The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1807-03-27 00:00:00

• . _ irtittob 1 ref • / - 4 , •_ iz Jo t ' - ,0 • -,•• 4? - * "1.0 • • .1 01;Ote r .• . • - NMI somsza 1518.) IMPERIAL ?4RLIAM&'IT. HOUSE OP LORDS—filuctilisT,P;ll4llCM 26. On the motion of Lord GRENVeLLY., the *eiyal Family Bill was ordered to be read a third :me, the first day alter the recess. Lord AUCKLAND submitted to the House ssmte papers conoetted with his Offie, as President rf the Beard of Trade, which, he said, would sheer, :'tat our imports and exports had increased in the last .;r, in a proportion exceeding all precedent.. 1..1 Eul of WESTMOKELAND said, he rose • . , gratulate the Noble Lord upon the prospe , state of the country, nraffording a proof, that -.e late Ministry had not succeeded to a reined trade and dilapidated resources. the Papers presented by Lord Auckland we:e then ordered to be laid upon the Teffile. The Report of the Committee on the Seotch Ju dicature Bill, was read, and the amendments we: e greed to. THE IRISH CATHOLICS. Lord HAWKESBURY moved, " That the House, on its rising, do adjourn to Weidner se'nnight." GD,ENVILLE—" My Lords. I do not oppose the motion of adjournment. notice those proceedings and affairs have rendered it necessary. To speak my Lords, I rise to state the cause of writ Change of Ministry• and tae con myself and my late Colleagues, as con ch that event. As I remember, about six the then existing Ministry thought t their hspensable duty, both to themselves and to their retire trent office. Of that Ministry I part ; and when I recoiled the cause, I do rry conduit then, any more than I regret VILiCh I have now adopted ; but I cannot on that occasion the charaCter of the ,ernmint, its motives in taking that step, its ob tr.i yiews, were made the subjeet of represents :.reign from the tads and the real motives stir:' it aieually arose. Upon the present an ther., when a change has been effected, not 't of tie resignetion of His Majesty's Minis of the exercise of His Majesty's unques and unduabted prerogative, it is natural u:d wish to guard against error and mis e,ereation, and that I should be anxious to - open, plain, and distinit avowal of my t!;e reasons which have dire:fled it, and hie groueds upon which this betiness rests. But I have stronger inducement make this explanation, and still stronger n your indulgence. 4 allude to a publication , of tieeven this strOted ; and t he glen:Tn . : m e, iii what period of out his , heppened, that a public uton of confiden ces between the Sovereign and his Ministers made thrcugh such a channsli (Lewd rur qf 4; !) Uf ;nose communications, which the ,at Ministers of the Crown have thought it to make to their Sovereign ? ( ?fear! &a 4) and admit certainly, that the advice to allude should be Riven in writing. in order shored be communicated to our successors, might know upon what grounds they to Ofikkv, And what was ..a periled Isom them ; they ceasiJeled that advice fit fur publics. there were two constitutional modes of pub . They might have addressed the Crown, that bad advice had been given to fits Ma. regitesting to know by whom it was The accessary consequence of this proems:- ad he, the predation of the papers contain advice, and thus the cad would be sin ; Another fit and proper course is dike— Tama seeking such publication, found that ice was given to the Sorb, they might have irenJed tt to His M ajesty to communicate ad advice to Parliament, and call for punixh• sport the parties so offending. These two wete Wily open to their choice, and net- MS been adopted It is of this I complain, ask, is there in the history of the country — annals of the nation afford a precedent feet publication as met which 1 have seated ? ke..r .V Let me ask any man who feels tineiiar of the country, whether the truth ease eught not to be brought forward, and' ieplained f Upon this ground, then, I say• do not complain of any p.rticular pesson, k it, in a peculiar degree, my ditty, and that botrid still more strongly than I should have rise telt, to make such a statement of my can your Lordships, as may guard it from the of mi.representation, and place the business fair and hue light. Before, however, deter upon this course, I did humbly beg leave to Petition before my Sovereign, tequesting his ohm to make this esplanation ; and with that mess and condesconeioa which cheraeleeise wereign, and that kindness which 1 have uni. '• received Irom him, he was pl e ased tin my Petition, and give his assent to my et. 