§ MR. WHALLEYrose to move that a Select Committee be appointed—
To inquire and report to the House as to the residence in this Country, in contravention of the Act of 10 Geo. 4, of any persons being members 1059 of the Order of Jesus, commonly called Jesuits, and as to the names, present residence, and ostensible occupation of such persons; also as to the amount and nature of any property vested in or at the disposal of such persons for the purpose of promoting the objects of such Society or Order; and, so far as may be practicable, to inquire and report as to the doctrine, discipline, canons, laws, or usages under which such Order is constituted, and by which it is directed and controlled.The hon. Gentleman said, he brought forward that Motion because on a late occasion the Prime Minister, in answer to a Question which he had put to the right hon. Gentleman, had stated that he was not aware of the circumstances to which he referred, and he thought it was right that some Members of the House should state what they were in order to justify the inquiry for which he asked. There was no doubt that in the Catholic Emancipation Act the residence of the Society of Jesus and similar societies was prohibited on the ground now well known all over Europe, that wherever the civil conflicted with the spiritual allegiance of their members the first was repudiated. ["No, no!"] Well, that was the prevalent belief, and it was fortified by the declaration of Cardinal Manning, whose mission and the mission of these societies was to subdue to the Church of Rome an imperial and imperious race—the people of this country. The Act of Parliament, passed in 1829, declared there should be no Jesuits or monasteries permitted in this country, yet in that year there were 447 priests, whereas now the number was 1,966——
§ Notice taken, that 40 Members were not present; House counted, and 40 Members not being present,
§ House adjourned at half after Twelve o'clock.