The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-03-27 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Mr. JonNsnm presented an Account of the Receipts
and Disbursements of the London lo►rlt
from the 30th November, 1819, to the 311111 Nov.
sus a Report relative to the progress of the Workr.
Mr. LAIIIITON postponed his moti.oi rrspecting
the State of the Iteprese•ntation until Tuesd.,y, the I;th
of April.

Mr. WESTERN pre,ented a Petition from the in-
habitants of a place, the name of which we did nut
hear, praying for a revision of the Criminal Law.
Sir EDWARD KNATCHBI'LL presented a Peti-
tion from the Grand Jury of the rooms- of Kent.
routplaining of the distressed state of the Azricultural
Interest.

DIC KENSON presented Petitions from the
Archdeaconry of Bath and Wells, and the Arch-
deaconry of Bristol, agaiust the Hills in progress
for removing the present disabilities relative to hu-
man Catholics.

Sir THO3IAS LETIIBRIDGM spoke in support of
the Petition, srhich was ordered to he printed.
Mr. ?dAItTIX of Galway, brought in a Bill to regu-
late the Office of Coroner in Ireland, which was read
a first time.

Mr. OROSETT presented a Petition from the B;ti-
liff, Burgesses, Freemen, and Inhabit Ants of Chip-
penham, in Wilts, against the Catholic Hill. The
Hon. Memher said, that the Petitioners perfectly
agreed in the justice of Toleration, hnt they con-
ceived that the Roman Catholics aimed at the acquire-
ment of political power. The Petition was ordered to
be printed.
Sir B. 31ART1N presented a Petition from certain
Corn-merchants of Plymouth, praying that the Bill
in progress respecting Corn Averages shoohl not have
a retrospective operation, so as to affect Corn now in
hand.

Mr. STI-AltT WORTLEY presented a Petition
from the Archdeaconty of a place in the West Hiding
of Yorkshire, stating the attachment of the Peti-
tioners to the Constitution as by Law r•taidished : and
their wish that toleration should be gen••rally granted,
but praying that the Roman Catlaulit s might not be
admitted into power; a measure which they appre-
hended would endanger the safety of the State. The
lion. Member said, that he knew the Petitioners to
be men not only worthy of their sacred offices, but
men of the most exemplary conduct in private life.—
A Petition from such men could not but demand the
serious attention of the Honse ; yet it was his painful
duty to state, that after the most laborious considera-
tion he had been able to give the question spoken of,
he felt persuaded that more danger would follow the
leaving that question undisposed of than by granting
the desired emancipation.
Mr. SYKES spoke shortly to express his concur-
rence in opinion with the Honourable Member for
Yorkshire.

Mr. JOHN SMITH said, the Petitioners had spoken
of their apprehension of danger, but had not pointed
out what induced that apprehension. The Wm. Mem-
ber alluded to Holland, where he said religious opi-
nion was strongly divided. No disability prevailed
against one persuasion or the other, and yet where
there was no confusion in the state attempted on the
part of the Catholics.
Sir THOMAS LETHBRIDGE said, that in foreign
countries there was an opportunity given to Protest-
ants to cense a disturbance i■ the state. In the Spa-
lash Constitution, which had been so mach admired,
there was a clause expressly intolerant against any

Mr. BENNETT said, the in•tan:T alin.irl to Iw
his Hon. Friend, arose out of political—not religiatis
feeling. As to toleration, he wa% %.)rry !o sat• that the
Petitions presented to the Ileumr hail .hewn till, often
that there was an Anti-Christian %pirt to he fount'
among wand• Members of the estahlish.•.l
could not %ream. danger in the measure et..v propo%eil.
when he recollected that in Hanover ail ii;st;action of
religion had been taken off su as to ailow ail peisons
to bold °diem

Sir ROBERT WILSON said, that h.` bad been
twie.• elected for the Boroitzli of `4,12212war!:, rind had
promised to he guided upon the Ca/Italie Question hy
his Constituents ; determining. nes erth. !. ss, in the
event of their differing (ruin him in opinion to r..sign
his seat, rather than vote against C 22110E2! Emanci-
pation: as he hail always funnil Catholic officers and
soldiers as willing as Protestants, to shod their blood
in defence of their country. In the preseat ease, he
had sent a copy of the Bill to the nien of the
Borough. and had been informed that the inhabitants
cheerfully left the question to the consitlerati.n2 of the
Legislature.

Lord NUtiliNT said, the Catholic re!igion watt not
intolerant. Not only was theie no dau►n.►t.►rc clause
in their service arain•t any other persuasion, bat thc
cteetl of St. Athanasitts, which hall excited such dif-
ference of opinion among. ourselves, was renerally
omitt►d. With respect to Spain, which had been re-
ferred to, he could only observe, that that contary was
at least three centuries behind the rest of Europe in
murals and in intellect.

Sir U. SCRUM., Mr. J. Sstrtu, and Mr. S. IVisirr-
LET, mutually explained, and the Yetitista was then
'ordereito be printed. _

. Mesa Ace from the Lords announced their Lord-
ships' .Is•ent to several Bills.

kr. CCKWF:N presented two Petition•, one from
certain Landholders in Cumberland, the other from
certain Landholders in Leicestershire, complainidg of
Africultural distress.
Mr. HART DAVIS rrevented a Pet:tion against the
Catholic; Glairns, fnrm the Master, Churchwardens,
and Inhabitants of a parish in Ilri•tol.