The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-02-25 00:00:00

PARLIA3fENTAnY INTELLWEACE.

DOCSE OF LORDS, TIICEIDAY, FED. TI.

- SCOTCH JUDICATURE BILL.
The LORD CHANCELLOR. in rising to move the second
reading of the bcotch Judicature Bill, said, that it wes hie intro.
tun at present to main but a few ober-rations on the eubjint, in
treeing for the concurrence of their Lordships that the nia be read
a secondeitne. It would be in the recollection of their Lordships.
that when during the hut Session of Parliament is Bitt was brought:
ooto the Howse, foe improving the system of Scotch Judicature, I
their Lordships, in considering the best end safest mode of .pro-
eeeditig.ffiad thought tit to appoint a Committee, in order that that
Cerlosmoteit mischolay before the House the opinions of those whose
peculiar kdvattuogeit trebled them to be hest ti-fanned on the rub,
era. Aienroweion heel therefore been appointed in See:lab& and i
teat CoOnnieston had, be underwood, been unanimous in their
decitiol7•"Fhtir •*Lardehips should recollect that the parties ranted
en ttis Commission were velected from the most experienced per.
sow. to collet, to. their Lordships the best information possible.
Olieweutfe nor/Jake tire liberty of offering the Bill to their Lord- I
ships, to be read a second time. for the purpose of being com-
netted. In its-progress through the Howe it would, of course; be
competent in their Lordships to offer such clauses and amendments
en they thought proper ; but it was his intention to introduce the
aill_preeisely as be rot oduccd it text Session, as it would not be
conformable to the dignity of the House to introduce it in its COM
as amended by the other House. At the same time he Legged to
assure triVir Lordship+, that in offering the Bill in its present shape
he did tort in the least degree intend to oppose any alterations they
might wish to 'mike. The point, however, for-their lordships
eietwiderariotr was this—it the object of their Lordships was, as it
was understood to be, so interfere to a certain extent with the juries 1
of that past of the United Kingdom, caned Scotland, would their
Lredships make the Bill, as it now steed, perpetual, or would they
take time to allow the Bill to operate before so doing ? He should
therefore mew move, it That the Bill be read a second ekme, and
that it be conic-clime on MerJev rect."
, The Bad of LAieDERD.tLE said, he was toying to submit to.
bit :Coble and Learned Friend and the Noble Lords, whether it
weeld twit be eater to commit the Bill to-morrow, and to have it
'hen considered and amended, in order that it may be re-committed
•o h filondev ? He knew no reason why this should not be the case,
•as it would prevent further delays, acrd enable their Lordships to
olispasi of the Bill at twee.
• The MIND CHANCELLOR agreed in the opinion of the_
Lowe but he might be so occupied to-morrow as to be quits!
jmoiale to pay attention to the subject 1 were it flirt for this he.
s" .old be barmy to accede to the wish of the Noble Lord (Lauder-
:4le). Ile- (the Lord Chancellor) would endeavour between this
iaml Montlay.to make such alterations in the Bill as would save the:1
Hoeft eonstortable trouble ; and he should propose that, if the.l
-House thought proper, the Bill should be then re-caininitted on
,Wednesday.
: The Duke of ATHOL said, that he approved of the main prin.
eiple of the fade and hoped that when the Rill went into a Com-
mittee. sech alterations would he wails as wculd satisfy the inha..
hinints of the nertherr. parts of the kingdom. He would not
offer an opinion st present on the merits of the Bill in its present
' •finm Oust he would reserve his observation until the Bill was before
a Committee, sod then be would deliver them. From what had
eaten, however, from the Noble and beamed Lord on the Wool-
sack, he apprehended that Bill would be altered in manly respects :
• lefo-e it was laid before a Committee.
irlostellill was then read a second time, and ordered to be com-
munal on Monday next.
BURMESE WAR.
. Earl BATHURST lee! upon the table sundry Papers relative
to tie Burmese war.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY laid upon the table certain
Topers respecting Offices held its reversion.
SPRING GUNS.
Lora SUFFIELD rose, pursuant to Oft notice he had given
-tome days since, to call the attention of their Lordships to a sub-
. jut which, in his opinion, was enc of very great importante—an
Ant to declare unlsweil the utic of spring guns anti other instru.
meets, which tended to the destruction of human life, or the in.
tienion of other injuries. He had been informed that it was con.
. sidered by the House snore orderly to pas.' by without any ()hoer-
yettens the motion for a tirst reading, lest replies should be
invited, which would come better at the second, reading. He
ehluld, therefore, simply confine himself to stating the object Oh
the Bill, and the reasons that induced bier to bring it forward.
'('he object he had already stated in reading the title of the Bill;
and. if he were asked the reasons why he produced it, he should
refer to the accounts that are daily contained in the public papers,
Gt. disasters that lava occurred through the use of those instru.
meats, and of their consequences to the many persons who have
been injured. Indeed, it appeared that poachers were, of all, the
persons who watered least, who were the least injured by the in-
-li:rumen's that were used chiefly for their punishment. Gentle-
men's servants, even gentlemen themselves, had been frequently
eefferers ; indeed, he had understood that by means of those in_
ettuments. even Royal blood had been nearly shed. He was sure
that their Loniebips would hardly sanction an individual in taking
tee Isw into his own hands, and visiting a culprit with a capital
penishment for an offence for which the law would have visited men
