The National Register.
London, England, 1813-03-07 00:00:00

111E-Tg-ATIONWL-RE6ISTER

1 5-2

CATHOLIC QUESTION. •
Sir H. PAKNELL commenced the resumed itebate on the Catholic
Question, and wept vcr wany of the arguments which had teen pre
woody urged against the motion of Mr. Grattan. He joined several
Members (who had already delivered their opinions) in reorobating the,
sentiments contained in a pamphlet which had emanated from the
pen of the Bisho, ot Lincoln. ts Ito, he thought, would have been
better cc:copied in eivicg to his flock a good r, ligions charge, rather
than a bad political one. Had the insintoolocs thrown out in that
pamphlet (he said) been apldied to any ionividttal Protestant, little
doubt existed in his 'lliad that they would. be pronounced gross and
scandalous libels.
Mr. W. Boort.F. iiisirproveo of the Commttee, and trusted that
until some sprcific plan was proposed, the House would not be lcit
to the adoption of arty resolution calculated to raise expectations,
which, in tle et- d, nuela nor he gratified.
Sir W. Sco tor said, that before he could agree to the removal of
any of the iitsabilities ueder which the Catholics at present lab,oired,
he must be sati:tied that a necessity did c%ist for such a measure, and
this a necessity nor arising too of idle and cLiinerical spec tilations,
bin ttom serious and alai-mho; danger to the state. lie could t.v
means agree that there was no danger to the Constitution in the ad
mission of the Catholic to the privileges of the State. He thorn ht
the), ought to be exi_loded froui such offices as required the :Rimini.
srratiou of juoice in matters connected with the ecclesiastical effairs ;
for he cop .l pest consent to have qu:st ion.; resoccting Protestant Lccle-
siastieel Establishments submitted to Catholic Judges. With rest act
to the neice of Chancellor, he. sveuld auotnit, whether it would be
pru lent to sch:ct a Cates lic adviser to. the throne, or whether a Ca
tholic should be it a.le the keeper ot the Rrojal conscieuce ?--To the
situetion of Privy Coin cillor he cruiLeiv-cl them equally ineligibk,
as questions resp stint; the totabi;shed Religion would freitmotly
sepia tit Council. He most strongly ccosured the shameful rudeness
pities eo.,rie:oeet by wl,i4h the had) Clergy had been treated in that
House. merely because they had interposed in a case where they coo.
sidered the vital lore:es ts of the Church cencerped. The learned
Judge considered the tenets of the Catholic religion an insuperable.
• bar to the gra-sting them political privileges ; and as to the securities
spoken of, he diti not thiek the sec urity of an oath so flicient, because
an oath cecild not bold opinion, and in legielaO, e, the opinion of a Ca-
tholic would, of course, be against the Plotestant.
Lord CAsrl.Ei EAG was in favour of the motion ;at the same time,
be was tree to confess, he had no measure to ;tropes,. ; hot, should
they ios into the the Comsnittee, he would give his full assistance to
any person who could Iloilo out to him the mode et effecoiog tht
great object of conciLating the Roman and granting, at toe
satin time, per-feet :;ecurities to the Protestant Establishment ;an ob.
ject which he had cordially at heart.
M:. Rost said, he would object going into a Committee on the
tuijcet, until the nature of the be4tait;cs so much spoken ot were
ascertained.
Mr. Pon SONNY reointed his argureents in favour of the Catholics.
Mr. CANNING had 1:0 doubt that the I I oust by going into a Com
771IttiC, would dOsApate the doubts of the opposera .•f the measure, ar;d
spew that the claims of the Catholics might safely be granted.
After Mr. BATHURST had spoken agaiost the motion, and Mr.
Game: AN had shortly replied. the House divided—Fur going oiro
the Committee, 12S1; against it, '24.—Maj.:roy hi favour of the Ca.
tholics, 40.
We understand that it was then resolved, that the Heuse should go
into the Comilliaee on Tuesday next.—Adjourned.

MrEtiNISDAY, MA RCII S.
A new writ was ord:'red for Wooten Basset, in the rocm of Mr.
K;bbiewhite, wh has accepted the Chiltern Hundreds.
Mr. CALea AFT Obt.-1111CLI to bring in a Bill to regulate the
Practice of Surbrons, Apothecaries, Men-midwives, m Londou.

