Lord Clifford,of Chudleigh, wished again to call the attention of Government to the condition of the Irish Roman Catholic priesthood in India. They did not receive the sanction and support to which their merits and utility entitled them, and the Roman Catholic soldiers of India were consequently deprived of that benefit which they derived from their presence—a benefit of such a nature, that on one occasion an undisciplined regiment had been brought to a perfect state of 1103 order and subordination by the five months' sojourn of a Roman Catholic priest.
Lord Ellenboroughwould not follow the noble Lord through his remarks, but he would tell him what he had done on the subject of the Roman Catholic priesthood in India, to which he had before called the attention of their Lordships. He had sent by the mail of that day, the first that had been dispatched since the speech of the noble Lord, letters to the Governor-general of India, as well as to the Governor of the Presidency of Madras, asking- for the fullest information on the subject; and he had himself written a letter to the collectoral magistrate of Madura, sending him the report of what had taken place in their Lordships' House on the former occasion, and demanding explanation of his alleged misconduct. The noble Lord had talked of the discipline of certain regiments in India. He was quite sure that there was not an undisciplined regiment in the Presidency of Madras, and he was equally sure that "their discipline had not been caused by any Roman Catholic priest. If he had understood the noble Lord he would not follow him, because it was not necessary; but he did not understand him, and so he could not.
§ Petition laid on the Table.
§ Adjourned.