isith a punishment far lighter. he objected to the use of these in.
s:rc.nents,.more especially because of the sneaking and assassin-like
manner in which the punishment was inflicted. He would not say
- that all who did so were murderers, but he was sure that no Noble
Lord would wish to shed the blood of a fellow-creature who entered
tie grounds merely to real. It was, however, necessary that the
11,ibMetilhOUICI be brought properly before their Lordship'. As to
the-legality of spring guns, he thought he might undertake to
prove that they were illegal; he could not state that the law was
distinctly so ; if he could so. have done, it would not have been
necessary for him to present the Bill he now held in his hand, the
object of which was to hare al! doubts on the subject cleared tip.
fits mode of making out the illegality of those instruments would
be by analogical arguments, at the second reading of the Bill. lie
would not now trouble their Lordships with any further remarks
or the. subject, but simply move the first reading of the Bid, and
that it be read a second time this day se'nnight.
Earl GROSN'ENtIR said, he highly approved of the Bill, and
believed that it would be productive of much good.
The Bill was then read a first time, and ordered to be read a
second time this day seinnight.
CATHOLIC PETITION.
'l'be Earl of DONOUGH3IORE rose and said—" My Lords, I
rise to present a petition that has been confided to my care—the value
• of which confidence I know, and can justly appreciate—it is a peti-
bon Irons my Roman Catholic countrymen—nien who are liable to
certain restrictions, but who pray for the restoration of those rights
which they ought to enjoy under the common Legislature of the
country. I should feel that I was doing wrong in merely presenting
gee petition, and not accompanying it with any remarks ; but it is
not my intention to enter into the subject at length at the present
moment; anti I now merely call your Lordships' attention to
the necessity of appointing a day for giving it your serious and
undivided attention. I shall then have an opportunity of again
openly and candidly avowing my eentiments to your Lord-
snips. I shall now only say a tee words more. The peti-
tion I have the honour to present to your Lordships is no
ortinary petition—is not a petition on any ordinary subject;
It is the petition of no lest than one hundred thousand sub-
2CCi4, and faithful subjects, of his Majesty. I do not exaggerate
when I call them faithful subjects ; I say they are as faithful as any
other subjects in his Majesty's dominions. Faithful subjects they
bays at all times proved themselves to be—and faithful subjects
thee will be always ready to prove themselves, whenever occasion
may call upon them for the proof. The petitioners do not stand
lord) for themselves alone, but fur no less than seven millions of
pentane. I do not overcharge the picture, when I inform your
hordsliips that those one hundred thousand represent seven mil-
lions of your fellow-subject,. I am sure that there never was a
sentimeid at any time so strong or so universal to the whole popu.
Taboo LI Ireland, es the sentiment expressed in the petition I now
bring before your lewaships. A sentiment in which all are agreed
—ail, from die Peer to the peasant—of all religions and all proles-
- ciente I believe many soul that tbere never was in any country a
eactimert in which so many were unanimous. But the people are
not only so; they have carried on tiseireurceedinge with that energy
and determination natural to a people when deprived of great na.
floral rights; and many persons have met together to talk of and
consider how to provide the best remedy for their grievances. They
have not only met together, but they have been assisted in th.th
meetings by dune of their countrymen who have been and a-,e die-
'levitated Nr talent and abilities. Never, then, were your liwd-
seipti called upon so strongly as now to take the grievances of this
people into yaur mimes consideration. I have told your Lordships
that the petitioners represent the feelings and the opinions of the
rat bulk of the population of Ireland. But there is one observa-
tion more which I cannot help bringing under your notice. The
first came I find written dow:i among those who remain deprived
of then rights and privileges, is that of no lees a personage
than the premier Viscount of Ireland—Lord Gonnatistown—
and who is he ? I will tell your Lordships who he is. He is the
lineal descendant of a Laid Deputy of the saine name ; the King's
Nerresentative in Ireland in better times. I, myself, have greet
satlefaction in declaring the aentiments--in being, as it were, the
poesy 01 the Noble Marame who now represents his blajesty in
• Irelard ; and the sentiments of that illustrious personage are well
know* to be in favour of Catholic Emancipation. I hate stated
• that the r.anie of the descendent of a former Lord Deputy is signed
to this petition, and the present Lord Deputy has alloyed tile to
tell Ind Lordships what ere Ins feelings on the subject. I will say,
nbot for that illustrious personage I have the highest respett, and I
bol,aase that his Illejesty never bad a more faithful or more honest
repressotatise in Ireland than lie has been during the time he has,
governed there. From the beginning of his career be has been de-
termined to do that country all the good in his (bower, in every way
that good cou'd he done. In the reformation at the magisteacy, in
particular, his Excellency has been eminently successful ; and in
'ener.y other instances of equal importance, his justice and his
liberality have been often proved. An office of great importance
was 'leant in the Irish Court of Exchequer, and ou whom did the
/rod Lieutenant corder that /Owe ? .0u a gentleman who was well
•known in this country, and who had distinguished hitneelf at the
11l • - Cstholic Gentleman, now holds