MA 11CK4.-

proce%s 01 redemption would terminate ; and that the produce of such
tax ouNI be annually applied to the reduction of the National Debt.
Übe second proposition was, that on all loans hereafter .to be contrived,
there should be an additional one per cei.t. to the Sinking Fund 'or
'heir liquidation. Besides which, he proposed, tint on Lxchequer Bills
other floating unfunded property, a Siwking Fond of one per cent.
should be annually voctr; and 1w bud to observe, that some of
Exchequer Bills had been outstanding for so long r period Hs since
1793. The next object wOuld be. to repeal such part of the Act of
UO as directed that the Sinking Fond should cortinue to accumulate

until it amounted to the sum of 500 millions. fn consequence of this
dictation in the Art, a charge would be brought upon the public of
87'2,Na for which It provision must be made I y new find permam ut
taxes. Ai the es.nblishment of the Siol.ing Fund, a profvision had been

ingde for the gracingl diminution of the public di ; but no direction
had been given to the Commi,sioners us to the mode in which the im-
mense stock purchased hy them was to by applied. Since the esti&
blishment of the Sini.ing Fund, debts had heex contracted to a much
tzreater amount than those that were liquidated ; .did he thought it
w,uld have been advantageotn., if, at that time, a Sinking Fund had been
apr.licd to the liquidation of the debt contracted in each vent-. Then the
whole of the public debt amounted to /58 millions. When Mr. Pitt
established the Sinking Fund for reduci• g that dt ht, l.e pioposed, that
henever it rec.:Awd the annual stun of four minions, the Fnnd might

then be reduced. That debt had since been discharged by the opera-
tion of the Fund. Ent a very large additional debt had since been
created; and a plan might he adopted, by which that debt migh be
liquidated much sooner than it otherwise could he done. The alteration
which took place in the Sinking Fund in 1802, was Mr. Pitt's plan
"There was now in the hands of the Commissioneis tor liquidating the
National Debt the sum of V.lO millions. lii the present year this Fund
would inere; se. There was a period at which it must sustain a diminu-
tion ; and tins was the proper time fur considering this subject. The
effect of the simple plan he now snbiurted was, that it would give a re-
lict of 120 millions to the country, and relieve us from the pressure of
taxation for four years. The plan was the sore necessary at this period
of great exertion. His intention was to propo e, that so much should
be taken front the Sinking Fund as should replace the charges hereafter
to .be made upon the Cousoliddted Fund, from which it was intended,
that something should be taken at oue time or other. In consequence
of the great expenditure in foreign countrie:,, the measures hitherto
adopted of raisin(; the supplies within the year were not successful.
But by this plan, we should in the space 141 four years, save SeVtll 11111"
liens of war taxes, which otherwise it would he necessary to lay upon
the public. He then recapitulated the several pro;lyitions he had to
make—namely, that for redeeming tloc i and Fax —the making an addi-
tion to the Sinking Fond each year—a Sinking Fund hie eiich tit w
loan—also to pros intt an annual grant of one mullion, to discharge the
'26 millions of Exchequer bills outstannia!,. Ile wished the House
consider, that the pu'alic debt, at the time the Sinking Fund was estai.
blished, had been, liquidated ; but that certain Stock, hereafter to be
purchased by the Commissioners, should he applicable to the debts still
to be contracted. lu bringing a plan of this magnitude before the
House, he felt he was britigiug a great rr spoity,ibtloy on Ibimsell; hut he
was confident he should render a great svrvii e to his coniitr., by iefirv-
ing it from burthens for four yeillg. The Right lion. GiAit lenient then
concluded by moving several Resolutions, w Inch were merely a recapi•
' tulation of the facts contained in his speech. lie hoped to be able
shortly to lay a printed statement of these facts before the House ; and
on Monday se'nnight he should propose that the whole of them be taken
into consider at ion.

Mr. Husxisson said, he did not unde'stand the general principle
a:cl outline of the plan ; but it appeared to him to boa' out the most
important change that ever was made in the finances of the country.
The credit of this country hid greatly sullered, and he hoped this
plan would have the cifixt of restoring it, He would give the plan
has most attentive consideration.
Mr. T IER NE Y sakl, he entered entirely into the views of the Hon.
Gentleman who spoke last. He coefessed the plan did surprise him.
Considering the lion. Gentleman's great figment' abilities, he did not
expect from hint such a proposition as he now made. Instead of lay
ng no fresh taxes—instead or firmly meeting the increased burthens
of the country—he did not txpect that such a departure was now to
take place from the system acted on for so many years, and that so
great a support to the national :inance as the ;inking Furd would be
abandoned'. It was Mr. Pitt's ob.;ect that no part cl the Sinking Fund
should be touched mud it rose to tour millions. That plan altered by
the Consolidation Act in 1e.02 : which he then thought a bad me,:.
sure, as breaking the public Clith with the Stockholder. Now the
broad principal of that Act was to he done away ; aid it this was the
case he should feel it his duty to oppose it. He feared the eflect
of this plan would be, that when peace arrived there would
nothing to meet the exigencies of peace.

