The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-04-19 00:00:00

PARLIAMJ

'ART INTELLIGENCE.

PIQUSZ Ul? LORDS, MONDAY, Arnie 19. I'
Lord Napier took the oaths and his seat.
Mr. Mend', end several other Members from the House of
ko-nrions, Drover up the King's Personal Peeper), Bill, and the '
C naViCte Rii;ll6l Bill, which were read a find time.
•ANTI-CAT.HOLIC PETITIONS.
The LOIfII CHANCELLOR prey nerd a petition from the
Churchwapiens and Inhabitants of the town of Newcastleetindee-
Lyne, aril from the Protestant Brethren, a Society at Camberwell,
againet yhe claims of the Catholics.
Similer petitions were presented by the Earl of LIVERPOOL,
frets the Ministers and Elders of a certain parish In Glasgow ;
from the parish of St. James in the same city ; from the Corpora-
tions of Weavers, Tailors, Farmers, Maltmen. and Barbers of the
seine city t from the Minister and Congregation of Kirkpatrick •
room the Minister and ICoogregation of Stirling ; anti from the bo:
tough of Pollocksh airs.
The Earl of LAUDERDALE observed, that he did not appre-
hend there was any such borough in Scotland as the borough of
Pollaekshaws, but he hoped the seformation of the Noble Earl was
correct.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL replied, that all the petitions were
forwarded to him through the post, and that each petition was ac-
eumpartied by a letter.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL then presented petitions of a similar
nature front the Associate Presbytery of the city of Glasgow, and
nom the bor ugh of Colton.
Similar petitions were presented by Lord ROLLE from the
teens of St. Mary Ottery, Biddeford, Honiton, anti Ashburton,
in the County of Eleven, and from the parish of Sr. Ednioud, in
the city of Exeter.
The Archbishop of CA NTER BURY, in presentirg a similar
petition from the Clergy of Christ Church, in the diocese of Can.
terbtoy, and another from the. Clergy of Canterbury. observed, that
es an erroneous idea had some time since exismd that the Clergy
had changed their opinions as to the merits of the claims of the
Catholics. the Clergy had in consequence been induced tie come be-
tare their Lordships as petitioners, io order to prove that their sen-
timents on this subject remained unchanged. It was his opinion
that the Clergy were fully justifies' in this mode of proceeding..
The Duke of MONTROSE presented petitions of assimilar
nature from the Illagiattates and inhabitants or' the borough of
Stirbeg, end from the Members of the Corporations of Bakers,
Butchers, Masons, Hammennen, and Weigle.' of the city of
tillasgow.
Thsithehop of EXPITER presented a shnilar petition from the
Wain of Pulborough. in the county of Devon. •
The Bishop of NCHIWICH said, that he had to present to
their Lordships petitions to the same effect •as those that had been
presented by the Noble Lords who had preceded him. One was
from the Dean, the Chancellor, the Prebendaries. and the Arch-
..iesenn of Norwich, -and another was from the Clergy of Norwich.
These petitions were numerously and respectably signed. He had
learned with great concern that some Noble Lords had objected to
petitions proceeding from the Clergy ; it was his opinion that the
Clergy oil y discharged their duties in expressing their sentiments
in respectful language to the House. The Right Rev. Prelate then
Presented a petition to the same effect from the Clergy of Sudbury,
Li the county of Norfolk.
Lord CALTHOR PE was desirous of expressing his disappro.
Dation at the course pursued by the Clergy, although he had not
the slightest intention of irterferiog with their undoubted right of
petitioning. It was the duty of both Houses of Parliament to lend
willing and verities ear to the addresses of all classes of his Ma-
jesty's subjects; and if so, it was the peculiar duty of the Upper
House to do so. because, as their Lordships were not constituted
the reprerentatives of the people, and were rot in any way de-
pendent upon them. they were the more bound to show the
people that they were rot in the slightest degree influenced
by ouch a feeling, hltt were always alive to the public
wishes of the country, and were always ready to lend a
willing ear to the expressions of public opinion. However, he wee
Cat that their Lordships would agree with him in considering that
none of the petitions against the Catholics which had been
_pre-
sented on that or on an. former day. were petitions that eould be
fairly and justly called petitions expressive of the ruldic opinions
of the country. He could not help comparing those languid peti-
tions with those that were formerly presented from the great tor-
porate bodies of the country ; and he felt more and more convinced
that a great change had taken place on this subject hi the public
mind. He did not wish to say anything in disparagement of the
pstitions that had been presented by the Right Reverend Prelates;
bat they surely had :.ot proceeded from a class of individuals who
were usually considered as expreseit g the public feeling. They
bed riot even emanated from that class with which the Clergy were
