Star. — London, England, 1829-03-28 00:00:00

(MI end Cockburn. and Murray, men whose great talents and Win 'kel knowledge were justly appreciated by all ; nd when he also saw the names of the Solicitor-General Hope, Dr. Beard, find Sir Walter Scott, and many others. whom be might mitition of the greatest respectability, and men of the deepest learning, he fele confident that their Lordships would.. consider their petition with more than comrtion interest. He (the Earl of Haddingtort) bad read the proceedings of the meeting at which the petition was decided upon. He had read with feelings of satisfaction the speeches of many distinguished and learned men ; but be had not with greater pleestwe than the speech delivered by the wen known, eloquent. and pious Dr. Chalmers, whose attachment to the Pro f 4! 11K Constitution and to the Pr otestant interest was known to all. That attachment continued unabated, and be now came for ward le strengthen the Protestant interest by imploring their Lordships trash* away those hindrance, which bad so long ob. armee/Ks pi' lie felt that it required no other s ecurit y then It b Itself, and that which naked and un assisted pat r. truth fumi it with. In that opinion of Dr. Chalmers be (the Bari of Haddington) perfectly agreed. The petition was signed by one hundred and fifty-five Gentlemen of landed property, by sieleen Professors in the University of Edinburgh. 21 Bankers, and fifty Clergymen. besides OMcees, naval and military, Physi cian, Solicitors, Merchant', Traderi, and Burgesses. No petition bad been presented signed by a greater number of persons com petent to form a judgment on tbe question. It was signed. toe, by 1311 practising barristers, the majority of the Scotch Bar. Thus the Bar of Ragland, of Ireland, and. DOW of Scotland, had petitioned for the removal of the Catholie•disabilities. If all the dangers that were apprehended by some from the removal of these restrictions were really in existence, It was surprising that none of these acute I.wyers bad discovered them. The total number of signatures staled to the Petition amounted to 7,500. Another Petition den adverse nature, and signed by a greater number (18,000), was , coming, be utrierstood. from Edinburgh, p but the present was not' a question to be decided by the number of signatures. How was it pussib:e that a hard-working artisan should be able to form a jedgment on such a subject, _particularly when the bass of the 'lyre was deluded by mist epresentation? , - l'he Hishnp of COVENTRY. in presentiug Petitions againtt concession to the Roman Catholics from parishes in Derby and the county of Stafford, added. that be was not prepared to express. on that occasion, his concurrence In the Petitioners' prayer. At the same rime he should decline giving any decided opinion on the subject until the whole question should be brought for discussion before their Lordships. He trusted that discussion would be coo ducted with moderation 'and forbearance, and that no harsh impu tatians would be made by Noble Lords on one side or the other, inasmuch as those laboured under a great responsibility who would introduce a measure calculated to destroy what were considered the randard bulwarks of the Constitution in Church and State ; while a responsibility equally great lay on these who would reject the beet opportunity te mating a safe and satisfactory change, if such a change c.-old be made, and by such rej •ction involve seven millions art vb. it fellow subjects in discontent, discord, and civil war. The Kari of Vl' INCHILSEA, in presenting a Petition against the Catholic Claims, denied the assertion made by a Noble Lord, that the great body of the people were deluded into an uppositiun to cenceasion by Wort presentations and religious prejudices. That was not the fact. The people looked at it as' a great civil and re ligions question, and felt and acted in' a spirit accordant with that opinion. • ' • ' • After a few words front the Earl of Deaner, The Earl of W I NCH' LSEA presented a number of Petitions against the removal of the restrictions on Catholics from Glasgow ; feum Petersham ;Irian Peckham • from the Dissenters of Stroud; • from I ladlow ; and from other plaices in the county of Kent. The Eat I of LONGFORD presented a Petition from the • county of Westmeath •sgainit the Catholic Claims. • •• Vaal II !HS WN LOW • presented' a number of Petitions against Concessions to the Catholics from Stowe: Boston, Grimsby, Sun bent, Burton-tot Suelup, and various other places in Lincoln and Staffs,' ii. ' • • , . • ._ . E. GROSVEN(L after some observations, presented Peti tiona in favour of Catholic Claims from the city of Chesief..Stoeks port. Coneelost. and other places. • 'The Earl of CLARK presented Petitions from the Unitarians of Southaplace. Kingsbury, Lotsdon, and from Knocltiorty, in fa. your of Emancipation. ••% ' • • -Lord PLUNK KT r presented a similar Petition from Mullingar. The Made adjourned at await o'cutest. 