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lIIVN-A1111"MTAI, -REGISTER .0 -.‘ • MARCTPT -
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CATHOLIC QUESTION. • process 01 redemption would terminate; and that the produce of such
Sir I-1. PA k NELL commenced the resumed debate on the Catholic tax bhou!d be annually :Tubed to the redaction of the National Debt. 11
Question, and wept i vcr wany of the arguments which had teen pre life second proposition was, fled on all loans hereafter .to be contrived, I
votd)/ urged against the motion of Mr. Grattan. He joined several there should be an additional one per ceet. to the Sinking Fund 'ar
Member, (who hal already delivered their opinions) in reprobating the
their liquidation. Besides which, he proposed, that on Lechequer Bills 1
sentiments contained in a pamphlet which had emanated from thei
end other floating unfunded property, a Sieking Fund of one per cent.
pen of the Bisbee) ot Lincoln, et Ito, he thought, would .have been r
should be et-tonally vu err; and lw bud to observe, that some of those
better cc:copied in eivicg to his flock a goed r, ligions charge, rather 1
Excheyecr Bills had been outstanding tor so leng r period as since . 1
than a bad political one. Had ale insinuatimis thrown out in thati
pamphlet (he said) been ape:led to any iffeividuel Protestant, little 1795. The next object Hi old be. to repeal such part of the Act of
doubt existed in Ins tided that they would. be pronounced gross and 1801 as directed that the Sinking Fund should continue to accumulate
scandalous libels. until it amounted to the sum of 500 millions. fn consequence of this -t.
Mr. W. 800 rt.e. disienroved of the Committee, and trusted that ehetation in the Art, a charge would be brought upon the public of
until some spreific plan was proposed, the House would not be ice 87'2,0001. for which a provisien must be made I new told perneim lit
to the adeption of aoy resolution calculated to raise expectations, taxes.. Al the es' iblisliment of the Smiting Fund, a polvisien had been
which, in the crd, truelit nor he gratified. I 'mle for the gracingl diminution of the public dill ; but no direction
Sir W. Score said, that before he could agree to the removal of
had been given to the Commissioners us to the mode in wh w irh the '-
tiny of the iiisabilities ue e
der which the Catholics at present labred,
mense stock purchased by them was to by applied. Since the esti&
he must be satisfied that a necessity did ceist for such a meivitire, and
blishment of the SitiLitig Fund, debts had neer. contracted to a much
this a necessity nor arising wit of idle and chhourical spec elations,•
but tinin serious and alarnlieg danger to the state. lie could t.y us, ereater amount thou those that were liquidated ; iind he thought it
means agree that there was no danger to the Constitution in tile dd Vl,uld have been advantageous, if, at that time, a Sinking Fund had been
mission of the Catholic to the privileges of the State. He thou lit apelicd to the liquidation of the debt contracted in each year. Then she
they ought to be cei_lnded treat such offices as required the :Rimini- i whole of the public debt amounted to 258 millions. When Mr. Pitt
seratiot; 01 justice in twitters connected with the ecclesiastical effairs ; established the Sinking Fund for reduci• g that di. ht, I.e !peptised, that
fer he cotill post con.eni to have qteeztion.: respecting Protestant Eccle-
whenever it rei.eheil the annual sum of four millions, the Fnnd might
siasti.ell EstAtishments submitted to Catholic Judges. Vl'ith rest ect
then be reduced. That debt bad since hero discharged
by the opera-
to the (Alice el Chaticellor, he tveuld -.poi nit, whether it would be
eon of the Fund. But a very large additional debt had since been
prulent to select a Cateolie :idyl:et to the throne, or whether:, ca
thole; shoulA be o a.le the keeper et the It co, al conseicuce ?--To the created; and a plan might be adapted, hy which that debt midst be
siteetion ot Privy Coe, cillors he ceticeiY•d them equally ineligible, liquidated much sooner than it otherwise could he done. The alteration
as twestion:; lisp stint; the totabi;shed Religion weul.i freqmetl I which took place in the Sinking Fund in 1802, was Mr. Pitt's plan
.. ___ __ __ ...___,...............1 .1.., .1, ~,,..eet reeteepi Tie•er. wet new in the hands of the Commissionets tor liunidatine the
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