anal to pectin those despatches from his Excellency which
he alone obeldipe theni. I, for ray own part, only know that a
n,easure has been recomutended by the Speech from the Throne,
that it has been brought in: s and by his Majesty's 31ii isters, bet I
have no reason to know, nothing has occurred to persuade me, whe-
ther or not the Lord Lieuter.ant approved of that measure. Ott
tSis pp:to we have beets left in perfect Ignorance; the ninon-anon
has been refused us aninew hat uncourteously by the heads of the
Government. I coniitler, and I cannot help saying, that I consider.
his Excellency as one cease of the present trat.quil end imptoyen
state cf Ireland—for Ireland nevenwax es tranquil or so improved
as it now ie. I hope most sincerely that it will last ; that no mea-
enre of 'Parliamerrt will prevent it front Luning. 1 have raid what
I have said in justice to me Lord Lieutenarit of Ireland, but I
must say that he has been twisted strongly, ably, aid usefolly, in
*eery thing be has done, by the so much calumniated Catholic Ai,
snciation . end by that calumniated idol of the Catholic Aseociation,
Inotiel O'Connell. I cannot help expressing the great respect ante
regard I entertain for that gentlemsn,—my satisfaction at his can-
duct, end my good wishes for hia succese. He has the confidence
of the Catholic body, and there is no man more deserving of that
fontdence. I shrill now more that the petition be received ; but
with respect to the qttestion which it brings before your Lordships,
I•ehati not ask your Lordships to fix a day for its considetation en-
, el the measure to which I have alluded comes down to yuur Lord-
ahips, its have. an doubt it will, from the other House. 1 shall
more, therefine, that the petitioa be received and read.
The petition wee then rue.
Lind LONGFORD said, that he felt it recenaty to notice an
observatioir, which had been made by the Noble Lariat( Donottgli-
wurrOs' that Noble Lord had made the petitioners to represent the
seittitneets of seven millions of the population of Ireland. But
the Noble Lord had since informed Inns that he did not mean the
Protestant. as well as the Catholics.
• • The Marquis of LANSDOWN said, he rose for the purpose of 1
I presenting to their Lordships a petition, which he hoped he might I
beallowed to say was worthy then. Lordships' most ire ow. attention.
Ti was a petition from the bankers, merchants, ard lenthhalders of
Dublin, in favour of Catholic Eulancipation. He should not be
. doing justice to those who had placed the petition to his bards, if
he did not call the attention of their Lordithips' to it. He did
not mean to go now into the general principle, ns another anti a
better opportunity would of course occur for so doing. But lie was
anxious to impress upon their Lordship. the necessity for atterding
t to this petition, not on the score of numbers, although it contained
many hundred rtames, but because of the strength and the respect-
ability of those who signed it—for this reason it was worthy the pc-
! culler attention of their Lordships. He would call that attention,
lest, to some particular signatures contained in it, and next, to the
nature of the whole. Those who were acquainted with the dation
ter and disposition of a Noble Friend of his (the Duke of heinsier)
I would not be surprised to find his name in the list. Immediately
following his was tte name oldie Earl of Meath—the petition,
therefore, contained the signatures of two of the greatest landed
proprietors in that part of the kingdom. In the petition were alio
the names of Dowushire, %Westmeath, Kingston, Charletront, and
Limerick, men who were among the purest and the best that any
country ha. ever produced. To these were added the mimes of
Forbes, Gingen, Rivcrsdule, and Caetlecoote. After these fol•
lowed the names of a family, as respectable, as opulent, and as
great as any in the country—the family of Latouche. the Pettus.
tent family of Latouche. Yet if there were any pereons who
might he excusable in retaining something of a vindictive spi-
rit against the Catholics, it was this family of Latouche, for
their ancestors were the victims of an arbitrary and trim-
nice! act, which a Monarch adopted from a pretended motive
of serving the Catholics—but which act did in reality disserve
them—act what religion has not been at tilliNl disserved, de-
graded, and polluted, by the fanatical zeal of those who have
allowed themselves to proceed blindly on their way, forget-
ting the grand precepts of Christianity. The ancestors of
the gentlemen he had alluded to had been the victims
of this act, and had been driven from this country to seek an
asylum under a foreign government. Yet this they had forgo: ten ;
and as the long exercise of one virtue naturally leads to the per-
formance of another, the active benevolence of three generations
had given that wisdom which flows from the heart. They had been
btetight to behold their Roman Catholic brethren, not with hostile
feelings, but as living members of the same body, as sharing in
the Name difficulties, encountering the same dangers, participating
in the saute sufferings, and performing the same &tient, and pray.
int; only to live under the same laws. He (Lord lamstlown) might
go farther into the petition, and find the names of many of high
rank and importance, but with which he would not now trouble
their Lordship. Ile might quote the names of the many bankers
of the city of Dublin who had signed the petition ; or he might go
further, and state the names of those through whose exertions end
capital a new prospect of prosperity was epening to Ireland, and
new means of wealth were daily urfolding to the countty, who
were engaged in this noble, this truly patriotic pursuit—that of
fostering the industry of the country, and leading Ireland to share
in that prosperity, of which England is so glorious an example.
Those capitalists have come forward, as well as those merchants
and those noblemen to whom he had alluded. lie would leave
their Lordships to judge what degree of importance was to be at-
tached to the testimony of all those different preens ; and he
hoped that their Lordships would not believe that they had done
what they had done without first duly considering what they were
about. Ile was sure their Lordships would not believe that these
noble landholders had set their names to the petition without well
weighting the consequences to their titles and their land, in case of
the passing of the measure which they recommended the House to
adopt. Ile was sure their Lordship would believe that the bankers
world never have taken the steps they had taken without well con-
sidering, the effects of such a measure as they proposed upon public
credit, and consequently upon their fonunes and their hopes. Above
all, lie was sure that their Lordships would not believe that the ca-
pitalists, who were embarking their fonunes in enterprising specula-
tions in Ireland, would have ever risked so much on light grounds,
or would ever have signed that petition without well weighing the
consequenem of such an act, lie only asked their Lordships to
believe that those persons who had signed the petition had not done
so without well considering what step they were taking, and how
intimately it was concerned with all their vital interests. He en.
treated their Lordships to recollect that those signatures were the
signatures of persons who were the best calculated to form a correct
judgment on the subject, and who, from their residence in the
country, were most able to say what would be the result of the men.
sure they petitioned the House to grant. He was peculiarly Hata
treed by the confidence with which the petition had been placed in
his hands, not merely because it enabled hint to state his full con-
currence in the setatimeeds it contained, but because he could de.
dare that the very words of it were such as he would have wished
to have written himself, if he had been called u ton to do so. He
had always felt that the •1 ion was not a theolOgical question, or
even a Catholic question, but that it was an Irish question.
It was not so much what the Catholic felt on the subject, or
how anxious he was to be admitted to the same privileges as
his Protestant neighbours, but the real question was—how long
Should the religious tranquillity which now reigned among all
countries on the face of the globe, be withheld from Ireland ?
This was a question in which every Protestant, as well as every
Catholic, was interested. It forined the elements out of which
the prosperity and tranquillity of Ireland had grown. The Bill
which world give the Catholics of Ireland and England that
for which they so earnestly prayed, lie knew must, borne time
or other, inevitably pass—it was his fervent hope that it might be
carried soon. He prayed to God that the prosperity of the
country might be the consequences that would, as he was sure
they would, naturally follow the measure when it was passed,
and that it might pass with the full and perfect assent and
concurrence of a tarp portion of the Protestant populntion. He
trusted that when the Bill passed, there would be found multi.
tildes of Protestants to bold forth the hand of peace to those who
had entitled themselves to the lasting gratitude of a united
psople' from having been a divided nation. lie hoped that we
should all live to see the titne when, though religious differences
might remain, for those he could never expect to see removed, all
the animosities of religion should for ever cease.
The Marquis of DO%VNSH IRE said, that it would be of the
utmost advantage to this country, as well as to Ireland, to grunt
those concessions which the Roman Catholics had for so many years
sought front their Lordships and the legislature of the country, in
order to place them on a footing with the Protestant portion of the
community. In signing the petition now before the House, he had
only done his duty to a very large portion of the population of Ire-
land. He would say, that the cause had his best wishes, and he
most sincerely prayed for its success.
The petition was then laid on the table.
Lord GORT said, that he had to present a petition of a very
different nature from that just presented by the Noble Marquis
(leanstlown) ; it was from the Lord Mayor. Sheriff., and Coalition
Council of the City of Dublin, against Catholic Emancipation.—
Laid on the Table.
Lord GORT then presented a petition front the Guild of Mer-
chants of the City of Dublin against Catholic Emancipation. The
Noble Lord observed, that it was signed by 1.200 patents of the
highest respectability in the city of Dublin, many of whom were
Noblemen.
Lord HOLLAND said, that he understood the Noble Lord
(tort) to say, that the petition included the names of many Noble-
men and Cattlemen. Ile (Lord lin felt at a loss to connect this
assertion with the title of the petition, "from the Guild of Mer-
chants of the City of Dublin."
Lord GORT—The Merchants are a large hotly of the cite of
Dublin, and they have the power of electing any person, and they
frequently do. who has in :my way signalised himself. The elec-
tion of a member of their body also elects a freeman of Dublin.
Many Noblemen are therefore members of the Guild .of Merchants.
To go no farther than myself I am one.
The Duke of LEINSTER said that he was a Member of the
Guild of Merchants, but he lied never heard of the petition.
Earl GROSVENOR said, that it had been necessary for the
Noble Lord.(Gort) to give the explanation he had given.
The petition was then laid on the Table.
GLEBE LANDS.