7 HOth4 COMMONS. Petitions ag %Jost further cenees.ions to the Roman Catholics wee preprint.' by Colonel Powecc, from Lanspetre, cardigan /10ft ; by Sir TH031.411 GUOCit, Boxford, Suffolk; by Air. Vowais: tr.nt Eilmadock, in the county of Perils; by Mr. Gao. Moose, from the Protest.nt inhabitants of Newry, signed by VAL° persoi.s; from the Protestant inhabitants of a parish in the county ot Wicklow; of a parish in the county of Antrim; and of the parishes of St. Audean's and St. Paul, In the city of Dublin; by Sir Joint Amer, from Chalk hundred, in the county of Wilts; by Lord HI/THAN, from parishes in the counties of Worcester and Nutria' ; and by Mr. TKAIIT, from a parish in the county of Aber deen.—The Petitions were ordered to be printed. Petitions in favour of Catholic Emancipation were presented by LAUftilt, from the Roman Catholics of Birmingham ; by Mr. IL CA , front the borough of Portsmouth; by Lord Nouse?, from the borough of Sudbury; from high Wycombe, in the courtly of Buckingham; and from Clithero, in the county of Lancaster; by Mr. MUM P.LOW, from parishei in the counties of Tyrone, Mayo. Armagh. and Westmeath; and by Mr. HURT Gaassan, front the p.rish of Rathdrunt. Petitions against the Disfranchisement of the Forty Shilling Freeholders were presented by Mr. Jammu from the Free holders of Mallow • by Mr. Baowecow and by Mr. flume CRATTAS, from Parishes in the Counties of Armagh, Down, and Tyrone. Mr. KENNEDY brought in two Bills relative to Entails in Scotland. They were reed a first time, and ordered to be teed a second time en Monday, the 6th of April. Mr. CAREW, in the absence of the Member for Waterford, presented; Petition from the Roman Catholic inhabitants of that county against the suppression of the Jesuits. Tise LORD MAYOR presented a Petition from the residents of St. Anne. workhouse, Mackflian, praying that a Bill, which they understood was at present passing through the House to enable the keepers of workhouses to sell the bodies of those who died under their charge for dissection, should aot pass into a law. Lord CASTLEREAGH presented Petitiossa from Ballymena, In the taunt/ of Antrim; and Killalea, in the county of Down, in favour of the Roman Catholic Claims.—Ordered to be printed. Mr. W. WYNN moved that the Petition complaining of an un due election for the town of Dover, be ordered to be taken into consideration on Tuesday. the 2814 of April. The 44 Colt was agreed to, after a few words from Mr. Ana coiner. Mt. Tutu, and Mr. POULIITI T 1101114.0111. Mr. DALY preiented a Petition from the regulars of the county of Galway against that clause of the Roman Catholic Itelief Bra Writing to the expul-ion of the Jesuits. Admiral SOTIIkItON presented a Petition from Carlton-upon- Treat and Ossingtr is, against any bather concession to the Roman Catholics. * Mr. DENISON, jun. said that the Gallant Admiral bad pre sented this petition on a former night. and that upon its being sent back to the person who had forwarded it, in order to have the names erased which were improperly attached to it, no less than twenty-eight names were struck out. He stated tit.' fact in catkin, as the petition had been withdrawn un a former occasion at his suggestion: Mr. LOCK HART thought that the person who bad insetted the names to the petition without authority should be punished. The SPEAKER observed that, however improper it might have been to insert the names, it certainly was no offence to erase them when they bad been improperly inserted. Admiral SOT EKON said that the party who had inserted the names stated in the petition that he bad done so by authority.—Tun petition was ordered to He on the table. Lord G. CAVENDISH presented a Petition from Eekington In the county of Derby, in favour of the Roman Catholic Claims. A similar Petition was presented by Mr. 011isuot from W het, county Clare.—Ordered to be printed. Lord RECTIVF. presented a Petition front the enmity of Meath against the Sub letting Act. Lord DUMCANNON presented a similar Petition from the county of Leitrim.—Ordered to lie on the table. Mr. 11. MAXI KLLpresented a Petition from certain con verts from the liouian*Catholic religion in the county of Sligo against any further concessions to the Roman Catholics. ROMAN cApiouc RIMY BILL. /dr. Secretary PEEL veined the Order of the Day for the fur. they coorideration of the Report to the Roman Catholic Relief lilli. • • . :The motion hating been put from the Chair— Ste G. Ito 4 observed on thedisadvantage in which every one stands who has to advocate a cause ..)