The Sun.
London, England, 1829-02-20 00:00:00

upheld it. It was possible that the representatives of the
people might have changed their opinions. Some of
those representativ!s had been returned to their pre-
sent seats almi,st on conditions of opposing the Ca-
tholic Cl rims, vet they pretended to retain their seats
though they hail charigial their opinions.—( Hear, hear,
hear.) Sortie had tinderg,ine a sudden change within the
last month. Were the people to be condemned to a per-
petuity of evil on account of the change thus wonderfully
operated on the minds of some of their representatives?
He maintained that the circumstances under which the
measure was now brought forward, stamped it with the
character of one of power, and not of justice. He would
not trouble them any longer. He should only say, that
the great question was, whether excuses of this sort were
to be admitted into the two Houses of Parliament to vio-
late the specific rights of the great majority of the people?
If this question was decided in the affirmative, he did hope,
at least, that the old bell of St. Paul's should be re-cast,
and, as its sounds are supposed at certain periods to reach
the ears even of the centinel who treads the ramparts of
Windsor Castle, he trusted, before that event took place,
that it would be allowed to ring the funeral knell of the
British and Irish Protestant Church, and the rights and
liberties of the people.—(Hear, and a laugh.)

The Bill was read a second time, and their Lordships
then adjourned at a few minutes after Nine o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-(LAST NIGHT.)

On the motion of Mr. HERRIES, a new Writ was or-
dered to be made out for the Bor.y.lgh of Aldeburgh, Suf.
folk, in the room of Wyndham Lewis, Esq. who had ac-
epted the Chiltern Hundreds.
Mr. Hall, from the office of the Chief Secretary of Ire-
land, brought up acaounts relative to the Butter Trade of
Ireland.

A person from the Secretary to the Chancellor's office
brought up certain returns relative to Bankruptcies.
Colonel SIBTHORPE presented a petition from Lin-
coln, against certain clauses of the Witham Navigation
Bill.

Mr. FERGUSON presented a petition from Dundee,
praying for leave to bring in a Bill to light that town with
gas.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL presented a petition
from the Benchers of Lincoln's-Inn for leave to compound
for the Poor's Rate by paying a yearly sum.
Col. LYGON presented a petition from the county and
city of Worcester against the Roman Catholics, it was
signed by 5,722 persons, and he trusted that the house
would take it into their consideration. We understood the
Hon. Member to say that his opinions respecting the impo-
licy of further concession were unchanged, but that he de-
clined to state the grounds upon which he formed those
opinions, until the question of emancipation was brought
fairly before the House.
On the question that the petition be printed, Mr. G. RO-
BINSON begged to address a few words to the House. He
had the honour of representing a great number of the per-
sons who had signed that petition, and he was sorry to
differ in opinion with them. They were respectable, as
he had the honour of a personal acquaintance with
many of them, and their petition was certainly entitled to
every attention. He had, however, most deliberately con-
sidered the question, and had arrived at the conviction
that concessions may now be granted to the Catholics
without the dangers which were feared, and he could not
therefore agree with the prayer of that petition. . Had the
petitioners only prayed the House to protect the Protestant
Church and Constitution be should have joined with them.
Colonel DAVIS said his Hon. Friend, in presenting this
petition, assured the House that it was signed by many
Magistrates, and most respectable individuals, and con-
tained the sense of the county. Now, with the greatest
respect for his Hon. Friend, he must say that was not the
case.—(Hear, hear.)—lt was concocted at a meeting, called
to establish a Brunswick Club.—(l.lear.)—lt was not signed
by many Magistrates, neither did it speak the sense of
the county ; the principal person in the business was no
doubt a respectable man, but he (Col. Davis) never be-
fore this transaction ever heard his name ; he was a native
of Ireland, living in a hired house, and did not possess a
single acre of land in the county.—(Hear, hear.)—
The petition, thus originated, was then handed round the
county, and every citizen and labourer invited to sign it
He could assure the House if a public meeting was called
to get up a petition against the Catholics, the attempt
would utterly fail.
Colonel LYGON presented a petition from Bewdley
against the Catholic Claims.
Mr. WM. PEEL moved that an humble address he
presented to his Majesty, praying that he would
order to be laid before the House, returns of the
number of persons charged with criminal offences in Eng-
land and Wales during the last seven years, describing
the number each year; and the number of those acquitted,
and of those executed.

