The Sun.
London, England, 1825-02-16 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Mr. F. BUXTON brought in a Bill for enabling the Alliance
Company to sue and be sued in the person of their Secretary.—
Read a first time, and ordered for a second reading.
Mr. H. DAVIS presented a petition for leave to bring in a
Bill to modify the Town Dues of the City of Bristol. He was
instructed to say, that this measure was determined on bylhe
Corporation of Bristol before any similar one was originated by
Other parties. The Corporation gave up their right to the
public, by reducing the produce of these dues from 60001. a
year to 30001.
After a few words from Mr. S. RicE, the petition was refer-
red to a Committee.
Mr. GORDON presented a petition from Aberdeen against
the law relating to Attornies—Laid on the table.
Petitions were presented from Swansea and Ilfracombe,
against the Duty on Seaborne Coals.
Petitions were presented from the Chamber of Commerce of
the Portof Newcastle, and from the Port of Sunderland, in fit-
your of the St. Catharine's Dock Bill.
CATHOLIC CLAIMS.
Mr. DICKENSON presented a petition from the Archdea-
con and Clergy of the Archdeaconry of Bath, against any fur-
ther concessions being made to the Catholics. Also a petition
ofahe same nature from the Inhabitants of the City of Bath
and its neighbourhood. The petitioners stated, that they had
seen with satisfaction the concessions formerly granted to the
Catholics, but they were now alarmed at the insults which that
body threw upon the Protestant Church, arid prayed that the
House would hand down the Constitution as they found it to
posterity. The Hon. Member declared that his mind was made
up upon the question, but that if lie had previously entertained
any doubt, recent circumstrnces would lead hint to say with the
petitioners, that they must now stop and maintain the Constitu-
tion as they found it.
Sir I'. LET I 1 BRIDGE was glad to hear these sentiments
fall from his lion. Colleague, and concurred entirely with those
expressed by the Petitioners. Those sentiments he believed
were such as animated the great bulk of the people of this
country, and of that part of them who were not, as he had heard
them described in that House, the low and vulgar. He knew
them to be the sentiments of that portion of the clergy and
principal laity whom he had the honour to represent, and from
them he should shortly have to present similar petitions, not
perhaps couched in the same words, but breathing the same
spirit. lie trusted that they would have the effect of rousing a
feeling in that House which should be consonant to the feeling
of so large and respectable a body of the people.
Sir M. W. RIDLEY expressed his regret to find that per.
sons, of so much respectability as the petitioners, should put
their names to such intemperate and inflammatory language as
that contained in the petition. It was impossible for them, if
they had heard the debates which had just passed on all sides
of the House, to say with justice that the Catholic body had in-
sulted the Protestant Church. He certainly regretted the con-
duct of the Catholic Association, but he was convinced they
had injured no one but the Catholics themselves.
Mr. C. HUTCHINSON should not consider that he had
done his duty if he suffered such a libel upon the Catholic
body as that contained in the Petition to pass without his ear-
nest protest a?ainst it. It was impossible that there could be
more falsehood or more indecency than existed in the charges
made by the Petitioners against the Catholics. lie would cau-
tion the Hon. Baronet, and other Members of that House,
against coming forward with such petitions ; for if they conti-
nued,so to provoke six millions of the people, they would shake
I the empire to its foundation.
Mr. DICKINSON denied that there was any thing improper
in the language of the Petition ; it was strong and firm, but
perfectly warranted by the conduct of the Catholics. One of
the insults to the Protestant Church was to be found in the de-
claration of Dr. Drumgoole, that the Protestant Church, like
other novelties, had had its day, and would now soon be put an
end to.
Sir T. LETHBRIDGE said, that if the Hon. Member for
Cork thought that he, and those who thought with him, were
to be confined in the expression of their opinion, lie was never
more mistaken. He thought the Hon. Member would be ex-
ceedingly puzzled to find any thing libellous in the Petition ;
and he was quite sure that it was as different front the language
of the Catholic Petitions as any two things could be.
Sir R. HERON felt himself bound to rise, for the purpose
of relieving the people of England from a charge so libellous
and calumnious, as to say that they were not disposed to grant
farther concessions to the Catholics.
Mr. MANSFIELD said, that in consequence of what had
fallen from the Hon. Baronet who spoke last, he rose to in-
form him that as far as his constituents went, (and they were
pretty numerous), there was not one mar. in a hundred who
would not instruct him to vote against any further concessions
to the Catholics. This opinion had been called a vulgar pre-
judice ; and if it were so, he had imbibed it so deeply, that he
should give such a vote whenever the question came before the
House.
After a few words from Mr. W. SMITH, the petitions were
ordered to be printed.
THE TREAD-WHEEL. _ _ _

Mr. DAWSOIsI presented Copies of Papers spewing the re-
sult of the enquiry carried on lay the direction of the Secretary
of State for the Home Department, relative to the Tread-
wheel.—Ordered to be printed.
Copies were ordered to be laid before the House of the last
Report received by the Secretary of State for the Home De-
partment, frem the National Vaccine Establishment.
Sir J. NEWPORT presented a petition from Waterford,
praying for an Equalization of the Spirit Duties.—Laid on the
table.
Sir R. HERON gave notice, that on Tuesday, the 22d of
this month, he should move for leave to bring in a Bill to
amend the laws relative to Sewers.
COUNTY COURTS BILL.
Lord ALTHORPE moved that the County Courts Bill be
referred to a Select Committee, which motion being carried,
and the Committee apointed, the Noble Lord also moved,
" that it be an instruction to the Committee to inquire into the
cases of such persons as held offices for life, the value of which
will be diminished by the said Bill if it shall pass into a law,
and to report their opinion thereupon to the House."
Agreed to.
Sir E. HARVEY presented petitions from Beaconsfield and
Wykeham in favour of the above Bill.
Mr. HUME postponed his notice of a motion relative to per-
sons returned from India till to-morrow.
Mr. HUME moved for a renewal of the order for returns of
the number of persons charged with criminal offences, and
committed to the jails of England and Wales, chewing the
number executed by summary process, extending them to the
year 1824. Also for similar returns in respect to Scotland and
Ireland.—Ordered.
Mr. HUAIE also moved for the renewal of the order for cer-
tain returns relative to the imports and exports of gold and sil-
ver, and the quantities coined..—Ordered.
Mr. HUAI E gave notice that he should to-morrow move for
an account of the expenditure of the Naval Votes of last year.
Sir H. HARDINGE said, that the Hon. Member should
have whatever returns he wanted, although they were already
before the House.

LAW OF JURIES.
Mr. LEYCESTER gave notice, on the part of his Hon.
Friend, the Member for Essex, that he should, soon after
Easter, again bring forward his Bill relating to Juries.

ASSOCIATIONS IN IRELAND.
Mr. GOULBUItN moved the order of the day for resuming
the Adjourned Debate on the first reading of the Bill for sup-
pressing certain unlawful Associations in Ireland.
Sir ROBERT WILSON could not give a silent vote on the
present question, but he should detain the House only a short
time in the observations he had to offer. The Chancellor of the
Exchequer had stated last night that the people of England
were universally hostile to Catholic Emancipation. When the
present state of Ireland was considered, that assertion rendered
it imperative of Members to submit their opinions fully to the
House. The Chancellor of the Exchequer declared with an
air of triumph that no opponent of the Bill had ventured to con-
tend for the constitutional conduct of the Catholic Association.
But his Majesty's Ministers had no right to advance that taunt
where there were no documents before Parliament on which a fair