The Sun.
London, England, 1825-02-16 00:00:00

71V.

WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 16, 1825.

judgment could be pronounced. Heconfessed indeed that an Hon.
Friend of his, who came down on the first night of the debate,
determined tovote against the measure, but when he heard of the
sanguinary interference of the Catholic Association in the ad-
ministration of justice, alleged on the other side of the House,
returned home in a contrary disposition. But had he remained
some time longer to hear the arnunents subversive of that
statement, the impression would 'neSe been reversed, for in the
very instances adverted to, it app-eared the Association were
entitled to the highest praise for the moderation of their con-
duct. He (Sir R. Wilson) had been out of the country, and had
not consequently been able to attend minutely to the proceed-
ings of the Body in question ; hue they certainly had not acted
so as to forfeit the confidence of the tAitholics. Mr. O'Connell
had been called a Dictator, and it was said, divistiln itieneriunt
cum. Jove habet. It appeared, hotvever, that vax Popeli was in
that case vox Dei. The Association wcmld indeed have been for-
midable it at the nod of any indieianal. But Mr. O'Connell
himself was, on every occasion, -only able to lead, after
eloquence and power of argument had carried conviction to
the Meeting. That proved that the Association was not a bel-
ligerent body—that it had only acted of defensive—and that
it was merely formed to quell those disturbances which were
the shame of Ireland and the disgrace nt'7,Eti;lanti. The Asso-
ciation certainly had extraordinary isS,:taiwe—(kiear, !Tear !)
and he admitted it ought to b' pnirgeen—(flear, hear !)—but
he 20 his friends differed -SAL* AlsSairtera et% to the means
of doing so.—(Hear, bear!)--The Irish Attorney-General con-
tended that Parliament should take what means it could to
gain that end, and with the candour for which he was so
remarkable, declared that his opinion respecting Catholic
Emancipation was not changed, and that it was the only effec-
tual measure for pacifying Ireland. He (Sir Robert Wilson)
could not believe with his Honourable Friend the Member
for Knareshorough (Sir James Mackintosh) that the Cabinet
had entered into a compact on the Catholic question—
and he must take that opportunity of stating, that the
avowal Which the Right Honourable the Chancellor of the
Exchequer made last night, that he also had changed his opi-
nion, and in a manner not admitting a shadow of imputation
upon his motives, inspired strong hopes for the future. The
Right Honourable Member said he should consider it an
act of treachery to turn round on his colleagues and attempt
to impose Emancipation as a condition for co-Operating with
them. He (Sir Robert NVilson) believed, notwithstanding, it
was utterly impossible but in the dispatches from the
Marquis Wellesley, something had been suggested to qua-
lify the severity of the present measure. It was there-
fore unfair not to submit those dispatches to the House.
When the British Government was confessedly so strong
in all its domestic affairs, as it now confessedly was,
would be the proper time to consider the measure. What
were the Catholics to think in the 25th year after the Union,
when, though they had " with bended knees and baited breath
and whispering humbleness," solicited not so much the enjoy-
ment of rights as the exemption from penalties, and yet found
all their supplications vain? It was indeed a fact that many
of the legal hardships they were liable to, were unknown to
the people of England. Even at present the greater pert of
the public were unaware of the doubt that existed, whether a
Roman Catholic Priest who married a Protestant .was liable
to death, or to a fine of 500/.; however unquestioneble it was
that if the parties who had requested the Clergyman to perform
the ceremony, subsequently refused to give evidence against
them, they were punishable with tleree years' imprisonment.—
Such was our law still in,force against the Catholics, and there
were many others equally cruel and unjust. It will be asked,
perhaps, has not the Catholic Cause advanced ? anti he knew it
was objected to his side of the House that it had not forwarded
it as much as they might have done. The year before last he
and his friends certainly did leave the House, but why.? Be-
cause they did not wish to continue a system, which raised the
hopes of the Catholics merely to blast them with the bit-
terer disappointment. He would not, at the same time,
have the Catholics despond, if victory were not within
reach it was at least within sight. Formerly it was alleged
that the great body of the Catholics were indifferent to eman-
cipation. But he could not feel an interest in the eligibility
to honours anti privileges to which they had no title to aspire.
The Catholic Association had proved the reverse to be the
fact, and the rent whisit that Asaeinbls received from all
classes of the people was the best touchstone of the security
of the great body of that community in seeking their consti-
tutional rights. It was, however, rather too bad that eman-