'flies° ate the grounds upon which I it myself before you. First, the iochspensa .ecessity under which I labour in justice to my charater ; and, secondly, the gracious per m of my Sovereign. That, under sue:, circum• •.'s, eve y thing 1 have to sae. will he offered the greatest deference aid .re.,-ieft to my do n and to this House, I hope is utsnecessaty to to premise. In the prese.it case, indeed, I no tetaptation. I have nothing to say but nation of my own Charater. My Lands, at period to which I last adverted, you' know. teat ?rent and illustrious Statesman, with wham I 'e -operated ( Mr. Put), and whom I cannot fr.* 'Mt but with sentiments of the deepest regret. year 416dt, felt it a duty, in common with les ' 4 r -tits, to grant a lupe further indulgence te eteolies of Ireland. Tnat ar y pea see. an t e' . lit !Z this *pinion, hat no design egetiot the !1-1 , .;:no, against the Csdra. u Siete. • (PRICE SIXPILIOCK _ duty Governmeot alto, tr submit their measure to the King ; if ne approves, they are then to submit it to the ouse and if he disproves, they are then to choose, whether they are to abandon art: measure. or to pray His Majesty to accept their resignation. The former we thought our duty. In ISO, there was a similar measure. but in that case the Minister resigned. lit the present instance we thought that the measure might drop, but that choice was not accepted. and His Majesty thought proper to remnve ro, and choose ethers. Of the proposition itself, a Mi nute was taken, in the shape of a draft, to be sent to Ireland. But lam told. that it has been stated, from a quarter whicib I am honed to respedt, that there was a inisconceotion on the subjeft. do not dispute that statement; I only meta to slew, that we had reasonable 4rnund to cook:ludo that the measure was fully underssotd by His M .e•ty, without assisting that it wet so aaua ily understood. Freon the moment I thosght other wise. I acknowledged. by giving osp the mcasare. The halt of it - contitsid sew eletwypo — dm *fop thin or the Irish A&, and the extension. The draft so composed and submitted to the IC ino, contains a statement of the rust talons of t.,e Irish aft, and proposes to open the army and navy to all Catholic subjects, without climactic-, noon the sole condition of only taCing the con, of allegiance ; 1 and, therefore, I do confess, that when that strati was submitted to His Majesty, it was with intent to bring to view the limits riens of the Irish Act, and the more eztensise indulgence which so proposed to g . rmt.— . ro this draft a citfficolty was'stated ; it is with deli cacy I mention, that a repugnance oat known coexist in the mind of the Sovereign to the extent of the concession which the Servants of the Gown deemed advisable to make to the Catholics of the Empire. But to that answer from His Majesty. a repo outs tion was sent, in the highest degree dutrfoi, and con taining every expression pf trveience and rrsjo which the honest and principled Serra ;t: of the Crown must ch:rish for the conscielitious feelings of a beloved and beneEcent Sovereign. The result of this tepeesentat;on was, that His Majesty acquiesce.', and have his consent for the proposal of this mealy e of Catholi, relief to the Pathaneent. Aoo y of this representation was dispatched by Geve.e ment to his Grace the Lord Lieutenant of ITC•4IId, and it went to 'the extent of the expiesions of the Secretary of that lobleinan, that every feeense was opened in the lithoary Service to the Catholics, without any other resuiction than secure their al legiance and attachment to the Throne.. - Upon this communication to the Catholic Body in 'reload, a deputation from that description of militias waited upon the Irish secretary, to ascertaio whither the present concessions emended bioher than the Gene.. rals on the Staff It was observed, in answer, by that Secretary, that he presumed the olijeß was to open to them all Commissions in the Military Line. This dispatch, as received