The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-24 00:00:00

Zbirb Zbition

SUN OFI-10E, Set crt Clack.

IMPERIAL PA_RLIAMENT,

(THIS DAY.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
(Coatirmea from our Afternoon Edition.)
P.OMAX CATHOLIC RELIEF BILL.

The House the:a resolved itself into Committee on this Bill.

Sir R.H. INCeLIS said this Bill had been so much maagled
and mutilatod, that those who read it originally could
scarcely recngnise it now. Still, changed as it was, sufficient
was left beehind to justify him in moving that the Chairman
do leave the chair, and sit again that day six months. At
the present time the Church of Rome, throughout the world,
and ',specially in this country, was not such as to claim their
se.ial indulgence. _At the present moment it was well known
the supporters of that Church were introducing the
question. of mixed marriages into this country, which had
caused so much discussion on the Centinent. They had all
heard of the commotions at Cologne over mixed marriages.
In Frantz, also, there had been much ill feeling engendered
through the same cause; and in this country a Roman Ca-
tholic. 'bishop had laid down the doctrine, that in the case of
a mie.ed marriage it should be enjoined on the male parent
that he should bring up all the children in the Roman Catholic
faith. As a member of the English Protestant Church, he
could not consent to,extending further privileges to parties
who were acting in this manner. The Right Hoe]. Baronet
cotacluded by moltsg as an amendment that Mr. Greene
do leave the chair, and that the Committee sit again on that
clay six months.
Mr. WATSON thought no one would dissent from the
principle of the Bill, which was intended to remove from
the. statute-hook those obaolete penal enactments to the
operation of which, persons professing the Roman Catholic
faith were atilt liable. lie did not see any serious objection
to Roman Catholic bishops assuming the titles of English
bishops, but he: did not think the clause was material
to the Bill, and if the House wished, he should not object
to remove it. He should certainly persevere with the Bill.
Persons taking monastic vows were, by the law. of 1829, in
England still liable to banishment. It was feeolleh. to suppose
that these persons could prove detrimental to the Protestant
Church in a free country like England.
Sir J. GRAHAM mid it appeaeed to him that, in dealing
with so important a matter as the present, the Hon. Gentle-
man had not treated the clause with bccomiog gravity. He I
did not think that the Chloe ef reverence which belonged to the I
Protestant Church should be awarded to the Roman Catholic
h-emehy. It was DOt Lece-sary even to point out distinct
localities, that the same names of places should be selected
the Roman Catholic bishops for their distinctive titles.
't'o altow Each a prix.<2.ediug would throve a slur upon the
b:elicreSs and hierarchy et the Protestant faith which would
not be compatible with the respect which-their exalted posi-
tion entitled them to. In the second place, with regard to
the clause for regulating Roman Catholic processions, the
Hon. Gentleman did not consider that the clause as it stood
was sufficient He was decidedly of opinion that the law
as it at present stood was right both as regarded the second and
third causes of the Bill. With respect to the fourth clause,
La would confess that he did not entertain any jealousy of
the leyalty or morality of tilt regular orders of the Roman
Catholic Church. lie thought that in a country where there
were upwards of 8,000,000 Roman Catholics, it would be
neither wise nor just police, to say that the regular orders
shall not be maintained. It would not, however, be pru-
dent to deal with these matters in the way that was at pre-
sent proposed. The monastic orders required revision, and to
be data. with in a very delicate and most cautious manner.
The House was not at the present time in a position to consider
the subject in the necessary dispassionate manner, and it
would be proper to postpone the further consideration of the
measure to a future day. -
Mr. WYSE thought that the minds of the public were
made up for the reception of the principle .of the Bill.. -The
lion. Gentlernan entered- into an explanation of the titles
and discipline of the Roman Catholic hierarchy, and insti-
toted a comparison oetween the nominal titles of. the dignic
Utah* of the two churches. As regarded the clause for re-
galating the processions and dresses of the Roman Catholic
clergy, he saw no difference between it and the law
that already existed.—(llear, hear.) There was a society I
in- Ireland called the Christian Brothers, which taught a
vast number of children, and educated them to hold offices
of a superior description in the mercantile community. The
operations of that society were exceedingly circumscribed in
consequence of existing statutes, which the present proposed
Bill sought to repeal. The objections against the 'Jesuits
arou entirely out of political hostility, and not from any re-
ligions belief. It was absurd to keep on the statute-book the
imposition of penalties which it was never intended to • en-
ihrce. He cheerfully gave his support to the clauses of his
nom Friend, and trusted that the Bill would pee e unmu-
Wane!.
Atter a few words from Lord CLI VE,

