The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-19 00:00:00

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LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 1845.-

The House of Lords met at Five.

Among the petitions presented were several against
the Maynooth Bill. Among them one was presented by
the Bishop of DURHAM, who stated that he did not agree
with the petitioners, but on the contrary thought that
great merit was due to the Government for introducing
the measure.

In answer to Earl Pow's the Duke of WELLINGTON
stated that Ministers had not received her MAJESTY'S
permission to consent to the progress of the Bill for pre-
venting the union of the Sees of St. Asaph and Bangor ;
and Earl Powzs gave notice that he would, on Monday,
state the course he intended to pursue.
Lord BROUGHAM moved that the standing orders re-
specting railways, which he had brought under the con
sideration of the House, should be printed. '
Lord CLANRICARDE brought in a Bill for extending
the elective franchise to persons paying the income-
tax, which was read a first time.

The Bastardy Bill was read a third time and passed.
Lord MONTEAGLE moved fur a return of all grants for
religious purposes to the colonies, which was agreed to,
and their Lordships adjourned.
The House of Commons met at Four.

Lord G. SOMERSET moved a resolution to deprive
Counsel before Railway Committees of the privilege of
summing up. Finding, however, that his proposition
was opposed, the Noble Lord withdrew his motion.
Mr. 11LTUE gave notice that he should not bring for-
ward his motion on the subject of the recal of Lord EL-
LENBOROUGH, until the Government should be freed
from the annoyance of the opposition to the Maynooth
grant.

In answer to Lord HOWICH, it was stated by Lord G
SOMERSET that no order had been made on the subject
of laying the Reports of the Board of Trade before the
Committees on the various Railway Bills which meet on
Monday. A short conversation ensued, in the course of
which several Hon. Members animadverted in severe
terms oil the carelessness which had characterised the
proceedings of the Railway Department of the Board of
Trade from first to last.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that he intended, on Mon-
day, to state the terms of the motion which he intended
to bring forward, on the Ist of May, on the condition of
the labouring classes.
Sir R. PEEL stated, that in the event of the discus-
sion on the Maynooth Bill closing to-night, he intended
to move, on Monday, that the House do go into Com-
mittee for the purpose of taking the money vote on the
Bill.

The adjourned debate on the Maynooth Bill was then
resumed by Mr. S. CRAWFORD, who, although he gave
full credit to the Government for propJsing the measure
with the kindest disposition towards Ireland, yet felt
compelled to oppose it, as it was contrary to the volun-
tary principle.
Lord CLAUDE HAMILTON supported the motion.
Mr. MUNTZ was opposed to all State endowments,
and therefore he could not support the motion.
Mr. NEVILLE and Mr. BELLEW supported the measure.
Mr. COBDEN considered the question not as a theo-
logical, but as an educational one, and on that ground he
supported the measure.
Mr. FERRAND denounced the Ministry as having
violated every pledge which they bad given at the last
election, and opposed the measure as pregnant with
danger to the established religion of the country.
Mr. SHEIL said that the inevitable consequence
of not granting the measure would be the increase
of the repeal agitation. He was glad that the
Queen had been alluded to in the course of
the debate, because it gave him the opportu-
nity of stating that the Queen was personally at-
tached to Ireland. She had expressed to Mr. O'Cox-
NELL her gratification at his elevation to municipal
office. She had expressed to Earl DE GREY her desire
that the Administration should be one of conciliation to
Ireland, and he hoped the day would never come
when a majority of the House of Commons
would step in between the loyalty of the Irish people
and the affection of the Sovereign towards them. In
Canada, where justice had been done to the Catholic
clergy, their loyalty had been a principal means of
preserving the allegiance of that colony to
the mother country. Let them pursue the same
course towards the Catholic Clergy of Ireland, and the
innate loyalty of the Irish nation would manifest its de-
voted loyalty to the SOVEREIGN, whom they loved for
her virtues and for the affection which she had ever
manifested towards her Irish subjects.
Mr. LAW, in a very vehement speech, which was lis-
tened to with great impatience, opposed the motion.

Mr. T. DUNCOMBE defended the course which had
been pursued by the Protestant Dissenters with regard
to this question, and felt bound, as an advocate of the
voluntary principle, to oppose the motion.

Lord J. RUSSELL would have been content to have
given a silent vote on this question, had it not been out of
revect to the numerous petitions which had been pre-
sented on this subject. Irish questions had always been
a source of weakness to this country, and, therefore, he
considered it of the utmost importance that every oppor-
tunity should be taken of settling them. Ile regretted
the intolerance and bigotry which had been displayed in
relation to this question ; but believing the measure pro-
posed by the Government to be for the good of the
nation, he felt bound to support it.
Sir R. Nous said that the measure of the Go-
vernment was against the policy of all those who
had endeavoureti to make Protestantism the religion of
the United Kingdom, and as a conscientious Pro•
testant he felt bound to oppose it.

Sir R. PEEL, in a brilliant speech, replied at great
length to all the arguments which had been adduced
against the measure.

The House then divided, when there appeared for the
amendment, 176; against it, 323; majority for the second
reading, 147.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then zaoved
that the House do resolve itself into a Com-
mittee on the Bill on Monday, which was op-
posed by Sir ROBERT H. INGLIS, Mr. SHAW, Mr.
PLUMPTRE, and Mr. DUNCOMBE, who divided the
House, when there appeared for the motion, 61; against
it, 25; majority in favour of going into the Committee on
Monday, 36.
The House adjourned at half-past Three o'clock.

The Maynooth question still occupies the attention of
the House. Few debates have been more interesting,
either as regards the importance of the principle at issue,
the eloquence of the speakers, or the very peculiar posi-
tion in which most Members are placed. This ques-
tion, like a political earthquake, has shaken the
very foundations of party, uprooting the careful
structures of the past, and destroying the combina-
tions and alliances of ages. Friends and brothers
find themselves suddenly separated by a yawning gulf,
while bitter foes cling together for support. The Tories
feel bound to assist the men themselves have chosen,
while the measures are diametrically opposed to their
desires—on the other hand the Whigs cannot refuse their
support to their own cherished principles though dis-
played in the acts of an enemy. Such a situation is
most embarrassing, indeed every one confesses his
perplexity; the only true course is to follow the dictates
of conscience, uninfluenced by friend or foe. We were
agreeably surprised to find the speeches of all parties
comparatively free from personal allusions and angry
recriminations ; the whole debate is characterised by
a tone of moderation hardly to be expected under
the circumstances. Unhappily this tolerant spirit
seems confined to the walls of St. Stephen's;
the erroneous views of the dark ages are re-
vived throughout the country in a way with which
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the House cannot sympathise. The House of Commons
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presenting their prejudices. Many Members have boldly
declared their intention of resigning their seats in the
House rather than desert the post of duty,•
while some, like
Lord LINCOLN, have nobly withstood
the persuasion
of family and friends, and resolved to act by their
own
convictions in spite of; every obstacle. Such sentimentsoa
do honour to themselves, anod add another interest to a
debate already graced by every species of oratory.
We may here admire the calm, convincing arguments
of Mr. GLADSTONE, the eloquent declamation of the
Right Hon. Member for Edinburgh, the cutting sar-
casms of Mr. D'IsRAELI, or the unaffected piety of
the venerable " Father of the House." Mingled with
the wise experience of older politicians, the speeches of
the Hon. Members for Canterbury and Newark

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