Star.
London, England, 1816-04-27 00:00:00

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tiou of his charges against the Lord Chief Justice of
the King's Bench.
OFFICE OF CLERK OP THE PLEAS IN IRELANTY.
Mr. PLUNKETT wished to know horn the Right
Hon. Secretary for Ireland, what was the nature of
the Bill of which he had given notice, relative to the
office of Clerk of the Pleas.in Ireland.
Mr. PEEL said, tjiat his object was, that the fees
and emoluments of that office should be empounded,
till the legal question which was now pending with
regard to the right of nomination to that situation,
should be decided. His Bill would have no reference
to the right of nomination, though tie thought that lay
in the Crown ; but as the emoluments of the situation
amounted to no less than twenty-five or thirty thou-
sand a-year, he did not think he would do his duty,
if he did not take care to secure such a large amount
of money till the question should be decided...
Mr. PLUNKETT was authorised to state, that
ample security would be given for the amount of the
fees received, till the question should be legally de-
cided. Indeed, the Chief Baron had not appointed to
that situation, till he had most fully satisfied himself
of his right of appointment. He had made out such
a Prima fade case of his right, tha,t the Court of Ex-
chetrier, he believed, was also convinced, though it
thought it right to refer the subject to legal decision.
The office had been conceived to be a sinecure, and
the great emoluments of the situation were thought
to be received without having any duty annexed to
them. But from his
,own knowledge, he could assure
the House that this was a very erroneous impression,
for there were no less than twelve clerks attached to
the situation. It was therefore by no means a sine.
cure office, but one, the duties, of which required
much attention. He could not but think it some.
what extraordinary that Parliament should interfere
in a question which was in the course of legal deci-
sion, especially when there was ample security of-
fered for the emoluments of the situation, in case the
right of appointment should be decided to be in the
Crown.

Mr. PEEL intended only for the present to im-
pound the tees and emoluments of the office, till the
right of nomination should be legally decided ; :and
for the future to reguLte the fees of a satiation ...Neil
a Committee r f that House had recommended should
be entirely abolished. He believed the right at m.
mination Isy in the Crown, and he had the authority
of Mr. Standish O'Grady, the Chief Baron, himself
for his tAief. Yet his Bill would not interfere. on
that point ; but he thought it within the competency
of the House to r:gulate the emoluments of an office,
of which a Committee of the House had recommended
the entire abolition, as well as to secure the emolu-
ments of that office, till it was decided where the right
of nomination to it lay. •

Mr. PLUNKETT; had-no objection to theyegula:
tion by the House of the emoluments of this office, it
the emoluments of other offices were also regulated.
liutfie thought it somewhat singular to select this in..
dividual office for the application of regulicions to it,
when there were so many others to which regulation
could be equally well applia
Mr. LESLIE FOSTER. thought the etnolutpents
of this office were so enormous, that none called more
louldly for regulation. Even if it were not a sinecure
situation, there would be abundance for the compen-
sation of any duties annexed to it, after a great reduc-
tion of those emoluments. The head of the situation
hid not, indeed, the entire of those emoluments ; for he
had only 410,000 a-year, his deputy 47000 3-year, his
first clerk £3OOO a-year, and no clerk less than 42000
a-year ; s 9 that his Right Hon. Fiiend was much
within the reality when. he stated the amount of them
at thirty thousand pounds a year. He th;refore•con-
ceivrd that no otlice deserved regulation more than
the one in question.
After some farther conversation between Mr. Peel,
Sir John Newport,. Mr. Vesey Fitzgerald, Mr. Aber-
cromby, and Mr. Plunkett, the subject dropped.

CATHOLIC PIiTITIoN.

Sir HENRY PARNELL held in his hand a peti-
tion which had been agreed to at a general meeting
of the Roman Catholics of Ireland, held in Dublin in
icily last. The petition had been agreed to at that
meeting, without any. opposition ; and he therefore
thought that.it should be considered as the general
petition of the Catholics'of that kingdom. The peti-
tion was short, and only stated that the petitioners
were deprived of their just share of the blessings of
the Constitution for adhering to religious opinions
which they believed to be right, and that they prayed
to be admitted to an equal enjoyment of civil liber-
ties with their fellow subjects. He understood that
his Right Hon. Friend. Mr. Grattan) would in a
few days present another petition from another body
of the Catholics oil; eland, and that in consequence
of the two petitions it was conceived there was a great
division amongst the-Catholics of Ireland. But the
difference between those-petitions was more nominal
than real ; the petition which he had the honour to pre-
sent only stated the grievances, and prayed to be freed
,from them without pointing out any particular line to
be adopted. The other petition stated.that the Catho-
lics were ready to. submit to any securities which were
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not inconsistent with their religion. .This was the only
difference; and this- was a- differeqce . in-name more
than in reality. There was also an. Address from
the Catholics of Ireland, to be. presented to•his Royal
Highness.;he Prince Regent, praying,-that he would
be graciously pleased to order a recommendation to
-Parliament-to take .the •grievances of the Catholics
into the earliest consideration.- The Catholics,. there-
for!, threw the business into the handkpflis-Majesty's
Ministers ; And he, consequently; did• not, feel it ne-
cessary at present to make any farther motion on
the subject, than that the Petition be read and or-
dered to lie on -the rabic. He trusted his Majesty's
Ministers would feel she importance of the subject,
at a moment- when .there..was. a large mificarrforce
reqUirbd tOr Ireland. . It had • beat said,, that
during the continuance of -60:war-there Imre some
peculiar circumstances interiening au. the subject
boy as. itwas now peace lie trosteillhoo.thoso cjr•
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