The Sun.
London, England, 1814-03-26 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PA El LI AMENT.

, . .
tIOUSE OF LORDS, FRIDAY,
Lordships were this day almost
sively eiiga4.,,ed in the dispatch of-jtn
In the.' Appeal Case of Baillie v. Dick, Leach'and 1.-Jeald
were heard for the Appellant, Pigott and Romilly'for the Re-
spondent, and Leach in -reply. Jindurnent affirmed without_
costs. In the case of- Bernal v. 114irquis' of Donegall,'Ro-
milly and Hart were heard for the Appellant. Further hear-
ing on Monday.
Mr. Irvine, from the Custom-house, pr.-ientef.l. the .annual
account of imports and exports.—Laid on the table.
Grant's Indemnity Bill was read a second tiate.--Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS,

Sir WILLIAM-c-AIRTIS obtained leave to bring in a Bill
to alter and amend the Act relative to the Thames Naviga-
tion, and for widening and improving the same westwards of
London Bridge.
On the notion of Alderman ADKINS, the farther consi-
deratiorrof the Bill for regulating the Master Baker's Trade
in London', was postponed till the Gth of April.

-ELECTION LAWS .1N IREL.NND: '
Sir FREDERICK FLOOD gave notice, that Shortly after
the recess, lie should move for leave to bring tit a Bill to assi-
milate the law-of Ireland to that of this country, as far as re-
spected the limitation of the time of the poll at county elee-
tiou fin alluded to the rezeat long protracted
poll for the county of NiaTo, is Ireland.

CORRUPTION OF BLOOD, &e.
SirS.ROMILLY brought in his two Bills, the one•for tak-
ing away the corruption 0* blood, as a consequence of attain-
der for treason or felony ; and the other, for altering thepu-
nisliments in Cases of treason. . . .

Both those Bills,;vrreread a first time, and ordered do be
read a second time on the 18th of April.
Mk. W. SMITH moved for, and-obtained leave to bring in
tWo Dill's, the one respecting-the Irish oftlt d;oics ; and the
other, for the better prevention of.the crime of stealing chil-
dren.
The Hogue resolVed itself into a Committee on the West-
India Trade Act, and a Bill WAS ordered to be brought in for,
the reviving and continuing the said Act.
The Legal (duals Bill was read a second time, and cote-•
mitted fur Monday.
CLERGY PENALTY BILL. .
The Clergy Penalty Bill was read a second time,
and ordered to be conttm►itted.
Sir WLLLIAM SCOTT begged leave to say a few
words, to account for his absence yesterday. He
was not aware that any thing was likely to occur
which required his presence, or he would bave
been found in his place. He was, however, much
surprised to hear that it had been said, that, he
had taken the Clergy Penalty Bill out of ifiebands
of another Gentleman: He had hoped that his
general character, and his conduct in that House,
would have protected him from such an imputa-
tion ;• and nothing was less founded- on fact. It
must be within the recollection of the House,
that the Bill which had been proposed had failed
in its effect ; for nothing more was intended by
it than to protect the Clergy from vexatious pro-
secutions ; and it could not have Veen adapted to
subsequent occurrences, unless-some prospective
clauses had been introduced, The fact was, that
the Hon. Gentleman expressed his entire dis-
inclination to- undertake the Bill ; be knew per-
fectly well the difficulties which would attend it,
and he (Sir Williatu), for his own part, did
not undertake it without peat reluctance ; in-
deed, he only entered upon the painful task, front
an imperative sense of his duty, as he was certain
he should encounter a strong opposition: But he-
Would assure the Hon. Member, that without dis-
claiming the' share be had in framingthe Bill, it
contained clauses not more repugnant to his mind
than to the Hon. Gentleman himself ; but of the
two imperfect measures he should certainly prefer
that which wept to protect the 'Clergy from perse-
cution ; though lie thought that the incongruities
in the last=mentioned Bill might have, been re-
moved, if the framers had availed themselves of
certai❑ pairs of the former one. He was perfectly
ready to admit, that a Bill brought• forward
without mature consideration, on a subject which
had-slumbered for three centuries, could only be
an experimental measure. It had been said that he
had cha-unted the praises of the Bill ; but' he had
never been heard to do so in pablie or in private.
He would, however, exert his humble efforts to
render it more perfect ; but it would, after all,
lay with the Legislature itself to make it very dif-
ferent from what it is.

Mr. WUITBREAD• was very sorry that be bad
given cause for displeasure to the on. Gentle-
man, by his speech of yesterday. however,;
the Hon. Member would now give the benefit of
his advice and. assistance, then he (Mr. Wll4-
bread) should think that he had done a public be-
nefit, by accidentally reviving his slumbering ta-
lent 4- He meant no iMputation on the. Learned
Gentleman, when he said that he- had taken the
Bill outofthe.hands of the Member for Somer-
set ; but he meant to say, that the Right Hon.
Gentleman was selected for the purpose of int,-
proving tire" Bill ; and it must be admitted., that
in undertaking the task, be had mei with ninny
difficulties, which made him uneasy ; but, whe-
ttlier the objectionable clauses were or were
not of his proposing, it was equally his duty
'to- come forward, and give the benefit Of
his great learning. and talents ; particularly as
he had admitted, that he only adopted the
Bill as the least of two evils, and as it was
found to bear so heavily on the Clergy, he
ought to appear As a private •individual, and
-tell us how to remedy these ambiguous clauses,
in every stage. For himself, he had no lilitation
in declaring his opinion, that, if the Bill were
carried into complete operation-, there 'never was
a ptriod at which -the'establishment has been in
such imminent danger as it will be by the pursuit
and ruin Of such a numerous and reverential body
by the common informer. :When (said Mr. W.)
We see all-the Clergy in danger of being dragged
to prison, and prevented from the benefit of
Acts, it must be admitted to be the great
-est blow the Church ever felt. • lie repeated that,
without having any intention to htirt the Hon.
Gentleman's. feelings, he was glad he had made
the observations which had urged him to come for-
ward and he hoped he would turn his.seliousat,-
, tendon to this measure, now there was such an open
field. for the exercise of his great abilities and thus
he would do an eminent service to-the Church
and the Clergy. He did n.ot.say the, Honourable
Gentleman had chaunted the praises of his Bill.
But here was its grand 'error : every day teemed
with instances of the grossest fraud on the part of
the informer, in consequence of the whole of the
penalties. being given to him. Wright entrapped
Clergymen into certain situations, where they had
no remedy, and then said, " If you don't give
the a large sum of money to stay proceedings, I
will throw you into prison, and be your ruin for
life." Mr. Whitbread then concluded by saying,

that hy his conduct on tills, important subject,.
1)014 yesterday and to-day, he thought he had
dicharged. his duty to the House and the Country.
The Bill was,then ordered to be committed on
Monday.