Star.
London, England, 1821-03-17 00:00:00

. .
lirekand, in consequence of the measure proposed by
Mr. Plunkett, which gave general satisfaction).—
This letter was entitled to peculiar attention, from
the respectable character.of the individual by whom
It had been written.
Mr. PEEL explained, and referred to the opinion
of the Roman Catholic Prelates as hostile to thelura-
sure, even after they had.received the rescript from
Rome signed by theVice-Prefect of the Propaganda.
Dr. PHILLIMORE spoke against the principle of
the Petition, and said the signatures did riot include
any one name of distinction among the respectable
Roman Catholic families of Staffordshire.—The Pe-
tition was then ordered to lie on the table.
Lord PALMERSTON moved that it be printed.-
Mr. DAWSON wished to ask an Hon. Baronet
(Sir H. Parnell), if the House was to consider that
the letter he had read expressed the concurrence of
the Catholics of Ireland in the present measure?
Sir H. PARNELL said, lie had read the letter as
coming from a private individual. expressing his opi-
nion on a public question, without making ;my pledge
with respect to it.
Sir JAMES MACKLNTOSH was anxious to state
a fact with which the Right lion. Gentleman opposite
(Mr. Peel) seemed unacquainted. The Right Hon.
Gentleman supposed, that because the Catholics did
not accede to the mere diction of M. Quarantotti, in
1814, they were therefore disinclined to acquiesce in
the communication from the Pope. It was very true
that the Roman Catholics were not content with the
lime diait of M. Quarantotti; but when they. had re-
ceived instructions from higher aethority, they im-
mediately submitted, and had not said a wi.r.l in op-
position for the last seven years—( Hear). .
Sir JOHN NEWPORT said, that the Pope had
disowned the rescript of Quarantotti.
The Petition was ordered to be printed.
Mr. COKE presented a Petition, signed by fifty
of the Clergy of Norwich, in support of the Catholic
Claims—(Hearatenr).—lle concurred most cordially
in the prayer, yet he felt that anything he could say
would be superfluous after the manner in which the
question had been brought forward by the Right
Honourable Member tier the University of Dublin.
The splendid talents of that Right Honourable Mem-
ber were worthily employed upon the occasion. He
felt proud and delighted at the reflection, that in
presenting this Petition, he was doing an act which
would afford the highest pleasure to that excellent
Prelate, the Bishop of Norwich, whose life had been
devoted to the cause of civil and religious liberty,
and who had made every exertion in support of the
present measure—(Cheers).
Mr. WODEHOUSE wished that the discussion
should be carried on in the same spirit of liberality
with which it had commenced. '
The Petition was laid on the table, and ordered
to be printed.
Lord PALNIERSTON presented a Petition from
the University of Cambridge against any further
concessions to the Roman Catholics. The Noble
Lord expressed his entire dissent from the prayer.—
He did not feel the same alarm as the Petitioners, at
conceding the claims of his Catholic fellow,sithjects;
and he thought that the day of the final adjustment
of those claims, b), having tEe Royal assent given
to the present Bills, would be one of the most auspi-
cious that bad ever dawned upon England—( Cheers).
Mr. SMITH said, that the Petition was far from
being unanimously agreed to; at the same time, he
hoped that no discussion might take place on this or
any other Petitions, which would tend to alter that
tone of forbearance and good temper with which
this great question had been hitherto treated in the
House--(Haar, hear).
The Petition was read, and ordered to be printed.
Lord E. SOMERSET presented a Petition from
the Clergy of Stow, in Gloucestershire, against the
Bill for removing Catholic disabilities.—Ordered to
be printed.
Mr. C. GRANT presented a Petition from the
Roman Catholic Merchants in the town of Galway
in favour of the Bill for removing Roman Catholic
disabilities.—Ordered to be printed.
Mr. M. FITZGERALD presented a Petition in
Amur of the Bill from the Roman Catholics of
Tralee.--Ordered to be printed.
CATHOLIC BILL.
Mr. PLUNKETT rose and said, that before he
moved the Order of the Day for the second reading
of this Bill, he would trespass for a short time on the
attention of the House. Having on a former occa-
sion experienced so much of the indulgence of the
House upon the general question, he would not
now trench upon the more extensive view of it,
but confine himself to.a brief outline of the nature'
of the two Bills which he had the honour of • pro-
posing. But before he went into that outline, he
would take this opportunity of reminding the House,
that when he first opened this subject, be had stated,
that the measure had for its principal object a treat
act of national justice, which would end in the public
good- He stated, that if it was attained through it,
tp would produce some degree of immediate satisfac-
tion, a result which was • most desirable ; yet, at the
same time, the result was not the main object of the
Measure. He confessed he had great doubts at the,
time ass to the extent of immediate satisfaction which'
he might expect:' he did expect it, indeed, to some
considerable degree, and he had now to state, that'
his expectations on that point had been much more
than realised--(Hear, hear).—The degree of satisfac-
6on which the measure had already excited among
his countrymen, exceeded his most sanguine hopes.l
ilelleped, therefore, that Hon. Members would not
think him unjust if he despaired of satisfying every,
body. Indeed, there were some persons who consi-
dered. that if they were satisfied with any measure
a this kind, it would be a most calamitous circum-
stance to the country. They conceived it to be their
duty to Gov, and to the State, to look upon their
Roman Catholic fellow-subjects with undiminished
hostility, and to bequeath that feeling as a heir-loom
from sire to son for ever—(Hear, dear, and laughter).
With such person; he would not attempt to argue.—
Thee were entrenched in a territory of their own
withia which he could net expect to be permitted to
ewer. lie li•iold leave them in the undisturbed en-
lament of it. Most worthy and excellent persons
dm. were, no doubt, and it was to him a source of
Mat satisfaction to feel, that if the measure should
ferried, it would not have the effect of interferinn
Usow of their comforts or enjoyments—v/44.