The Sun.
London, England, 1824-06-11 00:00:00

IMPRESSMENT.

Mr. HUME presented a petition from King's Lynn, com-
plaining of the system of naval impressment. The Hon. Mem-
ber said, that if any Gentleman who read the petition could dis-
sent from its justness and policy, he should neither envy him
his opinion, nor any feeling he•possessed.
Mr. C. HUTCHINSON said, that the petitioners did not
state the extent of the grievance.—Ordered to be printed.

CATHOLIC PETITION.
Mr. C. HUTCHINSON rose to present a petition to the
House in favour of the Catholic Claims, signed. by 900 Catho-
lic inhabitants of the City of Cork. He received this petition
on Thursday last, and since then the state of the House had not
warranted him in presenting it until that evening. If it were
said that the number of signatures was small in comparison to
the Catholic population, he could assure the House that that
circumstance did not arise from the want of general feeling
upon the question amongst that class. There never was a mo-
ment when a more universal anxiety was felt and expressed by
them for the restitution of their rights, and he was happy to
state that they were now unanimously agreed as to the pro-
priety of looking to Parliament for the origin of that act of
Justice. These petitioners prayed for the total and unqualli-
tied repeal of the penal statutes under which they suffered,
and rested their claim upon the broad principles of right by
which all men were entitled to equal government. He was
glad that the petitioners had made this appeal, and he wished
to press upon the attention of the House the confidence with'
which they looked to Parliament alone for relief, and the de-
termination they expressed to continue their exertions for ob-
taining it. After this he should like to know what answer he
must make to his constituents when they asked him how it was
that Ministers had allowed the Session bypass away without
calling the attention of Parliament to this most important—to
this imperial question, as he would call it, for it was the question
of the union of the people. He wished the Right Hon. Secre-
tary for Foreign Affairs would tell him how he was to answer
the Catholics upon this point. He could not tell them that it
was owing to any misconduct of their own. Their attachment
to the-Crown and to the Members of his Majesty's family was
enthusiastic. They knew that in that Royal quarter there
was, and ever had been, a strong feeling in favour of Ireland,
and of every thing that was Irish. It was only for Ministers
to have the honesty and the justice to advise the Crown, and
relief would be cheerfully granted to the petitioners at once.—
When, therefore, he found that the Catholics were thus attach-
ed to the Crown anti the Constitution, and that they discharged
every private and public -duty with integrity and honour not
to be surpassed, he could not turn round upon them and tell
them that the indifference of the House of Commons to their
grievances and complaints arose from any misconduct of their
own. Neither could he find any thing in the circumstances
of the country, or of the times in which they lived, that
could justify the refusal. When he found all this to be the
case, and when he further found the Popedom to be power-
less and unambitious, he could devise no apology for the
conduct of Parliament. He was equally at a loss to find an
apology for the supineness of the Ministers. He could find
roneenot even an example, in the acts of those Governments
to whole they were in the habit in that House (and none
.mere than himself) of reproaching for the principles under
which they acted. Under all these circumstances he felt,
though he should be sorry for the Catholics to participate in
the feeling, seeing that nothing was likely at present to be
done in their favour—that there never could be a moment so
favourable as the present for restoring the rights of which they
were so unjustly deprived. He was proud to say that he had
always advocated this as a sacred cause. Ile was proud to
have imbibed his feelings upon the question fern a beloved
and resptzted parent, and lie was proud of belonging to a
family which, under every varying circumstance., had
every exertion to effect the great object of emancipation. But
he had not supported the cause in commiseration of the suf-
ferings of the Catholics, and on their account alone, but as a
question on which the interests of the community at large were
deeply involved. 'The Government would sooner or later be
obliged to look at the question like men, for it was impossible
to get rid of it by a side-wind. Until the Catholic populaton
of Ireland were satisfied, there could be no security for the
empire. Let the House look at what would be the state of
Ireland, in ease of war with an active enemy on the opposite
coast, if that country were left in its present insecurity. Ile
