The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-03-13 00:00:00

1 RE LAND.

PROVINCIAL MEETINGS OF CATHIDLICS.
We understand a requisition is now in progress to mime a
meeting of the Roman Catholics of this town and county, for the
purpose of petitioning both Houses of the Legislature, for the re-
peal of those incapacitating laws which affect their body. Acting
on the recommendation lately held out at the Aggregate Meeting
in Dublin, and relying on the justice of their cause it appears to
be the intention of the Catholic body to promote a repeated discus-
sion of their claims, by every legal and constitutional means in
their power, until re-nimitted to all the advantages of the consti-
tu don. —Drogheda Journal.

We are happy to lea,-n, that it is in the contemplation of several
Roman Catholic gentlemen to convene an Aggregate Meeting of
the Catholics of the county and city of Cork. We are decidedly of
opinion that such a measure is of absolute eternity at this moment,
in order to show the general approbation of the proceedings of the
Catholic Association, as well u to evince the perfect unanimity
existing in the Catholic body.—Cork Chronicle.

Isrraxricina.—.l shoemaker of Lecd drowned hie.
infant child, a boy about eight months old, in a tub of water. in
the cellar of his own house, on Saturday last, Ile Ned as Soon as
he had committed the murder ; but, on the following evening,
overpowered with the agony of remorse, he surrendered himself to
the civil otlictr.

The interest manifested for this last Lottery increases
every hour, and the Proximity of the Second Day's Drawing
(Next Wednesday) now renders at intense, for there are still Five
of 20,01101. in the Wheel, and the Two First Prizes drawn are each
to have 111,0001. Consols, and 2,0001. Horsey Extra, whilst Minks
continue to have Chances almost interminable, as the last 1,000
drawn on the 17th .111areb are to be put in the Wheel again and
have a Chance for Three of 20,0001. and all the other Prizes in
the Second Division of the Lottery.—Temptations like these,
whilst they last, Mr. Sivewright has reason to know, few can
withstand.

Lord STANLeip;c;e7iteiiptiutii;n from Preston against t:;e
Duties oo Leather.-Laid table.
LONG WOOL.
Lord LOWTHER presented a petition from KoNiel against the
esportatien of Long Wool—Laid oo the table. - '

SURPLUS OF THE REVENUE—SINKING FUND.
Mr. HOBHOL'SE said, that he had a petition to present, signed
by a very numerous body of his constituents, who stated that they
had learnt that the revenue of this courtry for the past year
amounted to 57,622,0001., that the esniveliture amounted to
50,500,0001., and that there was a surplus of 7,122,000., front
which it appeared that the people of this country had been taxed to
7,000,0001 more than was necessary, and that this surplus hall been
added to the Sinking Fund. Ile felt convinced that some Uay or
other the House must do away
.with this Sir.kir.g Fund: it Was not
a fund for any good purpoie; it only sunk the property and the
spirits of the people, and not the debt. It had been proved by
abundant authorities, that it would be better to leave this minty In
the pockets of tbe people ; it would enable them to bear their bur-
dens better ; but if the present system were continued, they must
be in the end exhausted. If this enormous sum wcFe to be taken
off, the people Mould be relieved of nearly all tLose grievous impo..
sitions--the assessed taxes. The petition, he statad, drew the at-
tention of the House to a most important part of our public earn-
diture; he meant the amount that was anrually disbursed in the
Government of Ireland. It was an unaccountable anomaly, that
a cquntry possening, as Ireland did, so many internal resources,
shotild becomy a burden, instead of an assistance to this co: n.
try, and a' burden too of no ordinary magnitude. It appeared
that the net revenue of Ireland was 3,1e2,51141., that these was paid
by Great Britain for its support 3,096,8221., to which sum there
must be added other contingenties which it cost us, that could
not easily be particularised, swelling the amount to 1,000.0006.
Great Britain was put to this immense expense for the management
of what every body must admit to be the wont-governed touptry nn
the fact of the anti.--a country the badnessof whose govetnnient
had been so great as to render it to neat Britain a source of misery ar.4
suspicion, instead of a source of wealth and honour. He was aware
that measures had been frequently made fat the better government
of that unhappy country, but those measures had always been de-
feated by the m,schinations of an intolerant party. When Lord
Fitzwilliam was sent oser as Lord Lieutenant, he earnestly act
about amending its cotsditiOn And was consequently irninedeleely
recalled. The same with lined Conivaliis ; and gracious in-
terference of his present Majesty was bond to be equally uhavail-
ing, and the same calamities are stiU suffered to exist. It was im-
possible to reflect on the situation In which our fellow-subjects in
that country are at present, without feeling a sincere conviction
that it ought speedily to be altered.
Mr. ROBERTSON, in reply to what the Hon. Member hod
stated with respect to the Sinking Fund, stated, that it was impos-
sible for this country to support that debt for ever, and that the
Sinking Fund was the only means of effectually reducing it. Ile
denied that the money would be better disposed of if left in tiff.-
pockets of the people. The Sinking Fund was the sole cap se et
Ow present low rate of interest, and was now 'operating on a most
efficient basis.

3lr. II U 111: said, that he wool(' prove that the country had ant
one single pound of a Sinking Fiind . • it was all a delusum, which
he would very clearly establish when the subject came properly be-
fore the House. M nth regard to the Government of Ireland, he
would ask the lion. Gentleman (Mr. Robertson) if he knew of any
country that was so badly governed. Ile was aware that the
Gentleman was very well atyuainted with the Government of the
Chinese and the Japanese, and he defied him to say that tkry were
in a worse condition than the Irish.
Mr. J. SMITH had had good opportunities of forming coy..
rot opinions on the state of Ireland; .t certab ly was in a must
disastrous condition, and he was sorry to say that so long as those
heated divisions on the subject of religion existed, that comitry
could not emerge from the depth of &stream in which it was at
present plunged. Plans had been formed for its amelioration. by
the employment of capital there; and those Ow had been ahem.
dotted, from a fear of the ociseqiiences of religlosts conflict's. le
would add, that until that House settled thagreat question rf Ca-
tholic emancipation, we should a:ill eoutinue in pay 4.000.0001. for
its support 4 and instead of its proiing a acitree of we: Ith, it would
prove &source of weakness. That emintry had been much (-alum.
niated—the people are industrious, if they have 'the means of em-
ployment. Ile trusted that before the emi of this session the p-sett
of Ireland would be secured, by the adoption of liberal and po-
litic measures.

Sir J. NEWPORT obio-rved, that the muse of irelan.ra being
an expense to this country was from its pii,itire inability to pay thu