The Sun.
London, England, 1812-02-28 00:00:00

he would vote for the motion ; but as it Was not clear
to him that any thing of the kind could b.: reasonably
anticipated, he should vote against it.
Mr. M. MONTAGUE wished to know of tie Hon.
Gentleman, who had described the present Govern-
ment as an inefficient and divided Ministry, why his
friends had nut accepted of the invitation which had
been given them, to come fore and and strengthen
them ? There never was a tirnO when unanimity
and strength were more to be desired, and never
was there a time when men, on slight grounds,
could refuse to serve their country with less pro-
priety, and with less appearance of loyalty to him
from whom the invitation had been received. He
wished to know why, on such an occasion, they
had not come forward, and could not but consider
their- failing to do so as something like a dereliaion
from duty.? He wished to know if Gentlemen
opposite were less divided among themselves than
,the Administration was said to be ? Who was their
leader ? Had they any one equal to the Right
Hon. Gentleman who was at present at the head of
Government ? No, he defied them to name one.
He then proceeded to compare the opinions of va-
rious Gentlemen in Opposition. These he shewed
to be very contradiflory. He could prove others to
be equally so ; and if he were to take them by lot,
he would engage, that out of " five lots " he might
draw, " four of the couples would disagree." —(A
laugh.) Gentlemen Might make it difficult for
him to• speak, but this flattered him, as it proved
his argument pinched then-4 and therefore he would
not drop it. He was far from being intimidated by
any of them. When they attended to him as they
did‘to others, he should be Jess proud, and perhaps
their conduet might enable him to express
,himseif
shorter than he otherwise could t!o. Be conclud-
ed strongly opposing the motion.
Mr. CANNING. hal EllliCipled the turn which
the discussion had taken ; nernely, to a considera-
tion of the p inciples on which the new Admi-
nistration (if it Could be so called) was formed.—
It was -painful to an individual standing alone, un-
backed by any party, tceexpress his opinion on this
subject ; but it was a duty from which he .had de-
termined not to shrink. There were two mate-
rial considerations on which the House had to de-
cide. The first, the military exertions abroad.
The second, the peace and tranquility of the Em-
pire at botne. With respe& to the first, he must
say, that he shan't most warmly and strenuously
support any Government that would carry them on
as they had been carried on for the last two years;
but the oilier consideration demanded mote delibet-
ation. He had' opposed the recent motion, to
consider the state of Ireland, because it implied a
censure on Government, which he did not think
they deserved; and because he thought that the first
step towards concession to the Catholics should, be
taken by the Executive, rather than by Parliament.
But when his Right Hon. Friend distinelly declared,
that as long as the Goverement rested on its present
basis, the door must be shut against the Catholic
Claim, (for no other meaning could be collet fed
em 'what had fallen from his Honnourable
Friend), the question became serious. The Noble
Loid declare 1, that his opinions on this subjed
retwined the same as formerly. So did his. But
had nothing happened since the Noble Lord was be-
foie in Administration ? He had no hesitation in
saying, that when the-Noble Lord and he were in
Administration together, there existed on the part
of their revered Sovereign, a conscientious scruple,
adveree to the Roman Catholics, which no argu-
ment could overcome. Prudence, duty, and feel-
, ling combined to determine that the claims of the
Catholif.s should be for a little time withheld, ra-
ther than that the peace of the Monarch, who for
50 years had constituted the happiness of his people,
should be disturbed. But circumstances were now
widely different, The obstacle (would to God it had
not been so !) was removed. It was impossible to
say what would be the result of disappointing the
well-founded .hopes of the Catholics on the subjeCt.
It was pre' oseerous to talk of discussing the ques-
tion with. ut any influence on the part of the Crown.
The abolition Of the'Slave Trade has been referred
to as an instance of a snbje& discussed under similar
circumstances. The feat certainly was, that on the
first year of that discussion, Mr. Pitt was so satis-
fied that it must prove successful, that he rashly
pledged himself not tb use the influence of Go-
vernment in its support. What was the consequence?
That it remained uncarried, until the,Hon. Gen-
tleman opposite, profitting by experience, made it
a Government question and succeeded. Such ought
to be the course adopted with respect to the Catholic
Question. Until the claims of the Catholics were
conceded, the country would never be safe. But
he was far froM wishing that the concession should
be unqualified. On the contrary, he thought it
ought to be accompanied with ample guards for the
security of the Constitution, both in Church and
State. Disapproving, therefore, of the condua of
Government on this question, he should .certainly
vote for the motion of the Hon. Baronet. With
respect to Spain, he confessed, that in the secession
of Marquis Wellesley Government had lost their
main spring. To the exertions that might still be
continued in the Peninsula; he should give his
cordial support, as on malty other points. On the
subject of the currency, for instance, he thought
that the course adopted by the House last year,
whether wisely or not was not the question, was
conclusive. The general system of our foreign rela-
tions he "highly approved, arid he declared, that
should any other set of men be placed at the head
of Government, who might think it expedient to
abandon that system of werlate, by which the
country had been raised to its present glorious
height, he %Quid give them his determined oppo-
sition.

Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY coul.l not suffer the Hoßse
to separate without noticing a most important ex-
pression which had fallen !tom his Right Hon. and
Learned Friend. In alluding to my Lords Grey
an&Grenvalle, he had stated, that they had bone
nothing on the Catholic Question during their ad-
ministration,
further than " inserting a.something
in the Mutiny Bill." Now he (Sir Samuel) recol-
le&ed, that at tine time of the introdutiion' this
" something" was reptesebted by his Right Hon.
Friend as a matter of sitcli tremendous importance,,
that he had noticed it in his public address to his
constituents, and added; that the King would make
a stand for the Constitution, and he bad stood by