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London, England, 1825-02-04 00:00:00

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PRICE SEVER PENCE.

ligious parties into which it is divided had rot behaved
I with fairness or kindness to each other. Whatever
might have been the case before the Ueion, however,
he was sure that since that period it had been treated
with great favour—every one of its institutions had
been protected, and its improvement promoted with
ardour. Ireland had since that been treated, not with
brae justice, font with partiality and favour, as if Eng.
land were sensible of her former unkind treatment, and
had been willing to atone for it. On the present occa.
sion it was his wish, his Lordship continued, to avoid
every topic that was likely to lead to a controversy,
hut Ireland is so large and important a part of the
country, that he could not wholly pass over a Subject
which had so long been considered as the source of the
evils of Ireland—more particularly, as he could not
conceal the hopes h entertained, that the final and
permanent tranquillity of Ireland would be settled by
doing justice to the Catholics of that country-4ffear,
(rear, hear). He said he hoped, because he thought it
was the necessary foundation of all tranquillity, that it
was indispensable, and sooner, or la-er was inevitable:
But though he was far from giving up his cherished
hopes, he did not blame those statesmen who had
thought otherwise, and who had opposed it: he did
not blame Ministers for not carrying it forward, when
they could only do it by dissolving the Government.--
It was a measure that was not to be carried by force,
but by gradually surmounting the opposition which
arose,- perhaps, from prejudices, but they were sincere
prejudices. If Catholics would allow themselves to
be persuaded by their Protestant brethren, they would
not force on hostility by violence, but would endeavour
to gain their object by conciliation. The Protestants
have opposed the Catholics participating in all their
civil rights, from an apprehension, erroneous, but sin-
cere, that by granting this participation, they would
endanger their -own Church. The Catholics should
consider, that when they had the power, they had not
been distinguished for toleration ; and the forefathers
of the present race might have foreseen, that if ever
those whom they called heretics should attain the upper
hand, they would visit on the posterity of those Ca-
tholics the injuries they had received. Men will re-
member such cruelties, and those who inflict them may
tremble for the fate of their posterity. He thought the
opposition to the claims of the Catholics arose from a
prejudice, but it was a prejudice which was natural and
almost justifiable, and could be only subdued by mild
and gentle means. His lordship regretted that so
much evil seemed likely to arise from a line of con-
duct so well calculated to revive in the opponents ofthe
Catholics, their just fears, and to give strength and bit-
terness to feelings of anger and hostility. This con-
duct, to which he alluded, had been flagrant, and
touched on the utmost verge of the law, provoking the
hostility of their enemies, and terrifying their friends.
If the contest should ever be carried on by any other
weapons than those of argument and words, what
could they hope to obtain by the tremendous contest to
which this would lead ? They might, by getting the cor-
dial assent of the Protestants, obtain a full share of all
our civil rights. They could never hope to subdue them.
Even if they were, and aided by the arms of some Ca-
tholic State, and by an alliance, as injurious as unna-
tural, to obtain a superiority, what would be the con-
sequence of their success? By conciliation, they may
hope to obtain a full share of ail our civil rights and pri-
vileges, but by successful violence, by forcing on the
contest, they would only step into the ruins of liberty,
and share in nothing but its expiring freedom and great-
ness. It would be better to hive only an imperfect
share of these privileges, than thus to destroy them by
triumphing over their Protestant brethren. I wish that
the Catholics should be Wise and moderate, seeking
gradually to obtain an equality of rights in both king.
doms by conciliatory means. To do this, they must
retrace some of their steps, and they may probably
then reconcile those of their friends who are alarmed,
and conciliate those of their enemies who are most
hostile to them. He hoped, however, whenever this
question came before their Lordships, they would not
stiffer the conduct of any individuals to influence their
judgment, and the 'decision they ought to ceme to. It
was worth consideration, whether the danger to be ap-
prehended from admitting the Catholics to a full share
of all the rights and privileges of the country was not
a much less evil than the danger and mischief to he ex-
pected from their constantly existing discontent? Their
Lordships had heard, no doubt with satisfaction, that,
part of his Majesty's Speech in which he had informed
them that he had received the strongest assurances, not
only from his Allies, but generally from all the Govern-
ments of Europe, of their amicable and friendly dispo.
sitions. This general peace rested on the secure foun-
dation of strength united with moderation. The
only contest which existed in Europe was, nnt be-
tween Governments, but parties. There were two
great parties--one desiring to restore the ancient order
of things, and the other constantly striving after sort e
new order. That party which wished to testore the
ancient order of things, were not contented, a ith that
order which existed before the Revolution, but they
wanted something more despotica-(Hear, hear, hear),
such as had been adopted by mankind in an uncivi-
lised age. This party did not like our Constitution;
they were vexed with it, and naturally looked on our
national institutions as a pregnatA and dangerous source
of principles they always dread, and of principles they
wish to repress—(Hear, hear).—The other party were
desirous of destroying everything which existed, and
the only remedy they could find for all the evils of
mankind, was sweeping away all the institutions which
men hid long venerated. They were, while they boasted
of their attachment to freedom, extremely narrow and
illiberal ; and however they might differ among them-
selves, they weie all actuated by a bitter hatred towards
this country. They were not sincere in their love of
liberty, of which they talked so much, for they had
crouched down before Bonaparte, had worshipped him,
and had endeavoured to reduce England to an Imp.-
ri2l province. After stich endeavours, they now com-
plain that we do not apply the resources we have pre-
served from their attacks, to support them in their at-
tempts to obtain liberty. But they have no connection
with us or our interests; all their political attachments
are jacobinical; they hate the English Aristocrat!,
envy English glory, and are even more opposed to Ofir