and wearisome course of application: -Aliquando bonus dormitat Homerus: Verum opere in longo fas est obrepere somnum. Certain plans had been proposed which might expedite the dispatch of business in Chancery: but the House should beware lest in giving increased velocity to the wheels of one court, the whole machinery of another might not be reduced to a state of rest. Mr. Ponsonby, in answer to the alleged anomaly in English law of creating a judge without appeal, observed, that in matters of bankruptcy there was at present no appeal. The hon. and learned gentle. man who spoke last, seemed terrified at the consequences which would result from the appointment of a judge for the separate causes of bankruptcy. In the hon. and learned gentleman's opinion this would produce a narrowness of view in the person who should be appointed to this separate bench, which would render him unfit for the office. It was the first time he had ever heard that the division of labour made the labourer more inexpert. But would not the advisers of the crown advise the appointment of the fittest person for the office? It had been said, that the separation of the bankruptcy causes would not afford a sufficient relief to the Lord Chancellor. Did not the bankruptcy causes constitute one-fourth of the Chancery business? The Chancellor who should be left with three-fourths of the present business, and should be unable to execute it, was very unfit to hold that situation. An hon. and learned gentleman (Mr. Stephen), had been at once the accuser and exculpator of the Master of the Rolls. He knew not why that hon. and learned gentleman had thought fit to become the accuser of that exalted character, or whether it was by his permission that he had become his defender. Did the hon. and learned gentleman think that it was a fortunate defence for the Master of the Rolls, that he had withdrawn himself from the decision of causes at the Cockpit, because an opponent of his, at a county election, had received some support from ministers? He thought the hon. and learned gentleman ought to consider some time before he appeared again in the character of a defender. He could see no objection to the separation of bankruptcy causes from the great seal. The taking away part of the Chancellor's emoluments was no objection, for the Chancellor ought to be liberally paid, and consequently compensated for (VOL. XXIV.) any loss. This was no part of the ordinary Chancery business; but superinduced a few years ago, because the legislature did not know what to do with it. Mr. B. Bathurst said, if an anomaly were to be allowed to exist, as in the case of bankruptcy causes, it ought not to exist in a subordinate officer, but in a person clothed with the highest dignity. The question was then put and the Amendment negatived. The Report was then agreed to without a division. HOUSE OF LORDS. PETITIONS RESPECTING THE CLAIMS OF THE ROMAN CATHOLICS.] The Bishop of Raphoe presented a Petition against the Roman Catholic Claims. The Lord Chancellor observed, that it was impossible for the House to receive this Petition but as that of one person, for the names of the others were contained on a separate piece of paper, which was tacked to the Petition. The Petition was accordingly so re ceived. Viscount Falmouth presented a Petition from the corporation of Penzance, in Cornwall, against the Claims of the Roman Catholics. The Duke of Norfolk inquired how the Petition was signed? Viscount Falmouth said, the corporate seal was affixed to the Petition. The Earl of Courtown presented a Petition of the same description, from the noblemen, gentlemen, and Protestant ins habitants of the county of Wexford. The Lord Chancellor said, their lordships could not receive this Petition in its present state; for, though it had a great number of names subscribed, and there were several sheets, yet it appeared that the whole of them had been signed by one person. The Petition was ordered to be rejected. The Bishop of London presented two Petitions against the Roman Catholic Claims; one from the inhabitants of the parish of St. Olive, in Hart-street, in the city of London; and the other from French Protestants in London. These Petitions were read, and ordered to lie on the table. Viscount Sidmouth presented a Petition from the inhabitants of the ward of Billingsgate, against the Roman Catholic Claims. The Duke of Norfolk moved that the (2 Y) whole of this Petition be read.-The Petition was accordingly read by the clerk. Viscount Sidmouth asked if the noble duke intended any objection to the Petition. The Duke of Norfolk answered, that it was not with any intent to object to this Petition being received, but amongst the number of Petitions which had come before them on this subject, there was great difference in the language of the petitioners, and he must confess the name of the place from whence this came had caught his ear, and it made him desirous of hearing the whole of it. He recollected, at the time he had a seat in the other House, when a number of petitions were coming before them, and one was presented by the alderman of the ward of Billingsgate, a facetious member desired it to be read, in order to know if the sentiments bore any resemblance to the language of the alderman who, he observed, always spoke that of his particular constituents. But, notwithstanding the violence which had been expressed in other Petitions, and the coarseness which might have been in this, he must admit that the language was mild and decent; and, though it might have been supplied to the petitioners, on this occasion he would give them credit, that it proceeded from themselves. In re. spect to his wishing the Petition to be read, it was only consistent with the desire of the