Lords Sitting of 27 May 1811

PETITION OF THE ROMAN CATHOLICS OF IRELAND.
The Marquis of Downshire,in presenting the petition of the Roman Catholics in Ireland, spoke to the in following effect: My Lords; It is with peculiar satisfaction that I rise this night, to occupy a few moments of your attention—moments which I shall devote, however, to the consideration of the most important subject that can meet your lordships' mind. It is in consequence of the indisposition of an excellent peer (lord Donoughmore) a man whose name will be ever held sacred by his country, from the zeal and proper enthusiasm he has displayed in the cause of his Catholic countrymen. It is, my Lords, in consequence of his indisposition that this honour has fallen upon me. May his health soon be re-established, that so the Catholics of Ireland may again possess an abler asserter of their rights than myself; but they cannot possess a more sincere one. No, my Lords, I feel for them in my heart. I know them well. Not merely from what I have heard, but from what I have seen and witnessed. They are a most respectable body of men, and in this long list of petitioners, my Lords, there are many reputable, not only from the characters and good conduct, but from the situation they hold in society. Many of them I know, most of them I have some knowledge of—and all of them, I can assure you, my Lords, are worthy of a participation in those blessed rights and privileges which you possess. They are born Britons, my Lords: they have lived Britons: they think, and act, and feel like Britons; and for God's sake treat them as

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Britons. By listening to this their Petition, my Lords, you secure to yourselves the boundless advantages of so large a portion of your population; and although they have hitherto been injured, sadly injured; in being debarred from their natural rights, yet so genial is generosity to their nature, that you will now—even now—by attending to their Petition, gain their endless gratitude. I therefore, my Lords, in the name of the Roman Catholics of Ireland, present to you this Petition, and propose that it be taken into the consideration of this House on Friday the 7th of June.
The Petition was read, ordered to lie on the table, and to be taken into consideration on Friday the 7th of June, for which day the Lords were ordered to be summoned.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' BILL.
The report of the Insolvent Debtors' Bill was presented and
Lord Redesdaleproposed a new clause, which was agreed to, for the purposes of rendering the benefices of clergymen liable to sequestration under the Act the same as in other cases. His lordship then moved that the Bill be engrossed.
Earl Stanhopewished the Bill to be recommitted, in order to give an opportunity of rectifying the numerous errors which he contended were still in the Bill.
The Lord Chancellorwould not object to the engrossment, but he should feel himself compelled to say not-content to the third reading. If, however, in consequence of the failure of this measure, a common Insolvent Bill was brought in, he would not object to it.
Lord Redesdalegreatly regretted the opposition which his Bill had met with, and observed that a perfect measure could not be expected; all they could do was to take experience as far as possible for their guide, and make further enactments as they were found expedient. An idea had gone abroad that this was his final Bill upon this subject, but the fact was, that he had another Bill in contemplation for the purpose of compelling the debtor to surrender his property to his creditors; and also a Bill which he was disappointed in its not being proposed in the other House this session, for the purpose of the more effectual recovery, at a small expence, of debts under 20 l.
The Earl of Moirahad objections to some, of the provisions of this Bill, but was fully, aware that it was impossible to frame
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a perfect measure upon this subject, and was therefore prepared to support the present Bill in furtherance of the principle which he so anxiously wished to established.
The Bill was order to be engrossed.