( ex clusion df largVtigries tiflcitNint fir ni political 'power, Il i whtcli .ii one wiriill is iir itself . So uncongenial to every liberal minx!, that it tames the temper and cripples the iningination of even the . most esperiegiced orator, who hit, innieniten kir oppobing Abe I talent area Urn. that eitterLe dittcuiVitnent•tirhich arises 'hem As Imola; toile that he is fi ghting against one • if•the swinges* Prat entities tof butnintatturo- I . th e Treteitnte - of Ar es rent eustoendlieeddist MO' pain 'to suffering and Isis= COI tanfoutt to; the aaketir . futuleiecifittr.• • He of ' N . , tronfly object to the assumption that this is a political question, if it is meant to be urged that it is exclusively such ; for wefe it such, he never should have opposed ,the al miesion of his Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects to the full rights of eliisens. Etymology and common sense tell us chit the politics of *ante are constikal, of whatever makes its weal of its woe. That religion is the source and root of all this matter appears even from every provision of the present Bill, which turns upon nothing else ; and the whole question has no other source than the divisions in religion of large classes of the subjects of the State. In looking to what has passed he (Sir G. Rose) admitted that it was but with 'toe much truth that the Right Honourable Secretary bed stated his surprise that, if the English Protestant Church and State took so deep an interest in the supr port of the Protestant cause, they made no efforts tp introduce the Gospel into Ireland. He (Sir G. Rose) considered such a reproach was bat too well founded. The Reformation found the English in Ireland and the Irish divided in territory, language, feelings, and in. terests, having religion alone in common; but the Ito• formed en, embraced by the English alone, raised a more insurmountable wall of separation than had ever before existed; and it was marvellous that the polite Elizabeth and her able Ministers, if not for the sake of religion, at any rate in sound policy, had not made every possible effort to abate that evil; that a math part of the men and of the money employed by her to support the Protestant cause in Holland and in France would have secured the state of England far more use fully in conveying the Reformation to the Irish, than any measures for the weal and safety of the State that could be desired; that now, however, this cause of re proach was done away with, since of late years various Societies, some under the sanction of the Government, have been, in various shapes and systems, making great exertions for the promotion of scriptural knowledge in Ireland. In speaking of the Roman Catholic subjects of the King, it would cost him nothing to do it in per. feet temper and good will any more than to bring those' ' feelings to bear on the whole of the question. They had sought eagerly, and at times, it appeared, illegally, theis objects ; but were encouraged so to do when not re pressed, and the greatness of the object before them ac counted for the vehemence of the pursuit. In speaking . of their Church, he wished to omit all avoidable harsh. ness of expression; he bad the consolation to know he could not speak as ill of it as it does of that to which he belongs; but that there was a great peculiarity in its doctrines which it was important to rematk. You can not treat them as other Dissenters from our Church, since the far greater part of the Dissenters are sepa rated from us tar more by church discipline than doc trine, in which the difference from those of our Church iu teg-rd to the largest sects cannot be practically as sated to exist; but with regatd to the Roman Catholics the case is one of extreme heresy, which has very re markable features.ln other heresies the origin is purely theological, and nowise affects the relation of the P. iest hood to the state. It exists in eironeaus opinions in' theology, but which nowise influence the relation of the priesthood entertaining them to the public; whereas in the Church of Rome there is no one tenet which has not its origin in its views of forming a priesthood sepa• rated as much as possible trom the mass of the people, and vested in the overpowering authority. It is clear that in the early ages of Christianity the priesthood, constituting a numerous and powerful body, possessing all the learning of the State, and in possession of the spiritual intete.ts of the people, succumbed under the temptation to' embody a series of doctrines, which it auAmentrd successively, such as the Pope's infallibility, the worship I f saints, the celibacy of the priesthood, absolution, auricular confession, &c.; all tending to create a priesthood apart with unrivalled authority ; and this being so, every interest, both personal and