The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-30 00:00:00

ROMAN CATHOLICS' RELIEF BILL.

On the motion that this Bill be read a second time,
Sir JAMES GRAHAM said he trusted that the Ho-
nourable Member would consent to p:stpone the
second reading of this Bill until after the Whitsun
holidays. There were several points in this Bill which were
at present under consideration by a Commission on a similar
Bill. The Committee upon that Bill had not yet made their
report to her Majesty's Government, and the Ministry were
anxious to obtain the benefit of this report before
they entered upon the consideration of this Bill.
He, therefore, trusted that the Hon. Gentleman would not
deprive him of the advantage of that report, but that he would
postpone the second reading until after that report had been
receized.

to comply with the re
Mr. WATSON said that he had not the slightest objection
Baronet, provided no obstruction was offered by the
Government in consequence of that report to the quest of the Right Honourable
pro-
gress of the Bill. It should be recollected that this
Bill had passed the Lords in the last session of Parliament.
He was fearful that some obstruction might arise from the report
of the Committee to which the Right Hon. Baronet had al-
luded, but as he was anxious for the principle of the Bill,
be would prefer that it was read a second time to-night, and that
the discussion upon it should be taken when it came before the
Committee. He was not careful about the time at which the
Bill was passed ; but as it might obviate some inconvenience,
he would rather that the second reading were taken
now than deferred to a future period, and the
more so as the Lerd Chancellor, during its progress through
the Lords last session, had termed it an imperfect measure, and
he did not wish to subject it to the same imputation.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM said nothing was further from
the wish of her Majesty's Government than to oppose
any obstruction to the progress of this Bill. But, as the-report
of the Commission materially affected many of the details of
tkis measure, he thought it would be better to postpone it
until the report of that had been received, and name some day
after the Whitsun holidays for bringing it before the House,
the more so as it referred not only to her Majesty's Roman Catho-
lic subjects in this country, but also those in Scotland and Ireland.
He was sure the Hon. Gentleman would see on reflection the
urgent necessity that at present existed for postponing the
second reading of this Bill. _

Mr. WAION consented not to press the second reading
on the present occasion, but he begged it to be distinctly under-
stood that after the Witsuntide recess he should take the
earliest opportunity of moving the second reading of the Bill.
'I he principle he wished to establish by the Bill was, that all
laws effecting persons so far as regarded their religion, should
be obliterated from the statu!e.book.

Sir R. R. INGLIS said he should reserve what he had to
say upon the subject till a future occasion.
The Second reading of the Bill was then postponed till
Wednesday the 28th of May.
ARRESTMENT OF WAGES.
-- ' -

might be (Scotland) Bill
he allowed to pass
Mr. DUNCOMBE said that he had intended to move the
tsehcisonndighret,adanindg
of t
had
hehoAperrdesttmhaent
itt ofm
through the remaining. stages. The object of it was to
footing
ut
the working classes in Scotland on the lame foetal
with those England and Ireland, and thus re-
lieving them end their employers from a most vexa-
tioushe
and oppressive system. He found that there
would be very great difficulties in the way of remov-
ing the arrestment of wages altogether, and he ob-
served that there were many conflicting opinions in Scotland
upon the subject. He had seen several persons from
that country, and after the representations they had
made to him, and their desire that he should
make some modifications in the measure ; he was convinced of
the necessity for so doing. They proposed to forward a draft
of a Bill which would meet the views of all parties, and he be-
lieved that they had communicated with the Lord Advocate
on the matter. He (Mr. Duncombe) must say that,
considering the opinion entertained by them they had taken a
fair and liberal view, and they appeared prepared to grant con-
cessions in order to get some unanimity on the subject. The
Commissioners would have power to take into consideration
the circumstances of the man, and of his family, and to decide
what portion of his wages should be retained and what given up.
He did not know whether their views met with those of the
Lord Advocate, but as the Hen. and Learned Member (Mr.
Duneombe) was satisfied, he wished to place all parties on an
equitable footing ; he should, therefore, wish to have this Bill
discharged, on condition that he should be allowed to introduce
a new Bill, having reference to the same subject.
The LORD ADVOCATE, who was almost altogether in-
audible in the gallery, was understood to express his approval
of the course pursued by the Hon. Gentleman. The subject
was full of difficulties, but he should be glad to give the Hon.
Gentleman any assistance in his power.
Mr. FOX MAULE was understood to say that great in-
convenience would result from disturbing the present system.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM spoke in a low tone of voice,
with his back to the gallery,. so that it was extremely
difficult to collect even the gist of his observations. He
had taken great interest in this matter, and felt great
anxiety to remedy the evils which existed in the arrestment of
wagess in Scotland. He had communicated with Sir William
Rae on the matter, who was disposed to favour considerable
alteration in the present system. Any interference with it was
likely to spread the pernicious truck custom, and any
stringent penalties for trucking" would engender strong '
opposition from every principal party in Scotland..
At the same time, he was not prepared to say that some plat)
of legislation was not necessary and expedient upon this sub.
ject. As the law now stood, he was not prepared to say
with certainty what legislative measure would be introduced,
but he was quite sure the Government would give all the as-
sistance in their power to the promotion of the object the Hon.
Member had in view.

Mr. RUTHERFORD called the attention' of the Lord-
Advocate to the law of arrestment as it now stood, and said
that one of its defects was, that in many cases arrestments
were made which were illegal, and at the same time in-
effectual.

Mr. T. DUNCOMBE asked if the Right Hon. Gentleman
opposite would agrt e to the suggestion of his Hon. Friend near
him, that there should be no arrestment of wages except upon
execution ? If the Lord Advocate would give the assurance that
be would take up the subject, he ( Mr. Duncombe) would not
oppose the discharging of the order.
Sir G. CLERK was understood to assent, and the order
was then discharged.
On the order of the day for the second reading of the Canal
Companies' Tolls Bill and Canal Companies Carriers Bill,
Sir GEORGE GUEST objected to any delay of thereading.
Sir GEORGE CLERK suggested that the objections
should be postponed till the third reading.
The Bills were then read a second time.
AUCTION .
Captain PECHEL wished to knowDUTIES when the auction duties
were to be remitted?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
it was impossible to remit the duties till the Bill had passed and
received the royal assent.