The Sun.
London, England, 1828-02-22 00:00:00

ROMAN CATHOLIC LAND-TAX BILL

Mr. G. BANKES moved the Order of the Day for the
second reading of the Roman Catholic Land-tax Bill.
Mr. CURTEIS thought it but right that the Bill
should undergo some consideration before the second reading
was agreed to.

Mr: FYLER should be the last man in the world to
object to a measure like the present, which was intended
to do justice to persons whose rights appeared to have been
injured ; but at the same time, as the indulgence now to be
granted to the Catholics must come from the public purse,
he thought it necessary that the House should see clearly
that the persons who would receive benefit from this Act
were the parties really entitled to relief.
Mr. HERMES was ready to support the principle of
this Bill at the present moment, for the very same reasons
which had induced him to support it in the last Session of
Parliament.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL knew that the statute
of William 111., being held a very severe statute upon the
Roman Catholics, had, by a collusion and connivance on
-the part of the early Commissioners, never been carried
into execution against them. The difficulty, therefore,
would be to ascertain the fact whether the Roman Catholic
proprietor had had a double assessment placed upon his
`land in the time of King William, according to its then real
value. He was not satisfied with the nature of the proof
which the present bill provided on that point ; on the con-
trary, he thought that the legal advisers of the Ctown
should have an opportunity of bringing it under revision.
-There was another provision of the bill with which he was
:not satisfied. When Mr. Pitt made the land-tax perpetual,
it followed as matter of course that no change could take
place in the assessments which were then made and not
appealed against within u given time. An opportunity
,was then given to the Roman Catholics to get rid of their
assessment of Ss. in the pound; of which, however, in
some instances they had not availed themselves. Now
since that time Protestants had bought of Catholics land
subject to the double assessment, and had in consequence
of that assessment given a less sum for it. If they were
enabled by this act to get rid of the doubt assessment, the
Act would not be a boon to the Catholic but to the Pro-
testant landholder. These were the two
,points of difficulty
which he could not get over in the present bill.
Mr. HURST explained the mode in which, the commis-
: sionere of land-tax disposed of appeals against the inequa-
lity of the tax in his district.
Mr. G. BANKES did not look upon this measure as a
boon to the Catholics, but as an act of justice—aye, and of
tardy justice too. When the Act was passed, which made
the land-tax perpetual, the inequality with which. it pres-
sed upon the Roman Catholics was dwelt upon by Mr.
Pitt. He used phrases which showed that he considered
it to be, owing to the carelessness of Prote-starits that any
inequality existed among them, and said that lie could not
allow that inequality to be urged as a reason for delaying j
the passing of his bill, which. it was well known was an
important financial' measure. - Not a word further was
said at that time by the Roman Catholics—for at that time
there was no Roman Catholic in the House to advocate
their cause. He, who bad always' opposed the admission
of Roman Catholics into Parliament on national grounds,
never supposed that it was not a hardship upon them, that
they had not individuals in the House to advocate their
rights, and therefore be agreed with the Attorney-General,
that: liough it might not be hard to let the Protestants
suffer' or their -neglect, they were bound to show greater
indulgence to Roman Catholics. In cases, therefore,
where Protestants paid an equal assessment with Catho-
lici, be did not pretend by this hill to give any remedy.—
The -law, hoviever, pretended to remedy the. injustice
which had been inflicted on Roman Catholics, and did not ;
and all that he now propoi;ed to- do was, to assist the law
in,its operation. The English Roman Catholics had not
been passive under the present injustice of the law, but
had sought redress, for it by every legal means in their
power. Lord Shrewsbury, who had six different estates
in six different counties, paid on them all, with one
exception, precisely' the same 'sum as was first charged
upon them -50 years ago. He got rid of the double
charge upon an estate which he had in Oxfonlshire,
by an appeal to the Commissioners under the. Act of
1791. - But even that was attended with great difficulty.
He hoped that.. he should be able to exempt by this Bill,
not only the lands of Catholics hut also those purchased by
Protestants,_hitherte liable to double, assessments. With&
generosity which did them the highest honour, the Catho-
lics of England were desirous, in the event of the measure
passing, that the exemption should be _made. univeraal.,--
He trusted that in committee he should receive the assis-
tance of the law officers of the Crown to remove whatever
legal difficulties might arise.
The Bill was then read a second time, and ordered to
be committed on Monday, the 3d of March.
. _

The House then went into committee on the Salomon
Fisheries Regulation Bill. The blanks were filled up,
and, on the motion of Mr. FIRGUSSON, the Bill was or-
dered to be printed, and to be recommitted on this day
fortnight.
Mr. WAiinURTON gave notice, that on Wednesday,
Feb. 27, be should. Move that an Address be presented to
His Majesty, praying for copies of the Orders in Council
issued to the Colonial Governments.

The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and
the House adjourned_ at a quarter past nine o'clock.

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS.

.HOUSE OF COMMONS.
ORDERS OF THE DAY FOR THIt OAT.
. Supply—Committee.
2. Ways and Means—Committee.
NOTICES OF MOTIONS FOR THIS DAY.

1. Sir Henry Hardinge—To vote Ordnance Estimates for
six mouths. (In Committee of Supply.)
2. Lord Viscount Pahnersten—To vote Army Estimates
for siz months. (In Committee of Supply.)
3. Dr. Phillimore--Return of all the Courts which exer-
cise Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in the several Dioceses
of England and Wales; the names of Judges, Regis-
trars, and Deputy Registrars "of all the said Courts ;
also, of the persons by whom they are appointed, and
their respective situations.

NOTICES GIVEN YESTERDAY.
Monday, Feb.
1. Sir Francis Burdett,—To move to discharge the Order
of 'Leave for the Covent-garden Vestry Bill, on a
Question respecting the Standing Orders.
2. Mr. Denison—Bill to regulate the Coal Meterage of
the county of Surrey.
Tuesday, Feh. 26.

1. Mr. Moore—Bill to allow the use of Fire on board
Vessels propelled by Steam, in the Ports, Harbours,
Rivers, Canals, and Lakes of Ireland, for the purpose
of navigating the same.
2. Mr. Moore—Bill to amend Act 56 Geo. 3, e. 66, re-
lating to Stamp Duties in Ireland.
Wednesday, Feb. 27.
Mr. Hume—Address for Copies of the Public Acts of the
Legislative Assemblies in the several Colonies ; also,
Copies of all Orders in Council issued for the regula-
tion of the Colonies.
Tuesday, March 4.
Mr. Kennedy—Select Committee on the Law of En-
tail in Scotland.
Thursday, March 6.
I. Lord Viscount Althorp--Bill to regulate the takirg of
Polls at County Elections.
2. Sir Henry Parnell—Motion for Copy of the Treaty of
Limerick,

Mr. Justice BEST IS going to 13ath, 1;.)r the
benefit of his health.

FOREIGN EXCHANGES ON LONDON.
HAMBURcH, FEB. 15.-13. B%.—Two month%
Lsirstc, FED. 11.—Three months, 6. 15.
BERLIN. FEB. 12.—Three months, 6. 25%.
AMSTERDAM. FEB. 19.-11. 95.—Two months, 11.90.