The Sun.
London, England, 1827-03-06 00:00:00

CATHOLICS.

The Archbishop of CANTERBURY presente4
a petition from the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury, praying
their Lordships not to grant any further concessions to the Ca-
tholics. His Grace presented similar petitions from the Dean
and Chapter of Rochester, and from several Parishes in the
County of Kent.
The LORD CHANCELLOR presented several
similar petitions from Saffron Walden, Essex, and from parishes
in the Counties of Oxford and Kent; as did Lord Rolle, from
some Parish in Devonshire ; and the Earl of Winchelsea, from
several Parishes in Kent.

Lord CLIFDEN presented petitions in favon of
the Catholics, from certain Roman Catholic Inhabitants of the
City of Bristol, and from several parishes in the County of Gal-
way, Ireland. The Noble Lord took that opportunity of stating
with reference to what had fallen from a Noble Lord on a former
evening (Lord Lorton), who had informed their Lordships that a
Catholic Clergyman had said " that blood had been shed in Spain
and blood had been shed in Portugal, and why should not the
Irish have their rights?" and he (Lord Clifden) was authorised
to say, that the Clergyman alluded to denied ever having used
such words. He was persuaded, if the reformation were going so
rapidly on as was stated by some Noble Lords, that it would be
accelerated by Emancipation. He himself did not look for any
miracle on this subject ; but be was sure the conversions would
be promoted by removing the disabilities. Men did not like, from
a feeling of honour, to quit a persecuted Church, and if the Ca-
tholics were not persecuted, there would be no disgrace in Chang-
' ing his religion.
Viscount LORTON said, he was prepared to prove
by affidavits, that the Clergyman had used these words ; and he
had that day only seen his name mentioned in a newspaper, though
he had never made it public.

The Earl of MOUNTCASHEL was happy to
assure their Lordships, that the reformation and conversions to
which he had alluded were going on, and he did not suppose that
granting. Emancipation would accelerate its progress.
The Earl of LIMERICK presented a petition from
certain Roman Catholics in Sidmouth, Devonshire, praying
for relief. The Noble Peer, at the same time, gave notice, that
he should at a future period present a petition from the Millers
of Ireland, praying for protection, should the present Corn Laws
be altered.
The Earl of RODEN presented a petition from the
Protestant Inhabitants of a parish in Ireland, against the Catholics,
and assured their Lordships, that what had been stated of the con-
versions of the Catholics in Ireland was quite true.
_

The Bishop of EXETER, presented two similar
petitions, as did Lord FEVERSHAM, from the Clergy of the City
of York, and from Tadcaster.

Lord HOLLAND had a petition of an opposite
nature to present to their Lordships, and it was not his intention
to &part from the usage of their Lordships, and make a long
speech before the usual business hour of five o'clock. He had
understood that was an established usage of their Lordships, and
he was sorry to see that it was not followed. He wished merely
to observe, that in presenting a petition in favour of the Catho-
lics, he thought he was not presenting a petition, the prayer of
which would, if granted, be at all injurious to the Constitution of
this country, or the Protestant Church ; on the contrary, he
thought granting the prayer of the petition was consistent with
the principles of the Constitution, and would tend rather to up-
' hold than to destroy it. His Lordship then presented a petition
from Ross Carberry, Ireland, in favour of the Catholics. His
Lordship also presented a petition from the shipowners employed
in the coasting trade of Bristol, praying their Lordships to pro-
hibit steam-vessels from carrying goods.
Lord KENYON presented several petitions from
a place in Wales, and from Sudbury, against any further conces-
sions to the Catholics.
CatLTh rieed ptsorfoefAsaerNri taeGrcillhaEinis)levEtiatAtioerft from
plorred,sei t an
Marquis
nnt
ele
di
pRm the
favour
petitions
t iootfi
Catholics.
against the Catholic's from the County of Carnarvon and the town
of Anglesea. Similar petitions were presented by the Bishop of
London, from the Clergy of the City of London, and from a place
in Surrey ; by the Earl of Powis, from Shrewsbury ; by the Mar-
quess of Salisbury, from a place in Hertfordshire ; and by the
Bishop of Chester, from Bolton-la-Moor, from the Dean and
Clergy of Peterborough, from the Clergy of the Parish and
Township of Manchester, and from some place in Buckingham-
shire ; and by the Bishop of Litchfield, from Stoke-Proper, iu
Staffordshire.
The ;7larquess of DOWNSHIRE presented a
petition, signed by 200 Protestant Inhabitants of the Town of
Belfast, whose united property amounted to upwards of
2,000,0001., praying that the Catholics might be relieved from
the disabilities under which they laboured.
Lord Clive, and othrs from the Commons, brought up two
private Bills.