Mr. B. ESCUTT considered that they ought to 416 away
with the enactments which were a disgrace to the statute•
book, and he was of opinion that the changes which had
been made in the bill to meet the views of those who
were opposed to it, ought now, considering the
spirit which had heea evinced, to be removed, and that
they, shonkl stead on the original principles of to'e -ation.
The time was ripe for a decision on the question, and he
hoped the Howe would not consent that such arbitrary
and intolerant enactments should longer disgrace the
country. The principles on which the Bill was founded
were not those of the present day, and if they were then
defeated they would prevail, and that at no distant day.' •

Mr. AISERT FITZGEhALD adverted to the conduct of
a curate of the Established Church, at Yocghal, who had
preached a sermon to the effect that no Protestant could be
sated unless he insisted on the conversion of his Catholic
servants, and that no Protestant should hold any communi-
cation whatsoever with Catholics. A relative of his, a colonel
in the army, was so disgusted that he walked out of the
church and several other military men did the same. The
Bey. Gentleman by means of his bi"ctry was noticed by his
bisbo2 and mace rector of Niacroom.-(Cries of " Name.")
Mr. Swanston.--(Rear, hear.) Quakers and nuns were al-
lowed to wear their dresses and habits in the streets, and he
id not see why friars should not be allowed to do the same.

sJid that if this Was merely a question
of- toleration he should be quite ready to support the
Bill, but be did not think that it 11-35, and it proposed to
pt.,ngnise a body—the Je.3aits—instituted for political pur-
r-cm?, ha:iu,-.; 'dangerous objects and using dangerous
means to effect them. He believed :them also to be a
body inculcating a bad system of morality--Alat had been
officially .denounced by every country in Europe; they had
been banished from no less than thirty-nine countries, they
had been put down by a bull from the Pope himgelt; and he
was sure that such a just Pontiff would never have
cmsented. to such an act if the Jesuits *ere not
a bad and dangerous body.
Mr. ESTCOURT stoutly supported the amendment.
The restrictions had endured without having ever bean en-
forced, and they would have a wholesome effect in prevent-
ing any improper aggression on the part of _ the Roman Ca-
thane elergy.
Lord SEtItIOUR considered that it was most unchristian
to maintain these statutes; if the Church had no other secu-
rity than these enactments it stood upon a very insecure
foundation indeed, but he hoped it was quite secure enough
without any of these paltry enactments. He would support.
the Bill.

Mr. REDINGTON considered that a very unfair attack.
had been made upon the Jesuits. The Jesuits had been sup-
pre.,ed in Italy from purely political reasons, and not from
any improper principles which they advocated.
kr. COLQUHOUN said ha perfectly agreed with the Hon.
Baronet, that the law was at present not in a satisfactory
state. fie bad received a letter from a friend of his
residing in the city of Dublin, which informed him that
there alone there were twenty convents and ten mo-
mwetes. The law was inefficient, and he s!;ould not be
averse to see an efficient registry of all these orders; and a
friend of his had suggested to him a mode by which it could
be done, namely, by causing the inspectors of police to
snake returns of those which existed in those districts.
Mr. WYSE explained that what he stated about the
Christian Brothers was from actual observation and not
he trsay.

