Star.
London, England, 1828-03-04 00:00:00

.N.,
,

ll ,nit • /off Ins, of all. vehqui he livibilionine to lie, he bat'
qualified as aMA Cst ic. The Noble Lord had
t 4
- . Nolen tit. the I-EfIN% s corky agatost Catholics :
Nosetnere\Necurity, indeed, against good men, but o,
security at all against bad ones, who generally, like the
great test-taker to whom he had alluded, would take
any test to serve their own immediate purposes.
Lord CALTHORPE said, that the obvious intentino
of oaths and tests s as, that they should be taken in a
serious and solemn manner ; but, in fact, they had de-
generated into a profanation, and bad becon.e a mere
passport to office. At a period like the present, when
institutions the most solemn and important Caere tried
by the adaptation to the purposes they prpfes.ed to
have in view, he could conceive nothing more inju-
rious to the Church of finglaud than that its safety and
protection should be supposed to depend upon these
Tests. It was less a matter of surprise that the Dis-
senters should have conic forward so numerously pray-
ing for relief, than that members of the Chuich of
England should seem willing to be thought indebted
. for the security of tha, Chuich to means so discredit-
able. He hoped whenever the subject should come
under the consideration of their Loidships, that they
would be found to entertain sentiments more congenial
with the pi inciples of civil and religious liberty, more
conducive to the honour and safety of -the Church of

England, and mote accommodating to the spirit of
• the age, ti-an those which the Noble Lord opposite
tad expressed.
Lord Curnsti and Lord RIDESDALI mutually explained.

The above Petitions were severally ordered.‘ Li; on the table.
On the motion of Lord NV HAIt NC LIFF/Ii the Earl of Rose-
berry was added to the said Committee.
Lord KING presented several Petitions Es am the Roman Ca-
16011c Inhabitants of Parishes in the King's County, Ireland, fair
therenroval of Catholic disabilities. _

The Duke of N w cAsTLL presented a Petition from the
Nishaters of Newark-upon-Trent, praying for the repeal or altsfra.
don of the Malt Act.
. The Marquis of LA NSDOWN brought in a Bill to ctmsolidate
and amend the laws relating to offences against the person. He
had also mother Bill to propose to their Lordships, but he would
abstain from any observations until the second reading.—The Bill
was then-read a first time.
The House then adjourned.

HOUSE OP COMMONS.
Baron Roebeck's Divorce Bill was read a second time.
WAKIFIBLD AND FUMY BItIDGC CANAL BILL.

, Sir JAMES GRAHAM moved the second reading
41 the above Bill, in the absence of Lord Milton, uho
was absent from indisposition. That Noble Lord had
intended to move the House upon the Bill, because it
was anxiously desired by all the great manufacturing
and commercial towns in the North of England ; and
if the Ayr and Calder Company were permitted to
catty their plans into effect, it would be imposing a tax
of 30,0001. a year upon the agricultural public of th,it
past of the country.
Mr. O'NEILL seconded the 'notion.
Mr. RIDLEY COLBORNE contended, that the
Ayr and Calder Company being about to catry a plan
into effect which would be more beneficial to the pub-

lic than any other, their rights ought to be defended
Against the pre,ent measure. They ha 1 embarked a
capital of -461.,000/. in their works, and 130,0001. to
this navigation. He firmly believed that the public in-
tetest would be best prow.ted by the plan of the Com-
pany, which this Bill would go to destroy, and he
therefore moved that the second reading be postponed
to that day silt months.
Lerd W. -PAU LETT seconded the amendment.
Mr.'HYDE VILLIERS said, that he had been in-
structed*, his constituents to ninon b,,tls Bids. He
believed the 'Wakefield and Ftrybridge plan to be the
superior one.
Lord NORMANBY said, that the reason stated by.

his HOU. Friend as the ground of ill_• amendment were
exactly those Which ought to lead the House to go lbw
. -a Cortemiltee. tilt could then be shown that the plan
proposed by the Ayr and Calder Company was the best
for the.ptebiic interest, then he should he very glad to
vote f .r their measure in preleeence to the one now
before them. But he thought the flou,e would not do
its duty if 'hey dismissed the Bill en the summary way
roposed by his Honourable Friend upon an ex pane
statement.

Mr. SYKES contended for the necessity of sending
the Bill before a Committee, in order to inquire into the
. different pretensions of the two plans. He denied that
• .the Ayr and Calder Company had redeemed their
pledges, or that the navigation they proposed would
be of equal public advantage with the Wakefield and
Ferrybridge Canal. The measure was r.f the utmost
importance to the commerce, manufictures, and agri-
culture of the North, and the House would not be doing
its duty if they rejected it without inquiry.
Mr. LASCELLES said, that the House had pledged
• Itself, by deciding last year against the Bill, to give the
• preference to the Ayr end Calder Navigation, provided
• they undertook the best means of accommodating the
- public. He should fe I himself bound by that pledge,
but he would not give a vote which would reject this
measure altogether, until he saw that the Company
intended to give the public the best accommodation.