Several Members from the House of Commons brought up the
Glebe Lands Bill, which was read a first time.
The House then Adjourned.

11006 E OF COMMONS, THURIDAI, FEL V.

-- T'-,----.'.-7 T'
v

1 •
also a similar Ohio, from the Inhabitants of Stockton.—Ordered
to he printed.
• Mr. DAVIS GILBERT presented n petition from Penzance,
praying fir therepstal of the duty on coals.—Ordued to lie on the
table.
Mr. lIONNWOOD presented a petition, signed by several
Inhabitants of tie Parish if A ells fir.:!, in Kent, against the Ditties
en Coed—Grated to be Feinted:
Mr. TREMiN'NE presented a petition from the Inhabitants of
Woburn, Stratbrd, praying a repeal of the Duties ontolli earticil
cosine ilillt.-Orkrefl ci be printed.
!kir. RC:URI/1d) presented a petition from the Inhabitants of
Greet Yarmouth, against the Duties on Coed—Ordered to be
printed.
SP•OTTpresented a petition from the Borough of Dried.
port, Dorsetabire, praying for the repeal of the Duty on Coals.
AfsSESSED TAXES.
Mr. C. CA INFRT presented a petition from the Parish of St.
Georre's, in the borough of Pouthw.srlit, praying for the repesl of
ht Assessed Taxes. 'The Hot: Member said a few words in sop-
po•t of die prayer if :he retition.
lie. IeENCESTER presented a similar petition from the town
of Poole. Both pethiens were ordered to be pi tied.
Dr. HON YVII,OII presented a petition from the Inhabitants
ofreptfOrd, against the Assessed Taxes; also praying to hi re-
lived from the house Tax.—Osdered to be printed. •
Hr.ASTElele presented a petition front the Inha'Atahrs of Britt(.
Inver, praying to be relieved from the House ar.d Window Tax.—
',Aid on the telde.
Mr. DENISON presented a petition from the Inhabitants of
tie Perisb.of Croydon, in Surrey. nraying a partial reduction in
the Assessed Taxes. The Honourable Oentletnain stated, that the
obset held in slew by Coe nctitiottets was, to obtain a remission of
thit part of the Assessed Taxes which pressed unequally upon the
• fot`er classes, without proposing to effect any alteration in those
whrlt fell only upon tine higher and wealthier ottlenk—Ordered to
be pinup.
BENETT presented a petition from the Inbaldtants of ti e
Permit of Warilhamptiteati. is IViltsitire, against the Assessed
Tare., which the Honourable Member thought it would not be
using too bold latigusge to characterise as most detestable and
unequd Aseseineents.--Ottlered to hr printed.
FIRE INSURANCE DUTY.
Mr. D. DUNDAS presented a petition from the Company of
Nlerchants Trading from Edinburgh, praying for the Repeal of the
Ditty on Insulancer against Fire.—Ordered to lie on the table..
l NTI N (+DON E IiECT /ON.
• - . .

.....
The Clerk Appeared at the bar, with the names of the following
Members chosn by the Committee to try the Huntingdon Election
Cale :
Astell • C. Rosa
John A. HAion Hon J. Knox
• WittiaV Whits J. M Clements
Jer.qsh Phillinnre P. Corbett •
Hon. H. 11.1eygon J. Whitmore
F. W. Fecal Lord Nugent
J. Brillie Sir G. Warrender.
It. B. Coupe
The slave-named fembert were then sworn.
COJNTY COURTS BILL.
Mr. D. GILBEIIF presented a petition from Penzance, in
fivour of the County Comm Bill ; also a similar petition front
Trum.—Ordered m R on the table.
Sir B. \V. GUlSEresented a similar petition from the shop-
keepers of Cheltenham.—Ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. S. WORTLEY presented a petition from the Inhabitants
of Whitby, in favour of the County Courts Judicature Bill ; aloe
another petition front Emulate to the same eflect.—Ordered to be
printed.
Mr. TREMAYNX presented a petition from the Inhabitant. of
St. Austin, in Cernwsil, in favour of the County Courts Bill.—Or-
dered to be printed.
Mr. MUNDY presented a petition from Sparkenhoe, in favour
of the County Coins Bill—Ordered to be'printed.
NORWICH ASSIZE BILL.

