HC Deb 07 February 1850 vol 108 cc528-31
MR. ANSTEY

moved for leave to bring in a Bill for the repeal of penal Acts against the Roman Catholic religion. The hon. and learned Member said, he would make no statement of the nature and purport of the measure, further than saying that with some verbal alterations it was substantially the same as that which, the year before last, reached the second reading.

Motion made, and Question put— That leave be given to bring in a Bill for the repeal of Penal Acts against the Roman Catholic Religion.

SIR. R. H. INGLIS

appealed to the right hon. Baronet the Home Secretary, to say in the first instance whether he was now prepared to support or to oppose a Bill which last year Her Majesty's Ministers concurred with the House in rejecting. If the right hon. Gentleman would at once express his intention to oppose it, he would save himself and many other Members the vexation of coming down to the House week after week upon a fruitless waste of time.

MR. LAW

joined in the application of his hon. Friend, and trusted the right hon. Baronet would, by his answer, enable the House to escape from the nuisance which would otherwise be found to exist on Wednesdays. He hoped the House would be saved from the torture and infliction of hearing repeated speeches from his hon. and learned Friend on this subject; for his hon. and learned Friend, even when he had no opponent, was ambitious of anticipating objections that were never raised or meant to be raised. Last year he (Mr. Law) met the measure by a simple nega- tive, without entering into any argument at all. His hon. and learned Friend spoke for one hour and twenty minutes in answer to a speech that was never made at all. The Bill would redress no single grievance; and even if it did, it would violate a compact long since entered into with the Roman Catholic interests.

SIR. G. GREY

replied, that with regard to the first of the two questions asked him by the hon. Baronet the Member for the University of Oxford, he should appeal to the former course he had taken with regard to the Bill. He did not then support the whole of it, but he supported the portion which proposed to repeal certain obsolete statutes. He should repeat what he had then stated, that he did not think those obsolete statutes could ever again be enforced, and that they offered no safeguard or security whatsoever to the constitution. Whilst, therefore, he should wish to see them repealed, he did not think it made any difference whether they were repealed or not. As to the second question, with regard to the time of the House being wasted by the discussion upon the Bill, when there existed a very great doubt of its finally receiving its sanction, that, he considered, was a matter for the consideration rather of the hon. and learned Gentleman who introduced the Bill. He (Sir G. Grey) did not think it would be a sufficient ground for his opposing it; but if the hon. and learned Gentleman would take his advice, he would refrain from persevering with it. But if he went to a division, and the majority of the House were opposed to the introduction of the Bill, the time of the House might be saved.

The House divided:—Ayes 71; Noes 77: Majority 6.

List of the AYES.
Bagshaw, J. Evans, W.
Baring, rt. hon. Sir F.T. Fagan, W.
Bass, M. T. Foley, J. H. H.
Bellew, R. M. Fordyce, A. D.
Berkeley, hon. H. F. Fortescue, C.
Berkeley, C. L. G. Fortescue, hon. J. W.
Blackall, S. W. Freestun, Col.
Bright, J. Greene, J.
Brotherton, J. Grey, R. W.
Bunbury, E. H. Hall, Sir B.
Clements, hon. C. S. Hastie, A.
Cookburn, A. J. E. Hatchell, J.
Craig, W. G. Hawes, B.
Dalrymple, Capt. Hayter, rt. hon. W. G.
Dawson, hon. T. V. Herbert, H. A.
Dundas, Adm. Heywood, J.
Dundas, rt. hon. Sir D. Hobhouse, T. B.
Dunne, Col. Jervis, Sir J.
Ebrington, Visct. Kershaw, J.
Elliot, hon. J. E. Lewis, G. C.
M'Cullagh, W. T. Scully, F.
Melgund, Visct. Somerville, rt. hn. Sir W.
Milner, W. M. E. Stansfield, W. R. C.
Monsell, W. Stuart, Lord D.
Mulgrave, Earl of Thompson, Col.
O'Connell, M. J. Townshend, Capt.
Palmer, R. Trelawny, J. S.
Parker, J. Tufnell, H.
Pechell, Sir G. B. Wakley, T.
Pilkington, J. Watkins, Col. L.
Power, Dr. Wegg-Prosser, F. R.
Rawdon, Col. Wilson, J.
Ricardo, O. Wilson, M.
Russell, F. C. H. Wood, W. P.
Salwey, Col. TELLERS.
Scholefield, W. Anstey, C.
Scrope, G. P. Sullivan, M.
List of the NOES.
Adderley, C. B. Hood, Sir A.
Archdall, Capt. M. Hudson, G.
Arkwright, G. Knox, Col.
Bennet, P. Lascelles, hon. E.
Beresford, W. Lindsay, hon. Col.
Bernard, Visct. Lockhart, W.
Best, J. Mackenzie, W. F.
Bremridge, R. Mandeville, Visct.
Brisco, M. Masterman, J.
Broadley, H. Maule, rt. hon. F.
Cabbell, B. B. Morgan, H. K. G.
Carew, W. H. P. Mullings, J. R.
Chaplin, W. J. Naas, Lord
Chatterton, Col. Napier, J.
Childers, J. W. Newdegate, C. N.
Coles, H. B. Packe, C. W.
Copeland, Ald. Plowden, W. H. C.
Cubitt, W. Reid, Col.
Davies, D. A. S. Richards, R.
Disraeli, B. Sandars, G.
Dodd, G. Sandars, J.
Duckworth, Sir J. T. B. Sibthorp, Col.
Duncuft, J. Smyth, J. G.
Farrer, J. Spooner, R.
Filmer, Sir E. Stafford, A.
Forbes, W. Stanford, J. F.
Fox, S. W. L. Stanley, E.
Frewen, C. H. Stuart, H.
Goulburn, rt. hon. H. Stuart, J.
Greenall, G. Taylor, T. E.
Grogan, E. Thompson, Ald.
Gwyn, H. Turner, G. J.
Halsey, T. P. Verner, Sir W.
Hamilton, G. A. Wellesley, Lord C.
Hamilton, J. H. Willoughby, Sir H.
Hamilton, Lord C. Wortley, rt. hon. J. S.
Hayes, Sir E. Wyld, J.
Heald, J. TELLERS.
Hildyard, R. C. Inglis, Sir R. H.
Hildyard, T. B. T. Law, C. E.

Bill lost.