The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-05-26 00:00:00

OA TM_Or OFFICE.

The Marquis of LA NSDOW N stated, that he rose for the pur-
pose of moving for certain Returns which would show how often
the operation of the Acts Of Charles 11., to which he alluded last
night, had been suspended, which enacted that no person should
intertutddle to ith the Excise without first taking the oaths of tau-,
• premacy and allegiance; but of late those Acta had been practically
dispensed with, and officers of Excise had been admitted without
the thligation of taking theme oaths. He was desirous of %bowing
their Lordships the anomaly that existed with regard to the laws
that he had the honour of bringing under the consideration of the
House I tat night, and that whilst they shut the door against Eng-
lish, they admittedirish Catholics to revenue offices, by the partial
austenstin of the Acts in question. He should therefott move,
that there be laid before the Home copies of all instructions under'
the 11:th and 11th of Charles 11., and also for copies of any new in- ,
unctions that have,l+een given since /822.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL should like to ham how the ques-
tion alluded to by the Noble Marquis stood. By the Act of
Charles 11. chap. 22, all persons holding offices in the Excite. were
cannoned to take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy. When
the Acts were considered for the purpose of consolidating the Cus-
toms nnd Excise, it caused an alarm. In Ireland, amongst r rains
who lied been adnr.tted to hold Mikes under the revenue in that ,
emu 'try, when it was intimated to them, that, in consequenceof the
union and consolidation of the Customs and Excise, their services'
might be required here, they were apprehensive that they might be
compelled to take the oaths, or give up 'heir offices. But no re-'
toiler instructions had been given, in consequence of this alarm.
Ile !ad however wished that some alteration should take place in
the Act of Indemnity that passed annually, to meet this new case.
and the Act of the present session had been framed accordingly.
The Marquis of LA NSDOWN said, that the Noble Earl knew
Chit any alteration that bed taken place in the Act of Indemnity of
this year, would not affect individuals of former years. lie should
br glad if the Noble Earl would state what alteration had taken;
place.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL replied, that in the Act of :helve-
soot year the Act of Charles had been recited.
Lord KING hoped that the Noble Earl had obtained the con.,
sent of the Noble and Learned Lord on the Woolsack to the mea-
sure ; because if he had not, he ?night consider the Protestant
A sesedancy in danger, and wish to get rid of an Act which screened
Catholics trom perils and dangeee. In former times a First Lott!,
of the Treasury might count upon carrying any measure with ea-
unity ; bat now things were altered, and he could with correctness
Imply the quotation used on a former night by a night Reverend
Prelate,
" Dirisum Imperium, cum Jove Cesar hula."
lie would take the liberty of giving this said Jove some advice,
which was, to enforce his authority in that Ilou.e, and render to
Cease the votes that were Cosar's (a laugh); if he did not do so,
he would find this COPT coning forth, not as a giant refreshed
with sleep, but as a giant refreshed with two victories. (Laughter.)
The Noble Earl must take care of this minister dispelling Chan-
cellor. for he had called the Ministry together by a stroke of his
pm, mad might dispose it with the same instrument. He should
be glad to know where the power of the House was rested: Scotch-
men were looking for that power, Irishmen were linking for that
power, Englishmen were lo
power, that power—but they did not
know where to find it, so muchbad it been of late bandied about.

