The National Register. — London, England, 1808-05-23 00:00:00

i .•••• • • • • THE NATIONAL REGISTER. 544 all noised eases. The Catholics were charged with denying the right of the Established Clergy to tithes; they were charg, d with claiming them for themselves. They were charged with den ing a legal existence to the Established Church t they wen• accused of a design to make their own the religion of the State; now, against all there charges, they have protested in the most solemn public manner. They renounce, in the most unqualified snowier, ttie temporal power of the Pope, and they explain th , extent of tt,c• spiritual authority which they recognize in him. With respect to their Bishops, they say the Pope only institute•. and give• n spiritual capacity, and that they nominate. But it this snook! be thought dangerous, he was authorized to make a proposition which must remove the possibility of any appre hen,oia respesiing the abuse of sr.ch a power. The Catholic Cler,: . % were willing that his blajeAy should exercise a negative upon the affirmative of their Bishops ; so that no person could be elecated to that rank without the previous approbation of the Sovereign. if, therefore, there was any truth in the asser tion that Bonaparte influenced the Pope—that the Pope influ enced tUe Clercy—that the Clergy iefluenced the people, and that, by means of this gradation of iatluence, a great part of the army and n,tvv was devoted to Bonaparte, here was an oppor tunity to get rid of all this intlaenee, and the danger resulting from it. By the fundamental laws of this country, the Catho lics form a part of the Constituent body. If they looked to the Constitution, thin. must agree with the petitioners ; if to the principals of the Revolution or the Declaration of Rights, they must agree with them ; and if they looked to the duration of the Constitution, they must agree with them, because whenever danger should arise, w here were they to look for assistance and support, but to the Petitioners. It is said, that if' the Catholics are admitted to tte• privileges of legislation, they would endea vour to establish their own relig' . But how were they to establish it i Circumstanced as property was, was there any likelihood that the Catholics would heroine the majority of that House ; and if they were not, how were they to pull down the Protestant Establishment, and erect their own in its place ? To hear some of the opponents of the Catholics, one would suppose that they were a race incapable of any virtue, and capable of every vice. lie entirely agreed that the two Churches should be separate, and that the Catholics should pay their own Church. It is said, the oath of the King is incompatible with the ad mission of the Catholics. Their enemies first condemn the reli gion of the Catholics, and next apply to the piety of the Sove reign. The King, he would admit, was sworn to maintain the Constitution in Church apd State, but he was not sworn to the eternal maintenance of the penal laws. lie was sworn as to his executive, but not as to his legislative capacity. When Henry , VIII. assented to the Reformation, he departed from his oath. So did Elizabeth. So did his present Majesty, when he gave his consent to the Quebec Act—when he admitted the Catholic to the right of inheritance in l7B2—when he admitted him to the 'professions in 1791—when he admitted him to the constituency to 1793--so that, according to the mat- of reasoning employed by the opponents of the Catholic, all the best and the most gra cious acts of his Majesty's reign were hut a succession of perju ries. The experience of a century had shewn how foolish it far to think of governieg such a country- by a system of hig,tory , or any ',stem but the principles of a legitimate, emistitutional Government: The Catholics did not more before that llouse a few individuals, but as a people. They did not come with alfectFd huntiljty , to implore a favour, hut to claim what they conceived to be aright. If. in stating their ease, he had repre sented th in any other light, he had done them wrong, and he begged their pardon. 'They apply to you as freemen should to freemen. r Austria had deserted you ; Russia is your enemy. What do they ask but to share your dangers, and to go to the grave with you, should the fate of the battle be against you ? It %vas lipen these grounds he would move that the Petition on the table be referred to a Committee of the whole litany. SECitET/hy CANNING said, he must agree with the Right Hon. t tentleman in all the ;As-tract principles which he had laid down, of the necessity of civil concord and union, and more par theulorly in the present situation of the Country, anti the circum etances of the war ; hut lie could not agree with him entirely as to the practical r►`sult of those principles. That it would be happy now, and that it was desirable at all times, to come to practical unanimity; was a question that no man could doubt. Ile must say, that he saw serious obstacles and objections to the measure at the present period; and so did the Right lion. Gen tlem►an who brought it forward. 