Mr. R. 'COLBORNE presented a petition from the Magistrates.
resident Gentry, and others, of the ccuntv t. Norfolk, against the
proposed rensosnl of the Assizes from Thetford to Norwich.—
Ordered to be pr nted.
Lord C. FITZROY •presented a similar petition, praying thet the
Medea might rut be removed to Norwich.—Laid on the tattle.
Mr. R. COLBORNE presented a petition from the inhabitants
of the western pea of the county of Norfolk, against the removal
Of the Assizes .ron ThetTord.
GAME LAWS. _ .

Mr. CURWEN moved for Returns of all persons committed
to Prison tinder tie Game Laws ; also for a Return, distinguishing
those sentenced o the tread-mill for offences against the Game
!AWL—ordered.
Mr. S. IVORILEY presented a petition from certain Inhabit-
ants of Doncastet, against any alteration of the existing Corn
laws.—Ordered be print d.
DUTIES ON TOBACCO.
Mr. Alderman rill om PSON presented a petition from certain
Inhabitants and Delos in Tobacco, in the City of London, pray-
ing that the House would, at the proper period, take into its consider-
ation the propriety ef reducing the present high Duties on Tobacco.
The Hon. Mantra concurred in the prayer of the petition, and
stated, that the prssat Duty on Tobacco was 4s. per pound, while
the original price of that article was only 4d. Such a dispro-
portionate euty could lot fail to operate as a bounty on smuggling
lie trusted that the House would take the subject into consideration.
and that the Chancellor of the Exchequer would not disappoint the
hopes of the petitioners on Mondav'next, when he ehauld have to
make his financial Statartent.—ftrdereti to be printed.
' 14E0ACY DUTY.
Mr. Alderman THOMPBON presented a petition from the
Governors of certain Charitable Institutions in the City of London,
praying a repeal of the Legacy Duty.--Ordered to be printed.
Mr. GRAVrAN presented a petition from the Coal Meters of
the City of Dublin, praying a Repeal of the Local Taxes of that
City.—Referred to die Committee of Local Taxation.
PRIVATII DILLS. .

Mr. HUME pre notice, that he should move the House on
Thur4day, for leave to bring in a Bill to restrain Members possess-
ing recuniary interests in Private Bills, from voting upon them.
Mr. S. WORTLEY presented a petition from certain inha-
bitants of Whitby, against the duty on stamp receipts for money.—
Laid on the table.

try, all descriptions of religionists were lhing in perfect harmony ;
but this measure, nrodnoed at such a lime, he fatted, likely
to create a great of ill-blood, and excite animea'tiot in the
niirtls of the people. With regard to the Protestants of Ireland, he
looked upon them gencrany us well.diapoord towards Cuttlionc
Ernancipstion. The nutr,ber of the Orangemen was few in color a-
riioti of the genera'. hodt. Er Protestants who entertained none but
friendly and favourable feeling* toratda their Catholic countrymen.
8o:ne of the hest friends of the C,atholica, I:, and out of Parliament.
were Prdcstants and tl a memiug at which the -Resolutions were
agreed to, on artd,...h ibis petition was founded, lout been attended
bw 'many highly.respectable Protestants. It wattatot the desire of
the Roman Catholics to make aar upon the Protestants, aud the
cry to that erect mimed by Minister.' was perfect', unfounded. If
<jam were only given for their production, he could assure the
House that the friends of the Association worth) bring forward petit
thin upon petition, in such numbers, that the Speaker should not
beoble to roe the mare or the clock, by reason ofthe pile that would
be Itraped upon that table. (A laugh.) (live us but time (said
the floc. Member) to commuricate with our canstituenta. and we
will heap your table and your Boor with petitions against the Bill.
bald en the tab!e. _ _ _ . . .

Air. A HERCROMBY presented a Petition from the inhabi-
tants of the patisb ofSt. Andrew's. Dublin, in fgrour of the Catlin-
lie Association. He would advert to the sentiments contained in
a petition from various dissenters and others, inhabit/tots of Tyrone,
which had been presented to the House against the Association,
and in favour of the Bill of the Honourable Secretary for Ireland.
TI ore petitioners hid expressed themselves hostile to the Associa-
tion, on the ground of its alfaiing protection to the abettors of
" rapine, minder, and bloodshed." Ile knew not in what part of
Ireland, at the present moment. those petitioners had found •6 re-
pine, murder, and bloodshed," or how they meant to reconcile
their opinion with the statement Which his Majesty had been ad-
vised to put forth in his Speech from the Throne. He deprecated
each absurd attempts to stir up a feeling of intsaturity and appre-
hension of dongers not warranted by the actual state of things, and
advised the House to pay attention to the praye; of the petition I
which he had to submit to their notice.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT thought the Howie would *4c-tined
to deer from the • sentiments exprened by t Wiens of
Tyrone. if it could only see a document whi' understood
had been laid before the House of Lords—a document emanating
from the Lord Lieutenant of Irclan4, and dArlaring, in the most
express terms. Ids opinion that the present tranquillity of Inland
had been mainly promoted by. the exertions of the Catholic A sso-
eistion. (Hear, heat...) What would the supporters of the Bill
say to such a document, of the existence of which he had not the
Smallest doubt ? Ile had no oLjetnion to inform the House, his
authority for this statement was the Alarquis of Lanaduwn.
The petition was then ordered to be printed.
:Sir JOHN NEWPORT rose to give notice of his intention to
move to morrow that the document to which he had alluded should
be submitted to the consideration of the House. He hoped by
that time to be aware of its tide, so as to be able to bring it before
the House in due form. . . .

