Star.
London, England, 1813-02-26 00:00:00

CATHOLIC CLAIMS.

Mr. GRATTAN was about to rise, when
Mr. YORKE, in conformity to his previous in-
timation, moved, that the Clerk should read the
passages in the Bill of Rights to which he had
alluded.
As soon as they bad been read by the Clerk,
Mr. GRATTAN rose and spoke to the following
effect Sir, I am very happy that the Right
Hon. Gentleman has caused those passages in the
Bill of Rights to be read to the House, for I am
distinctly of opinion, that the qualifications which it
enumerates as the indispensable accompaniments of
the sovereignty of this empire, ought to form a part
of the preamble of any Bill that may be introduced
into Parliament for the relief of the Roman Catho-
lics. For, Sir; it IS most necessary and most wise,
that whenever we admit the Catholics to the privi-
leges which they claim, we should assure to the Pro-
testants the onendangered continuance of all the pri-
vileges which are founded on the Act of Settlement.
The same measure which gives liberty to the one,
should give security to the other. I rise, Sir, to
support the Petition which, some time ago, I had
the honour to present, from the Catholics of Ireland.
I am sure that I may say, without fear of contradic-
tion, that this Petition is generally from the Catho-
lics of Ireland. It is substantially true, that it con-
ve s the wishes of that whole body. The motion'
wl.ich I mean to make is, that the House will re-
solve itself into a Committee, in pursuance of the re-
solution which, at the desire of my Right Hon.
Friend, has been read by the Clerk at the Table.—
Sir, I know very well, that a resolution of a former
Parliament cannot bind its successor. At the same
time, I do not conceive that I am guilty of any im-
propriety in referring to the resolution of a former
Parliament. I have to lament, and it would be
miserable affectation not to acknowledge it, that the
Petitions against the claims of the Catholics are very
numerously and very respectably signed. I have to
lament that there are still in my native country many
individuals enlightened in other respects, but fallible
ou the subject of religious distinctions I have also

emancipation, I beg leave to make a few observa-
tion on the Anti-Catholic Petitions on your Table ;
using that liberty with the arguments they contain,
that my cause may require ; but maintaining the
greatest respect for the persons who have signed
diem, and who, I am persuaded, are sincere in that
which I, nevertheless, consider to be a very mistaken
view of this important subject. In the first place,
I object to the manner in which, in many instances
in this country, and more particularly in Ireland,
these Petitions have been obtained. In Ireland they
have been the consequence of a requisition to the
Sheriffs of the respective counties, to call a meeting
of the Protestant inhabitants. Now it appears to
me to be exceedingly objectionable for a public officer
tb call the people together ift sets; and to give to a
private and party meeting the authority .of a public
assembly. Again, it appears to me exceedingly ob.:
jectionable thus to separate religious setts; and .to
give the semblance of public authority to religious
animosities. I object again to calling on one part
of his Majesty's subjects to petition against another ;
and still more do I object to their petitioning ano-
ther country against the liberties of their own.—
(Hear, hear, hear).—Sir, I beg not to be understood
as casting any reflections on the Irish Protestant pe.
titionets ; but their object has evidently been neither
more nor less than this v.-to entreat the Parliament
bof this country not to grant civil liberty to the great
body of the people of Ireland. They petition us
to inflict on their countrymen a sentence of perpe-
tual incapacity ; they petition us to announce to
Ireland the destination of being for ever-a divided
colony, and to impress 'on the general sense an ac-
quiescence in the necessity of this being a divided
Empire. sitting for a moment, they have given
judgment for eternity.—( Hear, bear, hear).—Let us
consider a little their reasons for this judgment.—
One of the first observations which these Petitions
contain is, that the tone which the Catholics have
assumed renders it unwise to grant their claims.--
But that is not the question. We are not in the
Parliament of the United Empire entering into an
examination of the arguments that may lave been
urged in this or that body. We are not inquiring
whether Mr. A. or Mr. B. may or may not have
spoken too freely. What has the conduct of any
particular assembly to do with the great body of
the Catholics The question is, shall the great body
of the Catholics of Ireland be emancipated ? The
opponents of the Catholic claims say, that they
ought not to be emancipated. because Mr. Fitzpatrick
published a libel. But this is not a question depen.
