Lords Sitting of 15 February 1813

PETITIONS RESPECTING THE CLAIMS OF THE CATHOLICS.
The Bishop of Gloucesterpresented Petitions against the Catholic Claims, from the clergy of Gloucester, the precentors and canons of St. David's, the clergy of St. David's, Brecon, Carmarthen, and Cardigan.—The Duke of Norfolk observed upon some of the Petitions, and took notice of the word Romanists in one of them, as a new designation given to the Catholics in public documents. If, however, it was meant to substitute it as a milder term for that of Papists, he had no objection to the change.—Lord De Dunstanville presented a Petition to the same effect, from the corporation and inhabitants of Penryn, stating that it was carried unanimously, at a numerous meeting—The Lord Chancellor objected to receiving it as the Petition of the inhabitants, as the common seal of the corporation could not represent the inhabitants who were not corporators. The Petition was, therefore, received as the Petition of the corporation only. The Duke of Norfolk wished to know the number of the inhabitants of Penryn? Lord De Dunstanville said, about 2,800. He had not, however, referred to the number of inhabitants, but to the Petition being unanimously agreed to, at a numerous meeting. Viscount Sidmouth presented a Petition to the same effect, from the corporation and inhabitants of Colchester.—Ordered to lie on the table.

PETITIONS RESPECTING THE RENEWAL OF THE EAST INDIA COMPANY'S CHARTER.
Viscount Melvillepresented a Petition from the lord provost, magistrates, and town council of Edinburgh, against the
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continuance of the monopoly of the East India Company. His lordship also brought forward Petitions to the like effect from Montrose and Stirling.—The Duke of Norfolk presented a Petition of a similar tendency from Birmingham, signed by the high bailiff and principal magistrates in behalf of themselves and others the in habitants of Birmingham—Viscount Melville then presented a Petition signed by various members of the Church of Scotland, and seemed to set forth as the substance of the Report of a Committee specially appointed by the general assembly of the National Church of Scotland, on the 15th of March 1812, that a Petition should be laid before parliament, praying, that in whatever new arrangement might be made for the regulation and government of the British dominions in India, provisions should be made that the members of the said church, resident in those dominions, may be afforded an opportunity of having their national religion regularly dispensed to them, under such regulations as to the wisdom of the legislature should seem meet.—The Duke of Norfolk observed, he was never before aware of any thing existing in India to prevent the religious worship of any denomination. From the Petition now presented, it would appear to him that the Church of Scotland was not tolerated in that quarter.—Viscount Melville said, the fact was, that although the most perfect toleration prevailed in these parts of the British dominions, the individual members of the Church of Scotland, who found their way to India, found it, under the existing system, almost impossible to exercise their functions. Their lordships were aware that by law, no individual could proceed to India without licences from the Company; who, he observed, were not in the habit of granting them to such individuals, except they were of the established Church—The Duke of Norfolk said, it was the first time of his learning that the Directors of the East India Company were so zealously attached to the established Church as not to grant licences to any clergymen but of that persuasion.—The Petition was then ordered to lie on the table.