.....
Mr. PEEL wished to know whether the Right Honourable
31ember meant to say that the Ms:quis %I'ellesley had attributed
the tranquillity of Ireland to the Catholic Association.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT—The document will speak for itself.
Mr. PEEL—If such a document exist, it will of course be sub-
mitted to the Committee now sitting upon thetatate of Ireland.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT persisted in his detennioation to give
notice of a motion to have the document laid before the House.
. .

Mr. DENMAN presented a petition from certain inhabitants
of the county of Cavan, in favour of the Catholic Association;'
also another petition -frotri the town of Listoicl, in the
county of Kerry, to the same effect. The Honourable _Member
was of opinion that the Catholic Association had materially hence !
fitted the administration of justice in Ireland; it had in his mind
produced great good and no possible injury.
Sir T. LETHBRIDGE would only trespass on the Douse for
a few moments. He found it impossible to repress the expression
of his surprise at the language held by these petitioners and the
Honourable Members who advocated their cause. In saying that
the Association had been the cause of improvement in Ireland,
Honourable 3lembers, in his opinion, went too far. Ile would I
ark the advocates of the Association to what lengths it might not
gn, if it were rift put down in the present instance; or to what
control was a Society likely to be subjected which was self-elected,
self-appointed, and acknowledged no authority paramount to itself ?
Under such circumstances, it would litre been, indeed, astonish-
ing, bad the Aseoclation been permitted to proceed, and he con-
sidered it necessary to put a stop to It in mercy to the Catholic
Body. This was an Association which had received money, but
who could say to what purposes it was to be applied ? Ile looked
upon the supporters of the Association, as any thing but the true
friends of the Roman Catholic community, and for his part, in op-
position to the dictum of the ',earned Gentleman, (3lr. Denman)
he should say, he considered the Association as having done much
injury, and nn possible good.
Mr. HUNIE thought the Hon. Baronet who had just sat down
did not act fairly in auguring what the future acts of the Associa-
tion might be. 'lf lie were to be asked what those acts were likely
to be, he would say, that the Association had as yet committed no
illegal act, and were It permitted to exist, he thought it would not
subject itself to that amputation. Ile was aware that the Hon. I
Baronet felt mortified beyond measure at the expression of public
feeling which had manifested itselt in the shape of petitions in favour
of the Catholic Association and he ass doubtless equally timed-
lied at the &Immst to'al absence of opposition to the Association
which existed outakle the doors of that House. lie thought that
absence of opposition every. way creditable to the people of England,
and the best proof of their improved sense ar.d feeling upon these
subjects. The fact was. this was not merely the cause of the
Roman Catholics, het of the British public generally. A few
Churchmen (and who would blame them for it) had endeavoured
to raise the " No Popery" cry, but their summons had not been
answered by the ration. The people saw that the Association had
promoted the peace of the community, and were aware that the
peace of the community was the interest of the cnmmunitv. No
petitions had been sent from Scotland in favour of the Bill, and
very few indeed front England. And lie looked upon this as a proof
of the good sense of the people of Eitgland. that they had not been '
excited by the " No Popery" cries of the Churchmen and the Hon.
Secretary for the Home Department.
Mr. PEEL wished to inform the Hon. Member for Aberdeen,
that he (Mr. Peel) had never in the whole course of his life encou-
raged a petition against the Roman Catholic claims, and he pledged
himself that he never would. It was not his wish to see a single
petition in that Iloise which did not originate in the spontaneous
opinions of the petitioners. An i he could not avojd feeiing surprise
at the imputation of the lion. Member.
31r. HUME meant the Secretary fur Foreign Alfieri.
Alr. BUTTERWORTH said a few words.
The petition was ordered to be printed.
NORFOLK ASSIZES.
Colonel WODEHOUSE said that he had on a former even-
ing presented a petition from certain Magistrates of the county
of Norfolk, praying that the Spring Assizes for that county may
be holden at Norwich, and not at Thetford. The petitioners
complained of the great grievance that at preeent existed, in
being obliged to convey the prisoners to be tried at Thetford
over thirty miles, and, if convicted, as many miles back to the
gaol at Norwich. as, from the very incommodious one at Thetford,
prisoners were generally committed to the former place. Norwich
gaol was built on the most improved system ; nearly 50 thousand
pounds were expended on it, and every. arrangement made that
could promote the comforts of the pnsoners,—every thing was
done calculated to improve their morals and render that improve.
ment lasting; and yet, perhaps, when that improvement was tom-
mincing, the prisoners were sent off to Thetford gaol, where there
existed a bad or rather no classification of prisoners, and there,
while awaiting their trial, their morals deteriorated. and were again
contaminated, after being in sonic measure reformed. There was
another circumstance connected with the gaol at Norwich which
must recommend it : the gaol was near the Court-house, and
the a was a subterraneous passage communicating between them,
so that the prisoners were conveyed from one to the tither, seen by no
one. After same (nether remarks, the Hon. Member expressed a hops
that the present petition would not be looked on as att undue in-
terference with, nor an attack on, the prerogative of the Crown.
This would be a great misconception, for the places in which the
Assizes were held were determined by Acts of Parliament, and by
these only. In general the public convenience was their glad le.
Nearly 600 years ago, when Thetford was fixed on, the Midges
were as well for the county of Suffolk as of Norfolk; and as then
the convenience of both counties was considered, Thetford, as a
central place, was naturally chosen: that reason could no longer be
pleaded. Ile had heard it imputed to the Learned Judges that
they, for their private convenience, opposed the wished-for altera-
tion, but he was sure that those respected individuals were inca-
pable of acting in opposition to the public interest, merely for the
gratification of their individual convenience. The Hon. 31ember
tailed on die advocates of morality in that House to support his
motion, and concluded by moving that the petition. as well as the
counter one from the Mayor and Corporation of Thetford, be es-
rerred to a select Conunittee.
Sir J. SEBRIGHT supported the motion. lie considered the
present practice. of transporting the prisoners 30 miles backward
and forward through the COMM% as both indecent and injurious.
Nothing could be so unreasonable as the opposition to the prayer
of the petition—in fart, it was—the borough of Thetford v. the
county of Norfolk—the borough of Thetford v. every thing good
end decent in principle and practice.
Mr. COLBORNE opposed the motion. The ,time application
as the present was repeatedly made and es repeatedly failed. It
was now over six centoties since the Assizes were first held at Thet-
ford ; and, though he did not consider the antiquity of the practice
as a reason for its continuance, still he looked at it as fair ground
for considering the matter well before any alteration took place.
By the removal of the Assizes from Thetford a great injustice
would be done to the western part of the county, and more parti-
cularly to the Corporation of Thetford, which laid out large sums
of money from its private purse In the repair of the gaol and court-
house. Ile considered it as strong evidence ib favour of the present
practice, that when the propcsed alteration was submitted to the
opinion of the Judges, they expressed their dissent from it. He
contended that the present application was a direct interference with
the prerogative of the Crown. The place of holding Assizes did
not depend on Acts of Parliament; the power of opening Commis-
' the Lord Chancellor and in the Judges; and,
x if
and