dent on such circumstances. Ido not say that there
may not have been much warmth exhibited in dis-
cussion in Ireland ; but I say that the question is—
can you, in any past of their prxeedings, charge the
Catholics wi th want of allegiance ?—(Hear, hear.)—lt
is a question of allegiance. If it can 'be shewn that
the Catholics of Ireland have shewn a disposition ad-
verse to royalty, then my motion ought to be re.
jected. But if, on the contrary, there does not appear
any dissaffection in their proceedings, in their speeches,
or in their general conduct, then the Resolution of
Thanks to the Irish Catholics which was involved in
the Resolution of Thanks to the Army who gained
the victory of Salamanca, should be followed up in
its full and genuine spirit ; and the Catholics of Ire-
land should be considered as entitled to the same
civil liberties as the other loyal subjeits of his Ma-
jesty's empire have a natural and legal right to pos-
.sess. Having thus stated the question to be one of
allegiance, let us proceed, Sir, to examine how the
Anti-Catholics have made out their case. They say
that the Catholics desire political power. Why should
they not? Why should they be sentenced to utter and
hopeless exclusion film all political power ? But, Sir,
the Catholics have not applied, for political power.
They have applied for political protection ; and no
further for political power than as political power is
inseparable from political protection. The Catho-
lics, having given pledges of their allegiance, desire
not to be bound in fetters from which their fellow-
! subjects are free; they desire not to be taxed without
their own consent ; they desire not to be tried by per-
sons who are exclusively partisans—not only para.
sans, but who are actually covenanted against them.
To the inquiry 4, what is your wish ?' they reply,
4i we wish for our liberties! We do not demand this
or that office, but we desire to possess our just civil
qualifications." Do you understand them ? Is this
ambition ? If it is ambition,.then was Magna Charts
ambitioa--thers was the declaradoa of Rights ambi-

tion. Protection, not power, is the request of the
.Catholics. The Catholic Petitioners ask for protection,
it is the Protestants who ask for-power. The Pro-
tenants ask for the ascendancy of their sect "-the
Catholics ask tor the ascendancy of the law.—(Rear,
• hear.)—Let me repeat'that I wish to treat the PON
testants with all possible respect. • It is natural that
they should be tenacious of their peculiar privileges.
But unquestionably they desire by their Petitions to
keep all the patronage of Irelandkin their hands, to
maintain a continued ascendancy, in govern the
other sects in the country ; while the Catholics only
desire in their Petitions, that the whole should he go-
verned by an equal law. The Protestant petitioners-
assert, that the Catholics want power, in order to
make laws for the Protestant Church. No! they
only desire, as I have before stated, nd to be taxed
without their own consent ; not to be tried by parti.
sane, or juries called by partisans. Their prayer is,
that the Protestant Church should be governed, not
by Catholics,_ but by Protestants; for the Catholic-a
know, end the Protestants know, that under any eirl
cumnances, and after any' concessions, the majority
in this House must be Protestants, and that by that
majority,"the laws for the Protestant Church must be
made. But the members of the Protestant Church
who have petitioned us, desire to make laws exclu-
sively for the Catholic Church. They wish to con.
troul the conscience of the Catholic, as well as to bind
him in other respects. They are willing to receive
the tithes of Catholic labour, but they desire to ex•
dude the Catholic from a participation in the bless.
ings of the Constitution.—(Hear, mar.)—Their at.
gument%s this, ,6 the persons who regulate the Pro.
testant Church, should be of that church." Why •
then, all the Scotch Members of this'House ought to
be seat away. All who do not profess to hold the •
doctrines of the Church of England ought to be sent • ,
away. The tendency of the argument of these Gen.
tlemen is, that we ought to have a Church Govern.
went. But ours is not a Church Government, it a
Representative Government : it includes all chissei„
all religions, all descriptions of 'Arsons, except the
Catholic and the Churchman. The principle on
which these Gentlemen insist will prove fatal. If
you confine the enjoyment of the Constitution to the ,
limits of the Church of England, you will endanger
the empire ; if you extend it to all religious persua.
skint, you will place the empire in a state of security.
The Parliament is justly called Imperial. It is not a_
,partisan. The Catholics of Ireland Make a part of •
the third estate-. Is it not so ?. Is not the great body
of electors in Ireland Catholic ? Does it not follow,
that a part, and that no inconsiderable portion, of the
third estate is already Catholic ? And can we for is
moment suppose, that this is incompatible With the
ermine principles of the British Constitution ? But
e fact is, Sir, that the Protestants will and must
have the asendancy in the State. The great popula.
tion of the empire is Protestant—the great property
of the empire is Protestant. This ascendancy chit.