professional, is wrapt up in the maintenance of the system, obich must be either maintained entire, or pedal. There can be no measure for the systematic and energetic support which the whole body of the Roman Catholic clergy must give to the mailite nince and extension of their Church, and thus, in Ireland, e people berg detached from their Sovereign and dial Nobles by a dissimilarity of faith of an ex - treme nature, the Irish Roman Catholic people are thrown wholly into the arms of their priests for c.iunsel, guidance, and protection; and hence arises their exor • bitant power, the action of which in the state of the Irish Protestant Church is obvious. T: ey have not a jester, but a stronger, claim to its temporalities than ' the gratuitous concessions now made. Those tempo ralities were theirs; they were, in their view, unjustly dispossessed of them by heretics for heretical purposes, and to maintain a few Pastors of slender flocks; whilst their own have to contribute to that heretical Church, as well as to support them. But we are told, if the Roman Catholics, in bad faith, shall rush down on the Church of Ireland, the Government, strong in a good cause, will have no difficulty in repelling the invasion. But let us consider that its power must come from the Parliament and the people; and how will the case stand with both? It has been shown by others with what force a body such as the lush Roman Catholics will be in Parliament, will act by uniformly hold ing together in a common view; that such a squadron, keeping apart flout the battle till the ranks of the combatants are ragged and thin, will inspire awe and mistrust and fear on all sides, and give the victory where they please; and we shall have not alone to fear those • Ito would bear the shamrocks in their helmets as voices heard in the grave, and hereby give intimation that they would be j .fined by those who would wear the rose and the thistle as their cognizances. That as to the a urch of Rome, however, he considered it as a far more dangerous church than it was before the French revolution, when the leading Governments of Europe entertained feelings m'.re or less of aversion to it. It has less atheism and infidelity in its members than it had. R duced in temporalities, it has less temptations to vice and splendour; it is hardened by adversity, and excited by what it has undergone to increased exertion. Witness its but too successful labours in the Turkish dominions to obtain the aid of the Mahornetan against the missionaties of other churches. It has the full sup. pot tut the Roman Catholic Powers. The Hon. Member stated that he had recent information, of indisputable ao.t!omi what when the news of the King's Speech reached Rome an ecclesiastic of high authority and con sideration there exclaimed," Ours was always the univer -1.1 church; it will now be teen to be the universally tri umphant church; and his correspondent believed, in opposition to an . opinion entertained by many, that the art, vigour, and consistency displayed by the leading risen of that church in furtherance of their object in en slaving she other churches, must ultimately be victorious. Then take a' lesson from the recent history of the Je suits. The Court of Rome, in or about I ISO, was com pelled by the Catholic Powers to annihilate the Jesuits by a Bull. They took refuge in Russia, and, in sixty yeasts, were supported in u en and money by Roman Vatholie Europe, which Could not possibly have hap ' bad It not been wit&the privity of that Court of however,' in the :exercise of its hsfalli base ostrossihly destroyed thorn: In 3819 they le ned were driven from Russsia, in consequence of their Fro salytiaing their pupils to the Church of 4)ewne, and se turned Into :. Roman Catholic Europe, in'trotb,,reliels*to the whole" - power If the paipac,f, had ngt tiresprch ofAenine acted wit the vent,* dupWlSek aV,lfele instritoly re-established. HQ,iSir i peorge Rote l ( afd in ; Ili* . a distinguished Roden Caere:the stalemate, Mi- Muer of a Roman Catholic State, express great anxiety as to what the Congress of Vienna would do respecting the Jesuits, and he predicted that if they did nothing, in a few years they would convulse Europe. The Congress left the matter untouched, and this prediction was nearly verified in them this fast year, in the et isis of the French Government, brought on entirely by that or der. As to the professed securities, he (Sir G. Rose) said it was idle to consider them as sock—when you gave to men concessions beyond their utmost hopes, the reten tion of a couple of offices, which are under the entire influence of one who may be a Roman Catholic, and the re-enactment of laws, existing long since in sub. stance, against Roman Catholic religious ord. rs; that, in the absence