Star.
London, England, 1825-02-04 00:00:00

Roman Catholics generally, and the Association in
particular, from thecharge of illegal proceedings. The
Catholics paid taxes, and fought the battles of the
country like other people, and ought not to be put
down, as seemed to be intended. He was surprise!
that any Minister who approved of the Speech which
had been delivered from the Throne, could think it ne-
cessary to propose a Committee to inquire into the state
of Ireland. He wanted no inqui, y ; but would rest
satisfied with the King's royal word, which declined
that peace and tracquillity was restored to that pact of
the kingdom. It was in vain to attempt to put down
by Act of Parliament six millions of people who had
real grievances to complain of. Why not let the Ca-
tholics of lielan'd talk? they proposed to do no mote.
The Noble Lord concluded by stating, that in his opi-
tsi,n the Roman Catholic Association had done nothing
uhich they ought not to have done.
The Earl of RODEN rose to express his satisfaction
4d the hope held out in his Majesty's Speech, and re-
peated in the speech of the Noble Earl at the head of
the Treasury—that Ministers would propose measures
for putting down the Roman Catholic Assirciation,
which had, for upwards of twelve months, been al-
loaed to pursue their dangerous course without mo-
lestation. He spoke in the presence of persons who
Irrid passed the winter and summer in Ireland, and
who could bear testimony to the baneful effe:ts which
the Association had produced on the minds of the pea-
santry. The time had arrived, when it became neces-
sary for Parliament to shew that they would not be
dictated to by the Roman Catholic Association. It was
by decisive measures alone that the agitators could be
made to crouch, and not by weak and variable pro-
ceedings, such as had lately been exhibited in Ire:and
—he meant the prosecution of this and that individual,
which tended to keep up the irritation which already
was, unfortunately, but too prevalent in that country.
Lord CLIFDEN argued, that the proceedings of the
Catholic Association were perfectly legal, and that no
legal quibbling could prove them to be otherwise. The
Catholic rent was collected for, and applied to, various
legal purposes; such as the education of the poor by
Catholic Priests, the establishnient of Newspapers, to
combat the abuse of Papers opposed to them, and the
building of Chapels. The Speech from the Throne
spoke of Associations; he concluded, therefore, that it
was intended to suppress the Orange as well as the Ca-
tholic Association. It was extraordinary that Govern.
ment should exhibit more intolerance towards the peo-
ple of Ireland than those of the kingdom of Hanover.
His Majesty had lately issued a Proclamation, declaring
that in the kingdom of Hanover the professors of all
Christian denominations should be on an equal footing,
with respect to civil privileges. When he recollected
that the question of Catholic Emancipation was advo-
cated by Fox, Pitt, Burke, and twenty other great nien
whom he might name, he could not but wonder at the
obstinate folly of part of the Cabinet.

The Address was then agreed to unanimouily.
JOINT STOCK COMPANIES.

The LORD CHANCELLOR would take that op-
portunity of reminding their Lordships, that at the clue
of last Session he gave notice of an important measee
which it was his intention to introduce. He alluded
to a Bill respecting Joint Stock Companies, which had
multiplied exceedingly of late, and which, although
marry of them were not realized, or could tiot be
realized, were so far matured, that shares in them had
beCome subjects of public sale. The consequence was,
that while the founders of these projects del ived enor-
mous advantages from the speculation, the community
were subjected to severe iiski. It was his intention to
bring in a Bill for the pui pose of checking those pro-
jects, the operation of which should commence from
the first day of the present Session. What passed pre-
viously, lje should either leave to be dealt with by the
common law, or he should introduce into the proposed
Bill a declaration affecting them, of what he conceived
to be the common law on the subject.