The Sun.
London, England, 1827-05-24 00:00:00

CRIMINAL LAW.

Mr.,PEEL was anxious to fix a day for the further
stages of his Petty Larceny and other Bills for the ame-
lioration of Criminal Law. He was very anxious that
they should be carried forward during the present session•
It would Lc recollected that they had been now more than
two years under consideration ; and under such circum-
stances it was, he thought, natural that he should be soli-
citous about them, lest he should forget in their more
protracted discussion, the principles upon which they pro-
ceeded. He was not anxious about any particular day, 9°
that a final and convenient one were named—suppose Fri-
day, the Bth of June.—(Several voices cried out to take a
week earlier, and named Friday the Ist of June.)
Mr. HERRIES hoped that Friday, the Ist of June,
would not be named, as the Budget, which at present stood
for Wednesday, would probably, to suit the convenience
of many Hon. Members, be finally fixed for Friday.
Mr. PEEL said, that he was only anxious for an earl,'
day because the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief-Justice
of the Court of King's Bench had kindly promised to take
charge of the Bills in the House of Lords, and it was very
desirable, as these Bills would repeal several statutes, that
the subject should be settled in the present Session.

Dr. LUSHINGTON said it was possible, though be
could not speak with certainty as to the fact, that an Hon.
Friend who had a notice of motion for Thursday, the Slat
May, would not be able, through illness which had for
the present removed him to the country, to attend on that
day. This was just a chance for the'llight Hon. Gentle
man, if he meant to fix his motion, subject to the con-
tingency.

Mr. PEEL said that he would, then, take this chance
for Thursday, the 31st May, upon the understanding that
if not, he should have precedence on the Bth June.

REGISTRATION OF FREEHOLDERS.

Lord ALTHORP, 'pursuant to motion, asked leave to
bring in a Bill for the registration of freeholders in Eng-
land and Wales. The Noble Lord said, that he did not
mean to call upon the House to discuss the measure until
next session.

After a few observations from Mr. H. GURNEY, LOrd
LOWTHER, Mr. W. Wnrradonsi and Lord MILTON, love
was given to bring in the Bill.
LAND-TAX ASSESSMENT.

Mr. GEORGE BANICES, in rising to propose the in-
troduction of a measure having for its object the exemption
of the Roman Catholics from a double assessment of the
Land-Tax, hoped that he should meet, not only with the
support, but the assistance of the House. It could not he
unknown to those whom he had now the honour to ad-
dress, that many Roman Catholics at this day were doubly
charged with Land-Tax, and by virtue of the same law by .
which they were originally so assessed, Protestants who
had succeeded to their estates were obliged to pay the same
tax as the Catholics from whom they inherited. The act
by which Roman Catholics were doubly charged with land
tax was passed in the 4th year of the reign of William
111., and continued in force, by the enactment of annual ,
bills, until the 33d of the late King. The Bill of Wil-
liam, which was passed at a time when this country was at
war with some of the European Powers, enacted that
Roman Catholics should in future pay a double land-taxes
that was to say, that Roman Catholics should pay Ba.
where persons of other persuasions should pay only 4s.
These annual Acts of Parliament were continued until the
year 1794, when the S3d of the late King professed t°
relieve the Roman Catholics from the effects of the former
law, by affording them an opportunity of ridding that-
selves of the double tax already referred to, by the pro-
duction of certain certificates. From the year 1794 to
1798 the opportunity thus offered to the Catholics was
open to them : but in the last -mentioned year a clause
was added to the Bill, declaring, that after the Septero-1
ber following, Catholics, who had not taken advantage ot
the law up to that time, would in future be excluded
from its benefits. The Honourable Member obserted,
that through negligence and other causes several Re'
man- Catholics failed to take advantage of the sh°Ye
law within the given time ; the consequence of whic",
was, that they were now subjected to the hardship_
of paying double land-tax, An action, arising out of
the state of the existing law, had lately been tried'
but the Judge declared that the law afforded /30
benefit to the plaintiff, and that the legislature only
could grant him relief. The object of the present
Bill was to give the Roman Catholics that relief. It might
seem strange that he (Mr. Bankes), who uniformly Or
posed the Catholic claims, should bring in any measure
tending to relieve that class of individuals. As long, boy('
ever, as he had the honour to hold a seat in that House, he
should, without any reference to party feelings, adopt that
course which lie conceived was due to justice. He had
been applied to on this subject by several Roman Catholic
Peers, and other distinguished persons, to bring in some
measure of relief, and he conceived that the present Bill
would fully accomplish that object. The Hon. Gentle-
man concluded by moving for leave to bring in the Bill.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL rose merely to say that
he should offer no objection to the measure proposed by the
Hon. Gentleman, but he would not pledge himself to give
it his future support.
Mr. HERRIES was happy to find that the Hon. Ge 2".
tleman (Mr. Bankes) had taken up this subject, because it
would relieve the Treasury of proposing a similar Bill, his
Noble Friend, lately removed from that House (Lord Gode-
rich) having given notice to that effect. The Bill pro;
posed by the Hon. Gentleman had his (Mr. Herries'i
fullest concurrence ; and, if introduced, should be assisted
by him in its various stages.
After a few words from Mr. N. CALVERT and Mr.
lltiasx, leave was given to bring in the Bill.
The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, sod
the House adjourned at a quarter past Seven o'Clock.