Protestants have a right to possess, but they ought
Ito possess it, not by the exclusion of their fellow-sub.
jects from a participation of civil liberty, but in •
virtue of their superior numbers and property.—
Sir, in the provision for the Royal Authority being •
exclusively Protestant, the Protestant interest has
another great and wise security for the maintenance
of its ascendancy. The admission of the Catholics
to their civil rights will be entirely cc-existent with
the maintenance of the Protestant ascendancy; and
by granting that admission you will strengthen and
fortify the whole Empire. To grant the Catholics
their privileges Will be to identify the people: for t
is by granting them their rights that yoii must et.
pect to identify them, and not by keeping them in
chains. To grant the Catholics their privileges,
maintaining the just ascendancy of the Protestants,
will be much more effectually to support the State,
and much more effectually to support the Church,
than either can be supported by a monopole of power
had without that identification of the people of the •
two countries, which suth a measure alone can in:
Sure. Superficial, indeed, are the argument. of the
opposers of emancipation. They think that the ad:
mission of five or six individuals—such men as Lord
Fingal' and other enlightened members of the Cacho. -
tic Body—into Parliament, will be .productive of in.
jurious consequences, but to the alienation of four of
five millions.of persons out of Parliament they attach
no importance I—(Heat !)—A Right Hon. Genii*.
man has talked of the pains and penalties which, as
he thinks, were justly inflicted on the Catholics at the
time of the Revolution. They were not, however;
the effect of the Revolution, but took place long aftkr
the reign of Queen Anne. As to the exclusion of the
Catholics from political power at the period of the
Revolution, that was not an original idea at that peg:
riod but arose out of, and was founded on, the fabri.
cated plot of Titus Oates, the severities occasioned by
which were even mitigated at the Revolution. And
will Parliament make the madness of that time the
rule by which the liberty of their fellow-subjects is to
be regulated at all times ? 44 But," say the Antis
Catholics, toleration in England is greater than in
any other country." Sir, I know very well, that the
principles of every established church are in some de.
gree hostile to toleration ; there is scarcely any
church which will tolerate so extensively and liberally
as a wise Parliament ought to dn. But when it is
maintained that toleration in England exceeds that
of any other country—that it is perfect—l roust dr•
dare my opinion to be the reverie. Abroad, in Ca-
tholic countries, persons professing a difference of re.
ligious sentiments enjoy, not only toleration, but
qualification. At home, in a Protestant country,
persons professing a difference of religious sentiments
are not only disqualified, but hardly tolerated...-.
Abrciad, sectaries enjoy toleration united with quali-
fication. Here they have a scanty toleration united
with pains and penalties. In France, for instance, no
man is disqualified on account of his religious opi-
nions. In Hungary, toleration and qualification are
completed. I will read an edict issued by the Hun.
gatian Diet, in 1791. It declares, Gs that all persons

Shall have free exercise of their respective rt
with full liberty to build churches, erect a
found schools, form- church.yards, &c. without
climent." So much for religious toleration'
for civil qualification. The edicts proceed tt.
that wtberpublic ehargeitioffices, and honours, a.
Or low, great-or small, sball be given to native Hui,
stirians who deserve well of their country, and who
are winos:ern to bold them, without any regard
their religious persuarion.—(ilear, ljear.)l--This
the declaration of a Popish diet. This proceeds from
one of those nations which, according to the Anti.