Mr. LABOI3C HERE said the question was whether the law
should remain as it was, or be amended, and from its present
state he should be surprised if the Committee would
not proceed to consider the provisions of the Bill.
It had been admitted by those opposed to the Bill that the
law regarding monastic institutions was in a most unsatis-
factory state. If so, then, why not at once proceed to a re-
n:l4o ? The provisions of the present law could nct be car-
ried out—why, then, retain them in the statute-book? Those
provisions were opposed to the liberal spirit of the
age, and he, fill* one, should the Government attempt to
carry them out, which he must say they had never shown a
disposition to do, he would be one that would give them
every opposition in his power. The whole question required
to be considered, and he hoped it would be done dispas-
sionately and calmly, so as to effect a remedy.
As a Member of the Church of England, lie should
be ashamed of it, if he thought it, could not
maintain itself without persecuting the Roman Catholics,
and inflicting on them disabilities. There was a time when
the Jesuits exercised a dangerous controul over despotic
states. But times had elianged;—they had a free
preae, the benefits of public eiscussion, and a popular
representation now, before which it was impossible the Jesuits
could display the power and command men's consciences as
they did in former timed. To reject the Bill from such fears at
tae present day was most absurd. He would give Lis rote in ,
Ziredt iOnf &In:" order that the subject might be con-
Lord JOHN iteeee-NErs entirely differed with the Hon.
Member for Newcastle (..A0 i,cCeolquhoun). He did not think
the passing of tile 11111 w
the manner he had statedll. INNltnger the
English Church in
taartdotoctbe present law,
the claugeS in it againet itoieenre
inopera-
tiveer:ameineto
; they could not be carri
u e. 4 into effect. He b
lieved, that since the present eee,n_
put the
office, an application had been
Dr. 31. 'Hale but made
clauses into effect against a they wisel
The main point or
refueed.—(Hear, hear.) the
before the House was the removal of the disabilities against
the Jesuit.e. The Bill proposed to do this,_ and hence it d
ilia support. He for ono apprehended no. (aP er in En laL
from that order interfering with political qgue.stion.s.g He
Mtever recollected a single instance of any
coun-
try interfering in auch a manner; but, on the ether hand,
Jesuit in this ,
they had always been notorious for confining themselves to
their religious.duties.
31. r. NEWDEGATE could not agree with the Noble Lord
who lad just sat down.. The constitution- of the Jesuits now
was the same it hid ever been, and as inimical to_ civil and
religiotie liberty, ' He hoped the Government would not,
without mature inquiry, proceed to interfere with- the
,pro-
visions of the Act of 1529. It had been admitted religions
orders were inereasiug in this country, and theretbre they
aught not from a feeling of mistaken philanthrophy to re-
weaved the protection against their encroachment, which the
law as it now stood afforded.
211 r. WATSON briefly replied, when the gallery *as
cleared for a division.

**V
120
80
-4)

On our re-admission there appeared—
For tha motion that. the Chairman do now
Wve the. chair
•
gain.st it
Majority against the Bill . ....
'The constquntly lost.
The Hausa resumed.
BANKRUPTCY AND INSOLVENCY BILL.

This Rill was read a second time, and ordered to be cow-
batted to-morrow.
.1.317.1T1T BY ACCIDENTS COMPENSATION' BILL.
The second reading of this Bill was postponed.
POOR REMOVAL BILL.
Sir J. GRA.IL.A3I could not say, in the present stale of
ptxblic business, when they could go into Committee on this
Bill, hilt he would 4.s Monday next.
CORONERS,' (IRELAND) BILL.

The House resolved itself into Committee on this Bill.
The several clauses ct this Bill were agreed to, and the
report ordered to be brought up to-morrow.
The Rouse then resumed.
NEW ZEALAND BILL.

The VILLNCELLOP. of the EXCHEQUER brought in
Ulla Bill, which was read a lint time, aid ordered to be read
4 ettood iwe on Itlondqy nest.