The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-10-16 00:00:00

eIIVRCTI RATES.

Mr. O'CoNNELL read the following r;-:inion upon the subject of
Church Rates, in reply to the inquiries of two clergymen who had
written to the Assori mon upon the subject :
" I have wonsidered the questions submitted for my opinion by
the Associn ion with all the attention in my power, and am of opi.
nion, that noneof the country parishes in Ireland ran be assessed in
a sum of ten gn;oes•. or five guineas, or id any other sum for keep-
ing a school, or teaching the Protestant children.
•' It is true, that Protestant clergymen are bound by oath, on ad.
mission, to keep an English .chool in each coyish. but that obliga.
tion did nut induce any espouse on the pariah, whether the school
was kept or not.
" I am also of opinion that the parish cm for coffins, is an ineg t!
assesatuent in Ireland.

"I ant also of opinion, that the charge far a sat:teen, ism illegal
charge, and cannot, by law, be rated en the parish.
" I am also of opinion, that the charge of 10/. 4s. dd., mentioned in
the ease of the norish of Dunshaughltn, levied a rerond tittle, for
hanging the bell, is a grimly illegal charge, as, of course, is the
charge of ei. in that pariah, fur teaching twelve poor children,
where, it is stated, that no such school is kept.
• "Such a charge as this would, (as I have already said), he illegal,
even if the schist)! were kept ; it is a very gross and scandalous ille-
gsffity, where there is no seined at all.
" I am star of opinion, that the charge tor collecting the ens in that
parish, is an illegal charge.
" Wherever the applotment is made upon the gross lot of vestry
charges, as is usually the case, and that such lot contains any
illegal item, there the entire applotinent is illegal, and may with
safety be resisted by legal means.
" It is true that there is a statute of the dth of the resent king,
chap. 116, which very much increases the hatiility of the poet., to
vexations attempts to levy improper church rates, but fortunately
the most mischievous sections in that statute are clumsily and un-
technically drawn up, s.) as to neutralize its ill effects in a consider-
able degree. There are therefore still sufficient legal means to
resist the illegal charges above alluded to, according to the circum-
stances of each particular case.
"DANIEL O'CONNELL."
" Merrion-square, October 9, 1024."
CATIIOLIC PETITION.

Mr. O'Coxxxl.t. said, that several 31embers of Parliament,
who called themselves the friends of the Catholics, had thrown
out their feelers and suggested that the Catholics should no:
petition for t emancipation this next sessions. When the advice
was conveyed to him he gave it his immediate and humble
regative, and of so much importance did he consider that the ear.
liest attention of the Legislature should be called to the subject.
t: at he intended to have the general petition fur emancipation put
into the hands of Sir F. Iturden, for preaentation, before the Ad-
dress should he moved to the Crown, in order that Alinisters should
have *erasion to notice it in the Address. It was known that the
King Mod bless him !). was personally favourable to the pleasure.
Lord Liverpool's opposition had been considerably softened down,
and it was poitaible that even Lord Eldon, who doubts upon every
subject but Catholic emancipation, might at last he brought to
doubt the utility and prudence of opposing the Catholic claims any
longer( or should 11r. Canning unite with the Marquis of Lana.
down in forming a Cabinet (and which was not at all unlikely)
th've would be no difficulty in overcoming the scruples of the
trilling majority who continue to exclude them from the bosom of
the Comititution. Therefore. so far from relinquishing the oppor-
tunity of petitioning. they should, plrase Sind, beside the general
Petition, have tow presented every week on some particular griev-
ance.

-Dlr. CONWAY asked was there any resolution taking the pri-
uon out of the hands of Mr. Plut.kett ?

31r. OTotexr.t.r. replied, that ro such rrwlution paned, but
Mr. Plunkett was an °Eclat perton, and it would be inconsiderate
to embarrass him with their petition.