The Sun.
London, England, 1835-07-18 00:00:00

ECCLESIASTICAL REVENUES.

The Archbishop of CANTERBURY gave notice that it
was his intention on Monday to move the second reading of
the Bill for the protection of Ecclesiastical Revenues, and
preventing the lapse of the same.
COMPARATIVE STATE OF CRIME IN IRELAND.

The Marquis of WE STME ATH said, that the Return for
which he was about to move, might at any other time be con-
sidered of an invidious character ; but in the present circum-
stances of Ireland, he thought he could not be said to draw
such a religious distinction, in the Return for which he meant
to move, as was improper or unnecessary. The object of
his Return was to show the effects of the discipline of the Ca-
tholic Church on the conduct of its members and on society.
He had not the slightest doubt that in the struggle which the
Protestants were now making for protection to Ireland, the
sympathies of the northern Protestant nations of Europe
would be extended to them. He was, therefore, most de-
sirous of showing that the Protestant doctrines had not re-
trograded in Ireland • that the preaching of the true gospel
was in its effects useful to society, and conducive to the hap-
piness of its members ; and that the absence of it was neces-
sarily attended by the most vicious results. He concluded by
moving " for a Return of the several prisoners committed to
each county gaol in Ireland for offences not bailable, during
the period between the Ist of April, 1834, and the Ist of July
in the present year, specifying the amount of the number of
those who were of the Established Church, together with Pro-
testants dissenting from it, and also those of the Roman Ca-
tholic religion."
Lord DUNCANNON felt bound to oppose the motion of
the Noble Lord, which, if carried, he thought must be consi-
dered a most invidious and offensive motion to the whole body
of the Catholic population of Ireland.—( Hear, hear.) He
did not see how the motion could be complied with, without
instituting a Commission for the purpose of inquiring into the
religion of all the persons committed to the gaols in Ireland.
Even that would not answer the purpose which the Noble Lord
had in view • for his motion referred to the past year only.
He had only, therefore, to repeat that he did not think that
conceding to the motion of the Noble Lord could have any
other effect than that of creating the worst and most invidious
feelings amongst the inhabitants of Ireland.—( Hear, hear.)
The Duke of RICHMOND could not believe that the
Noble Lord was serious in his intention of pressing such a mo-
tion as that which he had introduced. Surely, the Noble Lord
must be aware that in a great many cases those who were com-
muted to gaols had none of the true principles or precepts of
any religion implanted in their minds. Again, to call for a
return of the number' of Protestants as compared with that of
Roman Catholics, was to draw a comparison between the rich
and the poor. The Noble Lard might just as well move for
the comparative number of pie2cpockets in their Lordships'
House and those living in St. Gires's•—( Hear.) Of course,
where there was a large number of people uneducated and
poor, they had a stronger temptation to commit crime than
the wealthy and uneducated.—( Hear, hear.) He quite agreed
with the Noble Lord (Duncannon) that a motn.sa of a more
hostile and invidious nature—so far as the Cathoi.es of Ire-
land were concerned—could not be made.—( Hear.) Where
could such a proceeding, if it were once established, ce,:se ?
Similar Returns would no doubt soon be moved with respect to
the comparative numbers of the English Protestants and Dis-
senters committed to our gaols. The'motion, if complied with,
would be of no use, and if they got the Returns asked for,
they could lead to no good end.
The Marquis of C ONYNG HA M said that the motion of
the Noble Lord must have precisely a contrary effect from that
which he seemed to anticipate from it ; for if it were acceded
to, it must inevitably lead to an aggravation of the existing
differences on the subject of religion in Ireland.
Lord HATHERTON said that he objected to the motion,
not so much because he considered that it would be difficult to
comply with it, but because the Returns could not possibly
lead to any useful result. It was a complete fallacy (though
a very popular error) to suppose that the number of crimes
in Ireland was proportioned to the existence of the Catholic
religion amongst the people.—( Hear, hear.) The fact was,
that crimes attributed to the people of that country were not
of such a character as were generally supposed. They were
usually such as were likely to be committed by a population
which were poor, and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He
would only mention, in corroboration of his opinion, that in
Tipperary the number of murders, larcenies, and crimes of that
description, was much smaller than those committed in his own
county ( Staffordshire), while the population of the former
county was infinitely larger, and the calendar contained a
greater number of offences.—( Hear, hear.)
Several Bills were then advanced a stage, and the House
adjourned.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

John Lewis ( whose real name is said to be Levy), John
Sullivan, alias Sadler (the latter name was given at the sta-
tion-house), and John Morris, were yesterday charged with
having been concerned in a desperate affray and attack on the
police the over-night, at the gambling-house, No. 1, Leicester-
square.
Mr. CONANT (having consulted Mr. Halls), decided upon
fining Morris 51. for the assault, Sullivan 3/., and holding
Lewis to bail.