from Ireland, was by His Majerty's late Servants immcdiateiy transmitted to the King, and returned by him without any obser vation or comment, either upon the nature cd the demands, or the line of coodu:1 he was anti ass his Servants should pnrsot.. But this was not all. as the draft of another dispatch, intended for Ito Irish Government. and containing the specific clause whiel. were submitted to Parlian ect, was sent to I. $ Majesty ; and which, in nod give. arrested II I determination expressed by the • Irish Secretes); but, On the contoary, empowering the Lord Lieute nant to give an affiimative answer, to the questit pal by those Gentlemen, who were delegated to aak It. by the Irish Catholics With such undeniable eieconastarres, stated to your Lordships. I ask, Was it possible far the late Servants of the Crown to bar. done more t Was it posoble for any honoura ble earn to have condufled themselves with a mote delicate feeling for the wishe. , •f their Sovereign ; and, with a true and consistent re%p.4l for the bug. gestions of their own Or igment, arid tit,. support of their owe consistent) ? What then, I ask your Lotd:hips, most he the ::attire of that accuse tima ; ishat the feelings of those, who a:: thus accused, when a base endeavour has been made to libel the cliorafter of myself and colleagueos and to cconninicate to the public, by anntilatiti statements g to the onservations, sign. j A Pratestaa, in a Morning Paper) that w e had &dually betrayed and deluded our gm ciQur *teenage I Vi a miita have errata--wt swift The Itepor dicature Bill, sgre!d to. Lard HAI !louse, on day se'nnigki Lord Glt rise to of but to not which have p:Ainly, my the present d':B of my .:tefted with t yens ago, th iadispentabli country, to formed a psi trot repeat n the come w forget that tlisseransont jea 3Rd Tim bon, fereigi from which canon, then tile result o tett, but of Drillable and that I shoul rept e•nuati inter an 0 C:::::Cla, Of of the w:1 dually rei still to mi claim to yn ja ma 41. sl diould be g tory it has 1 teal minute, bat oevn m Mr, .r ! 4ta; (...:' .. 71:1.i t i . : .C ic •l' 4uty I aow a: which I all that it 'ha that they tome into but if the ticn, there Inning it. statii.g. ti J :.y, and omen. 1' tog would jug this • . steered. If the per bad adwic ieconomei that bad meat upc Ck.i.IIVCS 1 they has and i ash do the i such a fioir ! d :J; CII: 1 ..t tint c., tally cap for I di I think i . 1 I am Ito othernii • I du& to eßeas o i to its hi aitted u .i.cy my: ?Trii:l3li podnrs .uy Soo !tit tidy i 2utert.tt /quest, :cetera ilc Leci , wn eh oitsion itrict.t 1111 th 1 ,:relgr or me aYe / i Indic: C pc ... it gii :. 'OlO 4 au d , s e IS , Ile . l ry e C ; r. -inl I) ir is. in its full went. It was is the spirit of Irish Parliament, to open both alike to the lies, and the instreEtions received from this by the Noble Earl opposite to the (Earl of inghantshire), then Secretary to the Lord nant, were to that effeß. There is another' i, t which you cannot overlook. It was found - dient in Ireland, in irik. 13 open to Protestant :enters, not only the army and navy, bat all (Aces whatever. When, tbisefore, ii fell to the lot of my Noble Friend, ill 1793, to open the army and navy to Roman Catholics, there was r.o cause foesspenirg it to Protestant I,dis;enters. In England ca.r is widely different; lot Qom tt• I.Xweaker any arfaerifwvern! wit to W 1 1 n-t • dna ' WIN_ PA ap slop Jr Eat ✓ 511/511: 10A - Criatheirom gut pistenters • be admitted to avert thing, anti she English pis. • seaters would b• escladad; and f kraals to knot , opon what principle you can give tp the . C.Mholics. and withhold from the Protestant Direentetal:—. t There considerations in41141:01 0. . 01 ril l est t justize, policy , m and asa= moo, eelpipos e should meet the whole case in the dugs olinlow. to enable all descriptions of Hii IsfaiestriMiltreet ✓ to contribute heart and - hand in the comma cause. t Such was the opiaioil which I wished to seismic to Parliament. I take the 'ptinciile which should e govern a Member of Parliament to be this t It is tilt duty of an ordinary Member to pleb- e mit any measure which he thinks eunducien to it the public good, e •ftvt those within the put'• h liar province of the Members of Government. n It is the duty of the Members of the Government -4-: VRID.