petition was signed by no less than 43 Magistrets e, seven of whom
were high in office. The Hon. Gentleman, aster repeating his
strong objection to the proposed Incas ire, concluded by moving
that the ether Orders of the Day be now rend.
On the question being put teem) the Chair-_ •
Mr. F. BUXTON rose—He said the pitman had been argued
by the Hon. Member who thad just tat down on merely local
grottnds; he let quite out of his comederatiert the population of
the county of Mao*. There wee a preppnderant weight of ea.
emelt): in favour of the prayer of the petteetters; bet the grounds
on which he went-were, the advantage to the ndieinistration ofjce.
rice. He felt that the anntinienation of jnerire was at present much
i riptide& and he also felt that the conver, leer, et public justize watt
to be considered noire than the convelkience of.ludgea. or am- other
ouch thing. Oat object should be, to ascertain what Tot sea most
convenient, or. if he might use the word, the newt en:tett-al for
holding the Ageism ? As a prison dleciplj ar...r, trio, !re was teetele
to the present system of treating prieenters et Thetford. and on this
view of the cane he expected the suppmeof the Right lion. Gentle.
man opposite (Mr. Peel), who, sin later thee two emaime back,
brought in a Bill to make it Illegal to put the prison dress on tin.
tried prisoners (hear, bear). and another Bill, making it also
gal to work on the tread-mill persona not convicted. (Hew, hear.)
Now, what was the practice with regard ee prisoners sent to trial at
Thetford ? They sue Conveyed in an open waggon, tee el (hear),
exposed to the public gaze, and to all the annoyance of stet an et-
posture. ll'hen arrived at the borough, they were subjected to tn.
ro
shock sba
nleinotutent
ae—ar.iednecatnntiereth'ii,ilcciwilmi.eritthlineedeewfeworreerLartofeet?culllensintodtimthye.thecylent: owfouthled law create.
cThere wee on some
worse, ie
acaunsctidorieners.gricootin:firrAtiedmcdiltelh.sirtfroncy-mt,wilohdiisannhytomhoneesee;mdene room, sett.t atWirisstwilasl
cla(mHnc ear, hear.) Brit there were other
heoenhadsidertaotiemekse.
aSaureiprost
et
prise witneues that distance, an that if the unforturate man be
acquitted. his deems.; may perhaps °Ham him to commit the very
same crime for which he had been before tried. But euppme the
man convicted--and this was the point of view in whi h hew:sired u
particularly put—he was to be exhibited to the entire county ; and
it found guilty of murder, the law provided he should be-executed
it 43 hours, and durirtg the short iaterval 'between tee agitation a
the trial and the agitation of die scaffold, heated to endure a pub: c
esposers--s hard aggrevatina of his sentence. He would mention
a circumstance that occurred about threes resit ego. He was oars.
fag through a small town in the county of Norfolk, aid saw a large
crowd before an inn door; he iequired what occasioned the crowd,
and was told it was the prisoners returning from Thetford to Nor-
wich. In the waggon which cooreyesl the prisoners sat a yoerg
man capitally ea:trivet, and, while so sitting, lit heard those arose
hien asking which was the reran to he 'hanged on .51onelay ? How
different was the practice elsewhere! The alagnstratee in Middle-
sex felt the ireptneriety of sin exposures so much, that in a late
case, that of Mr. Faunele OS they prohibited any person from
siting and disturti m than. 'lf Mr Faunae:oy bad, instead of a
Landon banker, been a Norwich one, lie would bare to travel-sob-
jetted to all the ignominy of a peblic exposure, and pointed at, by
every linger. home persons may say it would be serving the fe)iew
right, but in that he never could agree.
Mr. A. BARING thought that the proposition of the Hon.
Gent. for having a Select Committee appointed to consider whether
the Aspires :should be removed from the borough of Thetford to
Norwich, was too limited and partici. He thought there was
nothing in the cue of the county of Norfolk that made it peculiar
in regard to the place where the Assizes were held from many
other counties. In the county of SuGlk, for inster,ce, prl.
stoners had to be removed upwards of thirty nuke from the prison
to the Assize town, and that not once a year only. as in Norfolk,
but twice. If, then, this House made a law at all capon the sub.
jest, it ought to be a general otne. He would nut say that he shculd
support such a measure, but if the Hon. aletinber would make leis
motion general. he (Mr. A. Baringl should. at all events, consider
it deserving attentinn. It would then be a faie, intelligent. and
open propensities). With regard to the non.clasnification of the
1 prisoners in several of the county geisha he conceived the came or
that to be in the smallness of pre gaols themselves. In the town
' of Taunton, for instance, which he had the honour to represent,
the prison would not admit of classification ; it was only in the
large gaols that such a system could be adopted. As to the policy
of removing the Assizes to the county town, he should observe,
that in his (minion it could not in all cases be the best mode for the
due and effectual administration ef justice. If there was any
thing in this country that excited the admiration of foreigeers, is
was the fair, open, and impartial administration of justice. This
was a subject that could not be too highly extolled; and one of
the -great excellencies of our juridical system was, the heldiag
Courts of Justice in every county throughout the kingdom.
He. for his put, shoelel like to see that administration ex-
hibited in every considerable town in the country. The
more the lower classes were witnesses to it, the more would
their minds be affected, and the greater would be their re-
spect foe the laws. In holding the Anne, in different pares
of the county, you jive each man an opportunity of serving on
Grand and Petty Juries, and you make them not only spectators
but actors also. The Honourable aletrkber then adverted to the pee
tition, and said, that although in point of number the Magistrates