Catholics, has no idea of toleration, as compared witkl
this country ? This Catholic Government gives nif,,
only toleration, but qualification, and the Catholie
Church acquiesces in the gift. We give toleration,
without qualification; and we accosopany that tole-
ration with pains and penalties. " The Anti-Catholic
Petitions require that those- pailis stAti penalties should
be continued. The Petitioners seem totally ignorant
of the real state of things. 'They declare generally
(Mayors „and Corpmauons), that the principles of
the Catholics are the same as they were at the worst
of times. They state, and they state it after the de-
molition of the Vatican,—after the ptostration of the
Inquisition—ifter the fall of the Pope, that that re-
ligious toleration, and that civil qualification, ought
not to be granted, which is allowed in every great
country in Europe, England excepted. They as-
sume that to be true in argument which is false to
fact. They quote Catholic writers, who have' said
that the Fathers and they- hold the same opinions;
And on this the Anti-Catholics fond a monstrous
13th-statement. Sir, the Catholics of the present day
have evinced their principles by their oaths. They
have abjurea every criminal tenet attributed to theit
ancestors. In taking an oath framed by a Proves-
, cant, enacted by a Protestapt 'Parliament, and going
into the minutia of rejection, the Catholics have ac-
quitted themselves by a solemn obligation of the
, principles formerly imputed to them. • They, never-
iheless, maintain, that there is no difference o$ opinion
between them and their ancestors because they
Maintain, that their ancestors were charged unjustly
with entertaining criminal opinions. This defence of
their ancestors has been converted into a crimination
of themselves; and they are suspected of maintain-
' itig doctrines, an adherence to which they deny on
oath It is said, by the Anti-Catholics, that the
Catholics have been, and are, always the same. The
Catholics allow that a true Catholic was" and is al.,
mays the same ; but they add, that a criminal Ca-
tholic is not a true one—(Hear, hear, hear.)--" But
the Catholics are enemies to the Church of England."
Believe me, Sir, it is a very hasty and imprudent as-
sertion ; it is one calculated to make the Catholics
that which they are not—enemies to the Chureh of
England. If it proceeded from high authority, it
Might be seriously dangerous: but coming as it does
from persons, however respectable, whose opinions
are not entitled to very serious considerationt it may
be comparatively innoxious. Sir, why should the
Catholics be enemies to the Church of England ? If
the endeavours of the. Catholic to obtain his civil li-
berties be opposed by the Church of England, then
it is not the catholic that is the enemy of the Church
of England, but the Church of England that is the
enemy of the Catholic. What is it, Sir, that is to
make the Catholic an energy to the Church of Eng-
land ? Is it his dextrines ? Is it the doctrine of pe-
name, of absolution; of extreme unction t The affir-
mative would subject the affirmer to the most just
ridicule and scorn. SJ much tot the hostility of the
Catholics to the Church ! " But," it is said further,
the Catholics are enemies to the State."—[Some
lion. Members on the other side of the House ob.
.seved that they were se 44 in principle.")—ln prin-
ciple! Sir, 1 deny it. 'Hew are principles to be ascer-
tained but by actions ? If they are enemies to the
State, let us go into the Committee; and let these
who alledge that the Catholics are enemies to the
State, support their allegations by evidence. If they
plead the Canons of the Council of Lateran, of Con-
stance, of Trent, I will produce authorityof a much
higher flescription • I will adduce the testimony of
the Parliament of le United Empire; I will quote
the thanks of that Parliament unanimously voted to
armies, of which a large component part was Cathq-
lie, for the most important services rendered to the
State—(Hear.)—Sir, the opponents of the Catholics
• go on to assert, that they are enemies to liberty.—
What 1 the authors of Magna Charta enemies to
liberty I and have the Catholics shewn no other at-
tachment to liberty ? I say, that the very declara-
tion of rights, which, on the motion of the Right.
Hon. Gentleman opposite, was read by the Clerk,
sufficiently shews the love of the Catholic to liberty.
For what does that declaration ? It does not enact
new laws, but it reaffirms those which the declarers
found already established ; and by whom were they
established ? who were their authors ? The Catholics,
those alleged enemies of the Church, those alleged ene-
mies of the State, those enemies of liberty ! (Hear.)
Why did the Legislature, at the period of the Revo.