noble viscount himself, who, on a former evening, had expressed his opinion, that all these Petitions might be read. The Duke of Norfolk too well remembered a period somewhat before the noble viscount came into active life, when it was pretended that the sense of the country was expressed by the numerous petitions which were presented, one of which was signed by forty thousand persons. Party at that period ran high, but there was no man who would now say that was the sense and opinion of the people. He recollected the dreadful effects of such dissention respecting religion. He need not mention how the flame burst forth ; and it was fortunate that this metropolis was not laid in ashes. It was on these grounds he felt a reluctance to hear the language used on the present occasion; and he felt himself bound as a peer to prevent, as much as possible, that spirit which, like the former religious volcano of London, might break out in those parts from whence some of these petitions came, and make destruction in the country. There was also another ground on which he felt inclined to be a little scrupulous in the receipt of these petitions, for though the noble viscount must have more informa. tion than he had on the subject, yet he well knew, in some places, that influence had been used on the present occasion. which the Protestants now treated this subject, and that which was used at the period to which the noble duke had referred. Viscount Sidmouth again stated what he had urged last night, that these Petitions arose out of the declarations which had represented the Protestants of this country to be favourable to the Catholic Claims. He concurred with the noble Viscount Sidmouth referred to what duke that the time he had referred to passed on a former evening, and said it produced most horrible effects. It was a was merely through the expression of a disgrace to those who had acted on the noble lord, he had thought it right to occasion, but there was no comparison bemove that the whole of the Petition between the mild and considerate manner in read. He did not perceive the necessity of the remarks which had been made upon this and other Petitions. With respect to the present, the language was mild and respectful, and it had been so described by the noble duke; and it was certainly more than was necessary or to be expected, that petitioners should always express themselves with classical purity. He deprecated that scrutiny which had been used towards these petitions; for he must PETITIONS RESPECTING THE CLAIMS OF repeat, he never in the course of thirty THE ROMAN CATHOLICS.] Petitions against years, during which he had a seat in this the Claims of the Roman Catholics were and the other House of Parliament, recol- presented from the citizens and inhabilected so much scrutiny and severity ap-tants of Chester, the inhabitants of Leeds, plied to petitions, which must operate as a discouragement to those who were still inclined to address their lordships upon this subject. The Petition was ordered to lie on the table. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Tuesday, February 23. the archdeacon and clergy of York, the gentry, clergy, &c. of eastern division of Kent, the archdeacon and clergy of Huntingdon, the inhabitants of Rye, the mig Lord Milton asked sir W. Curtis whether notice had been given, that Petitions lay for signatures at the Churches in London during divine service. Sir W. Curtis said, he was sorry he could not speak to the fact. nisters, &c. of Chobham, the inhabitants | minster, a numerous meeting which had of London and Westminster, the inhabi- been held in Palace yard had come to retants of St. Dunstan's in the East, the in- solutions in favour of the Catholic Claims. habitants of Billingsgate, the rector, &c. of St. Olave, the Protestants of Donegal, the Protestants of Meath; the inhabitants of Aberystwyth, the gentry, clergy, &c. of Denbigh, the Protestant noblemen, &c. of Cavan, the inhabitants of East Grinsted, the burgesses of Ruthin, the Protestant noblemen of Downe, and the aldermen and burgesses of Bodmin. All which were ordered to lie upon the table.-Petitions were also received from the Roman Catholics of Ballinakill, Queen's county, and Limerick, in support of their Claims. On presenting the Petition from London and Westminster, Sir W. Curtis said, he had to present a Petition from more than 60,000 inhabitants of this metropolis, against what was called Catholic Emancipation. The persons who had signed this Petition, could read and write too. Mr. Christopher Smith said, that it was the custom at the place where the Petition lay for signatures, to ask any one who presented himself to sign, whether he had read the Petition, and if he answered in the negative, to recommend him to read it before he signed; and he did not doubt that the greater part of those who signed it had read it. Sir J. Shaw said a few words on the same side. Mr. Baring said, that the meeting in pursuance of the resolutions of which this Petition had been drawn up, was convened in the most obscure manner possible. As half a dozen people at the Crown and Anchor would come forward with," We the people of England ;"-so this Petition, the signatures to which had been obtained by placarding the walls of taverns, and other disgraceful methods, was brought forward, as the Petition of the cities of London and Westminster. In so large a city a Petition on any subject would by such means get a long string of names; but it was much to the honour of the city of London, that it had not joined, by any public act, in the senseless cry which had been raised, he was sorry to say, principally by the clergy. Sir W. Curtis said, the meeting was publicly convened, and attended by persons of