Star.
London, England, 1824-02-11 00:00:00

pions on the state of Ireland, who Could not bear wit-
wess to his repeated declarations, that he considered the
residence of the Clergy within their respective parishes,
and the enforcement of such residence, one of the mea-
sures which it would be most desirable to adopt towards
ameliorating the condition of that country. Under
that impression, he had, in the course of the. last Ses-
sion, pledged himself to the house to turn his atten-
tion particularly to the subject; and it was his inten-
tion, in the course of a few days, to submit to the House
a measure which he had prepared, with a view to the
effecting of that object.
Mr. HUME feared that the object of the Noble Lord
would not he attained by the Returns that would be
made un.iet his Motion, as it then stood ; because if an
incumbent ba,i only resided on his living one month
within the dear, Le would be included in the return of
resident incumbents, equally with those who had re-
sided several months, or even the whole twelve.
Lord A LTIIORI' expressed his willingness to adopt
any amendment or addition to the Motion which might
be suggested by the Honourable Member with a view
to rendering the information which it was his object, to
attlin mote co'nplete.
Mr. HUME said he would suggest, that in.addition
to what was already moved for the return, it should
specify the number of months within the year that each
incumbent had been resident, distinguishing them in
classes of three, six, nine, and twelve months' residents.
Mr. CHOKER said he did not know how it was pos-
sible that such a return could be made without appeal-
ing to every individual clergyman holding a living in
the kingdom.
Mr. HUME said nothing could be more easy, since it
was only necessary to desire each incumbent to make a
return of the number of months he had resided on his
living within the year, and one post might carry out all
the letters. _

Mr. VESEY FITZGERALD hoped the House would
not, by acceding to the amendment suggested, adopt
the language of the Honourable Member, casting, as it
did, a stigma upon the characters of the Bishops of Ire-
land, by holding them forth as men capable of making
fallacious or improper returns. The Motion as amended
would, besides, be found extremely difficult to carry
into effect, nor did he think it at all necessary. It was
impossible, while speaking upon this subject, for one
who knew the facts which had come to his knowledge
of the exertions which had been made by the present
Government of Ireland to enforce the residence of the
Clergy, by the careful selection of proper persons, and
the judicious disposal of its patronage in the appoint-
ment to church livings, and other ecclesiastical prefer.
ments which had occurred of late, to refrain from giving
them the testimony of his earnest approbation.
Mr. HUME, on the question being put, formally
moved, as an amendment, the insertion of the number
of months during which each incumbent has resided on
his living within the year, and defended the grounds on
which he had originally suggested it—namely, the pro-
bability of those who had resided only for the shortest
period that could be mentioned being included in the
general return as resident incumbents, by referring to
former returns which he mentioned, as having been made
in the same vague and general way, whereby the object
for which information was sought would be defeated.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT said, the error to which the
Honourable Member alluded had arisen not from
any wilful neglect on the part of the Bishops, but from
their too great reliance on the Registrars of their Dio-
ceses; but he did not see bow that could occur in the
present case.
Mr. VESEY FITZGERALD thought the amend-
ment would rather defeat than forward the object of the
Noble Lord, who wished for such a return as would
convey the best general view of the state of the stoferal
parishes of Ireland with respect to the residence of the
Clergy, whereas the amendment would load the return
with a variety of details that would only serve to dis-
turb the general view of the question, by distracting it
with particulars.
Mr. HUME said he thought the general view sought
by the Noble Lord would be best attained by such a
return as would present a fair average of the residence
of the Clergy, and not by one which would include
equally under the general head of resident incumbents
those who only resided one month and those who re-
sided the whole twelve upon their livings.
Mr. ROBERTSON thought it incumbent on the
House to enforce the residence of the Clergy as much
as possible. lie could not let that occasion pass with-
out thanking the Noble Lord for the zeal with which
he had entered upon the cause which be had under-
taken. He trusted the Noble Lord would persevere in
what he had so well begun, and hoped that he would
meet with the cordial support of the British Members
of the House ; for he was convinced that it was only
through the exertions of the British Members of the
House that any good could be effected for Ireland, par-
taking, as everything did which came from that coun-
try through any of the Members immediately connected
with it, ot the heat and violence of party.
After a few words from Mr. UOULBURN and Mr
Purr., the motion as amended was agreed to.
The question tot the Return of the number of Acres
of Land in each Parish in the possession of the Church
being put,
Mr. tiOULBURN said this was a Return which, as
far as lie was aw at e, it was not in the power of the
Officers of Government to make, from the absolute
ant of means for ascertaining the number of Acres
which each Parish contained, until an actual admea-
serenient of the country should take place.
Sir .1. NEWPORT said it was very possible that the
Officers of Goveinment might not be able to tell, with-
out actual admeasurement, the number of acres which
every palish contained ; but leans' there could be no
difficulty in every man telling what land was held
under him. He was fully comidetit that there was not
a Bishop in Ireland who was nut able to tell with per-
fect accuracy how many acres ot land he had set under
him, and by whom they were held.
Lord ALTHORP thought with his Right Honour.
able Fiiend, that there could be no uitficulty whatever
in procuring the Returns, if there were no objection to
giving the information.
Mr. MAI3ERLY said if the House was disposed to
concur in such uhjections as the ltight Honourable Se-
cretary for Ireland had been making to
.the production
of the returns moved fur by his Noble Friend, it would
be better at once to adjourn the Sec-ion; for it was
quite impossible for them to legislate upon the affairs
of Ireland, or to enter into the discussion of any mea-
sloe for the improvement of that country, if the infor-
MA.IOII requisite for enabling them to obtain an insight
ilao its situation, and :o understand the nature and can-es
oi the evils which it was proposed •to remedy, were
to be withheld, and the papers moved fur were refused.

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