Star.
London, England, 1824-03-31 00:00:00

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Friend (Mr. Curteis) to be perfectly in order. It was
competent to any Member to state in. House whar
passed in an open Committee.
The SPEAKER said there was no doubt but any
Member might state that of which he war cognisant.
However, it would involve the House in great difficulties
and.inconvenience if portions of evidence taken before a
Committee were to be lead.
Mr. CURIE'S then proceeded to make some obser-
vations on the manner in which the Petition on this
Bill, as well as other Petitions, was got-up. He hoped
the Committee would make some report, and he should
therefore move that the Committee do meet again and
proceed to-morrow.
Mr. STANLEY opposed the motion at considerable
length. 11e went into the Committee with send men
friendly to the Bill ; but the fraudulent manner in whir
it appeared that the Petitions in favour of it had been.
got up, was alone sufficieot ground for adjourning the.
Committee sine die. Of 730 signatures to one Petition,:
1.50 were duplicates. The reason assigned for this was,•
that a skin of parchment not intended at all for the pur-:
pose had been attached to the Petition by mistake.—
The only way in which Mr. Walker became connected
with the business was, that the Petitioniay at his office
for signature; and while there, a number of signatures
had been appended to it, not signed by those tit hose sib
natures they purported to be. The facts which apreared
before the Committee were sufficient ground for throw-
ing out.the Bill. No imputation had been laid on the'
Committee for adjourning sine die. This decision, l
could assure the House, was founded in mercy to the
parties themselves. -
Sir JAMES MACKINTOSH, after paying a high
compliment to the talents of the Honourable Member
(Mr. Stanley), said the question lay in a very Ramp...
cotnpass, A Committee had been appointed to report,
an theft did not report. He meant to throw out /to im-
putatipit against the Committee; but' it was against .the
practice of the House to adjourn sine die without repast-
ing. It was said that Mr. Walker's. character was not
affected: it appeared to him that it was materially
fected, for the fraud was said,to have been,comontted
at his office ; and that fraud was tineof, the grounds on
which the Bill was thrown oat. Mr. Walker, if the op-
portunity were afforded, could prove that he was no
party to the fraudulent signatures stated to have been
appended to the Petition while it lay at his office, and
that it was impossible the thing could have been done
at the time Mentioned. It was ratites a cruel sort of
mercy to refuse to any man the opportunity of estab-
lishing his characters
Mr. PHILLIPS opposed the motion.—The regular
way would be to move that the Commiuee be revived.
In this he was borne out by a precedent which occurred
in 1816. He did not think, however, it would be proper
to revive the Committee. The inhabitants of Manches-
ter, so far from being favourable to the Bill, were una-
nimously against it. Alehouse-keepers and quack doc-
tors Were brought forward as witnesses, and the grossest
attempts were made to impose on the Committee.
Mr. T. WILSON said, his opinion had been, that if
the original Petition in favour of the Bill was rot tainted
with fraud, the Committee ought to proceed. Being as-
sured that it was, he could not countenance any fur titer'
step being taken by the Committee.
Mr. BRIGHT opposed the motion.—The lioase saw
how the Petitions were got up, and that, he thought,
was sufficient ground uhy the Committee should not
proceed. To set names in that-planner to Petitions was
a high breach of privilege, and he hoped an example
would be math, of this Manchester Gas Bill. .

Sir I. COFFIN-said, that in justice to all par,ties, he
should vote for the revival of the Committee.

Mr. H. SUMNER said it was irregular not to have
the Report of thee Committee before the House, and
that was his principal ielson for wishing that it should
be revived. As the character of an individual was. in-
volved, he thought they should have the Report before
diem. It could then be ascertained whether or not the
privileges of the House had been •iolated.
After a few voids from Mr. Alderman HEYGATE
and Mr. Ctirmas, the motion was negatived.
ORANGEMEN.

Mr. DAWSON said, he rose for the purpose of pre-
seining a Petition from certain Freemasons, praying
that they might be exempt horn the operation of a law
passed last Session with respect to Secret Societies. He
thought it right to take this opportunity of calling the
attention of the House to events that were at present
going on in that part of the country with which he was
acquainted—events growing out of secret societies. He
regretted to hear, and he was certain it must be
matter of regret to the House to be informed, that from
twenty to twenty-five persons were put on trial for their
lives, in consequence of excesses arising out of .aborni•
stable processions. •In the ccuniy of Armagh twelve
' were tried, and in the county of Antrim also tome were
!put on their trial. The Learned Judge who went that
Circuit, finding the business on the criminal side poi-
tiply so greatly in consequence of these processions,
thought it his duty to assemble the Gentlemen of the
County, and re-commend to them to use their exertions
for putting an end to them. Some had also been tried
in the county which he had! the honour of 'representing.
He was anxious to take this opportunity of stating that
he reprobated in the strongest manner the existence of
such processions—(Hear). If Orange processions were
to take place, it was impossible that the Catholics should
not think that they too ought to have their processions.
It was, however, quite clear that all such processions
were illegal, and in the highest degree improper. In
the North of Ireland they were attended with the worst
consequences. They were often the occasion of murder
and of mischiefs of every kind. Every Gentleman
took one part or another where such processions oc-
curred. He hoped that in future the Gentlemen would
do everything in their power to put an end to them.
Mr. S. RICE said he thanked his Honourable_ Friend
fir thus declaring his sentiments Kith respect to these
processions. This declaration, coming from. him, was
more important, and promised more -good than any
thing that had occurred in the present Session. He
hoped the recommendation would go forth to the Pub•
lic, and would not be lost on bis Majesty's Goiernment.
The law made last year on the subject ,was utterly in-
operative. He regretted to say that within the last few
years pains had been taken to inuoduce Orange Lodges
into. many parts of the South of Ireland where they
never had been heard of before.
Mr. HUME thought that the Magistrates who coon-
testaneed these meetings should be reMoved from the

,Member proceeded to ps4som•44atementt (roma
r relative to Aka tooleplillte ip the'Commlfrce.
said the 'minaret' of ..the evidence
t before thre Committee ha 4 not been given to any
iber 6T it, and therefore he did not think it was come
it to the fien. Member to read them.:.
r J. MACKINTOSH said he conceived his Hon.