The Sun.
London, England, 1819-05-18 00:00:00

lady with teiereoce to the present question, Rs to
entitle them to the concession of what they re-
spectfully required. A part of what was argued
in the way of objecting 'to Catholic participation,
would equally apply to some of the Protestant dis-
senting classes, and yet individuals could not be
found in the kingdom more Zealously attached
to their King or the established Constitution.
ToWerds the close of his speech, the Venerable
'relate praised the conduct of the Moravian Sect,
as One which had displayeti an. exemplary share
of piety, zeal, and usefulness.
The Bishop of PETERstonoubn showed, from
the general tenor of the petitions before the /loose,
that it would appear that a portion Ot their fellow-
,subjects were made to suffer for their religioo,
than which any "thing could not be more unfound-
ed or reprehensible. It was not on account of
.any 'abstract opinions that Roman Catholics might
entertain, that the remaining' exclusions .were
continued, but because principles, abstract in
themselves, were coupled, with others which were
not so., and were connected with serious
political
cousiderations. These combined, tended to
render it impossible that such men could bear the
same allegiance to his Majesty King George,, as
those whose allegiance centered in that, SOvereign
tiltte. It tolloWed of necessity, that the mem-
hers Of the Church of Rome ought not to be lid-
!flitted to an equal oarticipartion'.of power with
those of fhe Established Church, as the former
evidently bore a divided allegianoe. Coosislering
this great question with reference to the Esta-
blished Church, the Petitioners now only a-ked
for political' power. Yet, tt concession of their
claims must ultimately place it in 'a stare 'of great
danger; and the more so, when it was remem-
bered, that the -desires of human nature increased
with the facility of obtaining them. In this view,
the attainment of- Eeclesiastical power ikhotild be
regarded as eventually a ,part of their object. The
Jesnits were always active instruments in the ex-
tension of the Papal authority; and it should he
borne in mind, that their order was restored
the present Pope. The ambilious views of the
Roman Church were well-koowo, and the Coun-
cil of Trent had declared, that Church to be
mistress of all foreign countries ; of course, Eng-
land must be included in the contemplation. The
ascendancy or security of the Protestant Church
muss. be of short duration, whenever means were
allowed to RoMan Catholics for undermining or
shaking its foundation, •or rattier, deeming a
Protestant Church secure with a Papal Esta-
blishment.
Earl ofttOSEBERRY '(in a maiden speeCh)
rose, but spoke in a very inaudible tone ofVoice.
He manifeated his satisfaction at having an oppor-
tunity of expressing his sentiments in favour of
his Roman Catholic fellow-subjects. The ques-
tion was, whether Ireland should take that sta-
tion which totthre and cite Constitotion assigned.
to her, or whether she should still be retarded in
her progress. to wealth and happiness. He ob 7
ierveti that the question was of- less interest in the
time of peace than in the event of being again
engaged in hostilities„ and no better prepliration
could be made to meet the ininettilingelaager titan
this one of concession, which would convert dis-
affection- to loyalty, and draw- even from the
sources of discontent the means of strength'.• in
such a-case our armies might be led abroad. to
meet the foreign enemy-, instead of being confined
at home, in the disgraceful duty of watching our
own population.
Lord Die' DUNSTANVILLR also spoke in a tone
of voice so extremely low, 'as to he, for the most
part quite inaudible below .the bar.. The Noble
Lord wooed the opinion of the Rev Dr. Milner,
the Vicar ApoStolic 'of the Catholic 'Church:in
this country, on the Bill which was in the year
181,3 brought into the Lower Bouvet and declared
himself under the necessity, of thinking, that the
measure now [nopo3ed would pot have, the effect
of satisfying the views of the petitioners, for
whose benefit it was intended; He was fully of
opinion- that the English Catholics ought to be
pot upon the same footing' as the Irish. But be
did not think this oration eat 1
...._stor.sitee to produce
the d'esited effect ; and lie felt himself, therefore,
with great regret, under the necessity of giving
his vote against it,
The LORR CHANCELLOR quitteoi the Woolsack,
and in, a tipeech'orsonie length, displayed ac-
customed energy and powers of arguinenottion
against the motion. In the outset, he glanced at
Ttlie;difficUlty in,franiiiig an oath which, at the
'Same time, could duly quiet the mind of the Pro-
testant, aunt reconcile the Minds of the Catho-
lics, were what thelatter dethanded about to be
conceded. Mitch of the question seemed to turn
upon the real prim:lf:des of the English Constitu-
tion, as established and fortified by English law;
and in this view the difficulty of 'framing an oath
which could give security to the' Protestantointe-
rest, and at the 'same tilue keep in view, the
doctrine of the Pope's suremacy, 'principally'
struck hit+ In viewing this part of his subject,
the Noble and Vely Leat'ned Lord took an histo•
ilea' review of the, relative situation of the Pro-
testants and Catholics in this country, when the
latter were eligible -to 'sit in Parliament, from
1660, till the Revolution in 1688,- when a solemn
compact was entered into, between the people and
King for the support- of the Protestant religion,
with a -Protestant King and Parliament in this
country. The present was not merely a question.
religions opiniou, but deeply connected itself
with wilitical considerations.. It was a Node-
,mental principle in the Constitution that no man
professing' the Roman Catholic religion could sit
Upon theiltrone,. and it was a part of the sys-
tem, or rather: 'the machinery, that the King
should not be surrounded by Rliman,Catholic Ad-
visers, or by a Parliament, or that the laws
should he administered by them. This principle
was laid down and asserted at 'the Revoltitiou.
and also at the time of the Scots Union, and even
in that with Ireland. And it may be cess:sidered
whether such a system was more consistent
with civil and religious liberty, than to restore
things to that state they were itt in the 301 h of
Charles the 'Second. It 'was a leading Hu-
ciple in the 'Constitution, that the was,
the Supreme Head both in Church and State.—
Tlijswas also recognised more ancient
statutei. Ipillustration of. the principles which
he laid down, his Lordship referred rather largely
,to the legal and constitutional maxims of tbo