Sitting of 1 February 1828

COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY.
Lord Palmerstongave notice, that on Monday he would move, that the House should resolve itself into a Committee of Supply.
Mr. Humeasked, whether it was the intention of the noble lord to call upon the House to vote any of the supplies for the current year before, the chancellor of the Exchequer had taken his seat?
Lord Palmerstonsaid, it was his intention to move only for certain supplies out of funds, which were not strictly available without the authority of the House. His object was to prevent the obstruction of the public service from the want of those funds.
Mr. Humesaid, that with regard to any balance which might remain in the Treasury from last year, he had no objection that government should bring it forward to meet the current expenses.
Mr. Maberlytrusted, that when the estimates were brought forward, they would evince a due attention to economy in every department of the state. It would be impossible for the finance committee to make any report until a late period of the session. In the mean time, he would urge upon government the adoption of as severe a system of economy as if that report was before the House.
Mr. Calcraftsupposed that as the new administration had not had time to prepare fresh estimates, they would bring forward those which the late ministry had left behind them. If that was the case, he had no doubt, that a due attention would be paid to economy and retrenchment. He understood it to be merely the noble lord's intention to propose on Monday to render available certain funds, to do which the authority of the House was necessary.
Lord Palmerstonsaid, that the hon. member had correctly stated the object of his motion.

FINANCE COMMITTEE.
Mr. E. D. Davenportwished to know, whether any steps had been taken towards the appointment of the Finance Committee, and whether the noble lord could state the names of its intended members.
Lord Palmerstonsaid, it was impossible for him to anticipate the names of the members, whom the House, in its wisdom, would nominate upon the committee.

CORN-RENT TITHES.
Mr. Greensaid, he rose to bring in a bill "to enable clergymen and their parishioners to commute for Corn-Rents the Tithes within their respective parishes." The hon. member dwelt upon the beneficial effects which would flow from such a measure. The principle upon which the bill was founded was not a novel one. It had frequently been applied in the instances of private bills; and he wished to extend
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it to parishes. At present, no parish could adopt this useful system of commutation without making a special application to parliament; and the enormous expense attendant upon such application rendered it, in many instances, impracticable. By the intended bill commissioners would be appointed; and to prevent fraud or collusion, one of those commissioners would be the clergyman of the parish: all their proceedings would be public, and every party interested would have an opportunity of informing himself of the acts done by the commissioners and the tithe valuators
Leave was given to bring in the bill.

ROMAN CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION.
The Marquis of Londonderrysaid, he wished to offer a few words on the subject connected with the Roman Catholics of Ireland. As a friend to them and to their cause, it was impossible for him to see without anxiety the public journals teeming with such monstrous resolutions as those which had been submitted to an assembly of persons calling themselves the meeting of the Roman Catholics of Ireland. Their lordships would recollect, that a bill had been passed to put down such associations. Notwithstanding that bill, these associations continued to exist, and a resolution had been laid before them of so extraordinary a nature, that it was impossible for him not to allude to it; for if that resolution was actually the resolution of the Roman Catholics of Ireland, he, as one of their sincerest friends, would declare, that instead of making him hope that their cause would advance, it would give him reason to wish that it might not. Precisely the same sentiment he had expressed two years ago. He had then said, that if he thought the Catholics of Ireland would, by intimidation or threat, endeavour to carry their object, he would be the first to oppose them. The resolution to which he had alluded was as follows:—"Resolved; that we feel it a duty we owe to the Irish people to declare, that we shall consider every Irish member of parliament an enemy to the freedom, peace, and happiness, of Ireland, who shall support, either directly or indirectly, any administration of which the duke of Wellington, or any individual professing his principles, is the head or contriver; and we call on all counties, cities, towns, and parishes in Ireland, to act upon the spirit of this resolution." Now, he must look upon this resolution as a complete threat; but he believed that the Catholics of Ireland would not approve of it. He was sure that a better spirit prevailed amongst them. If such proceedings, however, were suffered to continue, they would be
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the means of prejudicing the cause of the Catholics in the eyes of their friends. He was convinced that the resolution would have no effect on the conduct of any person, and that every member would join with him in reprobating it.
Lord Clifdensaid, that no man was less disposed than he was to countenance such proceedings, but still he thought that some allowance ought to be made for the use of intemperate language. He agreed, that many things which had been said by members of the Catholic association had displeased the friends of their cause; but their lordships ought not to look at a great public question under feelings excited by the intemperate harangues of this man or of that. The king of the Netherlands had entered into an arrangement with the Pope, respecting his Catholic subjects. Why could not we do the same? It was not to be wondered at, if intemperate language should break forth from a people whose hopes had been deferred for seven and twenty years. It was not in human nature to put up with such injustice.

TURKEY AND GREECE.
Lord Hollandsaid, that he rose for the purpose of giving notice of a motion. The papers which his noble friend the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, had brought down the other day, were highly satisfactory as showing a disposition, on the part of his majesty's government, to give every information on the subject to which the papers referred. They nevertheless, appeared to him to be incomplete. He therefore gave notice, that, he intended to move for the production of certain papers on Monday next. His motion would comprise two objects: first, to ascertain the state of the relations between this country and the Ottoman Porte; and next, the nature of the instructions given to the admiral commanding the combined fleet in the Mediterranean.