The Sun.
London, England, 1835-06-26 00:00:00

-itself was calculated to effect good. He was anxious to pre-
serve the Protestant Establishment in Ireland ; but then he
did not think that keeping up a large Establishment, where no
duty was to be done, was exactly that which most tended to
foster and support the Protestant relighsn. As to the Com-
mission being the means of increasing dissension in Ireland,
he was assured by some of the Commissioners that where
those divisions had existed, they had been the means of
terminating them. And then, when they remembered that
the state of the Established Church was now the subject of
constant discussion, and that in both Houses of Parliament the
most contradictory statements had been put forth, as to the
numbers of them belonging to different religions, he could not
but consider an advantage had been gained when a census was
taken, and their numbers ascertained. The Commissioners
ought not to be censured for giving their opinions upon the
subject ; they should on the contrary, be liable to blame had
they attempted to influence their Lordships by their opinions,
rather than submit to them, what he would call, notwithstand-
ing the definition of .the Right Rev. Prelate, " statistics" of
facts.—(Hear.)
Lord BROUGHAM said that it was unusual and unheard
of in presenting a petition from a private individual complain-
ing of a private grievance, upon an occasion on which their
Lordships were not summoned to attend, to enter into such a
discussion as that which had occupied their Lordships' atten-
tion. An opportunity was taken to urge a grave and serious
complaint against the Commissioners and against the Govern-
ment. The Commissioners were charged with partiality for
not having entered into a minute and polemical examination
upon a subject which, on reference to the Commission itself,
he found was not directed to be entered upon. But not
only was this specii,-s of inquiry not required by the COD,
mission, but the very nature of it fully justified the Commis-
sioners in rejecting it, as it could only tend to give rise to the
very worst, the bitterest, and most unprofitable feelings. If
any party had a right to complain of partiality, it was not Mr.
Stoney, but Mr. Hughes. Mr. Stoney had been heard alone,
and Mr. Hughes, though he had been attacked, was not heard.
Lord WICK LOW, in reply to what had fallen from the
Noble and Learned Lord, said that the Commissioners had
altered the nature of the instructions which were given to
them. He admitted that the answers given by the Rev. Mr.
Stoney were not such as became a gentleman in his station.
Lord HATHERTON said that when the written answers
of the Rev. Mr. Stoney had been received they were found to
be of such a nature as was thought to fully justify the Corn-
missioners in the exercise of a sound discretion in not entering
into a personal inquiry into the matters to which they referred.
He should take leave to observe, that during the 20 months he
had had the honour of filling the office of Chief Secretary for
Ireland, no petition was ever presented of which previous inti-
mation Lad not been given to him. It might be felt conve-
nient if a similar course were adopted with regard to his Noble
Friend Lord Duncannon.—( Hear). . . .

The Earl of R A DNO Ets. deprecated the introduction of
such diicussions as the one before the House, as calculated to
produce mischief in Ireland. Religious dissensions were the
curse of that country, and he regretted to see a Christian
Prelate pursuing a course calculated to foment those dissensions.
The Bishop of EXETER said he had only done his duty,
and he did not regret a single word that he had uttered.
The petition was then ordered to lie on the table ; and
The House adjourned at Half-past Eight o'clock.