The Sun.
London, England, 1825-04-23 00:00:00

PARLIAMENT,

HOUSE OF LORDS, APRIL 22.
'Lord HOLLAND. presented a petition from - Thorne,
complaining of the manner in which his name had been intro-
diiced into the report of their Lordships' Committee, on the state
of Ireland, and praying to be heard by Counsel, in order that
he might refute statements injurious to his character.
The petition was ordered to be referred to the Committee on
the state of Ireland.

Several Private Bills were brought from the Commons, by
Mr. BLACLBURNE, Lord STANJ.,EY, and others.
CATHOLIC CLAIMS.
Lord HOLLAND presented a petition from the Dissenters
of Wareham, in favour of the Catholic Claims. The peti-
tioners, he observed, were anxious to vindicate themselves from
the imputation of opposing Catholic Emancipation. They con-
sidered those petitions stated to have been presented from Pro-
testant Dissenters, and praying for' the continuance of restric-
tions on their Roman Catholic trethren, to cattle frOm ignorant
persons who did not understand even the grounds of their dis-
sent from the Established Chhrch. Indeed, he had always sup-
posed that Protestant Dissenters would be the last persons in
the country who would wish to see severe punishments, or ex-
clusions, enforced on account of religious opinions ; and he con-
curred with the petitioners in thinking that the cause of religion.
was injured by such laws.

The- Threatening Letters Bill was read a third time, and
passed:

Lord COMBERMERE presented a petition from the parish of
Altriogham against the Catholic Claims.
Marquis CAMDEN presented a petition to the same effect,
from a place the name of which was, not heard. The Noble
Marquis declared that he did net concur in the prayer of the
petitioners ; and that he thought the present a period more fa-
vourable for granting the Catholic Claims than any former one
at which the question had been brought forward.
Petitions to the same effect were presented by the Bishop of
LONDON, from the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of Essex, from
the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of Middlesex, and front the
Clergy of the Archdeaconry of St. Alban's.—By the Bishop of
St. DAVID'S, from Dedham, in Essex; from a place in the
County of Cardigan; and from St. Bride's, Pembroke.—By
the Bishop of CHESTER, from the Archdeaconry of Rich-
monil, in the Diocese of Chester ; from Oldham, in Lancashire,
signed by 2,174 persons
_in the space of two days.—By Lord
Arden, from the Parish of St. Giles, in the County of North-
ampton ; from Wellingborough, in theaame county ; and from
Weston-Favel, also in the same county. •
Lord HOLLA ND rose, pursuant to the notice he had given,
to bring in a bill to repeal the law of attainder and forfeiture,
in so far as the rights of others besides the persons offending
were prejudiced. It was not necessary for him to state to their
Lordships what the law was, but the state of public opinion
was such, as induced him to think that the proper time for
altering the law was now arrived. The object of the Bill was,
to prevent forfeiture in cases of treason from extending further
than to the person and property of the offender himself, or
from extending to any titles descending, to others, and in all
cases in which the penalty was not already confined. As the
Bill he held in his hand might be considered as a Bill for re-
viving two Acts, the Act of Queen Ann and George IL, and
for repealing the Act of the 59th of the late King, it would be
proper, in the first place, for him to move that these acts be
read. Their Lordships would allow the first reading to pass,
and very soon after the Bill should be printed, he would give
notice of a day for the second reading.
The Acts referred to, above were read pro fbrma, after
which the Bill was read a first time, and ordered to be printed.
Adjourned.