Kr. C. WOOD concurted in the view takes by the
Um Member who spoke last. If his Hon. FL iend (Mr.
R. Colborne) would shape his amendment so as to give
• the Company six or eight weeks time to bring in their
measure, he would support him; if not, he should vote
fur the 13111.
Mr. BARING said that this was the most important
piece of inlet(' navigation in the country, and at the
same time it was the wont. Ills attention having been
drawn to the state of the navigation, he was induced
to become connected with the undertaking now before
the House; he should therefore only express his opinion
without voting upon the question, and he hoped that
&her Gentleopen having an interest in it one way or the
other, would have the proper feeling to do the same.
At present the old Company had d no interest in making
improve:muss for the benefit of the public, because the
public weetrobligeil to resort to their navigation. It,
therefore, the Wakefield and Ferrybridge concern bad
no other effect
.than that of compelling the Ayr and
Calder COmpany to make improvement., the pet son,
who originated it would have done much good. And
he was prepared to admit that if, ibe old Company
would make a good navigation, chef Oa a right to the
?reference in consideration of their long standing. The
only way id ascertaining this was w have both plans
befote a Committee ; and if that e( the old Company
should turn out to be the best, or should only possess)
equal advantages, the House might give it the prele
rence. But if it should prove that there was no real
intention on their part of giving to the public the advan-
tages offered by the present measure, the House would
not have discharged its duty in rejecting it.
The lionnurable W. DUNCOMBE said, that if he
did net think the Ayr and Calder Company sincere in their Intim-
dons of carving their proposed plan into effect, he should be the
la* .ac to support them. gut he bad been assured hy Mr. Tel-
...std. that the plan they meant to adopt was the best calculated
for sate public accommodation.
Mi. PORTMAN strongly deprecated the earnest
• canvas. which had been made....(tiear. bear.) He Mould give his
negative to she propositiou, that tie Bill be read a second time that
alibi. bat be kopea that the Honourable Mover of the amendment

wont!). content with postponing the reading for a n-•uchlisort
period than sal months.
Sir J. YORKE said, that as he intended to vote dif
ferently to what he had done last Session. heTose to explain his
reason. As the House hid pledged keenest year to give the Ayr
and C.lld,r Company a fair opportunity to amend-their navigation,
and he believed that they wer-ikriously endesysOuring to Jo so, be
should oppose the Bill b. fore the
After a few remarks from Sir JAMS torcL low.
ruck. the Gallery was cleared and the noun diiideclovlten there
appeared—
For the Amendment . . . . . 91.
Against it . . . . • . '17.4
On being re admitted in the Gallery, we found that the original
question had been put. on which

Mr. N. W. COLBORNE, after a few remarks, moved as an
Amendment, that th- Rill should be read that day eight weeks.
Mr. S. WORTLEY seconded the Amendment.
After a few remarks from Mr. R. Cousins*, Mr. Hoavrr, Mr.
Wii.mov-Hostvos, and Mr. &rem% the Gallery was sob: cleared,
and the House divided, when the numbers weresse•
For the Amendment . . .
Against it .

I.- 0 .

The Bill was consequently ordered to be reedit remind time that
day eight weeks. •
Mr. M A It SEI ALL presented a Petition front etetattsisratiplant
Dissenters in Yorkshire, praying for a Repeal of the Test and Cor-
poration Acts.
Mr. Alderman WA AN presented a similar Pelitialatrolat
the Dissentiag Chapel, Well-street, Hackney.
Mr. W. G. PEhL presented a Return of the number of prison-
ers in the King's Bench aui Whitectoss-street Prisons.
On a Message being received from the House of Lords, requelt-
ing that Mr. BRADSHAW might be permitted to attend before a
Committee appointed by their Lordships, to inquire into the Game
Laws, aol report their observations thereon to that House; leave
was given to the lion. Member to give evidence before, their Lord-
ships' Committee if he should think fit.
Mr. Alderman WOOD presented a Petition from certain Inha-
bitants of Middlesex and Surrey, respecting Employment bring
fouled for the Agricultural and Manufacturing Poor. •
Oti the mutims of Mr. G. BAN K ES, the Committee oil the Ro-
man Catholic Land Tar Bill was postponed till Mooday next.
On the motion of Colonel AIABIiItLY, the Order of the Day
was read fur the second reading of the Cities and Boroughs
Polls Bill.

Lord LOW"fli Int thought that there were really so many ob-
jections to the Hal, that the HOll. Member had better withdraw it,
and bring in another.
Mr. BARING said, that if the Bell as it stood were put intu
force it would ncca.ion the utmost cuttiusion.

Colonel DAVIES said, that it was the wish of his Hon. Friend
and hiniseU to render the Bill useful and efficient; and rather than
press its consideration then upon the House, he would snore that
it should be read 4 second time that day week.
Te motion was agree,' to.
On the motion of Sir JOHN NEWPORT, a Return was or-
dered of every Parish in Ireland in which an agreement had been
made under. the Tithe Commutation Act, with the particblars of
such agreement
Sir JOHN NEWPORT said, that seeing the Right Hon. Se-
cretary for the Home Department in his place, be would take that
opportunity of asking him whether it was the intention of Govern-!
ment to adopt any plan to prevent the recurrence of so melancholy
an accident as had just happened at the Brunswick Theatre?
Mr. Secretary PEEL said, that some time since it
had been suggested to him that the Building Act ge-
nerally might be revised with advantage, and the hint
was well worthy of consideration. He was sure, how.
ever, that the Right Hon. Baronet would agree with
him in thinking that the present moment. oas not the
best time possible for con•idering otether. it was right
or' not that any measure should be adopted for the
*setter security of the public attending the Theatres and
other places of amusement. It an uld be timer to wait
till it was fully understood haw the late melancholy
accident had occurred, than to attempt to deal with the
subject while the pliblit feelings mere excited. The
subject had not escaped his attention, ■nd should hate
the most serious consideration.

On the mothm of Mr. DA W SON; the House resolved itself into
a Committee on the Stamp Duties' Act,'Sir A.Gamst in the Chair.
• Mr. DAWSON proposed as a Resolution—" That the Chair.
man of the Committee do move the House fer leave to bring In a
BM for the better regulation of the Duties payable upon Policies
of Insurance ag mast Fire."
'the Resolution was agreed to, when the House resumed; leave
Was granted to bring in the Bill, and the CHANCILLOIL of the Jiacue-
! Quail and Mr. Dawson were named to prep ire it.

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