Star.
London, England, 1805-05-16 00:00:00

UNIVERSITIES ADYOWSON BILL.

The order of the day for the third leading of this
Bill being read,
Lord Vifcount SIDMOUTH rote, and, at fome
length, repeated his obje&inns to the prefent mea
fure. He defcribed the provilions of the claufe,
which fome time fince he had given notice of his in-
tention to propofe, and alto given an outline, for the
information of their Lordfhips. The iturodudion of
this be deemed necetrary to modify the bill, and to
countera&, in fome degree, thole injurious atilt
which he feared would proceed horn the meafure.
The gilt of the Noble Vifcount's clank was to pro-
hibit the Univerfities from purchafing any new ad-
vowfons until they had augtnented the (mailer livings
at prefent in their difpoial, to the value of 2501. per
annum each ; and which his Lordthip propofed in
the way of rider.

The.Bilhop of OXFORD Rrongly oppofed the
Noble Vircount's claufe : it would go to countsrad
the prefent meafure ; and he remarked upon the dif-
advantage of dilcuffing fo important a propofition
upon the very la( Rage of a bill, which had been two
months before the Houle. If his Lordthip was de-
termined to perfevere, he would recommend him to
do it, L y a feparate bill.
The Earl of SUFFOLK took the opportunity to
recommend forcibly the difireffed fituation of the
poorer clergy, to the attention of their Lordfhips.
The Bifhop of OXFORD, and the Noble Earl, fe-
verally explained.
The Bilhop of ST. ASAPH offered fome very
forcible objections to the claufe, which, he argued,
would defeat the bill, as well as prove inefficient as
to its own objeas.
The Earl of WESTMORLAND fupported fome
of the objeCtions of the Rev. Prelate. _ _ _

The LORD CHANCELLOR delivered his fen-
timents, and concluded by moving a flight amend-
ment with refpeft to the local operation of the
claufe, which was agreed to by the. Houfe.
Some further converfation on the fubjett took
place, in which Earls Spencer and Surolk, the Bifhop
of Oxford, and Lord Vifcount SidmoCult, took part ;
after which their Lordfhips divided upon the mend-
led claufe ; when there appeared,
For its introdultion, 9—Againft it, 9.
This equality of numbers, according to the rules
of the Houfe, proved fatal to the claufe, which was,
therefcre, rejeeted. Adjourned till to-morrow.

HOUSE OP COMMOri.

CATHOLIC QIJESTMS.

Perfuaded that our Readers in general will be grrifieJ
a full report laid before them of the flier. 1 •.
queftion by Mr. UAW, (Member for Dublin)• wc N 1 t
obligcd to curtailin ydterday's S r A a,we now make rocm. !u: it
We alto prcfeut an accurate Ratement of what was advam.s.l Ly
Mr. H. ADDINGTON' Oil this important queftihn.

Mr. SHAW—Although I with I had not to Jct.
&el; you on the fubjeet before the Houle, yet 1 cut,
rat reconcile to my fenfe of public duty to give
fluent vote upon the occation ; nor, though that dui;
be paintul, will I thrink from its open and manly p.:
formance.

Intimately connected as I ..:a with the profperit;
of my native land, it mutt be expeded that upon
any queltion coaneted therewith, I (hall give a
cere vote : thole who know me will believe that
flaall do 1 this night, in huneft accordance with r.:y
confcience, my judgment, and what I cut.ceivt: o. 4,,
the fenfe of my conaituents.
In common cafes, proteffion of principles and ;ii.
dependence would only appear fupctfluous ; but
where prej.idiccs ate to be cc:l:hated, and popularity
is perhaps divided, I feel it not unnecellary to aticit
my complete independence, alike of Iklioiaai.d in-
fluence and of popular clamour, flotuld the one be
fuppofed adverle, or the other favourable, to the
prayer of the petition.
Having thus far trefpalied on the Honfe to dif-
claim, in my vote, all finiaer influence, I now beg
its indulgence to a few reafons which I (hall In idly
and plainly advance in fupport of that vote.
It is impoffible that I, in common with every Mem.
I ber of this Houle, mull not feel affected by the tor.
rent of eloquence poured forth by the Honourable
Movc: and Supporters of the motion ; but I have
no,: been convinced ; and while I admired, I was
awakened to a fenfe of the neceflity of recurring to
thole obligations which I accepted with the great
and honourable unit repofed in me by my Conant:.
cots, and their lentiments on the fubjcd mow before
us has been too recently and too firoßgly exprefred
(in the petition on your table) for me to atfed to
mifunderftand, or with proptiety oppole; neither can
I be infenfible to the paramount duty preffing upon
me, to fupport the Conaitution as it has been en.
truaed to my care ; and unlefs initruded to the con-
trary by the exprefs will of my Conaituents, 1 tnall
endeavour, at the appointed feafon, to yield up my
troll as unimpaired as can depend upon my humble,
but zealous exertions.