%Y, MARCH 27, iiva. I hope, be sufficiOrt for me ti sly, that that mea sure WAS a favourite measure of Mr. Pitt, and a measure of such extreme and paramount impott ance, as justi fi ed him and us to withdtew from the condud of that Government, when we found our selves . obliged to withhold that measure, which was intended to be granted to the Catholics of Ire land. The same opinion was also entertained by another gre st luminary, of the benefit of whose great and splenlid talents the country has sem been deprived by death (Mr. Fox). If, then, it is a fault with us. it has been a fault also in those two great and enlightened Statesmen, who, upon this question, upon the measure of the Sleet Trade, now happily brought to a successful issye, and also upon the measure of the Sink ing Fund, completely concurred. , Two of thew three great meametts we has lived to see esta. blished ; the second, 1 grant, not u n til after long delay, and a tedious and arduous contest sv'th preju dice, and pertial interests and views. The third measure rests upon the same authority ; I da not mean upon arty opinion, but upon grow Os of such undeniable right and propriety, that, combining all the circumstances. apei looleng at one objett ie all its bearings and relations, I cannot canceive en op position to it, that can be supported, by any avr ment of policy or joivice. 1 have for this re e object before sacrificed my p. rsonal feelings and private interests, and I am ready to make the same sacrifices over and over again ; being con• vinced, that from no other sy-rem 04 policy or action, art advantage can be derived , :qttal to that of four tuitions c.t His Mai:sty'. Catholic subjects in Ireland, governed by concilietioa and kindm.i. and not be rigour and exclu.iou.— Coming now to a lame period. proposals we:e made to me about resuming office ; to all of which the answers made by me were, that my Sovereign might command my services whenevet he pleased ; to him I was bound by every tie of duty and affection ; but that 1 never would forego the liberty of stating to Parliament nie sentiments upon this subjeit. elfear ! hear ! Those proposals an made to me, had not their etre& A. situation arose which in duced the Catholics of Ireland to submit their cease to the consideration of Parliament. I presented their Petition. I felt it an honour to be entrusted' with that charge. It was a pledge of their confi dence It was a proof of their opinion of my up rightness, of my idea, liable cried:ttt, and usichaage• able principles. It *hewed their persuasion, that when opportunity offered, I would not be inclined to shrink from the opinion which I prufessed, and to decline the task of giving it my full and entire sup port. I, therefore, willingly accepted the premal. -nod owsentest their ()disjoins toldr 'Homo net. however. true, as has been falsely represented. that the assistance. of the Catholics, in bringing about the Union with Ireland, was purchased by a promise of granting this indulgence upon the cons ;Arisen of that meastke ; bet it it true, that we did, severally, give a pledge. that in the event of ; he u.:on.th.cleims of the Cethol',cs should be brought miler the consideration of Parliament. and be made the sebjed of its deliberartea. The result of that Petition it is scarcely necessary for me to state; Parliament, un ler existing circoinostances, did not assent tr. it. In a few months, the country lost that illustrious Statesman. (Mr. Pittl. and His Ms. jesty was graciously pleased to think, that I might be of some use in terming an Administratien. Is is unnecessary for me to say, that I did not refuse to ollzy Hui Majesty's commands; and th;t, ace cerdn.g to the best of my judgment, of the ma teri i 1 sehich I had, I made one, which, I hoped, would be likely to contribu.e to the good of the Th.st my senfinsents, moon this sublet*. were in notion wits those of that great men, Mr. Fox, nets well known. When it was note. riot's that we were seemed by the ;arm see. timents upon this subjed, when we were called to office. we could not foresee or Selma that we were called upon any ether grounds. As responsible Ministers, in all mat questions of ma