Star.
London, England, 1813-02-23 00:00:00

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P4RL14.41,E1V74kr PROCEIA/NGS.

HOUSE OF LORDS, FEBRUARY 22..

WRIGHT V. DICKSON AND ANOTHER.

The Faris of ALBEMARLE and NIALSIESSURY, and Lord
ASHBURTON, took the oaths and their seats. •

This WRM an Appeal from the Gotta of Session in Scotland.--
Tke question mated to the burning of lime in the barony of
Cousland, and the right of procuring.coals on the same estate for
that and oilier purposes. A suspension and interdict bad been
obtained against the Appellant, and several Decrees of tharCourt
li-d denied the rights which he claimed, undtr a lease • from Sir
John Dalrytople' against which he now appealed to their Lord-
Ships, and contended that the Court of Session had not construed
that enutract sel ich ought to decide these righta, but had made a
'.sew (Qt:tract fir his performance.
Mr ApA” and Mr. HORNER were beard in behalf of the
lippellant.—nether proceedings on Wedne.day.

ReMAN CAI IiOLJCS.
The Bishop of CHESTER presented a Petition
r,
Hof
tlie Inhabitants of Cluster, against the Claims
of the Roman Catholics. The Petition was read and
prdered to lie on the table.
Lord KENYON-said, he held in his hand a Peti,
ott from the Clergy and Inhabitants of the County
of Denbigh, against the Roman Catholic Claims.—
' Be observed that this Petition was signed by a great
'number of respectable persons at a Meeting held for
the purpose, where, he thought it his duty to state,
that the Petition was agreed to unanimously, ex-
cepting one who was dissentient, and who read a
letter front the Hon. Baronet who represents that
County, and which contained his sentiments on the
subject of The Meeting.
Lord KNYON presented a similar Petition
from the Inhabitants of the County of Merioneth.—
Beth these Petitions were ycallo and ordered to lie on
the table.
Lord BIJLKELEY presented a Petition from the
Inhabitants of the County of Carnarvon, against
the Roman Catholic Claims. Ordered to lie on
the table,

