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

-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 justified 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 until 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 could 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 efielteds
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 reason roe this limits.
nun. At the 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 .uppsns, that 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 directs and