'lle appeared to despair of success, and facrefore took a second course—tnat'of giving ad vice and admonition to the Gentlemen of Ireland. His advic, and admonition was, uudoubt.Ally, of the hi,hest value and MAY 30. portance ; and he bad no doubt, but that if it was followed, it would produce more real good than even the penal statutes now in force. If, however, the obstacles to the Petition were in urmountahle, or if they could not be surmounted without oh. jections greater than any practical good which could now be derived from the measure, he thought the Right Hon. Gentle man would do well to return the Petition to those from whims he received it ; and he could now return it unsullied with any improper observation, and certainly without any injury having been sustained by the cause from the manner in which it was brought forward. The cause of his clients was certainly not deteriorated in his hands; and if the example of the Right lion. Gentleman was followed by his friends, the discussion, if it did no good, would certainly do no mischief. Although he felt it his duty on the present occasion, to vote against the motion, vet ne hoped the Right lion. Gentleman would not suppose him ac tuated by any spirit of illiberality, or that he did not sincer:ly wish the question to remain as it is now, and without pri;jue, to a future and more favourable opportunity. Ile gave the Right lion. Gentleman credit for having stirred a dangerous , question in a manner as little dangerous as possible, and con cluded by deprecating a protracteediscussion. LORD CASTLIRREACH said, that he must, on public grounds, strongly deprecate the present discussion of this question, as tending, in the present state of the country, to inflame and irri tate the public mind when every means should be taken to ap pease it, and prepare it for the trial it might expect. It was highly impolitic and indecorous to make a question at such a crisis, whether the Irish Catholics were depressed, or partici pators in the benefits of that Constitution which it was their im perious duty to defend. lie had set his face against the discus sion of this measure before, as tending to create a ferment, w out any hopes of success, and on the same principle he should oppose it now. Ater several Members had spoken, a motion was made to adjourn the debate, but it was negatived by a majority of I Upon the division on the main question, that the !louse re•olse itself into a Committee, for the purpose of taking into conitlvra . tion the l'etltimis of the Roman Catholics of Ireland, there w ere, for the Committee, 12S—Against it, 281—Majority for the Maio), 153.-Adjourned. TIILITV•D Y, ' 411.1 26. The Military Commissioners' Bill was read a third time, and ordered to the Lords. The Honourable Mr. WART) moved for several accounts re specting the cloathing of the army, the furnishing then► with great coats, and the prices charged by the Contractors, which were ordered. Ordered on the motion of Air. George Vansittart, that there be laid before the House au account of the sums paid into the hands of the Receiver-General, and levied in lieu of substitute - 3 and personal service iH the Militia, by persons ballotted for under the 44th of the K commissloNtns OF PUBT.Ir ACCOUNTS. Mr. Huskisson moved for leave to bring in a Bill to enahl the Commissioners for Auditing the West-India Accounts more speedily and effectually to investigate the said Accounts. 31R. BANKES embraced the present opportunity to state, that the accounts of the army Vt ere 24 scar: io arrear, and it oas ab solutely necessary that something should be done to facilitate their investigation. Air. lluskisson obtained leave to bring in his Bill, and also a similar Bill with respect to the Revenue Department. MR. r.tll.7llcres CLA IM. Mr. P,ankes moved, that the Account presented frnm the lost Office, respecting the per centage of the Post Otlice, be referred to a Committee to report thereon to the Host r, which oas agreed to, and a Committee was accordingly appointed. In a conversation across the table, it was understood, that the -House should resolve itself into a Committee on Monday next, on the Local Militia Bill, and that no other business should ia terpose to prevent it. The House then proceeded to hear evidence in a Committee on the Orders of Council, and afterwards adjourned. FRIDAY, MAY 27. Mr. Thomas Grenville reported froln the Committee appoint ed to try the merits of the Sandwich Election, that Mr. Ramer, the sitting member, was duly elected, and that the Petition against him was ncither frivolous nor vexatious. The New Brighton Road Bill was read a third time and passed. :77.=•• ...r.....••••••. ~.,,1,."-4 ' .11 1 14,c . Arlu • . .