'titian, go further than to declare the law? Because the
Roman Catholics had not only been friendly to.liber-
ty, but had so established the principles of liberty by
statute, that the wisdom of the Reformers. Tould not
'need their distinct enactments. Sir, what is the
amount of the charge now preferred against the Ca-
, tholics ? That they are governed and swayed by all
those canons which, they contend have been grossly
misinterpreted ; but which, however interpreted, they
have forsworn. They are accused of maintaining
the deposing power of the Pope—of cherishing regi-
cidal principles—and of asserting the right of perju-
ry. On these assumptions, and in tins enlightened
age, the Catholic is not only not admitted to the con-
stitution, but formally excluded from it. Sir, I defy
those who are hostile to Catholic concession to sup-
port their positions by any thing but by these canons,
nugatory, contemptible, obsolete, and denied, by the
Catholics themselves. What were the answers made
by the universities of Salamanca, Paris, Alcala, Lou-
wine, pouay, and St. Omen's, to the questions put
to them ? They were asked, whether the Pope had
a deposing power, and whether it was a tenet of the
Catholic religion, to hold no faith with heretics
Sir, on the best authorities, I can assert that those
I learned bodies were disposed not to deny but to ridi-
cule the opinions imputed to them—net to reject but
I to scorn them. They, however, answered, that the
Pope had no such depcsing rower, and that as to the
supposition that theCath.)lics would keep no faith with 1
ProaleitaiitSl they were almost enhanced to say any

'der whether ap
sot • toei ow* toast thik
•on Abe die parti thit
s..snd you enumerate
the removal of the di..

Bute great portion
'Mind have gotseen those
_ -
Pope to depose royal authority, and the consequent evils. They have petitioned in favour of the Catho-
gicidal disposition of the Catholimand the tenet that lice. I have a book filled with -their saw in. my
no faith is to be kept with heretics. The work I al- pocket. I know that it will be said again, that the
laded to, Si!, is called Traesatus de Ecdrsia, and with Catholics insist on condition,. I won't take this ar-
the permission of the House I will read several pas- gument—you, the ratliament, area° frame your gill
sagest to shew how baseless their assertions are.— and to propose your conditioits—she Catholics doq't
[The Right Hen. Gentleman here read some ex. see what security they ought to give—they say that
tracts from the book in question. They stated, that they have already .giten every security, though a
Christ had not granted St. Peter direct or indirect synod of their Bishops has declared that they have
power over the temporal contents of kingdoms: that no nidisposition to every mode of conciliation. We
by the Kings and Emperors of States gone, the an. seek for nothing,' say they, but the integrity of the
preme temporal establishment of them ought to be Rcanan Catholic Church,' but every thing whichdoes
held f that the declarations of Pontiffs were not to be not trench on the security of their Church, or which
considered as infallible, .or as points of fOith which it is necessary for you, theyare ready to grant you.
was necessary to salvation to believe.] Here then,, They are against making their liberty a conditional
Sir, is a book which has been traduCed as a conceit- boon I they don't see the necessity of what you de-
tration of evils; and it appears that it enjoins princi- ittand, but they will give you every security you
pies directly the reverse of those which have been as- think necessary, provided it does not derogate from
Bribed to it. When such are the misrepresentations the rights of their Church. Then,- I say, the privi-
that are circulated, the result is not surprising. But leges of the Catholics and the rights of the Protes-
there is another Work of'higber authority to which I' tent Church are perfectly coasistent, and Parliament
wish to refer—l mean the common rmyerdsook of should find the means of reconciling them. Give me
the Catholics. [The Right Hon. Gentleman here leave to say, as to the Anti-Catbolic Petitioners, that
quoted several passages froM the Catholic Prayer- many of them do not profess themselves hostile to the
book ; the tenor of which was. to declareahat no principle, but anxious about the mode of extending
General Council, much less a Papal Coasistory, had those rights claimed by the Catholics. They do not
the power of deposing Sovereigns, or absolving sub- say exclude the Catholic*, but don't admit the Ca-
jects from their allegiance ; that the Pope had no att. *holies unless you take care of our religion.' Ido
thority, direct or indirect, over temporal affairs; that not nay that I am obliged to agree that the Church
notwithstanding limy Papal interference, all Catholic of England is an enemy to the liberty of the Catho-
subjects were bound to defend their King and coun• lice—still less that the people of England are enemies
try, at the hazard of their lives and fortunes, even to their liberty—so far from it, that I would little
against the Pope himself; should he invade .their fear to repose the question on their good sense
country ; and that the alleged duty of Catholic sub- and sober integrity. I do believe, that it they be-
