The Sun.
London, England, 1829-03-17 00:00:00

and fir alfveraary challenged his raw"; but when he •
found that a secret, indirect, and tortuous course was pur-
sued, it moved his indignation.
Mr. D. W. HARVEY said the speech of the Hon.
Gentleman was not a reply to the observations which he
had made that night or at a former period. He denied
that he bad put the Hon. Gentleman on his defence; but
he undoubtedly felt it necessary to defend himself. The
Hon. Gentleman said thitt he (Mr. Harvey) had ransacked
his political life, and had examined all his speeches, for the
purpose of bringing a charge against him. Now it would
he thought, be a very severe task—and, he would say, no
slight punishment—to go through the Hon. Gentleman's
speeches for the last ten years.—(Laughter.)—The Hon.
Gentleman had found hint guilty ; but he trusted that he
would. not be allowed to award the punishment. If lie
were, doubtless he (Mr. Harvey) should be compelled to
go through the Parliamentary debates, to read the long
speeches of the lion. Gentleman, and, what would be still
more difficult, to reconcile one with the other. The lion.
Gentleman had imputed to him that which was ground-
Hiss, but which was perfectly applicable to himself, if he
looked through a few yews. The .Hon. Gentleman said
that if an individual supported a measure, he ought to do
so wholly and entirely. He was, it appeared, to look upon
it as not capable of improvement or alteration. Now he
must disclaim such a doctrine. He might be favourable to
this measure, and yet see plainly enough that it wsuld not
effect the object which was intended. That was the opi-
nion he before expressed, and lie thought so still.
Mr. P. THOMSON deprecated personal discussions of
this nature.

Lord AIORPETII vindicated the conduct of his party
in reference to the Catholic question.
Mr. HARVEY then brought up three petitions in fa-
vour of the Catholic claims,—one from the inhabitants of
Colchester, another from the Protestant Dissenters of the
Independent Chapel at Colchester, and a third from Wal-
tham Abbey.

Mr. DAWSON, in the absence of the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, presented two petitions from Ireland against
the Catholic claims,—one from the Arcbishop and Clergy
of Armagh, the other from the Bishop and Clergy of the
dioce,e of Ossory.
General GASCOYNE presented a petition from the
Churchwardens and Inhabitants of Ratcliffe, in the parish
of Stepney, against the Catholic claims.
Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN begged to state some cir-
cumstances connected with this petition, which had been
got up by the trustees of the parish of Stepney. The
number of inhabitants in this parish was 47,000, and this
petition had been got up in a part of the parish containing
7,000 inhabitants, and was signed by 1,400 persons only.
There were ten trustees in the parish, six were in favour
of the petition, and four against it. The petition originally
bore the name of the Rector, who refused to sign it, where-
upon a new petition was drawn up. Every device had
been used to get signatures to this petition, which had
been signed by the charity children in the parish, and by
the children in an academy. Many of the signatures were
in the same handwriting ; Hon. Members need only look
at the petition to be convinced of the fact he stated, that
six, eight, and even ten signatures were affixed to it by the
same hand.
General GASCOYNE remarked, that it was not un-
usual, and certainly not objectionable, for persons who
Were present, to get another to put their names to a petition.
He complained of the petty objections made to petitions on
this subject, many of which recoiled upon the objectors,
though they produced a strong feeling amongst petitioners
throughout the country.
Mr. Alderman WAIT HMAN explained.
General GASCOYNE then presented petitions from the
parishes of St. Peter's, St. Finbar's, and St. Mary Shan-
don, in the city of Cork, against the Catholic claims.
Mr. GUEST presented a petition film Merthyr Tydvil,
against the Catholic claims.
Mr. MABERLY presented a petition from Abingdon,
in favour of concession.
Mr. PEEL had been 'guested to present a petition from
certain Protestants of Ireland, praying that the monopoly
of privileges hitherto enjoyed by the Protestants might be
restored to the Roman Catholics, and that they might be
allowed to participate with the Protestants in the rights
and privileges of the Constitution. The first petition was
from Belfast, which might be considered as the second
city in that part of the empire, not only from the extent
of Al trade, but because it was distinguished by great in-
tellectual refinement, and by its attention to the amts. Al-
though be (Mr. Peel) had no local connection with the
city, he had been assured, in a letter which accompanied
the petition, that although it contained apparently but few
signatures, the names represented, if not all the respectable
inhabitants of Belfast, at least those who possessed pro-
perty to between five and seven millions. Gentlemen ac-
quainted with Belfast had confirmed the statements in the
letter lie held in his hand, as to the great respectability of
the persons who bad signed this petition, which prayed that
the Roman Catholics might be admitted to an equal par-
ticipation in the benefits of the Constitution with the
Protestants.
The petition was brought up, and read. It purported
to be from the bankers, merchants, traders, and Protestant
inhabitants of Belfast.
Mr. VAN HOMRIGH said a few words in support of
the petition.
Mr. PEEL then presented two other petitions in favour
of the Catholics—one from a place, the name of which we
could not hear, in the county of Galway ; the other from
the parish of St. Audeon's in the city of Dublin.
Mr. W. PEEL brought' tip a copy of the deposition of
Sir Jonah Barrington, before the Commissioners of
Judicial Inquiry in Ireland.
Mr. FYLER gave notice, that on Tuesday the 31st of
March, Ire would move for a Committee of Inquiry to in-
vestigate the state of the Silk Trade.
COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY.

