The Sun.
London, England, 1825-03-23 00:00:00

[MORNING HERALD.

A conversation took place last night in the
House of Commons on the subject of the Catholic
Bill. Mr. Estcourt said it was rumoured that
the Bill about to be brought in by Sir F. Burdett
was to be read a second time on the 14th April,
it having been previously arranged that the Com-
mons' debate on the Bill should be on the second
reading ; but as such period would be in the
middle of the Sessions week, when many Mem-
bers who were Magistrates would be obliged
to be in the country, he wished the second
reading to be postponed till the 21st. Sir F.
Burdett replied, that he would state in a day or
two whether he could agree to the postpone-
ment. Mr. Secretary Peel expressed astonish-
ment that there should be any hesitation about
the short delay of a Bill, which, after three weeks'
preparation, was not even yet before the House.
He added, that it was rumoured that there were
either to be provisions in this Bill not to be con-
templated by the Resolutions of the House, or
that there were to he other measures besides such
Bill ; and it was therefore requisite that there
should be time amply to consider the proposi-
tions after they might have been embodied into a
Bill, as the pre-arrangement of them had occu-
pied so much time and attention. Mr. Peel at
the same time gave distinct notice, that when-
ever the second reading of such Bill might be
moved, he should take the sense of the House on
that question. Mr. Tierney requested his Hon.
' Friend Sir F. Burdett not to acquiesce in the
required postponement, .or in such case there
would be no getting the Bill to the House of
Lords till May, and that would be to send
it to their Lordships towards the latter end of
the Session. Sir Francis Burdett repeated, that
as so many of his friends were interested in the
Bill, he would give an answer in a day or two,
whether he could agree to the postponement. Mr.
Tierney assigned as a reason for the Rill not be-
ing yet brought in, that the delay was considered
of no importance, as nothing was to be done with
the Bill till after the Easter recess ; and that
his Honourable. Friend had nothing to do with
other rumoured measures. Sir F. Burdett made no
remark upon either of those points. We hope
that in the Bill to be brought forward there
will be no provision for the Catholic Clergy, for,
as we before said, if Protestants pay them, why
' should they not pay the Clergy belonging to the
Methodist, or any dissentient body. We further
hope that the independent Members in both Lords
and Commons will oppose any such scheme, as it
is very probable a certain portion of the Mini-
sters, and those friendly to what is called the Ca-
tholic Cause, have agreed upon paying the Clergy
in question. The doctrines of the • latter go to
the
_effect that the Protestants are Heretics.
And we, on the contrary, assert that the doc-
trines of the Catholic Clergy are idolatrous.
It would be curious were we to take into
our pay Clergy whose opinions we deem . of
the most dangerous nature. Gentlemeu who
have accepted office, and the emoluments of
office, may Clunk lightly 'of these things; but
the case is very different with those who be
taxed to pay the clergy in question.
NVe onder
It
the Civic body does not stir in. this matter.
makes noise enough relative to the tithe of 2_5.5,11.
w
in the pound levied in the reign of Henry' V I I.
to be paid to our own Clergy• And two or
three years since it -attributed the greater part
of the sufferings endured from taxation by the
people to the enormous sums paid to pensioners,
Now the pension list, we believe, does not ex-

ceed 250,0001. tier annum, and we are given to
understand by some of the newspapers that
Messrs. Croker, Plunkett, and Canning have
it seriously in contemplation to recommend the
Protestant people of Great Britain to pay
230,000/. annually to the Catholic Clergy. Now,
here was the Civic Body attributing all our cala-
mities to the taxation in regard of one sum, but
saying not one word in respect of the contem-
plated taxation for the other.