jects to•murder their Princes, if excommunicated for lieved their religion was safe, they would be among
heresy, was impious and execrable, being contrary to the, warmest friends of the Catholics. The only
all the known laws of GOD and nature.] I have an. point then is the security of the Protestant'Church,
other instance, with which I shall beg leave to trots 4 and for that they have pointed out the means—
ble the Hoise, and which would go to complete the they have no right to say that they are the only'
chain of proofs that thew the Catholics are not with. judges of the conditions to be imposed, or who are
out principles of allegiance, and which would acquit to tell you that you can only save the Church of Eng-
them of every chirge and imputation on theirloyaitys land by denying their prayers to the Catholics of
It was the oath taken by the Catholics, according to Ireland. You shall have declared, in the strongest
the s3d of the King, in Ireland, after the oath of alle. manner, all the securities you can ask ; you shall
glance. [Here the Right Hon. Gentleman read the have the Crown and its Succession confirmed, as fun-
oath, by which theCitholic promises and swears to be damental, unalienable, and sacred ; you shall have
faithful, and to bear true allegiance to the King, his the Episcopal Church of England, Ireland, and Scot-
heirs, and successors, and to defend him against all land, as established by law. Some of the petitioners
conspiracies against his person, Crown and dignity— against-the Catholics desire the separation to be eter-
' to maintain and defend the succession of the crown, nal ; I would secure the Church and the State by
as established by the Act-of Limitation—and further identification ; they would do it by patronage—l by
rejects and detests'as impious thn doctrine of its be- union. I would effect every object by bringing in a •
ing lawful to destroy or Murder, under the pretext Bill, which should contain sue!. provisions as would
of the extirpation of heresy—and denies that any guard the rights of the Church, and,the Colleges and
such act can be justified under the pretext of good, Corporations ; and I would leave other provisions to
' or of obedience to ecclesiastical power. The oath be filled up by others in the Committee, provided
further denies the infallibility of the Pope in his per- they were not filled up in such a manner as to qua-
sonal capacity, or his power to forgive any sin by may, or rather to neutralise, the liberty you were con-
his mere will, without the necessary condition, of ceding, or to displace the gift you were bestowing.—
contrition and repentance; and it concludes with say. Such a measure I think practicable, and I know it to
ing, that the Catholics will not exercise any privi. be desirable. The preamble I would make a cove-
, lege that may be granted them to disturb or weaken nant of concord, in which I would urge the necessity
the Protestant Government, as by law established.] of putting an end to all animosities, national and re-
" Now," continued Mr. Grattan, I ask what fur- ligious. The two islands have been for two cen-
ther answer you require to the charges urged against turies in a state of political contest—l would put an
the Catholics ? 'nitre is a further—an indictment or
information—a criminal proceeding is the only an end to it—l would have the liberty of the press un-
. restrained in every thing but one—the people should
swer. The petitioners against the Catholics may say not abuse one another out of their allegiance. (Hear,
what they choose as to their good intentions, but hear.) They have the French and the Dutch to
with respect to the pamphlets which charge them with quarrel with abroad, and they may quarrel with Ml-
murder and treason as their creed, they must charm sisters at home, or if they do not like that, they may
them with perjury also. If such a pamphlet was attack the opposition. (A laugh.) But they should
written against my Lord Fingal or Sir Thomas Bel- never wage war against each other. (Hear, hear.)
lew, the printer would say in vain that he did not It is a system that you cannot put an end to too soon
mean such an imputation. Suppose "'Lord Fingal ...you are one people—you have but one interest—
should indict the author, would he be suffered to pro./ the outcry which is raised among you, is neither the
duce the canons in his defence ? Would my Lord voice of religion, nor the voice of nature, and it can-
Ellenborough or my Lord Kenyon, suffer him to ex: not be appeased too soon. I would therefore pro-
tenuate the offence, by citing the decrees of the Coun- pose as a first step, that the House should go into a
ell of Constance or the Council of Trent ? No 1 But Committee on the Catholic Claims, agreeably to the
the author might urge in his defence, that lie had no Resolution of the last Parliament, and I will note
particular meaning injurious to Lord Fingal or Sir read the Resolution which I should bring forward in
Thomas Bellew, but only to four millions of his Ma- the Committee as the foundation of a 13i11." The
jesty's Catholic subjects. (Hear, hear.) But there Right Honourable Gentleman then read the Resolu-
is another refutation of such a charge against the tion, to the following effect :—o That with a view to
Catholics—the impossibility of its truth; it amounts' such an adjustment as may be conclusive for the.
