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

THE CATHOLIC CLERGY.  Lord BEAUMONT, in allusion to the returns laid on the asblo yesterday, asked the Noble Marquis (Lansdowne) to make some statement as to the operation of the law riceatly passed, and as to the conduct of the Catholic clergy in Ireland.  The Ilaripirs of LANSDOWNE said that the effect •f that Act had been to put an almost complete stoppage ontrageo. In one of the counties which had been moat 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 preventirrg disturbances ; and he felt bound to say that these Bacot praiseworthy exertions of the Catholic clergy had ztaterially aided in preserving the public peace. There had:been endeavours made to create disturbances, which 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 •ourse of a few hours received the signatures of 160,000 persona of all denominations in religion. In Manchester, where attempts had been made by agitators to create a ilteturbance, sixteen Roman Catholic priests had come foxward to urge their congregations to maintain the pulse peace, and he felt bound to say that the Government 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 upheld and enforce under all circumstances.—(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 bad heard with great satisfaction the statement of the Noble Marquis as to the conduct of the Catholic clergy, and he had read with great satisfaction the declaration of the Catholic clergy of Manchester. It was a matter of congratulation and pride that while the whole of Europe was convulsed, in this country those disturbances had evoked such an expression of opinion from the higher, the middle, and the lower elasses, of faith in our institutions, sufficient to overawe the small minority which would fain SAC' 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 sets 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 offenses 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 themNaves open to an indictment for treason, while their acts wire calculated to lead to bloodshed, and to render them morally liable to punishment more severe and more streiraary than that which the law awarded to sedition. He thought the law required amendment in this respect. Lord MONTEAGLE thought this conversation had been most important, because it had elicited from the Noble Iflrquis the declaration that the Catholic clergy had in general exerted themselves in maintaining the law, end that the G vernment had the greatest trust in their assistance. There was another class 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 exhibted the greatest desire to bring criminals to justice. They were now aware that acts of insubostdination only tended to prevent the employment of labour, and consequently to injure themselves. The converuttion then dropped, and their Lordships adjourned.  ROUSE OF COMMONS, March 31. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.