most in the habit of associating and agreeing. The Clergy of the
Church of Englend, who, from their functions, their education, and
their liberal endowments, ranked with the higher class of the
gentry of the kingdom, might have produced petitions from that
bedy, if they hail been willing to present them. But was the
any petitions before that House from anT Grand Jury ? • Vas
there any from a body of Magistrates ? Mas there a thegle peti-
tion from any leer. class of the community aeseneltiel at county
meetings? Vas there one from any considerable body of menu.
facturers ; or from those commercial which were daily &e-
-qual:et such increased weight eeet inthaence in the country? If
there had been one such petition presented, lie was sure it was
an exception to the genera rule. He had waited in vain to see any
or.portant class of the community coming forward. And if one,
two, ot three petitions from such a body had been presented, he
was aura the Noble Lords would not teeeive them as expressive
, of the public opinion on a subject which affected so vitally
the lowest of the community. He felt considerable regret at
the part the Clergy had taken, because he considered their
petitions, rot merely as declarations of their opinions, but be con-
sleeted them an opposing the sentiments of the great body of die
people. They bad an unquestionable sight,. together with every
Oar ef his Majesty's subjects, of expressing their opinions to
boei Houses of Parliament ; and if respect was due to the petitions
ut any class, it was due to those of the clergy. But he felt it a
reisfortur.e calculated materially to injure the interests of the
Esteblished Church, that the clergy ware seep on &question of such
an importent nature, atscdirg apart from the well-educated part
of the conite imity ; for *he believed this was the position in which
the clergy bad placed themselves. He felt convinced that if the
Catholic question missed, the other House, and were rejected in
tete, it would be rejected not in aemedance with, but in opposition
to, the feelings of the public. This belief had not been in any
(*egret shaken by the petitions that had been presented. He
thought the Ministry of the Church of England ought, for the
ve:y interests of that Church, to abstain from taking the part
they bad taken, for while those restrictioos remained against the
Catholics, there would still be a veil to hide frorn the Catholics
the benign Countenance of that Church.
The Bishop of LINCOLN presented a petition of a similar
• natere from the pariah of St. Mary, Leicester, signed by upwards
of I.7oomersons ; another front the Archdeacon and Clergy of the
Arcedeaconcry of Leicester; and another from the Archdeacon and
Clergy of the Archdesconry of Bedford.
Similar petitions were presented—
By Lord EXMOUTH, from four parishes In the county of
Devon.
lie the Bishop of ELY, from the Clergy of the diocese of Ely ;
an Joie frum the Chancellor of the diocese of Ely and the Clergy
tel the island ; rind another from the Minister and Inhabitants of a
jeae.reh in the county of Cambridge, in the diocese of Ely.
By the Earl of LONSDALE, from Kendal, in Westmorland ;
mother from Kirkby-Lemadale, in the seem county.
By the Slarettis of ANGLESEY, front the Laymen and Die.
centers of the parishes of Bangor and Llaegrave, in the county of
Cereal-von ; and another from the Burgesses and inhabitants of
lAtt,irroa.
Ejr the Bishop of GLOUCESTER, from the Forest of Drape;
alL9tf:3r from the town of Cheltenham ; and another from the In-
habitants of Stowe-in-the-Wald, in the county of Gloucester.
By the Bishop of CHESTER, from the Clergy and Leila
acw•xighbridge. to Yorkshire. The petition, he observed, was
mutt respectably signed, and properly worded.
Lard HOLLANDasked if the Clergy had not stimulated the
Tte to prepare and sign those petitions ?
he Bishop of CHESTER replied, that the Clergy in general
had carefully abstained front stimulating the pohlie feeling. Fee
hiemelf, be would remark. that he bad given his advice to bis
Clergy, that if the people were deeircus of -petitioning they should
he permitted to do so, but that as little excitement as possible
stmaid be used to induce them so to act. He would teLiteope fact
Of the ditsahan of Chester. Although the Clergy had been re-
located to call a meeting for the purperee of petitioning, they had
oeclired dieing so. and he had commended the proceeding.
fees Bishop of ROCHESTER presented a petition of a similar
nature from a pariah in Rochester.
The Earl of FALMOUTH presented a petition to the same
effect front the Inhabitants of Falmouth.
Lord ARDEN presented a wetter petition (ram Aldbury, io
Surrey.
Lord KING complained of the manse: is which the petition
from the Archdeacon and Cheery • es worded.
The FAA of SHAFTESBURY presented petitions to the sante
effect from the Inliebitants of Sheymouth, from the Chirch-
wardens and Inhabitants of the parish of Beiges's, in the county
ot Leicester; from St. Mary's, Whiteehapel, iti the county of
Middlesex ; and from Wooten-in.Spaeth, in the ceunty of York.
Tee petitions were severally laid ou the table.
Aejourned.