consequence, and that 90 out of 100 signed it in the room where the meeting had been held. Sir F. Burdett said, that as to West Lord Milton reprobated the practice of applying the Churches, and the time al-; lowed for divine service, to purposes merely political. PETITIONS OF CHRISTIANS FOR A REPEAL OF THE TEST LAWS.] Three Petitions-of the there-undersigned Christians -in behalf of themselves and others, who agree with them in considering absolute liberty of conscience respecting religion to be the unalienable right of all men,were presented by Mr. Whitbread and read; setting forth. "That it is the duty of all men to examine as diligently as may be in their power, the doctrines of religion, and after such diligent examination, to adopt and to profess what may appear to them to be the truth; and that, in the performance. of that duty, men ought not to be obstructed or discouraged, or otherwise tempted to act bypocritically, by any law tending to bias them in the course of such examination of the doctrines of religion, by subjecting them, in the case of their dissenting from the doctrines of any established church, to suffer death by burning or otherwise, or to suffer any corporal or pecuniary punishment, or to be injured in their reputation by any disability more or less disgraceful; and that the petitioners acknowledge, with high satisfaction, that, in the present reign, considerable progress has been made towards the full restoration of the rights of conscience, by the wisdom of parliament and the benignity of the King rescinding various laws, in whole or in part, which were violations of those rights; yet, since other penal laws not less injurious to those rights remain unrepealed, since some of these laws subject to corporal punishments or pecuniary penalties, others, as in the case of the Test laws passed in the reign of Charles the second; subject to disgrace, disability, and privation of civil rights persons, whose only offence it is, that in conformity with their duty, they have examined the doctrines of religion, and by.. such examination have been induced to and neighbourhood of Derby; in the town and neighbourhood of Loughborough: and in the town and neighbourhood of Melbourne; in behalf of themselves and others, who agree with them in considering absolute liberty of conscience respecting religion to be the unalienable right of all men ;-were presented and read; embrace and to profess religious opinions different from the doctrines of the established Church; and that the petitioners feel it to be their duty humbly but earnestly to remonstrate against the longer continuance of any of these intolerant laws; and they do, in conformity with the premises, expressly petition the House, that every such unjust law may be re-setting forth, pealed, and the rights of conscience may "That it is the duty of all men to exathus be restored to all the subjects of this mine, as diligently, as may be in their United Kingdom; and the petitioners power, the doctrines of religion, and after humbly beg leave to add, that this re- such diligent examination to adopt and quest, as it appears to them, is grounded to profess what may appear to them to be on the most evident considerations of jus- the truth; and that, in the performance tice; and they trust that the compliance of that duty, men ought not to be obof the state would yet conciliate the affec-structed or discouraged, or otherwise tion of millions of their aggrieved fellow tempted to act hypocritically, by any subjects, and unite them for ever to the in-law tending to bias them in the course of terests of the empire: under each of these such examination of the doctrines of reliaspects their request claims, and they gion, by subjecting them, in the case of hope will be found to deserve, the assent their dissenting from the doctrines of any of the House, as they are statesmen established church, to suffer death by anxious for the safety of their country, burning or otherwise, or to suffer any and as they are moralists determined to corporal or pecuniary punishment, or to act impartially on the rules of justice; be injured in their reputation by any dis but, when the petitioners consider farther ability, more or less disgraceful; and that that every attempt to influence men in the petitioners acknowledge, with high their choice and profession of religion by satisfaction, that in the present reign conpenal laws, whether corrupt or compulsive siderable progress has been made towards in their operation, is contrary to the spirit the full restoration of the rights of conof the Gospel, and forbidden by its science, by the rescinding of various laws, plainest precepts in numerous passages, in whole or in part, which were violations they hope it may be allowed them more of those rights; yet since other penal particularly, and with all possible earnest-laws, not less injurious to those rights, reness, to intreat the friends of religion in the House to interpose their authority, not to vindicate the Gospel from the groundless charge of intolerance, but to influence the state to conform its laws for the protection of the established Church, to the purity benignity and exalted in-sons whose only offence it is, that in contegrity of our Gospel religion, to renounce the whole system of persecution, the long accumulation of ages of barbarism and discord, and to free an almost countless multitude of injured individuals from the temptation of ensnaring tests, and the more oppressive severities of our compulsive intolerance; by the success of such salutary counsels, at once restoring concord and safety to the empire, and freeing our national Church from the present too just reproach of retaining that support which persecuting laws can bestow, but which