On the motion of Mr. DAWSON that the House do re-
solve into a Committee of Supply,
Mr. RIDLEY COLBORNE inquired whether it was
the intention of the Government to renew the Act for the
composition of the Assessed Taxes, which would expire on
the sth of April, 1830.
Mr. DAWSON could not give -an immediate answer to
the question, but would make inquiry.
The House then went into a Committee, and the sum of
402,929/. was votud to enable his Majesty to defray the
expenses of the Commissariat Department fur the year
1829.
The House then resumed, the Chairman reported pro-
gress, and obtained leave to sit again on Wednesday.
Or► the motion of Mr. STUART WORTLEY, the Game
Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed
on Friday.
The Creditors' (Scotland) Bill went through a Com-
mittee of the whole House.
THE MILITIA.

Mr. PEEL rose to move for leave to bring in a Bill to
suspend feral limited period the making lists and ballotting
for the militia of the United Kingdom ; and to reduce the
permanent staff. The Right Hon. Gentleman referred to
the speech of his Majesty at the close of the last session,
which promised an inquiry into the public establishments
with a view to any practicable reduction. Owing to this
recommendation, the militia had been a subject of 'Consi-
deration by his Majesty's Government, and it did appear to
them that some reduction of that force was practicable,
without injury to the country, and with a very consider-
able saving. The object of the Bill he now proposed to
bring in was two-Sold ; brat, to enable the Crown to
suspend far a limited period the preparation of lists and
the ballotting for the militia ; and, secondly, to authorize
a certain reduction of the stair of that force. He proposed
a suspension of the ballot, made to avoid an unnecessary,
and at the same time an expensive process, and with tt view
of giving time to his Majesty's Government to consider by
what mode that constitutional force could in future be
adequately supplied. At present, no one could look to
the system of ballotting and not perceive that the country
and counties were subjected to an expense for an object not
available for any useful purposes, lie would t4lie as 411 ex-
ample one county—that of atigord. The establishment
of the militia force in that county was'l,l3() men. The
requiccd that all vacanies occurring in each year.
should be filled up by n ballot, and every parish in thy.
county was consequantly called upon to make out lists
andpass through the form of a ballot, in order to sup-
ply the annual vacancies. During the last year, the
number of vacancies was 21 in the Staffordshire Militia ;
and to supply these vacancies, the form ofa ballot was
absolutely necessary. The expenses attending the Ballot,
for these 21 men itinoniitral 4001.—Piear)„--of
which
t2heoq.c9uwpit's'y. theil essiir,alLe ;3;fiist,l7 2001. fell
upon 4
%Va necessary for
parties claimed an exemption to auger pe;•scinally end
appeal. The pliinhff eppall 'last year was from ;09,
AQQ. This tq sliPPli a 744n7 of '`4l ( .1
'faking the average number of persons annually required
to urge their claims to exemption, the grievance must be
severe; most of them were probably labourers in agricul-
ture ;--there was then their loss of time, and if sickness
was the ground of exemption, a medical cfr ;";
t. 4 Cate was
necessary. !Pine Oefp an expense of 25g. per man
incurred, although no active Service was required of them,
at the same time we were raising able men for the regi-
ment; of the. lirethe of three. goineas per man.--,
(Ilerar.)—Vithoet entering further into the details of
this subject, be inust Save stated enough to satisfy the
House of the expediency of suspending the laallot,
1 with a view of avert IA
wot mess be
• • ''