time% importance. looking to our responsibility, end our duty to our country and ourselves, we felt that we were portal, at libetty to give to His Ma jesty the best counsels, upon the arduous affairs of his kingdom, that might suggest themselves to our judgment. There Wes no pledge to the contrary. Ili' I distinetly state, and this my Sovereign has graciously allowed me m declare, namely, that we came into government with our judgment perfectly unfettered. bleed it be old, that we carer in Also with a feeling not to introduce any measure that tight be painful to the feeling, of our Sovereign. wi.lesui a pressure of great and °rpm necessity. We entotaitied a strong opinion to the Cabinet, that, from the disposition oldie Lord Lieutenant for Irelead, whom we had selected, mid the inscrufliens Which we gave him, the existit.g laws might be exe cute! in a manner. that such satisfattion might be given - to the Catholie., as might conciliate them for the lite. One 'Aker WAS S.) knit the hearts of eve y description of His Majesty'. siabjeds, and. if a mill and liberal Envoi-n=4ot c o uld attain that ob jet, it was our wish to prevent the agitation of those questions, that might be hurtful to the feelings of His Majesty ; and particularly as the liege question of entire rights coda not at present be agitated with any great prostwet of success, and with out irritation. One of the first measures of Mi. testers was to take %reps, and they were effectual, to prevent the agitation of that question; but. in the comer of Lau year. symptoms of a con %iteration of those disturbencen which chewed dis content, were manifest. These wets heppily corn. pesed. by the exertions of the civil mid ju.licial auteority, without having recourse to extreordinary meat;'. Stich was the situation of Ireland. at the camel .neene.nt of the present Session. Our o ftener' was then called to it. by considerations of a witch larger and more extended policy. d struition of Prussia, kit to Fraece a larger disposable force. and upon more dicrtuail p‘Aut• SG date convey, duo any European sing- dom ever before possessed. It became then our duty. to make our military force equal to the issue. We were, of course. to look to the larger augmentation of that force, and to the diminution of internal danger. And I contend. that no measure was so likely to contribute to either of these objets. as that which sh 'till induce the superabundance of the population of the country to enlist into the regular army. Such was the state of the Highlands of Scotland when Lord Chatham turned his attention to that country ; and by encouraging recruiting there, attached the peo ple to the Government. In that state, a large part of Ireland is to be found ; a c-iuntry, from various causes, rising in riches sad commerce, but increasing still more in popolatinn.—With reference, then.. Apilb. is Ineierurc for the safety of Europe, I thougut the beat course to de feat the designs of the foe. was to induce the ,popu lation of Ireland to enlist largely and liberally ; say largely and liherally,because it is alrearlf so to a great extent, indeed to an incredible extent, bar nr.thing approaching to what would be the result' , of this measure. Until the higher classes, I* Mean the younger 'stanches of them. eejoy the loll' psivilege of English cffi:ers, their efforts will never b- effectually exerted to that effeet, and I need net say that their in3uence over the lower chows. • is only exceeded by the influence of tb i e who IMO the care of their religions concern., and mho feel a difficulty and disinclination to er.conrage them to put them-elves in a place if; which these" protection is not retogrused by law. I own, that with this view, our attention was turned last summer to the encouragement of recruiting from the Catholics of Iceland into the army and navy. It .vas with this view that tit; present measure, which I consi der still before Parliament, was framed. We had another object : we had reason to think that the forbearance exercised by the Irish Catholics last year, did not continue this year. I admit, that that" Catholics in pressiug it. have aaeil in a tll4lllll, highly injurious to themselves and the country ;Sal it ; sat being my opinion. 