Lords Sitting of 31 January 1828

BREACH OF PRIVILGE—ARREST OF A PEER.
The Lord Chancellorstated, that he had a complaint to make to their lordships of a breach of their privileges, which had been committed by the arrest, by a sheriff's officer, of lord Hawarden, an Irish peer. He would therefore move, that lord Hawarden be called in, that he might state the circumstances to their lordships. —Ordered.
His lordship was accordingly called in and sworn. The Lord Chancellor asked the noble lord what complaint he had to prefer. Lord Hawarden stated, that, on the 15th of September last, he had been arrested by a sheriff's officer, of the name of Hemp. A person had called on him, about ten o'clock in the morning, and had desired to speak to him. He was shewn into the drawing room. He said, he had come on unpleasant business.
At this stage of the proceedings, the earl of Shaftesbury stated, that it was customary to conduct such inquiries with closed doors; and, on his lordship's motion, the bar was immediately ordered to be cleared.

ROMAN CATHOLIC QUESTION.
Lord Clifdenasked the noble duke at the head of the government, whether it was intended, during the session, to introduce a bill for the repeal of the existing-penal laws affecting the Roman Catholics?
The Duke of Wellingtonanswered, that government had no intention of bringing forward any such measure.