Star.
London, England, 1813-02-08 00:00:00

ADMIRALTY-OFFICE, FEBRUARY i.

4- rthr covrirr

CATHOLIC CLAIMS. •
On Saturday last a County Meeting took place at
Maidstone, to consider a Petition to Parliament
against the Catholic Claims.
At one o'clock, Mr. WELLS, the High Sheriff,
opened the business of the Meeting, on temporary
hustings in the High street.
Colonel J.W. STRATFORD then came forward, and
said, that having had the honour to introduce the
important subject of the Catholic claims to the atten-
tion of the Noblemen and Gentlemen who signed the
requisition to the High Sheriff, he would now take
the liberty of proposing ig that a Petition be presented,
to both Houses of Parliament against those claims,',
the concession of which, in his view of the subject
would amount to the subversion of the Constitution
and would be in direct opposition to the Act of Set-
tlement, which our ancestors had so wisely provided
for the protection of the Protestant establishment.—
He concluded by moving the petition.

Sir HENRY HAWLEY seconded the motion. He
professed himself a friend to religious toleration; but
he never would consent to open the doors of political
power to a body of men whose principles were, he
thought, in direct opposition to the spirit and genius
of the British Constitution. He was afraid, that by
admitting Catholics to hold seats in the Cabinet, the
consequence would be, that in process of time they
would have a Catholic King on the throne, and
would revive all those religious animosities which
had tinctured with blood the earlier pages of our
,history.
The Petition having been read, and the question
put by the High Sheriff,
Lord TIJANET rose to move, as an amendment, an
Address of a far different nature. It had always been
his misfortune when this question was agitated in
Parliament to be in the minority. That circum-
stance, ho*ever, should not deter him from telling
the Freeholders of Kent what their duty was in this
critical period of their country's history ; nor should
he be dejected,. if he had again the misfortune to be in
a minority. The opposers of the Cnholic Claims had
studied how they might most blacken the characters
of the Roman Catholics, and how best to stifle the
voice of reason and of nature, by the clamour of pre-
judice and intolerance. Here the Noble Lord ad-
verted to the doctrines ascribed to the Catholics, of
keeping no faith with Heretics, and of the power of
the Pope to depose a Protestant Sovereign. Doc-
trines such as these had been so solemnly and indig-
nantly disclaimed, both by Catholic Universities, and.
individuals, that nothing but the grossest prejudice
could still ascribe them to the Catholic Body. In-
deed, the arguments in opposition to their claims had
been so often refuted, he would not waste the time of
the meeting by entering into a detail of them. The
amendment he proposed should be the same as that
agreed to the other. day, at the Wiltshire Meeting,
whose independent and liberal conduct, he invited
the men of Kent to imitate. In every view in which
he considered this question, he thought the tranquil-
, lity of the Empire was at stake, in the decision of it.
Fallacious, indeed, were the views of its opposers, who
imagined that they could silence and tranquillise thi.
Catholics, by at once rejecting their petitions.. If
such a silence could be effected, he would, indeed,
look upon it as that sort of tranquillity which was
sometimes observed to precede a storm.