cipation sheuld be first refused on the ground that the Ca-
tholics generally were indifferent about it, and then that
it should be refused, because they convinced the world
that they were not indifferent. Such a state of things could
not last. The House should do as it would be done by.—
If the Protestants were treated like the Catholics—if they
could unfold so ninny glorious records of their services to the
country—would they bear it with equal patience ? Our in-
terest as well as duty required that the system should be put
an end to. Another point of view in which the mischievous- .
ness of the present course was shown by the Bight Honour-
able the Attorney-General for Ireland, deserved attention._
The situation of that country certainly afforded a dangerous
pretext for the machinations of foreign powers. It was la-
mentable that any thing should breed discord at home,to blight
the fruit of the fair tree of national hope. It was lamentable
that when the Right lion. Gentleman opposite (Mr. Canning)
had effected so beneficial a change in our foreign policy—when
he had severed the country from the Holy Alliance, and puri-
fied our Councils from the alloy of European despotism—it
was, lie said, lamentable that our domestic shotild be inconsist-
ent with our foreign policy. If war should occur, the state
of Ireland was most dangerous to the Empire. The applica-
tion of steam to navigation gave facilities of intercourse be-
tween that island and the Continent. Under such circum-
stances, if the standard of rebellion wereagain raised, it would
not be for similar scenes to those of Vinegar Hill or Wexford.
At that period the Catholic Clergy were hostile to insurrection,
for the dread of the French Revolution was before their eyes ;
the Catholic Gentry were also then adverse to the rebellion,
because they hoped that by continuance of peace, and by their
exemplary patience, the Legislature would be induced to con-
cede their rights. Now, however, the Catholic Nobility, the
Catholic Hierarchy, the Catholic Gentry, the Catholic Priests,
and the Catholic Laity, seem to a man united: The cause
for which the Association met had their unanimous sanction.
When he (Sir R. Wilson) saw with terror the strides that the
most atrocious doctrines were making in Spain, in France, and
in Belgium, they were not to be overlooked with respect to Ire-
land. In France it would seem as if the laws were framed to
satisfy some malignant demon instead of the God of Justice.—
ln Belgium, the character of the king, so remakable for his
moderation and wisdom, interposed a barrier to such wicked
encroachments. But what, if in this country, the zeal of the
Catholics should take so unfortunate a direction. He was not,
in short fighting a Catholic battle, he was fighting his own
battle—the battle of the Dissenters—an universal battle.
Those who disliked the Catholics ought still to give their support
to Emanicipation. It was impossible for that measure to be car-
ried without being followed by the repeal of all the tests that
affected the Dissenters. Hence lie believed the greater part
of the opposition which Emancipation encountered in Eng-
land—the Dissenters not the Catholics were dreaded. Great
Britain was indifferent respecting the Catholics while they were
confined to Ireland. Ile believed the people of England too
enlightened to be averse to Emancipation ; they knew that if
war should arise Ireland in its present situation would become
a hostile camp, and while hostile cannon were planted along
the Irish coast, we should he left to fight our own battles pro
aril et focis. He was aware that lie uttered these sentiments
on the eve of a general election, or at least that, in anothei
year, that event would take place. Members upon his side of
sAfi
ot
Rnh erii
wouldc n
thoughttciot
mu eimi at tasmn—da bt
ttueh
rte
dri tr'
lei theyc
whatt d
wo skeearrte
te)h:
er
the House might then fall if they now warred with the feelings
sa suppti
oMrtig n ItAh)eecno cKt scia:
motives of those who formed the Catholic Association, if it
were at variance with the Constitution. That body under-
took to represent the people, and levy money without the con-
sent of Parliament. Our ancestors had declared the Crown
forfeited for levying money without the consent of Parliament,
and such conduct was equally unlawful in any of the King's
eistsabifdcolnevtrieibeilltbitt;icima,usiet,waalsthaough
compulsory pay
the rent was al-
legedment.
The Association had directed the Priests to collect the money,
and it was a very ancient practice of the Realm to levy the
poor rates in that manner. Before the 3d of Elizabeth, the
Subjects. to co n lie
Priest exhorted the people in the Church to pay the Poor
Rates, and followed up the exhortation with censures. The
Hon. Member who spoke last admitted the evil effects of the
Association, and said it ought to be put down by emancipa-
tion. But what was the character given of the Members of that
body by their advocates? That they had evaded the Conven-
tion Act, and, regardless of the peace of Society, would, if
possible, evade every other law which Parliament might enact.
The Hon. Member further observed, that the moment the con.