it The Marquis of I-lEADFORT presented a Peti-
tion from the Protestant Inhabitants of the County
of Meath, against the Roman Catholic Claims,
I The Marquis of LANSDOWN said, from the in-
terest he had in that county, he had an opportunity
..,of knowing that this petition did not express the
I sentiments of a large pertion of the Protestants of
the county ;—and that, from a counter petition,
which would shortly come before their Lordships, it
.would be evident that the greater part of the Pro.
testants of landed interest were in favour of the con-
t sideration of the Catholic Claims.
The Petition was read, and ordered to lie on
the table.
The Earl of RADNOR presented two Petitions
from Salisbury—one from the Corporation, and the
otter ficm the Inhabitants—against the Claims of
the Roman Catholics; which were read, and ordered
to he on the table.
The Earl of RADNOR next presented a Petition
from the Corporation of Wallingford, in Berkshire,
I against the Roman Catholic Claims. The Noble
Larl proceeded to read this petition, which in its
tide was stated to be the petition of " the Corpora.
tion of Wallingford." 'He observed, that at first it
had occurred to him, this description of thmselves,
as a corporation, was not so-correct as to permit the
receipt of their petition, according to t'le forms of
their Lordships' House ; but he was aFterwards in-
duced to think, that their Lordships w .uld have no
objection to receive it—for vd atever defect might
exist in the description they had given eiernselves in
:- the title, yet the petition had their corporate seal
affixed to the same.
Lord HOLLAND thought the Petition could
he received as that of those only who h id subscribed
it. 'lt was not entitled by that appellation which
legally denominated the Corporation of Wallingford.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH said, if there had
existed in Wallingfirrd two corporations, this pea-
r tion, by stating itself to be the petition of " the Cor-
i poraticno" he should have considered it bad, on ac-
count of uncertainty, and that their Lordships ought
not to have received it ;—but there being only one
corporation in Wallingford, it was quite certain, and
haying the corporate seal, there could be no objec-
tion to its being received as the petition of that
corporate body.
Lord HOLLAND was sorry if, by any question
he raised as to the propriety of receiving this Peti-
tion, he might incur again what had been imputed
,to him by a Nthle Viscount, that he treated these
!petitions with too much scrutiny ; but still he mutt
'say, that the description of this Corporation was not
t that mhich was , applied to them by their Charter,
and which alone they could constitutionally represent
themselves as a Corporate Body. The Petition
ought to have been that of the Mayor, Recorder,
and Corporation or Wallingford ; and, therefore, he
did not perceive how this retition of the Corporation
of Wallingford could be received as such, when he
had another Petition of a contrary tendency from
:the Mayor, Recorder, and others, of that Corpo-
ration.
The Earl of RADNOR considered the objection
of the Noble Lord grounded upon his own observa-
tions, as to the title ; brit still the objection would
'not apply to the known seal of that Corporate Body.
!What the Noble Lord had stated to be the title of
his own Petition, would be equally exceptionable as
to. the description of the Corporation ; for, ecrrectly,
;it ought to be the Mayor, Burgesses, and Commons
of the Borough of WallingfOrd.
Viscount SIDMOUTH, on the question of pro-
priety before their Lordships, upon the r.eeipts, ex•
pressed himself decidedly of opinion that Cie Petition
having the Corporate Seal, it ought to be received as
such by the House. The seal was sufficient authority
to their Lordships, whx.ever casual error might at-
tend the description, that the Petition was that of the
Corporation. He must, indeed, observe, ill answer
to an observatiOn made by a Noble Lord (HolLnd)
that these Petitions had been treated in a most ex.
traordinary manner. Every sentence, and ~:inost
word, had been canvassed with the iiitentt of placing
obstacles in the way 'of their being presented. It
c.rtanly was more liberal in that House to look over
Lice tiecidkntal informalities of a Petition. It had
been in,imated by the Noble Lords opposite, that
Petitions oil this nature were be viewed differently,
from Petitions in general. But was it no; highly
proper, after the declarations made by those Noble
Lot irs of the Protestants in this country, being, if
. not fivoura le, at least not unfavourable, to the
concession of these claims to the Catholics, that Pe-
titions slautzid come before the Legislature for the

pt 'pose c Wonting th.es.n what wen
sentiments and opinions. The Noble Lords them-
selves had caused these Petitions, and the Prote-
stants of tliis conntry, knowing that this question
would shortly come under the discussion of Patlia-
meat, had in a very large proportion, though mine'
of them might entertain different opinions, come
forward and expressed their wish that these claims
should not be conceded. Their conduct he ap-
proved of, as it tended to chew an extremely im-
portant point, after the declaration of the Noble
Lords, viz, what was the sense of the Protestants of
this country.
Lord REDESDALE entertained some doubt as
to the propriety of receiving this Petition, for want
of necessary correctness in the description they gave
of themselves as a Corporation. They could not
have. sued by such a description it was clear, and
therefore they ought to have been otherwise named
in the Petition, At the same time he perfectly
accorded with the other observations of the Noble
Viscount.

Lord ELLENBOROUGH thought the title suf.
ficient in all ordinary cases, though there was no
dooht if they had by such description sued on a bond,
or in an action of trespass, in the King's Bench, he
should have directed a nonsuit immediately. D. in-
deed, there had been any other, suppose an Eccle.
siastical Corporation at Wallingford, he should have
said their Lordships could not receive it for want of
certainty, but there being no other Corporation, no
doubt could exist as to the Cor?oratio* described, and
under such circumstances, he considered this appella.
Lion sufficient for this and all ordinary cases where
they were concerned.. _ _ _

The LORD CHANCELLOR wondered that
doubts could exist where he entertained none. The
seal was a sufficient authority for the receipt of this
Petition, and the description given was perfectly suf-
ficient for the present purpose. For instance, In a
Court of Justice, their rights would to guarded on
particular occasions without any other description.—
Suppose he were to devise by his will certain devise-
able property to the Corporation of Wallingford,
there could be no question but they could by that
description take under the will, and a Court of law
would so decide in their favour. -

The Petition, as that of the Corporation, was or-
dered to be laid on the table.

