The Sun.
London, England, 1821-04-18 00:00:00

of its.prOfessers. Amongst the opponents of this
measure in favour of the Catholics, there was a
difference of opinion which rendered it difficult
for others to know which way to steer their
course amidst such. Contending: currents. They
had but one duty to perform, and yet the propo-
sitions of the adherents in opposition to their
Bill were directly the reverse of each other.
The Noble and Learned Lord on the Woolsack
said, it was their duty to leave matters as they
regarded the Catholic's, in the state they were
placed in by King William at the Revolution;
without making one iota of change or alteration.
The other part of their opponents said, " leave
matters as -they are now, there is no cause to
change." Now, which of these two courses did
the House mean to follow ? He believed there
was no one who did tot know that the funda-
mental principles of the state of things at present
was diametrically opposite to what they were at
the time of the Revolution. Of the two propo-
sitions, he certainly felt best able to reconcile
himself to the approbation of that which recom-
mended them to adopt the principles of the Revo-
lution on this subject. They had all heard in de-
tail the horrors of the system pursued at that time.
They were told by Lord Clare, that the lands
of the Catholics were confiscated 700,000 acres
more than covered the soil of that kingdom.
By that meaning to say, that some of the land
had been- confiscated two and three times over.
He did not seek to rake up the ashes of past dis-
cords, but merely to justify the cruelties on. One
hand, which were 'called for by the cruelties of
the other ; for. it was one black characteristic of
the first acts of cruelty that they did not
end with their own guilts, but created
retaliation on the side of the afflicted. He
should not follow the Noble and Learned Lord
into the detail he had gone into on the laws in-
flicting these cruelties. He was satisfied with
knowing what they were intended to produce,
and happy that nothing remained of them but
that last remnant which they were now called
upon to destroy. Their Lordships knew that
similar. predictions and gloomy apprehensions ac-
companied every step towards the removal of
those laws ; but had any one of these predictions
been verified ? To give an idea of the spirit in
which these laws were originally adopted towards
the Papists, he would read extracts frosi a work
published at the time of the enactment of some of
the principal of them. It ran as follows :—" We
look on the Papists to be altogether as inconsi-
derable as women and children ; their lands are
almost entirely taken away from them—the de-
scendants of the hereditary proprietors of the
soil are almost all deprived' of the soil of their
ancestors, and almost bereft /of the power of ever
acquiring it again. If they ever should-possess
the means, the' power of.. purchasing should be
taken from them. By this means the little that
remains- to the inhabitants of the soil of this coun-
try will daily crumble away. To prevent their
thus crumbling away-, many turned Protestants,
and perhaps many more will." Not only their
property but the faith in which alone they lived
was taken from them ; for as their Priests died
away others were not allowed to supply the place.
Their Lordships would- perhaps be astonished that
such sentiments should ever be printed and publish-
ed; but they would be more surprised when they
heard that it was the production' of a Rev. Di-
vine. Not, only were these sentiments openly
answered, but the' system there laid down was
recognised and acted upon. The writer ex-
presSed a hope that this would favour the great
work of conversion, and he thought, tinder such
a system, the Clergy would succeed in bringing
over great numbers to the Established Church.
This system, it was thought, would he beneficial,
and preferable to one which united them to the
constitution, and 'gave them an interest in the
well-being of the country by affording them the
adVantage of being governed under equal laws ;
depressed as they had been, reduced to the situa-
tion of hewers of wood ansl drawers of water.
When it was argued that they were placed in a
situation in which they-could do no mischief, he
would say that they were so circumstanced that
they could do no good, bnt on the contrary, were
likely to do nothing but mischief. The system
of depressing the Catholics had been acted upon
previously to the Revolution, and for 80 years
afterwards, down to that happy period of the late
reign, when it wasthought Wise to adopt a more
liberal and conciliating course. The present sys-
tem was imperfect, and he agreed with an animat-
ed writer on this subject, that that which pre-
ceded, execrable as it was in its purpose, and
detestable in its means, merited at least the prac-
tice. of being unform, consistent, and well fitted
to the Object which the Legislature, in adopting
it, had in their view, which was to depress the
Catholics to the lowest state to which the mem-
bers of any community could be reduced. 'Some
thought by .repealing several laws that stood in
the black catalogue, the rest might remain,and that
it was only by retaining these that the Protestant
interest could be secured. This was the impression
on the minds of some of those who were opposed
to the present Bill. He would contend, on the
contrary, that if they recurred to that system
they must take the whole of it. It consisted
of a gradual accumulation of laws to depress
those against whom the Measures of the Legis-
lature were, directed. It .would be found that
the first law against the Catholics of King Wil-
liam was followed by other laws in his reign and
in the reigns of Anne, George.l., and George I 1.,
and the Catholics were depressed by accumulat-
ed perSecUtions, till it was at length discovered
that that was not the course which wisdom'would
pursue, and different measures were adopted. The
loyalty of the Catholics had been proved, but if
it was 'assumed that they were incapable of being
trusted to .participate in the blessings of the Con-
stitution, the melancholy conclusion to which that'
assumption would lead, was this—that late as it
was to do so, the'Legislature must retrace its
steps, and either expel them from the community
altogether, or depress them as they had formerly
been depressed. A Noble Friend of his, for
the illustration of .his argument, had referred to
one of those tales which formed the delight
of their childhood, and which he, for one; even
now, could peruse with pleasure e and lotd re-
, minded the House of the story which repiesents