1 bare no hesitation to 0 wily avow it. With that view, I thought, that by this sent of compromise, O r tile adapticn of this mild measure, they might be inducied to remainf quiet for some time longer, and under the circuits.' stances of the case, as long as that could be efielted s it was my w,:-.11 to pat off the agitation at the gene: sal question. With this opinion, we resOlved to ' submit to His M sjesty. to bring a proposal bettors Parliament, to permit subjeas of Ali descriptions td bold arty naval or military conicr.ission. Il.a thee* was another circumstance that direfted thir course. Your Lotdships Ineow that the law respeping . ca trroliet It chaste= in England froth What it ts in Ireland, and that fourteen years ago, the Irish Ca tholics were admitted to hold commissions in the Irish army. This measure was extended to them at the recammendatioo of the Throne; and the Parli ament of Ireland opened the military profession to the Ca-holicr, and, as tar as in them lay, the naval also, with the exception of Commanders-in (thief, or Mutter4dasters-Generalon the Staff; but with this re atriaion in Ireland, all die other commissions were open. With respell to the military profession, from that hour, in 1793, no one instance his occurred of any inconvenience from this measure, even in that Catholic country. But if no othir argument ccuLi be adduced, let me ask, whether we can ever be a really united kingdom, in our present situation ? Both parts ate equally liable to invasion, and their safety depends upon the power and facility of shift ing the (totes from one to the other ; for, without this power. the distinct tortes necessary to be kept up in each country, must be much greater, than it they were capable of being united in the particular country io danger. See then how this interchange now stands ; in Ireland. the King may grant to a Catholic any rank in the army but the highest com mand; but the moment the regiment lands at Liver pool, the Irish Catholic Officer must do that against which an honourable mind Most revolt. He must de. sea his colours, or be must continue to serve, know. ineltat he is every day violating the laws of die coun- ' try which he is called to proteU. He is placed in a situation not only irksome to his feeliogs, but dan gerous to his safety. as a person not authorised to do that aft which he comes to perform. "nth state never esirted litany other country; and it may be a qt...tion, whether it be not the greatest folly not to pot an trod to it. God knows, we had no idea of creating uoirasine.s, when it was judged necessary to provide a remedy. The question, then, is, what this remedy should be ?—%Vere the English Parliament to adopt tea Irish Ad. you must admit the principle, that the Irish Catholics have a might to at Coosiniasioaa. except that of Commander, in Chief, or General on the Stif; and if you admit that ' upon what prigciple can you esclude that one, and, at the same um*, give them all the rest t You would be satisdbl to raise the Catholic to the rank of Colonei, and then yen would Shut the .loor upon him, be his talents. his character, and his services, wind they may. There is nog reaso n r o e this limi ts. nun. At th e birth of this Act in Ireland, it poi. sewed a local Administration ; but-the question now is, whether. in the Catholic Army. you may have an Irish Catholic a Grieral on the Staff in the Kase Indies and the West Indies, and pot in Ireland I am as mush attached as any man to the principles of the Flutes:out faith, and I own that 1 do not 1410 how they can be endangered by this measure. In deed, tor Lords ) , they will have .1 hard task. who will . u ppsns, t h at in any part of the world you may liar. a Catholic Otheet in any rank, however highs. with the exception of the Staff. When then we proposed to open the military profession to the Catholic, every lo:incepte of polNy and interest milled upon you so give the boon, not with a nig gardly. but with a liberal hand ; and if it was right in the toilitary. it most be also right in the naval profession. 'the indulgence of their religion to Itioi Catholic . Lacers, .4 their own ports, would not do. the navy is large and extensive, and if it is to be opened at isll.thltors . tiikg ought w be direct s and . ^ 4 1 .1