of all other securities whatever, some limiting of the spiritual influence of the Court *of Rome on his Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects might at least have been looked for. It may be said than, during about one hundred and fifty years, we did well enough without any check on it ; bu , in reply, it is so to he observed, that we knew not, during th .t time, that the emit of Rome had given the nomination to every Roman Catholic dignitary in the Chinch to the Pretender's family; and precautions formerly less necessary became imperatively such when the Roman Catholics are admitted into Parliament, and nearly all the highest offices in the St de; that if any one recurred to the example of the mo s t eminent men of modern times, the great King of Russia and Napoleon Motu. pat te, the ine a Protestant, the other a Roman Catho lic—we find the former uniformly naming distinctly the succeesion to every Popish Bishoptick in his domi nions; and Bonaparte declaring, in 1809, that the spi ritual influence of a lorciAn poten I ta e (the Pope) was inconsistent w th the independence of France, and the : dignity and safety of his throne, and yet that influence we left uncontroulled. The Honourable Gentleman I said, that a few weeks hick he had stated that on the! entrance of Roman Catholic Members into the Legis lature it would lose its Protestant character, since,where the religious differences ate so extreme, no religious question could possibly be agitated without consulting the Hou e; but instead of Protestant be ooght to have said its Christian character, since even the mention of religion must be banished from its deliberations; and that this would he bit for most in the Upper House, where the Bishops sit on the part of our church. and who may be et countered there by Dignitaries of ti e C stitch of R .me, Bishops and Cardinals, members of noble Roman Catholic lama s, who may sir-creel to Peerages by the demise of their relations, and whose right to sit in the Mimeo! Lords would be unimpeach • able. Tr.e 811 in progress left to him no hing but the gloomiest foreboisip,s of the I u.nre fser tunes of the Church and of the State ; bur that no prophet ever so ardently desired the accomplishment of his peed scions as lie did the frustration of tic e forebodings. Colonel TRENCH said much respect was due to the opinions of those who conscientiously opposed the Ro man Catholic Claims, and though he might be sup posed, irom the line he tor meily pursued, to be under some obligation to continue Lis opposition to tho e Claims, yet he now felt that such changes had taken place as would make it more his duty to vote for con. cession than to offer it any resistance. No one acquainted with the state of Ireland would doubt that a population uneducated, enthusiastic, blindly submissive to their Priests, could no longer be kept in their present condi tion—no one could doubt that were such a sts.te of things to contiaue, the bond► which held society tom Cher would be snapt asunder. In the years 1823, 1824, and 1825, preparations had been made for pl•cing mar ter, upon a more satisfactory footing ; but he regretted to say that the measures of that period had not been followed up with all the energy the occasion demanded. From that period to the present the Roman Catholic Association exercised the most despotic sway, not only over Catholics, but by intimidation over Protestants ; accordingly self defence gave rise to what were called the Brunswick Clubs; all this while the Government stood by and let the Association usurp its functions.— Under circumstances such a, these, he • as not ashamed to acknowledge that his opinions had undergone a change. The Hon. Member for Louth had described the three modes by which the question could be settled at the present moment. In 1823 something better might have been done—a line might have been drawn around the Throne, the Cabinet. and the Parliamment, with such limitations, probably concession, of all outside, that might unobjectionably be made. However. all hope of any thing of that sort • as now at an end. They had but a choice of difficulties—and they would then much better employ themselves in choosing between those difficulties than in wasting time in an inqui• y as to their cause. They were now :educed to this—rich , r they must proceed by conciliation or by creicion. The latter , of these was not to be thought of—for, though the Ca: tholics could in a Vrl y shot t space of tine he effectually subdued, yet no man would desire to see that effected by means so dreadful as those of civil war. Mr. BRADSHAW was always of opinion that sooner or later the Catholic question must be carried, but he had resolved never to vote for it until it should be brought forward by the existing