The National Register.
London, England, 1819-05-30 00:00:00

..... SUNDAY, MAY, 30 1819•

The Catholic Question in the House of Peers
was negatived by a majority of forty-one, including
all the Bishops, except those of Norwich and
Rochester, the former of whom expressed himself in
sentiments of unesual force, elegance, and beauty.-
Why. should intolerance thus keep her -last hold
upon breasts which should be peculiarly the abode
of reason improved by learning, cud of charity
fanned and fostered by Religion."
The Question of the Bank Restriction hag been
also most ably and powerfully discussed amongst
the Lords. The solemn and pubic recantation of
a man like Lord Grenville!, a man now entirely
unconnected with any party, almost totally with-
drawn from the toils of public life, and political in-
trigue, and who, during the eventful period in
which this measure had been originated and pur-
sued, had borne so large a share of influence upon
the public councils, is at once a striking and most j
important lesson. " Having," Ears he, "considered
this Restaction as one of the greatest calamitiei under
which this suffering country has laboured, having
frequently had occasion to lament and deplore the
part which I myself took in it, on its original pro•
position, having avowed my error in so do ing,as
became an honest man, at the commencement of the
last war ; and bating prophesied but too justly all
the distress and misery which would befill the
nation in consequence of it, I cannot help expressing
my joy and satisfaction, that a period is now come
when we may look forward to the Repeal of this
injudicious and unfortunate measure." No one
now seems bold enough to deny that to this we
owe, at present, both commercial distress, increased 11
prices, and augmented taxes ; and it is not less clear
that to its operation in times puss, anJ over which
we can only now look back and mourn, we owed
the maintenance of that serie, of political measures I
which have resulted in such an unparallelled Load
of Debt, and the sacrifice of lives unnumbered.
Why we should not inclandy have returned to the
right path, it is very difficult even with all the la-
bour bestowed upon proving its danger, to see any I
adequate reason. Lord Grenvilic's opinion is, that
cash payments might have been safely resumed this
year ; and we have every fear •from delays, know I
ing how dangerous they are. Four years arc now
contemplattal es the time to be allowed before
we are to be quite restored to a sound and healthy
circulation. What and if war should again break
out during this impoitant interval? Will not Go-
vernment be again inclined to make use of the Bank !
of England ; and if that Company should ever again
get a controul over the pockets of the People of
England, what is to prevent us front being again
subjected to the same degrading and unnatural state
of Political, or rather Pecuniary Bondage ? What
is to prevent the Bank of England from again be-
coming, as they now assume themselves to he, " the
Guardians of the Interest of the Nation ?''—We
have heard those gentlemen repeatedly and repeat-
edly declaring, that they gained nothing by the Re-
strietion, and that they wen- exceedingly anxious for
ass removal. What credit is now due :o :;ac:i asser-