near the city of Norwich who signed the petition were more res.
merous than those who lived ir, and about the Borough of 'net-
ford, and who opposed the removal, et the jurisdiction of the lat.
ter gentlemen extended over a touch larger part of the county. Ile
would also show that Norwich was situate farther from some parts
of the County than any part of it was from Thetford, consequently
Thetford must be more metrical than Norwich. But shot have
the Magistrates of Norwich done ?—Thay first imply to his Ma-
jesty's Government to assist them, the Government refers ea to the
Judges, who, having twice considered the subject, determined et
favour of continuing the Assizes where they row are. Then the
Magistrates come to this House and expect us to connpel the Lora
Chancellor and the Judges to agree to their request. The real state
of the law was this :—By' State 18. Rich. 11. It was enacted, that
the Assizes should be holden at the Shire Town. but this was found
to be so injurious, that by 11 of the same King, the former Act
was repealed, and power was given to the Lord Chancellor and the
Judges' to decide where the law should be administered. W
this House, then, now say that the Lord Chancellor and the
Judges were not competent to decide ? and would they go
into a Committee to decide upon the subject themselves ?
These were the questions which the House had to consider.
sltfrotnhgcer,etivnaastuonte,e
byeriozrogsg
,uti;epo,ratne,dl abyprtehreogiLat.ivene
titawastheopof ptbue-
ler part of the Govenneent—if, he would say, there was one
prerogative better than another,tt was that which enabled the Crown
and its legal advisers, the Lord Chancellor and the Judges, to de-
, tile where the law of the land should be administered ; for some-
times It happened, that it would be very prejudicial to the interests
of the pantos that the trial should take place at the assize towns ;
in such cases, the Judges now had the power to remove the Assiut
ti another part of the county :.--but, if the House were to pass a
Bill to make it imperative for the assizes to be holden at one par-
ticular place, then there would be no remedy against such cases as
those to which he had alluded, whenever they should occur.
Mr. PEEL said, in opposing the motion fora Select Committee,
he disclaimed all personal feeling on the question ; he was wholly
unconnected with the county of Norfolk. The greard upon which
he should resist the motion was this,—that he should protest
against' this House assuming to itself' a jurisdiction or a right of in-
terference on the question, after a former Parliament had already
j determined that urisdictioi to belong to the Lord Chancellor aed
the Judges, exclusively to decide upon it. He had hitnaelf twim
referred this question to the Judges, who on both occasions deter-
mined that it was not expedient to change the assizes from Thet-
ford to Norwich. There were one or two cases which might be
mentioned as precedents. The first was of the removal from Ayles-
bury to Buckingham, in 1748, by an Act of Parliament. And be
would say, that, if he had been a Member of this House, at that
time, lie should have been willing to hare agreed to it; and, if his
Honourable Friend (Mr. Buxton) would show a similar case ex-
isting now, as in that instance, he (Mr. Peel) would immediately
agree to a Committee being appointed. In that case, the Lord Chief
Justice had a son who was a candidate for the Borough of
Aylesbury, rind the Judge at that very time removed the Assizes
from Buckingham to Aylestui y, and his son was returned a
Member' for the latter place. Strong suspicions were entertained
that the Chief Justice had acted corruptly,- with a view to favour
his son's election. Now if it could be thought that any of the
present Judges had acted front an improper motive in their decision
of the present question, he should be the lint to have an inquiry
instituted. It appeared to hint, however, that artless such a mese
could be made out, it would be better to lessee calm of this kind to
the persons where the law had left them. In many other counties
the same case occurred where the prisoners were renewed, besides
in the county of Norfolk. Under all the circumstances, he should
object to the Home assuming to itself Ore right of interfering with
the jurisdiction of the Judges. It would beiowering the characters
of the Judges, by taking away from them that power which Par-
liament heel already given them, unless a very strong case wet,
made out. He would have no objection to present the quaintest
again to the Judges; and if at any future time the Judges should
determine that the Assizes should be removed from Thetford is
Norwich, he should consider that the borongli of Thetford, hating
been put to so much expense by building courts, and making
other accorntnodttion for the Assizes, would hare a strong else:
upon—
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—The county.
Mr. PEEL—Yes, as toy Right Hon. Friend very readdy,elee
gents. the county. (Much Isughter.) ft certainly was rot hisint
tention to impose the burthen upon the people.
Dr. LUSHINGTON thought that the Right lion. Secretary
for the Home Department would have stated the reasons of the
Learned Judges for their not flaunting ter the petition of the Ma.
gietrates of Norfolk. He thought those Magistrates had not hiset
well treated. The reason which had caused the privilege to bo
given to the borough of Thetford, for having the Assizes held
there, had long since ceased, and with the reason the privilege
ought to cease also. The population of the eastern part of the
county was now considerably more than tine western; and so great
was the distance which many persons had to travel to the
Assizes, that it was exceedingly tbflieult to get persons to pees --
cute, or witnesses to attend. The lion. and Learned Member
therefore contended that the Assizes should be removed to a more
central part of the county.
Mr. HUSKISSON observed, that his Right Hon. Friend (Mr.
Peel) had said—and said truly—that it was left to the Lord Chaa•
decide, e - should '