Government. As a measure of the administration then he had no objection to support it. With respect to the other measure which proved an adjunct to it, he thought it a good measure in itself, and would sui p rt it, even though it bad no coo nesion with the Relief Bill. Mr. O'NEILL said, that an Hon. Gentleman oppo site bad endeavoured to maintain the position that the question of how they got into the dilemma was of no importance, the only thing they had to consider was how to get out of it. That might be a very convenient doe. trine for public men, but it:was in his opinion very far from sound. A Right Hon. Gentleman told them in the speech with which he introduced the present measure, that he came down to them clothed with all the just authority of a Minister of the Crown. That appeared to him (Mr. O'Neill) a most auspicious commencement. and it was one from which be augured well—it was one which led him to hope that he could give the Pleasure his support ; but how inconsistent were the declarations of that Right Hon. Gentleman ? He told the House that he came down to that House clothed with the just authority of a Minister of the Crown, and yet he had not power to pet down the Catholic Association. He talked to them of the security which the disfranchisement of' ' the forty shilling freeholders might afford. Indeed, if the q.ialification had been raised to 201. it might have proved of some service, but a HA qualification afforded no secut ity. He would ask any one rho read or heard that speech, whether it contained one new argument in favour of Roman Catholic Claims except what was derived from the Clare Election and the for. minion of Bitanswick Clubs? The Right Honourable Gentlemen had asked them what was to be done ? It was for him to tell them what he bad dose, or what he -could do; it was fog him to show that there vas . n . medium between absolute exclusion on the one haw% and unlimited conctss;on on the other. To which wee. they to impute the dilemma in which they then stood„ ,unless to the policy of that Right Honourable G ee d,. man and his friends? They had been told that, i t `the e , ent of a war, we should lose Ireland—(Hear),.. To that he replied. that if ;bey held Itelaod b.y .ba slender a tie as such an auction would seem ro warrant, the sooner they pet the matter to issue the better. It had been very truly said that the p resent would leave a ruth s a t ,f r i l i l :.e m i e or r e eg im ui p erredt,anthe Bill, when passed, Catholic Question to be detetmined. He conside re d that, as the Constitution of this country was purely p m , testant, the only real security which could be give„ to it was, that the offices under the Quarts should be filhd by persons of the Protestant faith poly. He conceived that the Constitution, as it had hitherto oersted, was th e only check which had been gives.to the Papal row er an d b e thought that the rights which had been enjoyed under that Constitution ought not now to be been. He bad been long and intimately counseled with m e w Catholics, for hoot he bad a sincere regard; but se the same time he could not help feeling that the ad• vancement of their ckaims,would be injurious to the Pros testant establishment, and torsi that ground it was drat he gave his decided opposition to the nreasitre now before the House. During the discussion upon chit s ib ts a h t je t c h t e h u e hmaed generosity imputedm w ot o iv u e ld s to be n t o h m tc a n ts j. . irn , dt n et . : l e h :t e ,ei hf sea p e d nads He flattered himself that the Hou g se ave mu h s i t s s u ee nci t u h a a li t 6 fi ct e had been actuated by none other c d o i s n sf sc n i t e a t o t i s t as he s measure; whenbut if al,ep did not know that he could give a greater than the cir cumstance of his having been al says numb-red among lime who constituted the minority in all the divisions which had taken place during the discussion of a mea sure browht forward under the immediate sanction of Iri. Majesty's Ministers. Mr.GREEN expressed his conviction that the mea sure of Emancipation, if granted, would cause the mediate destruction of the Protestant Church of Ireland; a that the destrgctian of that Church would inevita bly lead to the destruction of the Elablist e I Ch urc h of Ertg'and. Under this conviction he had de ermined to give his decided opposition to the measure now i t progress through the Home. He apologia d to the House for having detained them upon this subject; but, 'taming before them as he did, as the representative of a very large body of people, he felt that it would be the most straight-forward and suably course to come forward to the House, and state what his opinion :pally was. Having done so he had only to thank the House for the attention which had been afforded him. Dlr. EWA