The National Register.
London, England, 1822-05-06 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER

and policy of this motion, though he admitted that he ap-
proa:hed the questiou with considerable anxiety, because,
if his motion failed, he had no refuge. His present pro.
position was for leave to bring in a bill to repeal the
existing disabilities. It had been tnet with the statement
that his proceeding was an insidious attempt to obtain an
unconscious concession of the treat question. That it
was a part of the questiou he admintal, hilt 111 denied that
other portion. 4J Ili.- question were to tie ,iipporic.l by
similar arguments. 'rile pi esent plopo•itions%,, complete
in itself; it did not ievols e those considerations which
affected other parts of the subject. To prevent the con-
sideration of the question was an attempt to check the
progress of thought and the flight of time—for they were
approaching the consummation of the great objects be
had in siew.—(llear, hear, hear.)—The supporters at ter
claims hail been chat ged with being too indefiet'tte, with
soaring to the heights of general principles, but now he
should apply for the repeal of a particular act. lie should
limit himself honestly to the consideralion of that panticn-
lar act—not that lie could deny, that if hilt question were
carried, there would be a dinmeition of the disabilities
selecting the Roman Catholics. If he succeed. it, it was
to be hoped that it would not he matter of regi et that one
topic of declamation would be withdrawn, any more than
it ought to be matter of regret that suer e concessions had
formerly been made to the Catholics; enabling them to
hold property, commissiuna, dec. The right hon, gent
then stated, that lie did not appear as the advocate of any
pally; he had not been urged to this motion by Ilic per-
sons calculated to be interesied ; and he was glad to state
that lie had this day received a letter from the Catholic
Peers, setting forth such bet. All the responsibility was
his own. As In the objection that it might be disrespect-
ful to their lordships to originate ouch a bill in the House
of Commons, lie had only to say, that the act of Ilan,
which lie proposed to repeal, had originated iii that house,
at a time too when the oath of supremacy excluded mem-
bers from the Commons, and when the bitting of the Ca-
tholic Peers Was recognized by parliament. He contended
that his scheme was not •• wild and visionary ;" he did not
desire to re-construct the House of Lords ; he only wished
to restore the House of Lords to its original constitution.
His pi (position was not to innovate, but to restme —to
give to an innocent poste' ity those rights, of which, by
crutch anti unjust pretexts, they 114.1 beendeprived. (I (ear,
hear.)—'!tie reform, too, was safe—for, if carried, it
would add positively six peers to the 'timer house, and
perhaps six Irish peers at some ftituie period. It was,
therefore, not likely to be very al:envious. The right
hon. gent. then took a general review of the chat deter of
the laws that had been levelled against the Romeo Catho-
lics fium the period of the Reformation, which principle
was not relaxed when William 111. Caine to the throne,
because, it being the religion of the exiled Monarch, it
was the best object to render the Catholics powerless.—
There had become a disputed succession ; but all those
rim cumstances and difficulties nu longer existed. There
was now no cause for alarm—and indeed it was wonder-
ful, although so many laws had been pis.sed against the
Catholics from the time of the Reformation, how few
Anti-Celhoiic laws lemaiiitil to be repealed, except those
that passed in lite reign of Chinks 11. Much had been
done to redress grievances, for mail most cruel and unjust
laws had been eepealed ; therefute the consideration of
the restrictive laws was limited to Charles 11.1 reign ;
butt, fortunately for his cause, 1111101 of the dcclaniatory
portion of the case was spared him. It did not affect the
limited question now before the hone. It could not be
denied, as accounting for the measures of Chalks ll.'s
reign, that there was in the parliament a dread of Charles
11., a thread that lie would favour measures to promote the
Catholic religion, and to secure a Catholic succession.
Now no such dread existed—now tinge was no reason for
withholding front them whet had hero violently with-
drawn troun their ancestors. He therefore anticipated
that his motion would experience the support of that
house. (Hear, hear.) He concluded with moving for
leave to bring in a bill to repeal the act of lti7B of Charles
H.'s reign, depriving the Catholic peers of the right to sit
in the House of Lords.
Mr. A. ELLIS seconded the motion.