Lord HOLLAND observed, that this anomaly, that gave to
Irish Catholics the privilege of holding offices in England, and de-
r ied it to those of England. had been repined by the Indemnity
Bill ; but he was wonderfully 'itemised that those guardians of the,
law and the church, who were always talking of Protestant ascend-
ancy, should have paid no attention to this Act. The great stones
were not suffered to be touched by that Rouse; but the pebbles had
been pulled out by clerk, in offices. who might ultimately sap the
eery foundation of Protestantism, by continually nibbling at it ;
fur Ministers allowed that to be done surreptitiously which James I I.
was repined the throne for endeavostring to do publicly. A Noble'
Friend of his (Lord King) had inquired where authority existed
in that House; and indeed it appeared se difficult to ascertain that
now as it was to find out where the seat of the soul was. Some had
said it was in the banter the house, but that he denied ; others
had said it was to be found on those benches (the Minis-
terial t opposite, now so empty. It might he on one side
or on the other, or probably it might be in the centre of
the Douse; hut so uncertain was it to ascertain where it lay,
that be believed that they would be compelled at last to come to the
Epicurean doctrine regarding the soul, and say that it dwelt some.
when: bet -tit! lie could not help thinking that, Id media re tome,
it might by pos-ibility be Mond. To the Noble Earl, however, this
inquiry, anti the authority of the flown, must be anything but di-
version and pleasantry. That which had been considered an anomaly
by his Noble Friend (Lord hanedown), and who. fot the purpose
of doing away with that anomaly, had introduced a Bill to their
Lordships' emend...ration. which bad been rejected last night, lest
danger to the Constitution should arise trier it, now appeared in all
its deformity. The majority of the House were tremblingly alive.
for the lolety of the Church, when his Noble Friend's Bill was
under consideration ' • but now the First Minister of the Country
told them that Clerks in Office were undermining the Church;
they were vastly good-natured and happy. Ile should wish to
know what was become sf the Noble Lard's Oath of Supremacy,
that he last night guarded with so notch real. lie should imagine
it could hr very agreeable to that Noble Person to have hfs farm-
rite oath dispensed with by this notable contrivance. Their lewd-
ships would do well to put the laws on a regular footing, for at
present there was nothing but a system of contumely and perjury
prevailing towards those who were indenmilled, and others also.
It was neither more nor lees than allowing Clerks to my, " f have
a little short authority, and 1 shall do as I like with it, to the an-
noyance of every one that is under me."
The Earl et LIVERPOOL was as mach amused with the
Noble Lord's speech as any of his friends near him could be, but
it would only be necessary for him to ray a Very few made en the
point to tibia the Noble Baron adverted. With regard to the
indeninite...g persons for not taking oaths, it had been done every
year tie. a century. He was not going to argue the point now. sf
the propriety of granting these indemnities ; but he would only ask
why wAs nut the law of Excise to stand on the same footing ae the.
Customs ? Under those circumstances, he thought the insertion of,
that luanel. of the revenue in the Indemnity Act was a measure
that ceide !ex be objected to. In the Revenue haws there was
sow, more particularly since the Engli and Irish revenues bad
teen urt.ted, a constant interchange of offices, that made it abso.
burly ne.:esestry to have some measure of the kind adopted. Their
leArdships must be aware of the intricacies attendant on the framing
of Indemnity Acts, and the necessity of protecting all persons who
were innocently exposed to the operation of the laws.
Lord HOLI.AND was too well acquainted with the intricacies
of Indemnity Atte, wantonly to find fault or cavil at their enact_
meets. This Act, if it afiketed the oaths to be taken, did not apply
to the !-Iscrantent of the Lord'w Supper; and, moreover, the lest
Act allowed a time fee these forms to be gone through, but this
Act ellosed no time; and therefore person* were liable to pains
end penalties before the annual Act could pass. But, supposing
that not to be the ease, how did the Act affect persons dispensing
with these oaths; did it not affect the Commissioners, Mr in.
stance ? for lie had no Mat that it woulel cover the latches of those
who dispensed with these forms. But their Lordships must see
how the case stood ; if the laws in question had been acted upon in
mine instances, why should they not be acted upon in all r and if
they could be dispensed with, they were not necessary. Not to be
allowed to serve his King and country, was a punishment that
ought to be inflicted on no person, het fur the most detestable
crime; so said Lord Somers, and he (Lord Holland) cordially
agreed in the sentiment; but still the Roman Catholics of Euglaud
suffered that punishment, as if the worst crimes attached to them,
which was a most crying and disgusting injustice.
The Marquis of LANSDOWN was not satisfied that the Act
of Indemnity, although it might cover those filling offices, would
protect throe dispensing with the oaths ordered to be taken by per_
runs C.V.J. .011/1 *MIL !le had seen very high opinions, which de.
elated that if sechose ditty it was attar (semis-ince of these
fans, suffe individuals, whom thew knew to be Patsies to take
office, they were guilty of a high iiiisidocanour. Ile would ask their
Lordships if a doubt could exist in tile most doubting mind- at to
the propriety of treeing perste., holding affice Rom the trammels of
these Acts, when they cannot conscientioliall,maaode to thrill ? tar
whether it was decent to net rid, by a side fin"- far Ada that wow
famed su inconvenient and oppressive that Cal could not be always

acted urn ? Ho shoula persevere in rearing his motion, for he
felt the necessity of it.
After a few words from Lord ROSSLYN, the motion was
agreed to.
NEWFOUNDLAND.
Earl BATHURST postponed his motion relative to Newfound-
land till Friday.
Adjourned.