The Sun.
London, England, 1833-04-02 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL ELECTION.

Mr. 13ANNERMAN, the Chairman to the Committee
appointed to inquire into the bribery and corruption at the
last Liverpool election, brought up the followingreport

" That cases of bribery and corruption have been proved at
the late election for Liverpool; but that such cases do not ap-
pear to have been with the authority of the candidates, or to
have been pursued systematically or extensively."

Sir JOHN TYRRELL gave notice that to-morrow lie
would submit a question to a member of his Majesty's
Government, respecting an assertion that was made the
other night by an Hon. Member, that the Noble Lord in
question had communicated with a Political Union,
which that Noble Lord had denied.—(Hear, hear.) The
Hon. Member was prepared to re-assert what he then
stated, and he (Sir John Tynell) would to-morrow put
a question to the Noble Lord upon it.
Mr. A. JOHNSTONE wished to put a question7to the
Noble Lord relative to the oath taken by Roman
Catholic Members, which had been brought for-
ward and discussed in the last Parliament by the
Right Honourable Gentleman, then Secretary for Ireland.
During that discussion, they had declarations from two
Hon. Members, which reflected the highest credit upon
them. Those declarations had proceeded from the Hon.
Member fur Cork, and Lord Killeen. Those Hon. Mein.
hers stated that they deemed themselves bound to abstain
from any discussion on the question. He had considered
it his du y to bring the present subj.-et forward in conse-
quence of the extraordinary statements made by the Hon.
Member opposite, that among the many evils that
Ireland laboured under, the Established Church was among
the for, m• st, and that Hon. Member bad counselled the
total destruction of that church. The Hon. Member for
the Tower Hamlets had spoken on that question he was
now en leavourine to bring before the House, and he
(Mr. Johnstone) had hoped the matter would have been
settled by the House at that time, but in consequence of
the Hon. Member fur Dublin having taken it up, the dis-
cussion on the subject was put an end to. On that
evening the Honourable Member for Dublin had
propounded a most extraordinary doctrine, which
went so far as to say, that if the measure had not
the effect of putting an end to the Irish church, he would
discuss every question raised on the Bill, with respect to
the reform of the church of Ireland. The Hon. Member
fur Tipperary hail given notice, that on going into Com-
mittee on that Bill, he should move that any surplus
that might be found in the revenues of the church of
Ireland should be applied to the purposes of the State.
In consequence of that notice be had deemed it his duty,
however painful, to bring the matter before the House.
When the terms of the oath were looked at, it would
he found to run something to the following effect :
That no Roman Catholic would interfere or exercise any
privilege to weaken the Protestant Religion or Government
of the United Kingdom. On the latter part of that oath
he rested the strength of the case which he had
brought before the House. He did not intend to take up
the question as a matter of conscience, because it would
be almost impossible for him to say what course
Hon. Members might think proper to take according
to their consciences. He begged leave to consider it as the
contract entered into by lion. Members who professed the
Catholic faith on the one band, and by those Members of
the House who professed the Protestant faith on the
other. For that purpose lie must allude to the de-
clarations of the council of the Catholic church, that
that oath was not to be kept.—(Cries of " No, no,"
from Mr. O'Connell.) Well, that was a matter
easy enough to be determined ; but by another act of
Council it was provided that all oaths taken, contrary to
the interests of the Roman Catholic church, should be
deemed not to be oaths.—(Cries of "No, no, " from Mr.
O'Connell.) Whether it was so or not, he understood
oat lion. Members of the Catholic persuasion might get dis-
pensation hoar any oaths they might take front the Pepe.
They had entered into a solemn compact with the Protes-
tant Members of that House, and they ssreie bound
to keep their part of it, just as tae Protestants
were bound by their part of it. The Protestant part of
the country had admitted Roman Catholics to seats in that
House, but on the solemn coaditiou of that oa h which
they were bound to observe in its true and obvious mean-
ing, without any mental reservation whatever. He was ex-
ceedingly sorry that it had fallen to him to mention
the subject, he being so inadequate to discharge the
solemn duty: If that was not the proper time to
mention tile question, he would take another opportunity
of bringing it before the House, but it humbly ap
peared to him, that, if there ever was a time
when they should have the question settled,
it was the present moment. They were about to take
into consideration matters of vast importance, the
principles of which went in a great degree to affect the
stability and iuture welfare of the Protestant establishment;
and although he had not consulted on the question with
any other Member—indeed he did not know who would
second his pioposition, lie should conclude by moving that
the oath contained in the Catholic Relief Bill be read.

The motion bring seconded, the Clerk read the oath.
Mr. O'CONNELL rose for the purpose of rebutting
the ridiculous c,lumnies which had just been ad-
vanced—( Hear, hear)—and which, although they
ttad very often been repeated, had as ofte❑
been scow ed with thrision by all who bad feelings of a
kindly nature, and who were real Christians. Roman
Claim ics came there as subjects of this realm demanding
their seats. Tory had attained them after an arduous
struggle—(Hear, hear)—and they had entered into no
compact, as stated by the lion. Member. They looked for
equality, they would ❑ot presume to look for more, but
they would not take ) It was stated
that the Council of Constance had passed a decree
chat faith uas not to be kept with heretics—that was an
historical blunder a thousand times defeated—no soca de-
claration in Council had ever been made, and had it been
made, no conscientious Catholic could have paid any at•
tention to it, because no Council could declare that that