Star.
London, England, 1813-03-02 00:00:00



11111111111MNIMIIIMINIVEININNIMIMMINIENt
fat the benefit of English laws, which were confined
in their administration to what was called the pale.
Sir John Davis, in his golden little volume, bad well
described the state of Ireland under that system. He
tonjuied the House at length to abolish this second
and remaining pale, the beneficial effects a which,
he confidently anticipated, would not fall short of
those which resulted from the first estension to all
the inhabitants of that country of the advantages of
British justice. He trusted that they would look,
aot at the partial wishes or interests of the'Petitioners,
but take an enlarged view of the rights, the claims,
and the interests of all—keeping in view, and acting
I. up to the spirit of the old constitutional doctrine, sea
asisiasiss: milli stegabienu, aulli &Plow junitiass.
Mr. WELLESLEY POLE observed, that, after
the able discussion which this subject had undergone,
he should not have felt himself called upon to state
the grounds of his opinion, had not the question pre-
sented itself to his view in a situation Materially dif-
ferent from that in which it was placed in the pre-
ceding Session. He thought it of very great impor.
tance that this situation should be clearly perceived,
and accurately understood :—ln the course of that
Session, the question was discussed at three different
periods; and, in the last, it was resolved by that
House, that the consideration should be entered into
early in the following Session. Had not the dissolu-
„ tion of that Parliament taken place (an event, he be-
lieved, generally unexpected), the proposition now
I before the House must have been entertained—(Hear,
' hear, hear.)—But, although the resolution of the last
could not bind the present Parliament, yet he was
sure they were entitled to very great weight, since
expectation had been excited in Ireland, and hopes
encouraged, the disappointment of which would be
! felt severely. The state of the question, as it affected
'e the feelings and opinions of the Irish people, de-
' vended on the transactions that had taken place in
the course of the last year between the Catholic Com-
mittee and the Government. It had been his part to
complain of the misrepresentations employed in de-
scribing the measures to which Government then
found it expedient to resort. He had complained,
because the object of Administration never had been
to prevent or put clown Petitions, but had been con-
fined to guarding against the influence of a large and
powerful body sitting in the form of a Convention,
and representing the three estates of the Irish Catho-
lic body. A great ferment was undoubtedly excited
through a great mass of the population ; but the issue
of those measures and discussions had concluded by
the following results. In the first place the Commis-
tee had been suppressed, and a Board established in
its place, very different in numbers and Constimtion,
but still more difficult in its tone and temper. Its
condnct had accordingly" been different likewiie.
They now met peacefully and legally, and the gene-
ral sentiments of the Catholic population had at
length been satisfactorily ascertained. The effect of
this was, that the assertions of those who declared
that the present question was viewed with indifference
by the greater proportion of the Catholics in Ireland,
had been contradicted.—(Hear, hear.)—lt had,
shown that what was called emancipation, was re.
garded as anxiously by the meanest peasant as by
the higher orders.—( Hear, hear,)—The Protes-
tants also finding she Catholics alive to their own
interests, began to re-consider the subject, and now
desired only that adequate securities should be pro-
vided. He knew that in the county of Fermanagh,
And a few other counties, the old prejudices still
existed in their former violence. The language of
the Catholics was not always quite satisfactory, but
too much vehemence of expression could not jus-
tify them in refusing to legislate on a question so im-
portant to the rights of the subject and the interests
Of the Empire. For twelve years this subject had
been refused to be entertained, but in consequence of
one melancholy event, which every honest man
must deplore, his Noble Friend himself (Castle-
reagh), who had in the same Session declared that
the question could not be considered without incon-
venience, was induced to give his support to the mo-
tion of his Right Honourable Friend (Mr. Canning.)
He regretted, howeyer, that this was not considered
as a Cabinet measure, that Government should have
no plan to propose, and that his Noble Friend should
have deemed it expedient to pass the whole Session
without. preparing or maturing any measure for the
final adjustment of the question—Vicar, hear.) He
hoped the Noble Lord would be able to furnish some
cogent reason for so important an omission. He de-
nied that the majority of Irish Protestants were hos-
tile to the claim ; and mentioned King's County, as
well as his own, in which the Protestant mind had ,
ntrdergone a material alteration. He did not accuse
the Irish Government, and fully acquitted the Duke
of Richmond of attempting to influence petitions.—
He was himself, by birth, connexion and residence,
iatimately acquainted with Ireland, and well in-
formed of the prevailing sentiment on this subject in
that country. His Right Honourable Friend (Mr.
Fitegerald), who had the same opportunities, agreed
with him in his view of this question, but his other
half (Mr. Peele) had come to an opinion unfavour-
able to the Catholic claims, and could see the proba-
ble destruction of the State in the employment of a
cathcilic officer. No man in Ireland, after what had
passed in the few last months, believed that this
question could lie still, although some, a Right Ho-
nonrable and Learned Friend, for example, under
the gallery (Dr. Duigenan) and the Orange party
in general, might Think that it would not be unwise
to re-enact some of those statutes which had been re-'
pealed—( Hear, hear.) Sir (continued the Right Ho-
nourable Member) I have no difficulty whatsoever in
saying that we must re-enact those penal laws which
have been repealed, or we must free the Catholics
from the fetters light or heavy by which they are still
galled. Sir, the Chancellor a the Irish Exchequer
has said that we should not treat with the• Catholics,
that we should legislate for them. If by this expres-
lion the Right Honourable Gentleman means that
be think‘ it unproper to have any consultation with
persons, in the confidence of the Catholic body, and
delegated by them to manage their affairs, I totally
disagree with him. It is impossible that any ar-
rangement can be useful which has not such confe-
rence for its, basis; there is no light in my opinion
which we should refuse to have thrown on this most
impoctaat question, whether resulting from the deli.
berilinos of the petitioning parties or our own most
cautious and anxious investigation, the result of
tir.biob 104 iit lay opinion be, that the Catholics have