Daily National Intelligencer

Nat. Ado.

LONDON, MAY 10.

We give this day a full report of the Debate last night in the House of Commons upon the Catholic Question. It will be seen that Mr Grattan's motion for a Committee was negatived upon a division, by a majority of 24; the numbers being—Ayes, 221—Noes, 245. Many of its friends were yesterday doubtful of its success; some were sanguine, but none, we believe, apprehended so great a defeat. Despondency prevailed through the ranks of its opponents, and a bare majority was the greatest triumph with which they flattered themselves. In contemplating this result, the mind naturally reverts to the last great struggle in the same cause in 1813. On Tuesday the 3d March, in that year, Mr. Grattan's motion for a Committee (the precise motion lost last night) was carried by a majority of 40; Ayes, 264—Noes, 224. On Tuesday the 9th the House went into the Committee, in which Mr. Grattan proposed a Resolution, stating the propriety of providing for the removal of all the civil & military disabilities affecting the Roman Catholics, which Resolution was adopted by a majority of 67; Ayes, 186; Noes, 119; and leave given to bring in a Bill accordingly. Friday the 30th April, the Bill was brought in, and read a first time. On Thursday, the 13th, it was read a second time, after a debate and division; the numbers being, Ayes, 245—Noes, 203; Majority for the second reading 42. And on the 24th, the House went into a Committee on the Bill, when the first clause for the admission of Roman Catholics into both Houses of Parliament, under certain conditions, was lost upon a division; the numbers being, against the clause, 251—for it, 247; Majority 4. It will be seen in the above numbers that the friends of the Catholic Cause have fallen off since 1813, and that their majority on the same question in that year, exceeded by 19 the majority displayed by their opponents last night. We regret this falling off but we trust, when explained, it will be found to have originated in accidental or unavoidable circumstances, and not in change of opinion or other causes, calculated to discourage our hopes of ultimate success.