tiho constitution of ads comolirieTser teg:
aa p t, and would over oppose the odtaissiost Cathol Ms ,
in* ' -
Mr. .W. MAXWEI4. said, h 1
of the Bill, Imeause lob they* the
sea breOceitilderatfmt ht aCu mutter 54/644116Z4
.--
Sir T. LETHBRIDGE said, he could not refrain from giving
vent to those feelings of irritation occas.oned by the imputation last
night cast on the petitions coming from the clergy. (" No, no,"
from Mr. Brougham.) lie understood it so. An imputation was
certainly thrown out against those who honestly came forward to
express theirorinions. . . . ... . .

Sir J. NFAVPORT thought great inconvenience must result if
Members were to allude to the debate of a former evening; such a
course ought to be always discountenanced ; indeed he could not
help saying that the Honourable Baronet ought to have waited
until the Right lion. Gentleman was in his place. ( Hear, hear.)
He. better than any other person, would be able to e►plain.
The SPEAKER said it was most certainly out of order to allude
to the debate of a former evening. It was inconvenient that
he should he compelled to interrupt any Honourable Member. The
question tested with the House, and whenever any Member saw his
lioe of proceeding was unaceeptuble to the Ilouse, his own good
taste should teach him not to pursue it.
Sir T. LETHBRIDGE said, that during the Right Honour-
able Gentleman's (.Mr. Canning's) speech last evening. he was
sitting in a remote part of the House ; it was therefore possible he
might have mistaken its tenor. . .

The petition, which was from Fresford, vas then ordered to be
printed.
Mr. C.% IiCRAFT presented a petition from certain Protestant
Dissenters. residing in and near Wareham, in favour of the Catholic
Claims. The petitionisra expressed their deep regret that any of
their brethren should have taken a difLrent conrse. The petitioners
say they feel too strongly the advantage* of civil and religious li-
bertv, which they look on as the birth-right of every man, to with.
laid it from their fellow-subjects. They declare also that they are
too much impressed with the spirit of that Sacred Being, wha says
that " we should do unto others as we wish that they should do
unto wt." (Hear, hear.) The Don. Al ember said the petition was
signed by the clergyman, as enlightened ro as any in the
ministry, and by 30 as respectable individuals as there were in the
community to which they belonged.—Ordered to be minted.