The Sun. — 1848-04-01 (London, England)

THE CATHOLIC CLERGY. Lord BEAUMONT, in allusion to the returns laid on the table yesterday, asked the Noble Marquis (Lansdowne) to make some statement as to the operation of the law recently passed, and as to the conduct of the Catholic clergy in Ireland. The liarisis of LANSDOWNE said that the effect of that Aot had been to put an almost complete stoppage to outrages. In one of the counties which had been most disturbed a degree of peace now prevailed equal to that in the most peaceful county of this country. In every case brought before the Special Commission both juries and witnesses had done their duty in a manner which did them honour. The Roman Catholic clergy had, he was happy to state, With few exceptions, lent their aid to enforcing the observation of the law. He was also happy to state that a large portion of the Catholic clergy had actively exerted themselves, in opposition to those who sought to bring about insurrection, in preventing disturbances ; and he felt bound to say that these most praiseworthy exertions of the Catholic clergy had astorially aided in preserving the public peace. Ihere had:been endeavours made to create disturbances, whisk efforts had induced the well-disposed persons to come forward to express their confidence in the Government, and a declaration to the effect had in the *curse of a few hours received the signatures of 160,000 persons of all denominations in religion. In Manchester, where attempts had bees mado by agitators to create a disturbance, sixteen Roman Catholic priests bad come forward to urge their congregations to maintain the public peace, and he felt bound to say that the Governi had the utmost reliance on that body to assist the Government in their endeavours to uphold the law in Ireland, which the Government were determined to uphold and enforce under all circumstanoes.—(Hear.) Lord STANLEY confessed that he had been mistaktn in the view which he had taken as to what would be the probable conduct of the Catholic clergy. He had heard with great satisfaction the statement of the Noble Marquis as to the conduct of the Catholic clergy, and he had read with great satisfac--- uca-lat ablUll 1,4,7 vaaaluti, ,ieigy or iminctiester. It was a matter of congratulation and pride that while the whole of Europe was convulsed, in this country those diaturbancee had evoked such an expression of opinion from the higher, the middle, and the lower classes, of faith in oar institutions, sufficient to overawe the small minority which would fain waste disturbances.—(Hear, hear.) He also believed that, although in Ireland the disturbance-loving minority might be large, yet still that the great majority bad that faith in the laws, that the tranquillity of the country would not be disturbed.—(Hear.) Yet, considering the wets done and the expressions used in Ireland during the last few weeks, it struck him that the law had not provided an adequate punishment for a class of offences which could not be dignified by the name of treason, and which yet went beyond sedition. There was a body in Ireland stimulating the people to treason, and yet not themselves open to an indictment for treason, while their acts wore calculated to lead to bloodshed, and to render them morally liable to punishment more severe and more summary than that which the law awarded to sedition. He thought the law required amendment in this respect. Lora MONTEAGLE thought this conversation had been most important, because it had elicited from the Noble irarquis the declaration that the Catholic clergy lead in general exerted themselves in maintaining the law, and that the Gevernment had the greatest trust in their assistance. There was another elass to which he also wished to do justice, and that was the people themselves, who had shown a determination, even in the county of Tipperary, to bring murderers to justice. Throughout the whole of the Munster circuit the people had exhibited the greatest desire to bring criminals to justice. They were now aware that acts of insuboudination only tended to prevent the employment of labour, and consequently to injure themselves. The conversation then dropped, and their Lordships adjourned.  ROUSE OF COMMONS, Match n. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.