Mr. (Secretary) PEEL opposed the motion, contending
that if the hill went carried, it would Introduce greuter ano-
malies than at present existed. The introductiou of Scotch
Peers, for instance. would be a violation of the act of
union ; but if the catholic peers were admitted into the
upper, what pretest would there be fur refusing to admit
Catholics to be qualified to occupy seats in that House)—
Aod the o•jection applied more strongly to seats in the
Upper House, where ilia members had more immediately
to attend to spiritual all'airs ; iu the Louver Ilituse, their at-
tention weir more insinediatt ly directed to tensional mat-
t. rs. A time nut very dis:isitt was fixed for taking the entire
subject of catholic Cntaneipatiun into consideration; nod
to adopt the proposition of the right lion. gent. now
would be useless. since it would only give to the catholic
peers the privilc;;e of sitting in Parliament during the vaca-
tion, when they could not exercise that privilege. As to the
statements of the right lioti. gent. he contended they acre
not correct; the exelusi 0000 of the Cat holie peers, from Wags
in parliament, did not arise out of the duine,llC tireunistetnes
det:iiled by ilic Cult him. gentleman, but out of the fact,
well established, of nos existing disposition to overturn the
protestant government, as was imtaiteed by the secret trent)
with Louis the Fourteenth, by which taus country was to he
sold fat 200,0001.; a sum not half so great as we were now
in the habit of expeuiliog on an prudential y house
or it Scotch canal.

Lord (OW ER supported the motion.
Lord N UriENT follows d on the same side, sod contended
that the C4lllll.liti Mere worthy of brio.; ti toted.
Mr. WARM; supported the motion.
Mr. M A I(T I hi. of Galway, uas in favour of the motion.
—The comfit( t of tlep,e alto now opposed the ratholics, put
bun in maul ul abut hettuttlol table or the •• Wulf, nod the
lamb."—•• You lawn'," said the wolf, you muddy tne
ater."—.• •That is itupoattiltle." replied the. Lath, •• as the
Attant runs flout you to Tueu at was ?um father.
or your grandrailter, ur some of your uncestto s, you dii I)
puppy ,Sll eat you.—(A laugh.)
Alt. Pl. UN K Ll"f supported the motion. lie %vas reads
to admit that in the ►Mika or Chalks 11. the Catholics Mere
dlsallected itsuards the Throne, and it tdrunti. ay... at 111 it
Bose absolutely uccessar) t hot Ito use in the piesent day
could tut) them wits any diuttlection tot the pail or the cutho-
lics towards the cattail% (los eromeat.

Mr. WET I f ULL, said, that h.-feint-ore no proirrwit ion
for Con.'ef>lllll to the catholic,. had ever hcru loon hi for-
ward without mate colasitrshala becuitt —heir
1)10 .I•Clirit%—lap should tarrctoor ~, ~ tie bolion.
M. CAN Nl:sai wt,J, he &tumid carroar of reel)


139

very brietly—sonnu objection he hail to combat sight be dis.
posed of in very few •ords—the bill he proposed to iotro•
duce it wet salt incioached on the privileges of the other
huu•e of Parliament, as it went the length of/Omitting to
orals in that House individuals a lio are now earluiledlt)
this he only need reply, that lite Bill he sought in repeal ori-
ginated in the House of Commons. The right Wu. gent.
prat eeJed with great ability to answer every other argument
a hie It had in ea ruist•ti against hi, mat ion, after %Inch tie
dir Med, alien the ;mullet-. ere--fur the motion, 249
ugaiieit it. 214 —majority far the motion, 3.
The other ortlera at the day were disposed of, and the
House adjourned at one o'clock.
wEDNEsniar, NtV' I.
Mr. I.I7tiIIiNGTON presented the returns innocently*
of Victuallers' Licences granted and refused in districts
within \liddle,ea.

Mr. LA NIIITON, in presenting a petition against the
Leather Tax, expressed the hope that the hon. member
(Mr. Beaumont) whose motion fur the repeal of that tax
stood for to night, would postpone that motion till :he
plans of the noble marquis were fully k Ito A ii. He had
uu indisposition to support such motion, but he thought it
might for the pi esent be postponed.
Mr. H. Suomi r, Sir E. Kuatclibtill and Mr. G. Bennet,
expressed a similar opinion.
Mr. ELLICE viewed the propositions of the noble mar-
quis as the virtual repeal of the financial measures pro.
posed at the commencement of the session; and as they
were only contiontatiolla of the joggling schemes that had
heretofore been suggested, lie considered that it would be
disgraceful to them as men who pretended to manage the
cuticcerns of this country, to adopt what had been pin.
posed by the noble lord. He however wished that this
motion should lie postponed.
Mr. BEAUMONT said, he should acquiesce in the
%visit that had been so generally intimated, and lie there-
lore postponed his motion tor the repeal of the Leather
Tax rill Thursday, the lath inst.—(Hear, heart )
The petition was then read ; it was from the taunt's and
curriers of Deirtiam. Ordered to be piloted.
Mr. 11. SUMNER, presented a petition from Guilford.
complaining of the Leather Tax.
Mt. SCARLET I' brought in the bill to prevent the re-
moval of the poor.
Sir H. WILSON expressed his approbation of the bill.
It was different from the lion. rucinber's former bill I it
was humane ; it was calculated to he highly useful. He
availed hint •elf of this opportunity to condemn some
clauses of the Vagrant Laws Consolidation Bill.
Mt. MANSFIELD hoped the second reading wonl,l he
postponed to a distant day, to admit time fur its coeside-
ration.