Kr expressed his deter:llllmi= to support the Admiral EVANS rated his decided opposition to the measure of Emancipation ; and in a nautical mere phor, which occasioned much laughter in the House, described the present situation of the Constituti n. The Constitution, he thought, was now fairly at sea, hut he could nut congratulate its commander either upon his crew or his cargo. The former was a compound of almost all descriptions; and of the layer much had proved so troublesome that it had been found necessary to throw it overboard. Such had been the late of the Protestant ascendancy and of the 40s. franchise. But although he did not think that the navigation of the vessel had fallen into very good hands, yet he did not know that she could be considered to be in any home. diate danger of sinking, as a great many rats bad re cently flocked on board her—(Loud laughter, and et ies of "Hear.") He should not be much surprised, how- ever, to hear that she would shortly be for sale, as he understood the commander was about to hoist a Moons at the mast head. Mr. CRIPPS expressed Ids (*position to the raserare. The Marquis of BLANDFORD—As the present is possibly the last opportunity I may avail myself of for addressing you, Sir, upon this question, now presented for our consideration in its amended form, and as, ac. cording to my views and convictions, the measures pro. posed by this Bill ate not only unconstitutional in prin ciple, and fraught with danger to the religion, the throne, and the peace of the country, but are also most iniquitous as they affect the rights and the liberties, and the interests of the Protestant community. I am de sirous, Sir, in every few words, of recording my repro. bation of them. Sir, this Bill seems to me to sweep away all existing safeguards, and substituting nothing in lieu thereof; for it would be ridiculous to call half a dozen pecuniary fines safeguards. It ui - conditionally surrenders those securities we at present possess. In former times, when measures of concession and conciliation have been brought before this House, some provisions have bees introduced for the protection of the country against Papal encroachments and usurpation. It was not until these measures were introduced by an intimidated Goi , vernment that they were stripped of all securities. As soon at those who once pleaded for the Protestant cause took these measures in hand, from enemies to all concew lion they became the advocates of universal concessive; instead of being the advisers of a guarded indulgence, they have thought St to yield every thing and to prim test nothing. A Right Honourable Gentleman who has favoured the public with the result of his very able exertions in an endeavour to suggest Protestant secs skies. has coogratulated this House that the pivot measure is not clogged by any such " i ncum bances." It may appear to me presumptuous to so do. but Insert take leave to remind that Right Honourable Gentle- man and the House, that the incumbrances we at pre. sent enjoy are the result of dearly bought ezperientet, that they are incumbrances which the best and wisest of our statesmen have ever deemed to be essential; that they are incumbrances in which Whig and Tory, High Church and Low Church, have all concurred ; incunw brances, not devised in the spirit of theory—not (like many of the measures introduced into this House) the mere creatures of a questionable expediency—but re. medial, protecting, preventive enactments—permanent remedies provided against permanent evils--plain pray tical provisions of British law against the avowed pia ciples and practices of the Ronstsh Church— Nape vials iridium, prow injuris &catkin, eripiebaos. But, Sir, where, I demand, where do we find in this Bil any thing like a substitute or compensation for the loss, or rather for the robbery, of our existing safeguards? Where do we find in this Bill that full and permitted security for those institutions which his Majesty has told us it is his duty and his determination to preserve inviolate? In whet mode is it pretended that this Bill can controul that mighty mass, that mysteries body, the Roman Catholic church ? We look in vain for a provision which may check or content its spirit of do' mination, its lust of power. Neither can it be said thetas enemy has crouched to obtain power; be has demanded it, and he has forced what be has demanded frail hands tio feeble to resist him; and, proud of his cow quest, he will speedily be seen applying his irresistibill energies to new projects, and to the extortion of Deo Concessions. Elir, I say then, that not only has his M. jesty been belied by his confidential servants, but babel been duped and deceived by evil Coundlors.—by me. rl ho seem to have arrayed themselves with the emirs c F