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

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Mr. TR/ifT took the oaths and his seat.
The Dublin Equitable Loan Bill, and the Thames Tunnel
Bill were severally read a third time and passed.
Petitions were presented from Hadleigh, in Suffolk; from
Rye, in Sussex ; and from-Holywell, in Flintshire, praying for
inquiry into the late proceedings against Mr. Smith, at Deme-
rara. —Ordered to lie on the table.
Colonel WODEHOUSE presented a petition from certain
Justices of the Peace in the County of Norfolk, praying for
the removal of the Lent Assizes from Thetford to Norwich.
After a few words from Mr. RIDLEY COLBORNE, Mr. W.
SMITH, and Mr. C. HARVEY, the petition was read, and or-
dered to be printed.
Colonel WODEHOUSE gave notice that he would to-mor-
row move for the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire
into the subject.
Mr. T. WILSON presented a petition from the Merchants,
Traders, and Ship-owners of the " Port of London against the
practice of Impressing Seamen.—Ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. ROBERTSON moved for Account of the Annual
Revenue and Expenditure of Molacca during the time it was
in the possession of the British.—Ordered.
Mr. GRAT rAN presented a petition from the Catholic
In-
habitants'of the County and Town of Galway, praying to be
relieved from the existing restrietions.—Ordered to .lie on V •
table.
BELFAST INSTITUTION.
Lord A. HILL presented a petition
cademtc lnsti-
Vice-Governo n 1 Members of the Belfast Academic
rs, a t to inqdire
tution, praying that the Commissioners appointede Education of
into the State of Public Establishment 9, for th
from the Governors,

P_R.ICE StVENPltlilek,

Youth in Ireland, might be directed to inquire into the stab
of p2e.lielfy4t Institution. .

Mr. GOULIIU,R.N.sitieT, it might be proper to enquire into,
the state of the BeTfaSt `institution, but he did not see that it'
would be right to divert the attention of Commissioners ap-
pointed for other purposis froth Objects of - paramount import-
ance to make the proposed inquiry. Consistently with the ori-d‘,
ginal intention of t,at Commission, he did not see that it could
be.done as the object of that was to inquire into the state of esta-
blishments receiving aid from the public. At present the in?
habitants defray the expellee of the establishment themselves,
and he did not know that it would be expedient in the case ofa,
town so populous to aid the institution in question by a grant
•
of the.public money.

Mr. AIIERCROMBY was astonished at the conduct pur-
sued by Governmenrwith respect to the Belfast Institution.—
the nature of the Institution known, and the manner in whio
it had been conducted, he should have thought that their.
greatful thanks would haye
.been given with ready aid to
the present petitioners. It was monstrous to refuse any.
thing from the public money in support of such an institu-
tion, because it was connected with ' a populous town. It was
not an annual grant that was wanted, but merely temporari:
and for a particular purpose. The managers wished all parts
of. their conduct to be subjected to a strict inquiry, beeaUse
,they knew the result could not but redound to their honour.—.
He complained of the niggardly policy of Ministers, and refer-
ring to former p.rocedings, threw out an idea that their conduct
had then been-influenced by a desire to extend their patronage.
to the appointment of the officers of the Institution. Ile con-.
sidered the establishment for the instruction of Presbyterian
Ministers to be one that ought to be supported, as it was one of
national importance.
The petition was. then read. On the motion that it should,
be printed;
Mr. FORD spoke to the excellent management, so far as be.
was competent to judge, of the Belfast Institution. He gave
, his cordial assent to the-motion. _

ILA la 5.....,1,6".4s
Mr. S. RICE supported the prayer of the petition, and
moved as an amendment to the motion for the printing of the:
petition, an Address to his Majesty, praying him to direct the
Commissioners appointed to inquire into the State of Educa-
tion in Ireland, to take into their early consideration the state of
the Belfast Establishment, and report to the House their opi=
nions on the same.
Sir J. NEWPORT maintained the state of the Belfast Esta=
blishment was a legitimate subject for inquiry, and seconded
the amendment.

Mr. GOULBURN again admitted the propriety of looking
at the state of the Belfast Institution, but objected to calling.
the attention of Commissioners appointed for a different pur-
pose to leave that which was of paramount importance at Once,
to enter upon this. Had he brought forward a proposition like.
that now before the House, when the Hod. Baronet moved foi
the appointment of the present Commission, he was confident
that that lion. Baronet would have complained of such a pre-:
ceetling as being intended to defeat the object of his snotion.—
The lion. and Learned Gentleman had said that no annual
grant was asked. He begged to state that it had always been
understood that the Governors called for an annual grant, tar,
cover the annual expences. The Government had refused this,
and not a single grant of MOO/. as had been supposed. He
denied that their conduct, on a former occasion, had been in-
fluenced by any wish for patronage connected with that esta-
blishment. Their conduct was regulated by a wish not to en=
courage Institutions which went to separate persons of different
religions. Such establishments the Right Hon. Baronet strongly
objected to in some instances, and it was only the case of the
Belfast Institution that he approved of the principle on which
they were formed.
Some conversation followed, in which Mr. S. RICE, Mr. C.
HuTclimsoN, Sir J. NEWPORT, and Mr. GOU'LISURN par-.
ticipated, and the last mentioned Hon. Gentleman again ex-
plained what he had previously advanced.
Mr. Secretary PEEL rose to plead " Not Guilty" to the
charge against Ministers for having on a former occasion de-
sired to possess themselves of the patronage of the Belfast In-
stitution. He briefly described what really did take place,'
explained the course which had been pursued, and the reasons
which had influenced his conduct. These stated, he trusted be
had satisfied the House that the charge preferred by the Hon.
and Learned Gentleman against the Government of a former
day was unfounded. He had no objection to the Commis-
sioners extending their inquiries to the Belfast Institution, but
he thought it would be inexpedient that the attention of the
Commissioners should be first drawn to this subject, when
other matters of superior importance claimed their attention.
Those attended to, he had no objection to their subsequently
inquiring into the state of the Belfast Institution.
Mr. s. RICE expressed his entire concurrence in this propo-
sition. By that course being taken which the Right Hon.
Gentleman had suggested, his object would be gained, and he
would therefore, with the permission of the House, under these.
circumstances withdraw his amendment.
A further conversation took place across the table in whish-
Mr. ABERCROMBY, Mr. BROUGHAM, Sir J. NEwPoRT,
and Mr. Secretary PEEL participated. The Right Hon. Se-
cretary again distinctly disclaimed any attempt on the former
occasion, to which reference had been made, to gain the patron-
age of the Belfast Institution. He had declined exercising a
veto on the appointment of the Officer, from an apprehension
that; imperfectly informed as he must be of the merits of this
parties, it might be the cause of his doing serious wrong.
He apprehended it was in the power of the Crown to autho.
rize the Commissioners to extend their inquiries to the Belfast
Institution. Should this not prove to be the case, lie on the
very first day of the ensuing Session, would move for leave W
bring in a Bill to remove any obstructions that might stand
la-
the way.
The Petition was ordered to be printed.
Mr. CORE presented a Petition from Robert Gourley and
other individuals, praying the Repeal of certain Taxes.-..Qr..dered to be printed.
Petitions were presented from Leominster, Abbotsbury,
CuckEeld, and several other' places, against the continuance
of Negro Slavery.—Ordered to lie on the table.
A petition was presented from Thetford against the propos-
ed removal of the Lent Assizes from that town to Norwich.—
Ordered to be printed.