hoped that the Catholics did not despair, for he was confident
feeir cause must succeed eventually. That the petitioners did
rot despair was evident from their appeal to that House. If
tieere were Catholics who under such feelings proceeded to
Violence, he was sorry for it, for he was convinced the cause
could only be injured by their own misconduct. He moved
that the petition be brought up.
Mr. BECHEIt fully concurred in the prayer of the Peti-
tieeers, and was glad of every occasion to express his senti-
ments upon this question. He was anxious to caution the
House against suffering the statements of misconduct and error
eta_ the part of a few to weigh against the just claims of the
Catholic population of Ireland. They who were spectators of
ethea passed, were not qualified to judge of the feelings which
led to these excesses. In fact they were only so many proofs of
.the correctness of those argeunents which went to spew the ne-
cessity for removing Catholic disabilities. —(H ear !)—When he
heard of violence committed in Ireland, he could not help pic-
turing to him.elf what would be the state of England Under the
same circumstances.—( Hear !)—The country would ring front
one end to the other with the clamour that would be raised;
and a refusal to grant relief would shake the empire to its
centre. If, on the other hand, the people should display any
jod ifference to their grievances, lie should like to know whether
ttiise who possessed rank and property would rot do every thing
in their power to excite them.. He was confident that many of
,the most distinguished of those who now heard him woulld be
amongst the first to stimulate the mass of the people to a just
_sense of their degradation and suffering.—(Hear, hear I)—He
_cordially supported the bringing up of the Petition.
The Petition was brought up, read, and upon the motion of
Mr. C. HierciiiiesoN, ordered to be printed.
Mr. HUSKISSON presented two Petitions from Liverpool,
but front the manner in which they were read by the Clerk, we
--could not hear their object.
Lord NUGENT presented a .Petition from Princes Risbo-
roogh, against Slavery in the West Indies.—Laid on the table.
SCOTCH SMALL DEBTS.
Lord A. HAMILTON rose to move for leave to bring. in a
Bill to extend the operation of the Small Debt Act in Scotland,
to double the present amount. He complained that the Re-
port of a former Commission upon this subject had been suf-
fered to lie upon the table for three years unnoticed, and
that the Lord Advocate had suffered a notice which he had
given to stand over so long as to be too late for the present
Session. Upon the subject of Courts for the recovery of small
debts, be held Petitions in his hand from the incorporated
trades of Perth, Aberdeen, and another place, praying that
their power should be extended to sums of ten or twelve pounds-
..H a trusted that the late period of the Session would not be an
ejection to the introduction of his Bill. Upon the me-
rite of the case he was.satisfied there could be no objection, and
he thought none could be made upon the ground that the Re-
port had been three :years before them without any measure
being taken upon it. He intended to introduce the precise Bill
,recommended by the Commissioners of Inquiry, making the
7 sum eo- which the Act would extend la instead of 5/.
He
moved for leave to bring in a Bill to .and amend the 30th
and 40th of Geo. 111., cap. 46.
The LORD ADVOCATE objected to the motion. The
subject formed no part of the duty entrusted to the Committee.
It was not only the creditor who was to be considered. The
debtor required some consideration, and ought not to be left
b. y summary process, at the mercy of the creditor. Most of the
imprisonments in. Scotland were for small debts ; a circumstance
!finch would not be overlooked by those who disapproved of
icianapsr,issonnient for debt.. The .Edinburgh Court decided 181
each
day, at the rate of two minutes each cause—
(A laug. )—and it was not desirable to extend such a system
without much
anti
caution and consideration. The. whole •sub-
ject was under the considration of Government,; but. he had
no.ol,3jection to the
mere bringing in of the Bill, in order that
tl.e House might see it, judge for themselves of the
collies 17::ieh attended the ce:
•The Lord Advocate, in con--
ciil3i6lll. shortly j..lstified his out the military force on
room t affecting the pautzr
le 31A Nip: LL supported ticiePeace at Glasgow.
motion.
also spoke in foveae of the motion. In most,
lirr. HUMID
-caws V.-Ile-rein. the debt was. bt!t. 151., the e m
4$ Amprisonment fur nces came to more
than that snna. debt, he wished to

see it abolished altogether. In many parts of the world it had
been already abolished with much advantage to commerce.
After a few words from Lord A. HAMILTON in explanation,
leave was given to bring in the Bill.