The Sun.
London, England, 1836-03-31 00:00:00

BOROUGH OF STAFFORD.

Lord HATHERTON moved that there be laid before the
House an account of the number of freemen and householders
in Stafford. The Noble Lord stated that he did this with a
view to the discussion that was to take place on the Stafford
Disfranchisement Bill.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE moved that the notes
of the evidence taken before the Select Committee on the
Stafford Disfranchisement Bill be printed.
DEPUTY RECORDER OF LEEDS.
Lord WHARNCLIFFE presented a petition from the In-
habitants of Leeds praying the House to appoint a Deputy
Recorder.
LETTERS STEALING (BAIL) BILL(SCOTLAND.)
The Duke of RICHMOND said, before this Bill
wig rend a third time, he wished to know whether this
Bill prohibited bail from being taken in the case of
individuals who might be accused of stealing letters. A Bill
had been passed last year, by which any person accused
of stealing letters in England might be bailed, and
he did not see why there should be any distinction
between the two countries. He had only risen to call the
attention of his Noble Friends to it, in order that they might
see whether it was absolutely necessary that a difference should
be made in the law of the two countries.
The LORD CHANCELLOR believed the present Bill
only prescribed a certain mode in which bail was to be taken,
-and he had understood that if that precaution had not been
taken, the ordinary course of taking bail in Scotland will be
ineffectual to secure the attendance of the party accused.
The Earl of H A DDINGTON did not see any reason why
the further consideration of the Bill should not be deferred till
after the recess.
The Earl of ROSEBERY had been a member of the
Select Committee appointed to consider this Bill ; and he be-
lewd it had been agreed that a Bill of this nature would be
highly practicable; therefore, perhaps the better way would
b;.! to po,tpone it for a short period, in order to sec whether
it was limited to the obleet stated by the Noble and Learned
Lord on the Woolsack.

RAILROADS.

The Duke of LE IN STER moved for a Committee of En-
quiry on the subject of Railroads.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE expressed his appro-
bation of the motiin of the Noble Duke. and suggested,
in order that the duties of the Committee might be
ceore clearly d&ined, that the words " to enquire
into the existing facilities of intercourse between the United
Kingdoei and our Colonies of America."
Lord ROSLYN suggested that the words " and means" be
inserted after the word " facilities."
The iiTTAICSD OWN E assented to the propo-
sition, and begged to state that his Noble Friend at the
bead of the Admiralty had instituted an inquiry as to
the best ports on the Western Coast of Ireland for Rail-
way communications
ROMAN CATHOLIC HOUSES OF WORSHIP.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE rose, in pursuance of a no-
tice, to move for a ram of the number of Catholic Chapels.
It had been stated that Popery was greatly on the increase in
this country, and if such was the fact, and that any danger
was to he apprehended, it was right that the House should he
in possession of the information. He bad read a para-
graph in a newspaper called the Newcastle Journal which
if correct would certainly tend to confirm the truth of
-what he had stated, viz., that forty years a:o there
-were but thirty Roman Catholic chapels in Great Britain ; in
I 535, there were 510, eleven of which were erected in that year.
In addition to this there were eight Popish colleges, 52 semi-
naries, and a great many monasteries and convents. The
paragraph also stated that the great majority of the
Reporters for the Public Journals were Irish Papists.
The Noble Duke concluded by moving for a return of the
number of Roman Catholic Chapels in Great Britain, with the
dates of their erection—of the number of monastic establish-
ments, whether for males or females, with the number of persons
in each of the Catholic colleges, and other places of education,
distinguishing those which were of the Jesuit order—of the
number of Roman Catholics in Great Britain in the year
1799, and their progressive increase down to the present
period. _ _

Viseount tit MELBOURNE had no objection to some
of the returns moved for by the Noble Duke, as he
did not see that any harm could arise from them; but he
wished to state with respect to many points on the motion, that
it would, he feared, he impossible to be complied with.
Government could make the return so far as the number of
places of Catholic worship, and the dates of the
licenses granted to them—( Hear, hear, hear)—as to other
Dissenter,. With respect to the second, the Noble Lord
knew that there was a provision in the Roman Catholic
Relief Act, requiring a registry of all males entering monastic
institutions ; and if any members were since admitted, there
was a severe penalty for not complying with the Act, and the
party would be guilty of a misdemeanor. But he believed
that did not extend to nunneries. As to Catholic Colleges,
he could not see how men could be prevented from establishing
schools for the education of persons professing that
religion, and he did not know how there could be a return of
these more than of the Dissenters, and of the Established
Church. With respect to the number of Catholics in Great
Britain in 1799, there were no means for ascertaining them.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE conceived that there would
be a possibility of complying with the motion made by him. In
every direction Popery was spreading. He had received a letter
from a gentleman, who ,had not subscribed his name to the letter
( A laugh)—stating that at St. Leonard's and Hastings there
was a large establishment of Roman Catholics ; and at Stoney-
burst it was well known that there was a Jesuits' establishment.
He saw the bull by which it was established, and it was described
as that of the Jesuits' order. He hoped the returns would be
granted.
Lord HOLLAND thought that they had no power to en-
quire into any man's religion. The means of carrying the object
into effect would be nothing more or less than giving to
the Protestant Clergy of Great Britain the Popish power of
examination and confession.—( Hear, hear.) Thefirst doctrine
of the Protestant religion was that no man had a right to say
or to judge what were the religious opinions of another.--.
( Hear, hear.)
Lord HADDINGTON recommended the Noble Duke to
add to his motion the words " where information could be
officially obtained."
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE had no objection to the
returns as a matter of curiosity ; but the Noble Duke had, in
his opinion, stated no Parliamentary grounds for the making
of the returns called for.
After a few words from the Duke of NEWCASTLE,
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE hoped the Honse would
not impose so invidious a task on the Clergy of the
Church of England as that sought to be imposed upon them
by the Noble Duke; because, if the motion of the Noble Duke
was acceded to, the whole of the Protestant Clergy would be
set to work to institute an inquisition into who were Papists or
Antinomians.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE believed the Jesuits
were 'suppressed by the Pope before the Noble Duke took
them in and.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE said that if the House did
not agree to his motion, he should advertise in the newspa-
pers for all persons to send him such information as they could
relative to monastic institutions.
The Earl'of WINCHIL SEA said the Noble Duke had a
right to the returns to see how far the protection given by
the Catholic Relief Bill had been enforced.--( Hear, hear.)
The return of the number of licensed places of worship was
then agreed to, the words " so far as the same may be ascer-
tained" having been introduced on the suggestion of Viscount
Melbourne, and the other returns were negatived.
U e motion of the Duke of RICHMOND the stand-
e on the Library of the House of Lords was
hoetyr s then adjourned to Tuesday, April
30.
12.
OFG-s"----MMONS, MA
E ENook the chair at three o'clock.
S\ .4JI.INDAY OBSERVANCE.
11; gy presented a petition from the boatmen and
`4. ing on the river Severn ; and on the Birmin" g.
set';.