to such a pitch of moral turpitude, as would burst peace, streugth, and security of Om English Consti-
asunder the bonds of civil and social intercourse; it tution, and the ultimate concord of the British Em-
would be a. dissolution of the elements of society, pire, it is highly advisable to provide for the remo-
and of the elastic principle which binds man to man. val of the civil and military disqualifications under
It is not merely unfounded, but monstrous; it is not which his Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects at pre-
in the nature of man, but in the nature of sects, sent labour, making full provision, at the same time,
which, when they contend for power, charge each for the maintenanceand security of the Protestant
other with what they know to be false. But there is cession to the Crown, according to the Act of Limi-
another argument which 1 hope the Learned Divines tenons, and for preserving inviolable the Protestant
will excuse me for adverting to. It is that the Chris-
,Episcopal Church of Great Britain and Ireland and
tian religion or its Clergy are such as to be so des- the Church of Scotland, their doctrines. discipline,
cribed. I will see the tenets of the petitioners against and government, as by law established." I now
the Catholics. I will first examine them when they move that the Resolution of last Session be read.—
pray, and then when they petition. When they pray (Hear, hear.) The Resolution was then read, and
they address the DEITY as a God of mercy and base- being put from the Chair,
licence, who sent his Son on earth to spread religion Mr. I'OMLINE rose, and, in a maiden speech,
and peace and love amongst mankind. When they opposed the motion. The subject was one of the
petition they suppose that the DEITY has abandoned greatest magnitude, and demanded the most serious
his own revelations ; that the human species are sunk and ample consideration' divested of all the violence
in barbarism; that Christians are become monsters, of zeal on one side, and all feelings of animosity on
and that the DEITY, driven from other nations in the other. The name of Mr. Pitt had been fre-
Europe, is only preserved by the English Divines, quently brought forward by the advocates of the ,
the Colleges, and Corporations. This doctrine goes measure, to sanction their opinions ; but lie denied
to establish an exclusive right to power and profit, that Mr. Pitt bad ever made up his mind upon the
and whey eviscerated, is nothing more than a contest subject, or had ever digested any plan to be brought
for those objects. I beg to be understood as speak_ forward as final ;he had also avoided any_discussion
ing with the utmost respect for those Divines who ' and resumed office upon a pledge never to press the ;
have petitioned against the Catholics, but I must agitation of the measure. The.advocates of an un-
take some liberty with their arguments. I do not conditional repeal could not therefore, he contended,
dispute the purity of their motives, I only quarrel shelter themselves under the authority of Mr. Pitt. '
with the nature of their opinions, and I hope that The situation of the Catholics was dwelt upon, as if
the time is not far distant, when I shall see the divi. it really were a subject of commiseration ' • an appeal
don of sects lost in the union of principles, and be- was made lo their humanity,
as if they were groan-'
hold every denomination acting as one people in one log under bondage and oppression ; but their miseries ,
common cause. For what is it, that you would ex- existed only in. the imagination of the eloquent ora- I
dfellow-subjects a great portion of your from the tor who described them. The Catholics enjoyed the I
participation of civil rights ? They are traitors and protection of the same laws—their liberties and their
murderers according to the tenets they profess. Here properties were as sacredlyguarded as those of the
then, is a proposition by which you would exclude
-Protestants. They had
aCollege maintained at the '
one fifth of your population from the benefits of the public ex e' nc *for instructing their youth in their
Constitution, in order to drive them into those crimes own doctrines and tenets—they were admitted to a
with which you chars.. them. If you go on, you participation of political power at elections—and

w ---... . -- • ,
. ....' . .- . \
ot=trias thhig on the subject.. $14.-it-look itas f, • • t. ,' -I; ..... .. . . Ink CoOt 'Pt 0
religions, IP. Pil by the uncle* atisfshooth I . ..I'`'..l- '. • .... ' ~ t ParlinsW will
`rte'` •I.
, Tr,
steeples) 4addocettii decisive evisreoce not only ot4K,_ 4,, • •I ;,
5,.._ 4 of concord tiliey aoi
out impe4 ;principle* of the Catholics, but ai a prof. ro"-1 i • -•• , t discord. Yeti say 6
n I Now mitsal'principles which the posterity of the ' . -PIN .. are legitimate objection,
d to say, Catholics
,were doomed to imbibe by its being ret►-. the evils that may atise front t
ors, high dered available to the pp.rpose of their education.— qualification of the Catholics.
tive Hun- These criminal principles are the authority of the of •Protestants of 'lreland
and who Pope to depose royal authority, and the consequent re. evils. They hove petitioned ii.