A petition was presented from a place in the county of
Staffor,l, against any further concession to the Catholics.
Mr. H. PARNELL presented a petition from a parish
in the Queen's County, i❑ favour of Emancipation.
General KING presented a petition against further con-
cession to the Catholics, from some place, the name of
which we could not catch.

Admiral SOT HERON presented twelve petitions from
places i❑ the county of Somerset, against any further
concessions to the Catholics.

Colonel PEEL presented a petition, most numerously
signed, from the city of Norwich, against any further con-
cessiot:s to the Catholics ; he could assure the Iluuse that
the petitions were most respetable, and worthy of conside-
tion.

Mr. LEYCESTER said, that he was at a loss to know
what claim the petition just presented had to the distinc-
tion of a preliminary notification. If the petitioners had
stated any thing of importance or of interest in their peti-
tion, it might be a reason why this distinction should be
bestowed upon it. If they had proposed any well digested
plan instead of the measure proposed by his Majesty's Go-
vernment, it might then be entitled to the significant
notice given to it by the Hon. Member ; but it appeared
that this petition contained no such suggestion, but was
drawn up in the ordinary tone and language of desperate
delusion. These petitioners now attempted to oppose
the opinions of the Right Honourable Gentleman, whom
they formerly swore by, for no other reason than that
he had the manliness to avow his conscientious convic-
tion, and fearlessly to discharge his duty. They sought
to pull down one Duke, and to set up another—(hear,
and a laugh)—because he had resolved upon extend-
ing to Ireland the best and most munificent boon that
could be granted her. Of that measure of concession re-
commended in the Speech from the Throne, he would say
that it was founded in justice, in policy, and in humanity ;
it was calculated to promote the strength and stability of
the empire, to relieve Ireland from the wretchedness and
misery which hitherto prevailed in it; and to augment the
glory and lustre of the present reign. That reign has been
most auspicious and prosperous; its morning had been
ushered in with the achievement of great victories over the
greatest foe this country ever had ; and its evening was now
brightened with the milder glory of a victory over an inter-
nal enemy—the demon of religious discorel—(Hear, hear. )
The Noble Duke at the head of the Administration, and the
Right Hon. Secretary of State tor the Flume Department,
whose patriotic avowal of their opinion, and their de-
termination to execute it, merited the gratitude of the
country—these distinguished persons were now visited with
censure by those who formerly acted with them, because
they preferred to walk in their own light, rather than in
the darkness of those who now condemned them. To those
eminent persons he would say—
" Macte nova virtute."

Let them proceed straight-forward to the completion of the
good work in which they had embarked. They would not, he
was satisfied, be diverted from it by any suggestion about non-
sensical intimidation, which did not exist, and to which, if it
did exist, they would not attend. With respect to the question
of securities, if, as his Majesty's Ministers were now con-
vinced, there was no danger, what was the use of proposing
any restrictions, the greatest security this country and the
Protestant establishment could have, would be in granting
to our Roman Catholic brethren their just rights.—
(Hear.)—When the measure was brought forward he
should give it his hearty support.
Mr. H. GURNEY made several observations, but in
so law a tone of voice, that we could with difficulty catch
anything he said. We understood him, however, to con-
tend that this country was so essentially, and so enthusi-
astically Protestant, that no danger could be apprehended
from the admission of a few Catholics to either House of
Parliament.

Lord TULLAMORE said that the Right Hon. Secre-
taiy had received the first burst of the new light in the
month of July, and he stated that his final conversion took
place in August. He had given communications to them,
and said that he had no further information ; and it would be
inconvenient to answer any further questions ; but his
Majesty's Ministers would find that it would be much easier
to answer in that way than to stioe the indignant
voice of the Protestants of Ireland. He contended
that the present was not the time to grant
any concessions to the Catholics of Ireland, in
the present alarming state of that country. He regret-
ted the loss of the Right Honourable Secretary, who had so
long defended the Protestant rights, but he would do him
the justice to say that he believed he bad adopted the late
change from a conscientious conviction of its necessity.
Wben, LIVIYOTTI the Right lion. Gvuticraa4 way received