The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-02-11 00:00:00

IRISH TITRES.

Sir H. PARNELL said, on presenting a petition from
the Grand Jury, and other inhabitants of the Q teen's
County, praying for a commutation of tithes, that he
wished to take that opportunity of mentioning what he
considered of great importance to the subject to which
the petition referred—he meant the recommendation
contained ib his Majesty's Speech, that such mensal...l
might be introduced in the course of the Session as
would improve the condition and habits of the people
of Ireland. If that recommendation alluded to a com•
mutation of tithes, he was satisfied that no measure was
better calculated to improve the condition and habits cf
that people, anti prevent a constant recurrence to dis-
turbance, than a commutation of tithes. Ile had every
reason to believe that that recommendation referred to
the question of tithes, and from information which tie
received, he could state that the Noble Lord at the head
of the !rids Government hail given the snhject his best
consideration, and such measures were likely to be in-
troduced this Session, as would meet with the appro-
bation of the great majority of the people of Ireland.—
He could not omit that opportunity of stating that dur-
ing the short time the Marquess Wellesley presided over
the administration of affairs in Ireland, he was
incessant in his efforts to improve the condition and
contribute to the happiness of the people of that COllll-
- All his measures tended to improve the condition
of unfortunate country, and he was happy in being
able to state that most of them were productive of ail
the results that could be expected from them. The pe-
titioners shortly stated their object, that the preset.:
system of tithes was opppressive and vexatious, not only
to those paying, hut those receiving tithes. n any al-
teration that would be introduced in the present system,
he did not wish that any attack should he made on tlia
property of the Church—on the contrary he was -as
anxious as any man that in any modification that should
be made, all the rights, privileges, and property of tho
Church should be preserved inviolate. Those who paid
tithes were not the only persona interested in a change
of the present system ; the clergy were also interesteu,
and he knew they were anxious that a proper measur,i
should be introduced, such as would relieve them from
the relations of the present mode of collecting tithes,
and he hoped the Bishops would lend their assistance
facilitate the enactment of any measure which wont t
remove so oppressive a burden. lie took that opporta•
niry of suggesting to his Honourable Friend (Oil.
Hume) that if what he had heard relative to the Lord
Lieutenant having remedial measures in contemplation
were true, it might be better to postpone his motion cn
tithes, until the measures of the Mar9uess of We:.
lesley were submitted to the consideration of Parlia-
ment.

Colonel TRENCH saiLl the sentiments of the Petition
were judicious and temperate, and came from a set of
(lent',mien entitled to the utmost attention. He was
happy to hear that a measure was at last to be brourbt
forward from a quarter which -would give a chance of
success in remedying the evils of a system which vois
asinjurious to the Protestant Establishment, as it was
oppressive to the Catholic.

Mr. V. FITZGERALD was instructed by the Grand
Jury of the County of Clare to support the Petit ion,—
He thought the general declaration of the atter inanity
of the measure prodaced in the last Session bad pro-
duced the happiest effect in exciting the great majority
of the Nobility and Gentry of Ireland to come forward
on this 9nextion. He wished to know from his Right
Hon. Friend (Mr. lioutburn) whether the Irish Oraveert-
nient bad any effectual measure in contemplation- ran
this subject ?

VIM CONTINUATION Or PALAU ILL LAST PALL)