I know, Mr.*Speaker that the &Chine has often
been advanced, that a Member of Parliament is not
to be limited in his duty by local attachment ; that
he is the Reprefentative, not of a part, but of the
whole. This I reit& and were Ito admit it gene-
rally, I should feel my own ;ale a titling and over-
ruling exception.
great Capital poffeffes peculiar and command-
ing influence over the Reprefentative, and to attempt
to defpife its fenfe, or divert its interests, is that bold
and perilous kind of enterprize, which, I codes, I
dare not undertake. I feel (embarked in one bot-
tom) with the city of Dublin, and I never &all let
my own opinion above that of its Eleaors, nor wilt
fully adt in contradiaion to their wifbes.
But, Sir, while I profefs to obey implicitly, white
I conceive, or know to be the will of my Conflituents,
I deprecate the remo;eg idea that I entertain a feel-
ing hoflile to my Catholic countrymen, or that I am
not as fincerely attached to their real intereft as any
Gentleman who this night fupports the petition on
your table. Sir, I know, that if thole intercfls had
been honeflly and truly confulted, that petition
would not now be under clifcutficon ; a fubjeft of fuels
importance, involving such a variety of interefls, and
exciting such warmth of feeling., would never have
been brought forward ar fuch a time as this, nor have
been made an ingrument to embarrafs the Executive
Power, when the completell unanimity within arid
without thele doors is necessary to oppofe the molt
formidable and malignant enemy that ever threaten-
ed our political exigence.
The Petitioners fupport their claims by the afro--
tion of their loyalty ; if that loyalty is queflioned, it
is not by me ; no man has greater confidence in the
loyalty of the frill Catholic, when left to the genuine
influence of his own heart ; but I mutt remark that
the petition on your table holds out an indirea threat
to Parliament, and by Acing you to do away thofe
diflinCtions which make a foreign enemy rely upon she aid
of rfifofitlion, it in tome degree admits that thould
you not accede, such aid may be given, should the
occafion offers in the event of fuch a trial, I Iniaw
the fuperior itrength of Irith loyalty, and that my
country never was better prepared to meet and to
cruth a foreign or domellip foe. But, Sir, I am
willing, for my own part, dillinaly to acquit the Pe:
titioners of any loch meaning and I with the Itith
Catholic better, than that he should deriye from out
fears what our prudence and inclinations would not
grant him. I feel an anxiety fur his honour, as well
as his intereft, and I trutt that whatever he may re-
ceive on a future day from this Houle, (hall be the
refult of cool, mature, and impartial deliberation,
and be given to him in a manner confonant to that
dignified weight which I with every clafsof my cone-
trymen to maintain in the scale of public opinion.
Should the day come when-every civil diflinelion
fhall be removed, I with the boon unaccompanied
by reluaance and diftruft ; I with it to be when the
Irifh Catholic is relieved from the odium and fotpi•
cion derived from his foreign connedtions and infl: -
ences, and when the direaing Head of his Churi..;
thall net be the inftrument and (lave of that ianFio.
nary depot who is the implacable foe of the Conui-
tution and Liberties of this Empire.
But, Sir, is the Houfe prepared to entertain this
petition without going farther ; what is to become cf
the Englith Catholic and Englifh Diffenter ? Sir, I
should be afhamed to look the latter, or either in the
face, if I committed fuch flagrant injultice as to ex-
clude them alone from the pt ivileges now required
of us. Without intending any invidious comparifoni
I know that his Majetty does not poffefs a more lcyat,
fincerely attached, and valuable fobjal, than the
Irith Diffenter, and the Englith Dillenter may well
be fappofed not lets meritorious. It there are tali;
to which thofe profefling certain creeds cannot Mb-
fcribe, are they, alone, to be bound by the influence
of confcience, and its dominion denied where it
Chould moll prevail, and where it is the bond of our
liberties and our laws ? No, Sir, and until (tn: r