After home conversation, in which Mr. Cierwen, Mr.
CAleraft, etc. took part, the bill was read a first time.—
Ordered to be read a second time Monday, May 13.
Mr. JAMES preheated a petition from Carlisle, praying
for a speedy and effectual reform of the house. This
petitioners contended that they were entitled, by the con.
*minion, to have a full and free representation. Ilia the
house, as at present constituted, did not meet their views
of the constitution. T:rey saw the necessity of reform—
for they had seen the people's liberties and the Press
restricted, and they had seen an obstinate refusal of all
inquiries of the wittol outrages committed at Manchester.
l'hey also spoke of the dist r to w hick the country
Iced been exposed, and he mainly attributed them to Mr.
Peel's bill, which in fact, he contended, had denoted the
weight of taxation. He (Mr. James) was persuaded that
the country had no hope but &um an extensive reduction
of tradition, to the amount of 25 or 30,0J0,0301.—(Hear.)
He was glad some had joined him in that opinion—but be
had no hope of thu requisite reductions without * re-
formed house.
Petition ordered to be printed.
Sir J. MACKIN rosH oohed whether the South American
Independence had been rceuisuisen, or *lutistr iutereuerse
had been warranted.

Lord LONDONDERRY replied, that there had been no
formal recognition; there had been a de fartoiretmaaition.
as all the world knew ; but he trusted that the Governmem:
worthd not be unnecessarily embarrassed nu this subject.—
E'en the American Government had not recot,niised such its.
dependence; a message bad only recommended it.
air It. WILSON said, he saw u notice on the book for the
renewal of the Alien BM ; be was astonished that such an
odious and anti-European bill was to be renewed. He
therefore moved fur returns of persons sent out of the country
under the net.
Mr. 11011110 USE said, he should oppose such bill ; wad
if the noble Lord would hull coodescetsd to argue the sies-
lion. he should move perpetual utijournmcuts. Retains
ordered.

M ARTIN (of Galway) moved for leave to bring lit
a bill to enable criiiiinito to hit% e counsel lii plead for theta.
Mr. LOC KII A I' struntly opposed the mutioo. Leave
n to bling in the hill.
Sir R. SHA W postponed li:s motion fur the repeal of the
Irish Window Tax to the WI cost. lie postponed thit ma-
lion at the reque.l of nms.sters, lit enable the °obi, lord and
the Chancellor of the Evcheqiier mote fully to uufold their
plaint to the House and the Coinitry.-11e, however, still
tell per•uaded of the importance of hit mutiou ; and lie
trusted that the `l)% n neat would not fail to consider it.
The Itione having resolved int., a committee to consider a
provi.ifin for the fume payments of naval, military, sad
other pens'

The CIIANCELLOR of the LXCIIEQU ER brought for-
ward his proposed plait for the ace iiiii of this object.
lie concluded with moving a series of resolutions„ w lOch roe
hodied Ins plan, lie entered into details to show the value
and bearings of his plan, us set (milt iii thine resolutions;
and stated that it was calculated that the extinction of the
pemiiiiis would occupy a period of 45 years. It was calcu-
lated that they would gradually decrease according to a cer-
tain ratio t—ilsteL, after 10 years, tho-e pemions which were
now 5,000,141)1. would he three leillions stud a half; af!er
:10 sear., tau sat lliwif and a gum let ; niter 30 years, one
million stud it quarter ; a ter 41) ;earl., 541,4311.; and after
45 years, SOti,tl/I.li. It was alas considered that the opera-
two of the proposed scheme would be a great NIS inn is. lira
1141111 C ; and that it *mild atlas most usefully disembarrass
he nuance act quanta, and aus.u.ll r•ttinattes of the country.—
lit COlll ills mos i lig the folio. big resolutiwna :-
14s ,Ly EU-1 —.that it is the opiuisu of this committal's
that the amount of military tool smith, pensions, and civil
au.d.raninia,ion-, may be em boated sit about b,000,000.
::. I oat it Is the llillllllll.l ut this canal tire, that ale
sum, calculate,' as au maiiiity guaranteed by
may be considered as a hut taeii, forming a charge upon
the public income of the country, for the Uses of the

(Per cnitiaziutithi sit page 142.)