The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-04-25 00:00:00

IIOU:;E OF COMMON'S.

The Trii,h Grain Prohibition Bill, and the Tobacco
Pipe-clay Bill, weiv Lraught in, and read a first time, and or-
dered to be read a seened time on Monday neat.
A Person from the Office of Chief Secretary of Stift. for Ire-
land, presented an Account of the Number of Bank of Ireland
Notes in circolation.
The Committees on the Scotch Local Militia Bill, and on the
consideration of the Lord: Message, respecting the Fourth Re-
port of the East India Company, were Fostponed to Wednes-
day next.
Lord ft. HAViILTON presented a Petition from the Mer-
chants of Glasgow, against the Orders in Council.
Mr. II OU STO S presented a Com:ter-Petition from the Tra-
ders and Manufacturers of the same place.
After a few words from Mr. Brougham, the Chancellor rf the
Kxchenoter, lord A. Hamilton, Mr. Houston, and Gimeral Tar-
leton, the Petitions were ordered to lie on the table.
Thes4l AN CEl.l,Olt, of the EXCHEQUER gave notice,
that he would move fur a Vote of Thanks to Lord Wellington,
andthe Gallant Army who had taken awlajos by storm, on
Monday neat.—(l' is notice seas fullonvd 6,1 loud Cheers.)

CATHOLIC QUESTION.
(RESUMED DEBATE.)
The motion for a Committee to enquire into the •
state of the Irish Catholics having been put from the i
Chair,
Sir IVILLIAII SCOTT commenced with skll.
eating the conduct of the illustrious. University which
he had the honour to represent (Oxford) from some
aspersions which were thrown out on the former
night. In contradiction to these assertions he would
state, that there was no community of men more dis-
tinguished for their attachment to the Constitution,
more unshaken in their fidelity to the throne, and
more firm in their resistauce to the demands of legal
tyranny. They bad ever been the forward assentors
of civil liberty cud personal independence. With
respect to their Petition on the subject before the
House, it was voted by a majority of four to one,
and the whole number of persons who voted against ,
it was but '2l. It was as fair a represeetation of the
sentiments of that whole body as he believed "it
was of the educated part of the country in general.'
Upon the question immediately before them, he
should not trouble them at any length; fit, co*4 pot ,
help considering it as one which was calculated only
to excite those passions which must disturb the do-
mestic trauquitlity, and to hazard the calamity of
setting fire to the country. There was no probabi-
lity of their coming this year to a different determi-
nation from that to which they had come iu any of ;
,•
the preceding years, yet they were told every year
1 that it must be done. The constant answer of the
Legislature to such threats was, that it should not
be done, so that the effect of those repeated. applica-
tions warto keep up a continual warfare betweetil
the Legislature and the Petitioners. It had-been
said that there was no clamour ; but though there
was no clamour, there might be strong sensation,
and he was confident there was. Bet had the Peti-
tioners brought the question any nearer to aq nd-
justment than in former instances ? Had they offer.
ed those securities which might have a teadency to
allay the apprehensions entertained by some? Or.
had they not, on the contrary, refused all securities,
even those which they were willing to have conceded
before? So far from granting any security, they
accompanied their claims with an explicit declaration, •
that their Church should hatesa marked public en-
couragement ; must it.not be apprehended, that this.
request must mean, in other wordorwatarked
disceOragernont to the established gligioti of •. the
country ? The time had, not long. passed, wbest.it
was thopot a fundamental principle of titer coops-
aoia, this th: civil fabric should he ceatbieeCatitb a
.relWous establiebment;..but sow they wextribitil it