OF TITIRTY-MFVEN WN
MUTTER OF TILE Wli
THE PROPRIETY OF 5
TEES OF BANKRUPT(
Birch, J.
Borradaile, R.
Bright, H.
Buck, L. W.
Clive, E.
Denison, W. J.
Dawson, A.,
Drake, T.
Fergusson, Sir R.
Fane, John
Forbes, Sir C.
Forbes, John
Grattan, Henry
Guise, Sir W.

ITY
A.
OF CHANCERY-
TORusseII,c TAILORo :LI
N. FOR
LawA A
1,,
)unT Tcn
d
Tufton, Hon. 11.
Wood, J.
Wood, Ald
Webb, Ed.
Warburton, 11-
Winn, Hon. 4-7-
Wilks, J.
Wells, J.

T OF THE MINOR
,0 VOTED WITH MR. M.
SOLE HOUSE CO TAKE
SEPARATING THE JURIST
CY, FROM THE HIGH co,
Hume, Joseph
Hobhouse, J. C.
Halse, J.
Hay, Adam
Lonibe, E.
Lumley, J. S.
Maxwell, John
MalJerly, J.
Osborne, Lord F.
Rancliffe, Lord
Rickford, W.
Palmer, C. Fyshe
Ponsenby, Hon. G.
Poneonby, Hon. F.

TELLERS.
Howick, Lord
T.9-lor, M. A.

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS'

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

woricEs OF MOTIONS FOR THIS DAY.
1. Mr. Edward Davenport—Select Committee to inqun'
into the causes of the severe distress which has of
the Commercial and Industrious classes of the
Community during the last and present years.
2. Mr. Moore—Bill to give validity to the service of pr.°-
cess to compel appearance issuing out of the superior
Courts of Justice in any one of the parts of the Unitea
Kingdom on persons in any of the other parts of the
United Kingdom.
3. Mr. Moore—Bill for the protection of purchasers for
valuable consideration in Ireland against judgment
not recovered within twenty years.
4. Mr. Moore—Bill to regulate the buying and selling of
Hay and Straw within the city, liberties, and v,cl-
- of Dublin.
5. Mr. Henry Grattan—To move for Returns from the
Commissioners of the Paving Board, Dublin ;
from the Commissioners of Wide Streets, Dublin'
also, from the Courts of King's Bench, Common P/08'
and Exchequer, in Ireland.
C. Mr. Moore—To bring under the consideration of the
House the Petition of the Mechanical OPerati::
Classes of the City, liberties, and vicinity of pubo
(presented I 2th April), and praying the establish"
ment of a Loan Fund,
7. Mr. Herries—Bill for carrying into effect the Tre3tl
with Sweden relative to the Slave Trade.

ORDERS OF THE DAY FOR THIS DAY-
-1 . mall Debts Bill—Second reading-.
2. Sale of Game Bill—Second reading.
n. Election Expenses Bill—Third reading.
4. Benefices Resignation Indemnity Bill—Committce•
5. Land Tax Commissioners Names Bill—Committee-
6. Land Revenue (Ireland) Bill—Committee.
7. Parochial Settlements (Scotland) Bill—Further Corki-
deration of Report.
8. Insolvent Debtors (Ireland) Bill—Third reading-
9. Roads and Bridges (Ireland) Bill—Third reading.
10. General Turnpike Act Amendment Bill—Report.
11. Foundlings (Ireland) Bill—Committee.
12. Malt Acts .Committee thereupon.