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 re ceipt 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.

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 coun try to be favourable to the Catholic Claims. He concurred with the noble duke that the time he had referred to produced most horrible effects. It was disgrace to those who had acted on the occasion, but there was no comparison be tween the mild and considerate manner in which the Protestants now treated this subject, and that which was used at the period to which the noble duke had re ferred.

The Petition was ordered to lie on the

table.

Viscount Sidmouth referred to what passed on a former evening, and said it was merely through the expression of a noble lord, he had thought it right to move that the whole of the Petition be 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 inhabi lected so much scrutiny and severity applied to petitions, which must operate as a discouragement to those who were still inclined to address their lordships upon this subject.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Tuesday, February 23.

iants of Chester, the inhabitants of Leeds, the archdeacon and clergy of York, the gentry, clergy, &c. of eastern division of Kent, the archdeacon and clergy of Hun

tingdon, the inhabitants of Rye, the mi

693] Petitions of Christians for a repeal of the Test Laws. Feb. 23, 1813.

nisters, &c. of Chobham, the inhabitants of London and Westminster, the inhabitants of St. Dunstan's in the East, the inhabitants 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.

[694

minster, a numerous meeting which had been held in Palace-yard had come to resolutions in favour of the Catholic Claims,

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.

Lord Milton reprobated the practice of applying the Churches, and the time allowed for divine service, to purposes merely political.

PETITIONS OF CHRISTIANS FOR A REPEAL OF THE TEST LAWS.] Three Peti tions-of the there-undersigned Christians -in behalf of themselves and others, who agree with them in considering absolutę 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 hypocritically, by any law tending to bias them in the course Sir J. Shaw said a few words on the same of such examination of the doctrines of reside.

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

ligion, 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; setting forth,

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 repealed, 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 ob of 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 disbut, 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 integrity 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, persons whose only offence it is, that in conformity with their duty, they have exa. 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 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

of the metropolis of Ireland; that city which had been for so many years the seat and residence of the Irish parliament. I have the honour to remain, Sir, &c.

ABM. BRADLEY KING,

Lord Mayor of the City of Dublin." "To the right hon. Charles Abbot, Speaker of the House of Commons, &c."

such a privilege; and the same observation would apply to the Petition of 1746. But a very strong objection to the admission of this claim was founded on the fact, that it never was advanced, when a parlia ment was sitting in Dublin. The corporation did not enjoy any such right when the Irish parliament was in being, and he saw no reason why this privilege, which Mr. Grattan, while he dissented from he contended would be rather troublesome the opinions contained in the Petition than advantageous, should now be which had been alluded to, conceived it to granted. There could be no doubt, that be his duty to support every proposition a petition, presented from the corporation. which had for its object the honour or in- of Dublin, through any hon. member of terest of the city of Dublin, the capital of that House, would have every attention Ireland, and the second city of the em-shewn to it; and he could not, therefore, pire. He should therefore move, "That the right hon. the lord mayor of the city of Dublin be admitted to present a petition of the lord mayor and corporation of the said city, at the bar of this House, according to the usages observed, in like cases, regarding the sheriffs of the city of

London.'

Mr. Robert Shaw seconded the motion. Mr. C. W. Wynn said, in rising to oppose the motion, it was far from his wish to object to any compliment which the House might think proper to pay to the corporation of Dublin, or to the chief magistrate of that city; but, in his opinion, they ought to be guided, in such cases, by precedent, and he knew of none that could bear out the present motion. If this claim were admitted, he thought it would be likely to occasion great inconvenience to future chief magistrates; as it would no longer be a matter of option to transmit a petition from Dublin, by a member of that House, or by the lord mayor; the custom being recognised, they could not depart from one regular course; and, however unwilling, the chief magistrate would be obliged to act. It

conceive the necessity of transmitting it by the chief magistrate of that city. If the claim were admitted, it must either oc casion the lord mayor of Dublin to be sent over to this country with every petition to parliament, which originated in the corpo ration, or, if that body acted differently, it would leave them open to the imputation of not treating other questions with the same dignity which marked their proceedings in the case of the Catholic question. If the claim having been al lowed, a petition were presented by a member of parliament from that body, on a subject of importance at some future pe riod, it might be said, "O! they do not see this question in the same elevated light as that respecting the Catholics, of they would have sent over the lord mayor!" Besides, if they granted the pri vilege to the corporation of Dublin, they could not refuse it, if claimed by the city of Edinburgh. For these reasons, be would oppose the motion.

The

Mr. Peel hoped, under the particular circumstances of the case, that the House would be induced to accede to the right hon. gentleman's proposition-particu was undoubtedly the fact, that the House, larly as the chief magistrate of Dublin through courtesy to the city of London, had actually arrived in town. within which they almost held their meetcorporation of Dublin had no other mo ings, permitted the sheriffs of that city, tive in transmitting the Petition, in the alone, to present petitions at their bar: manner they had done, than a desire to and but such a privilege was never permitted give it every weight in their power; to any other part of the kingdom. In re- he did think the House would be acting ference to the Petition from Dublin, the too strictly, if they rejected the appli House were placed in exactly the same cation. He wished particularly to observe, predicament as when petitions were sent that he was by no means induced to ac from Edinburgh, in the custody of the cede to the motion, on account of the ne Lord Provost. On those occasions, such ture or sentiments of the Petition. He a claim was never made. In the Petition was sure, in deciding this question, it was on the case of capt. Porteous, in 1736, quite unnecessary to know what they when the Lord Provost was in town, and were-it was sufficient to state, that a re under examination, he never demanded quest was made by the corporation of the