Christianity condemns, and would disdain to accept." Four Petitions-of the there-undersigned Christians residing in the town and neighbourhood of Belper; in the town main unrepealed; since some of these laws subject to corporal punishments or pecuniary penalties, others, as in the case of the Test laws, passed in the reign of Charles the 2nd, subject to disgrace, disability, and privation of civil rights, per formity with their duty, they have examined the doctrines of religion, and by such examination have been induced to embrace, and to profess religious opinions different from the doctrines of the established Church, the petitioners feel it to be their duty humbly but earnestly to remonstrate against the longer continuance of any of these intolerant laws; and they do, in conformity with the premises, expressly petition the House, that every such unjust law may be repealed, and the rights of conscience may thus be restored to all the subjects of this United Kingdom; at the same time they declare to the House, that if the legislature of our country should not feel themselves convinced, as the petitioners do, that every trace of in mined the doctrines of religion, and by such examination have been induced to embrace, and to profess, religious opinions different from the doctrines of the established Church, the petitioners feel it to be their duty humbly but earnestly to remonstrate against the longer continuance of any of these intolerant laws; and they do, in conformity with the premises, expressly petition the House, that every such unjust law may be repealed, and that the rights of conscience may thus be restored to all the subjects of this United Kingdom." tolerance ought to be immediately expunged from our statutes, yet, if the repeal or modification of any of our intolerant laws should now take place, particularly if the Test laws, as far as they affect our military force by sea and land, should now be repealed, the petitioners would view with high satisfaction any such measure, as a still farther advance towards the complete restoration of the rights of conscience; and at this crisis would consider it as having a salutary tendency to allay religious animosities, and to unite still more closely the great mass of the community in a zealous defence of the empire against the efforts of our powerful and ambitious enemy." A Petition of the there-ndersigned Christians, in behalf of themselves and others, who agree with them in considering absolute liberty of conscience respecting religion to be the unalienable right of all men, was also presented and read; setting forth, That it is the duty of all men to examine, as diligently as may be in their power, the doctrines of religion, and, after such diligent examination, to adopt and to profess what may appear to them to be the truth; and that, in performance of that duty, men ought not to be obstructed or discouraged, or otherwise tempted to act hypocritically, by any law tending to bias them in the course of such examination of the doctrines of religion, by subjecting them, in the case of their dissenting from the doctrines of any established Church, to suffer death by burn ing or otherwise, or to suffer any corporal or pecuniary punishment, or to be injured in their reputation by any disability more or less disgraceful; and that the petitioners acknowledge, with high satisfaction, that, in the present reign, considerable progress has been made towards the full restoration of the rights of conscience by the wisdom of parliament and the benignity of the King, rescinding various laws, in whole or in part, which were violations of those rights, yet, since other penal laws, not less injurious to those rights, remain unrepealed, since some of these subject to corporal punishments or pecuniary penalties, others, as in the case of the Test laws passed in the reign of Charles the 2nd, subject to disgrace, disability, and privation of civil rights, persons whose only offence it is, that, in conformity with their duty, they have exa Ordered to lie on the table. LETTER FROM THE LORD MAYOR OF DUBLIN TO THE SPEAKER, SOLICITING LEAVE ΤΟ PRESENT A PETITION FROM THE CORPORATION OF DUBLIN AT THE BAR OF THE HOUSE] The Speaker acquainted the House, that he had received a Letter from the right hon. the Lord Mayor of Dublin, the contents of which he communicated to the House; and the said Letter was thereupon, by direction of the House, read by the Speaker, and is as follows: "Dover Street, 23 February, 1813. "Sir; The corporation of the city of Dublin, in common council assembled, having prepared Petitions to be presented to Parliament on the subject of the Claims about to be preferred on behalf of the Roman Catholics of Ireland, I beg leave to state, that I have been deputed, as lord mayor of the city of Dublin, to deliver their Petitions at the bar of both Houses of Parliament; and I have now the honour to solicit, through you, Sir, that the honourable the House of Commons may be pleased to indulge the corporation of the city of Dublin by permitting me, as chief magistrate of that city, to deliver at their bar the Petition addressed to their honourable House, an indulgence which it is humbly hoped that the House of Commons will be pleased to concede to the citizens of Dublin, in analogy to the usage so long established of receiving Petitions at their bar from the corporation of the city of London, and which, if granted by that honourable House, will not only demand the gratitude of the petitioners, the second corporation of the empire, and yielding to none in loyalty and attachment for the laws, government, and constitution of these kingdoms, but will also be received as a grateful and flattering condescension by the inhabitants at large |