The Earl of RADNOR presented another peti-
tion from certain Aldermen and inhabitants of the
Borough of Wallingford, against the Roman Ca-
tholic Claims. He said this was the Petition of
those only who had signed it. It was signed with a
view to any informality preventing the receipt of
the other from the Corporation, and contained the
names of many very respectable inhabitants.
Ordered to lie on the table.

Lord HOLLAND presented a Petition in favour
of taking the Roman Catholic Claims into consi-
deration, from the Mayor, Recorder, and other inha-
bitants of Wallingford, in Berkshire, whose names
were subscribed. He trusted their Lordships would
receive this Petition, and though lie was not pre-
pared to point out the respectability of every indi-
vidual, he could assure the House it contained the
names of several very respectable persons.
Ordered to lie on the table.

Lord SHEFFIELD presented a Petition from the
inhabitants of Lewes, in Sussex, and the places ad-
jacent, against the Roman Catholic Claims. He
said the Petition was signed by upwards of 4,000
persons, amongst whom were many dissenters, and
several dissenting clergy.
Lord HOLLAND inquired if the Petition were
signed at a meeting ?
Lord SHEFFIELD replied, there was, he be,
lieved, no meeting.
The Duke of NORFOLK thought it was neces-
sary to inquire how so many names could be pro-
cured without a regular meeting. If this Petition
were handed about for signature, it would imply
some agent being employed, and therefore he would
thank the Noble Lord for any information as to the
mode in which these signatures had been procured
Lord SHEFFIELD could-not inform the Noble
Duke particularly ; all he knew was, that it origi-
nated with the Dissenters. It was first transmitted
to Lord Chichester, and afterwards to himself.

The Petition was read, and ordered to lie on the
table.

Lord ROLLE presented a similar Petition from
the inhabitants of Exeter. Ordered to lie on the
table.

Lord KINGSTON presented a Petition from the
Protestants of the County of Sligo against the Ca-
tholic Claims. He took that opportunity of stating,
that he would this year, contrary to his former prac-
tice, vote even against going arall into tae subject of
the Catholic Claims. He had never contemplated
concession to the Catholics without securities. The
Catholics now, however, by many Itusolutions, of
which he read one, had declared they would give no
securities. It was therefore needless to enter upon a
consideration of the subject,

The Marquis of LA&SDOWNE said, of the mo-
tives of his Parliamentary conduct the Noble Lord
himself was to judge; but the reason he had given
for the change was at least a very unparliamentary
one. For his own (Lord Lansdowne's) part, he
would enter into the discussion, and in case of mea-
sures of conciliation being agreed upon, he would
exercise his own free judgment as to what securities
and restrictions he should at the same time wish to
impose. He would not treat with the Catholics as
an independent body, or enter into any stipulations
with them. He said this merely with a view to the
general principle, independent of the consideration or
the value of any arrangements or securities.
Lord KINGSTON thought that he acted right,
as the Catholics were now coming upon them with
demands, instead of Petitions.
1 he Petition was then read.

The Duke of NORFOLK observed upon one part
of it, whew it t,t,ited, that the Protestants were now
roused ; these were most improper expressions. He
was sorry to see such means for rousing made use of,
in regard to religious subjects. They ought to re-
collect that the Catholics ‘‘ele four millions in num.
bet-, and injudicious rousing on the one side might
produce rousing on the other.
Lord KINGSTON then presented a Petition to
the same edict from the Protestants of the County of
Tipperary.

Lord HOLLAND said, that with 411 the latitude
allowed, and pr‘ perly allowed, in the case of Peti,

eons, it was tanposible tot to :egret the roethogi
which some of them were drawn. It was too flinch,
be thought, to be stating that the Catholics 'came
with demands instead .01petitions, whet; the House
had 110. doc u ma; ts before it tb eatable it to form any
opinion how that really was.
Lord REDESDALE said it was notorious that
the Catholics had passed resolutions, and sent abroad
publications of the nature described.
The whole of the Petitions were laid on the table.
Lord CHARLEVILLE presented a Petition from
the Protestants of the County of Carlow against the
Catholic Claims.

A Petition to .the same effect was presented from
the County of Monaghan.—Both laid oc the table.