The Sun.
London, England, 1825-05-27 00:00:00

Though'hi§ 'Right lion. 'Friend, the Attorney:Ge-
'ineral for Irefarid,Atidught:the Viet:eat Sestion -Unfavourable tothe
,discussion of the, Catholic Qnestion; he (Sir P..l3urdett) %ma of
opinion that discussion had advanced it that Session fUrther than
pit had stood ever before. Ai to-Elie-alleged feeling against it, he
,lhought the feeling was rather in its favour; not alone among the
enlightened and learned and respectable ranks,, but even among
the- eOtriparatively ignefant;' Whereirer it waShrought before the
-test of large assemblieS'of the people, liberality was triumphant.
-As.a specimen of the,opinions.of the working classes on .it he
would refer the House to the-meeting at Manchester, and the
speech of a ivotkilik 'man: there, full of_ sound sctise;olid prin-
ciple, and 'liberality, "which fitted him for filling: any of
therhgher stations in Society. The question would.be carried
before hing. As to the: unbecoming charge against a Noble
Lord, of hii having:yielded-in the question tolsersOns in high'
places ; it was no..very 'great proof :of that NObleLord'aintle,-
pendenee that
in
differed from that person's opinion on the
oath; Yet voted in accortlitnee with the scruples that dictated that
opinion. Another 'part OF that Noble Lord's es:induct of which
. the public had a right to complain Was,: that,' ,keeping his opin-
ions in mysterious reserve, he had by doing so_.excited hopes
and created expectations which he knew could not then be real-
ized ; which fallacious hopes had led the friends of the Catho-
lic cause to 'expose it to' an oVerwhelming defeat,. and • expose
the people of Ireland to feelings of irritation and disappoint-
ment,•whose consequences -nobody'could predict. It was'not fair
to induce the Catholic 'leaders, through that 'hope of success, to,
cansent to measures, and to compromise principles, and altoge-
ther to adopt a line of conduct on collateral questions, which
conduct Mould lia've 'the effect Of making them unpopular
among their countrymen. That treatment of those Gentle..
men
.'was uncanilid, :ungenerona, unwise, and ,un-Statesmian-
like.' 'lle hoped that the people of Ireland would, how.
ever, •in ptirsuance of their friend's ~adviceS, ..remain calm,
quiet, and ready, -though be should, not .be surprised it
the bitterness of their irritated feelings, should prevent them
from- ConduCting therriselvea with prudence and forbearance,
under their unexpeeted-disappOintment. Their present ob-
ject was -to conciliate the gOod. will of the people of England,
when they should come betbre the House next Session backed
by the Protestants of Ireland and the: people Of England. 'He
wished that House would adhere to its present opinion, 'and
then the few in the other, House could not resist the strongly
suPpOrted justice of their claims. One argument of his Hon.
and Learned Frind fer continuing to act with' a' ivided Mi-
nistry was quite fallacioutt—he meant his allusion to 'Parlia-
mentary Reform. The cases were different; the question, of Re-
forthinvolvedne public interestsreqUired no sacrifice—was pot
(*le or imniedinte, instant Urgency—the present omission of it
brought no danger to the State. -Though.constitutional and just,it
was not indispensably necessary within any particular time; but
the other Was not so. Who could say what may happen if the
Catholic Question be not granted •En ;hind was not so anxious
about Reform as she ought, and as lie wished., :,'But Ireland
-was most anxious for Emancipation ; she presented innumer-
able 'petitions. Ministers under-rated their own talents and
influence-with the public if the retired Government could
not
.be carried oft without them, and, the opponents of the
question should yield to . their more liberal Colleagues.
-The Goierinnent Of the country • could not be carried
on in tranquillity or security while. that ..measure remain-
ed unsettled. 'lt was said, and• • might: be true, that
Ireland would' not be able to sustain a civil, war long ; but
was not die bare possibility of such an event replete with disaster
and dismay II ear, hear !)—The House ,could: not recede;.
Parliament had granted too much to be able to refuse the re-
mainder; it had no choice in the Catholic Question ; it should
go forward ; justice should be done; every public man ought
to lend, his aid to compel the Government to pass the question ;
all the great national questions ought to be .suspended till they
were forced to satisfy the people of Ireland. He fondly hoped
another- 'SesSion would settle. it.

Mr. S. RICE stated that his purpose having -been answered
by the debate on his motion, he should beg -leave to withdraw
it. He was happy to find that Lord Wellesley's opinions on
Emancipation were still' unchanged, after personal obsetvation
of four years. Ile trusted that the debate'of • to-night would
give fresh hopes to, the Catholics of Ireland when it should
raach them. Re joined with' his -Hon. Friend in recommend-
ing to them union, moderation, and firmness ; and hoped that
the House would .soim again send up the same 'Bill with a
greater majority.—( Hear !)
The other Orders of the Day were'then disposed of, and the
house adjourned at a QUARTER TO Two 'O'CLOCK.. •