Star.
London, England, 1823-04-18 00:00:00

tended that no man could honestly feel alarm at the
consequences of carrying this measure. There was
no longer a fear of a Catholic league of Sovereigns.
That triumvirate, the Pope, the Devil, and the Pre-
tender, had no longer any terrors—(A laugh).—
The Pope, he believed, was now as harmless as
any old Lady in Christendom ! laugh). There was
one Honourable Baronet (the Member for Sorperset-
shire)
who seemed, indeed, to have a fear of the Je-
suits of Ireland. Ile might as well wish for a re.
newal of the laws against witchcraft ; for they had
heard lately of three worsen trying to 'draw blood
from another, to trate away her charm, as they
termed it—and this was in Somersetshire too! (Loud
laughter.)—Did the Right Honourable Member far
Oxford fear anything from the ironer of the Pope?
lie was sure that tile Right Honourable Gentleman's
mind was too enlightened; and it he could see the
sentiments" of his soul, he knew that he could not en-
tertain tht slightest alarm upon that ground. He
would be willing to put it to him upon his honour,
and leave the question to be decided by his answer.
It; then, there was no danger in granting these con-
cessions, was there not danger in leaving the people
of Ireland in such a situation as that in width they
were now placed ? After having been taught the-
extent' of their oppressions and their wrongs by the,
glowing colours in which they had been hell up to
them by the Right Honourable Gentleman, he now
came forward to undeceive them, and to tell them
that the Government would not relax one iota of the
system of oppression which had been so long exer-
cised. England could never be a prosperous country
while Ireland was divided and miserable. With this
system Ireland could not be otherwise. They had
now a Lord Lieutenant who was disposed, if he had
the power, to protect the Catholics, andto administer
equal laws, and he was a much more rare bird than
a black swan; and as for the Attorney-General, he
was pretty generally considered, in the Cabinet, as a
black sheep. Their efforts had not been supported,
when directed to remedy these abuses; and they
could not be effectual under such a divided Govern.
ment. What, then, was to be thought of a Cabinet
who thus compromised all public dangers, and ques-
tions of great public importance, in order to retain
place? The evils of Leland might go on—the ba-
lance of power in Europe might be destroyed—but
arrangements must be made for keeping the seats
which they had secured. He had the satisfaction of
believing that there was in this country a spirit which
was independent of, and superior to, its errors of Go-
vernment, whether fundamental or administrative,
and by which it would eventually struggle through
all its difficulties. Holding this opinion, he should
now protest against the annually repeated farce
which was to be played off that night, and not be-
come a party to it, The Honourable Baronet then
read an extract from a speech which was delivered
by Mr. Plunkett in 1813, upon the Catholic question,
condemning the divisions which existed in the Cabi-
net at that time with regard to it. He would offer
that in conclusion to the House; for it was his inten-
tion not to wait the discussion of the question, but to
leave the House, disapproving as he did of the tem-
porising and hollow manner in which it was brought
forward—(He concluded amidst loud cheering from
the Opposition).
Lord NUGENT said, that hots ever he might agree
in some of the sentimests expressed by his Honour-
able Friend, he had Lard with the greatest surprise
what bad fallen front him at the conclusion of his
speech. He should certainly not follow the example
of abandoning the Catholics because Ministers did
not honestly support the cause.
Mr. Secretary CANNING rose, and said, that as
he wished to contradict what had fallen from the
Honourable Baronet in toto, he wished to do so simply
and at once—( Cries of" Go on—go on I"
Lord NUGENT proceeded after the calls on Mr.
Canning had subsided. He did, not wish to stand
between the Right Honourable Gentleman and the
Honse, but he was anxious to take the earliest oppor-
tunity of refusing his concurrence in what he con-
ceived to be so highly injurious to the cause which
he had always advocated. So long as it was brought
on,, he was .determined to give it what feeble sup-
port was in his power, .
Mr. Secretary CANNING craved pardon of the
Noble Lord and the House for having interrupted
him in his observations; but he was anxious to pot
forward his unqualified contradiction of the charges
which bad been made against hint. He understood
the Hon. Baronet to have said that he (Mr. Canning) bad
held out that the Catholic cause was hopeless. He
had said no such thing; he thought no such thing.
—He thought it hopeless, indeed, to expect the
fOrming of an Administration to agree upon this
measure, and also upon the measures necessary to
carry on the public business. From this, his opi-
nion, some might have erroneously supposed he had
stated the cause to be altogether hopeless. He be-
lieved the question would make its syli) progressively
sinless Government united against it. kle feared, in-
deed, that the question had almost received its death-
blow from the secession which had been threatened
from the opposite side ; but in that case the blame
lay upon the seceders. He had done his best to pro-
mote the cause whether he was in or out of office.
He had had the satisfaction of proposing a Resolu-
tion on the subject, ,vhich fur the first time had been
carried in that House. Last year he had brought
forward and advocated a partial question on the sub-
iect, which had actually passed that House. Under
these circumstances he did not despair of the ques-
tion, if it were fairly supported. There seas no man
in that House, whatever might be his politics, to
whom he would not give his support op this ques-
tion, thus differing from the sentiments of the Hon.
Baronet. The acclamations which had followed the
speech of the Hon. Baronet had certainly, in his opi-
nion, diminished the ch race of success; and although
he would vote for the expected motion of his Right
Hon. Friend, lie would almost advise him not to

•
bring it forward,
Mr. 'TIERNEY assured the House he was no party
to any such a compact of secession as had been hinted
at by the Right lion. Secretary. Let who wquld
being forward the question he would support it. No-
thing. should everind uce bun to swerve from support-
ing a-ssieasure whiqh he thought essential to the itr
teiest ot. the country:. In ,the,generil reasoning of
the Hon. Baronet. he, perfectly agreed.; and history and
posterity would decide who it was that had destroyed
the hopes of the Catholics. He thought it was a