Mr. J. SMITH seconded the amendment. It had
been attributed to the Catholics as matter of blame,
that they did not seem contented with the advantages
the; already enjoyed. For his own part, he honour.
ed them for that feeling, because it shewed that they
entertained a proper sense of the value of that pos-
session they sought to enjoy. It was quite farsical
now to talk of the danger of popery, when the Pope
was a prisoner in the hands of Bonaparte ; and when
the power of the Roman Catholic hierarchy in every
country of Europe was utterly annihilated. As to
Catholic ascendancy, it was a mere bug-bear, and
ought not to be gravely talked of on a question upon
which depended the safety and tranquillity of the
Empire. When an Hon. Gentleman talked of a Ca-
tholic Ministry, and the danger of our eventually
having a Catholic King upon the Throne, he thought
it was casting an imputation upon the supreme au-
thority itself, because it involved the supposition that
the Monarch would violate the Coronation Oath.—
But it was utterly impossible this could everhappen,
until the Act of Settlement itself should be entirely
abrogated.
Lord DARNLEY spoke at some length in favour of
the amendment. He deprecated any interference of
this kind with the deliberations of Parliament, who
were alone competent to decide this important ques-
tion. He never could see upon what principle of
reason or common sense the Catholics were eicluded
from a participation in the advantages of that Constk
tution, for which they had always *hewn themselves
ready and willing to bleed. The Freeholders of Kent
could not deny the merit of those Catholics who resided
amongst them ; and he was persuaded, from the op-
portunity they must have had of observing the con•
duct of the Irish soldiery quartered in .their county,
they would admit that a more orderly or quiet set of
men were not to be found in any part of his Majesty's
dominions. As to danger from the Papal authority,
he saw none whatever. Where could be the danger,
when the unfortunate Pope was now confined at Fon-
tainbleau, in Bonaparte's menagerie of wild beasts ?
(4 iJugb.)

Sir W. GEARY then addressed the Meeting—he
professed himself willing to extend to the Catholics
every necessary religious toleration ; but in a consti-
tutional point id view, and as a lover of that cause
in which Russell bled, he must oppose their admis-
sion to an unlimited shate in the political power of
the country.
Sir E. KNATCHBULL also avowed himself a deter-
Mined opposer of what were called Catholic claims.
Colonel CALCAMIT, in a speech of considerable
length, 'supported the amendment.
After some further desultory debate, the amend.
ment was negatived by the chew of hands ; there ap-
pearing, however, to be a very considerable number
of votes in its favour, the original question was then
putt and carried under ;he same circumstances?
It was then agreed, that t*e Petition should be pre-
sented to the louse of Lord; by Lord Ca.mden) and
No Ike Commons by the County Members.

?~! JGIMEMARr PRO 6b.
BUSINESS FOR THE WEEK,
Tuts PAL—lrish School Bill, second time; Caliper Hypno-
tic° Bill, second time; Committee of Supply; Committee of
Ways and Means.
Mr. Wetherall—Motlon for an account of the number of Or-
ders made by the Lord Chancellor on Bankrupts' Petitions, and
the number of Orders made by him on all other Petitions, and
also on Motions from 15th April last to 45th December.
Sir John Newport—To refer the reports of the Irish School
Commissioners to a Committee, and to propose to defer the
proceedings on the Irish School Bill till a report from such Com-
mittee.

Mr. Whartsn--Estimates in Supply.
TUVlDAT.—Shaftebury Election, at three o'clock; Weymouth
and Melcombe Regis, at balf•past three.
WEDNLIDATHOUSe to be called over; Deputy Retnem-
brancers of Exchequer Bill, second time.
Mr. Kendrick— f o move for a standing order respecting clauses
introduced into yrivate Bills for regulating the poor ; and for a
Bill to facilitate enclosures.
Tuoasowy.—Galway Town Election, at half•paal three
o'clock, (two Petitions) ; Chancery Bill, second time.
Mr. Bankes--Bill to abolish and regulate sinecure offices and
offices executed by deputy.

ELECTION BALLOTS.
Fee. l6.—Great Grimsby, at three o'clock (two petition.) ;1
Sudbury, at half-past three.
Fes. I B.—Haslemere, at three o'clock; Colchester, at half-
past
three.
Fes. 23.—Tregony, at three o'clock (two petitions); Stam-
ford, at half-past three.
Fes. 23.—Bristol, at three o'clock; Ayrshire, at half-past
three.
MARCH S.—Pembroke County, at three o'clock (two petl-
dons); Liverpool, at half-past three.
MARCH 4.—Pembroke Town, at three o'clock ; Carmarthen,
at half-past three.
hfaacii 1 1.---Grampound, at three o'clock (Iwo petitions) ;
Denbigh, at half-past three.
MARCH 16.—Cardigan, at three o'clock; Youghall, at half-
past three.
MARCH 18.—Helston, at three o'clock; Seaford, at half-past
three.

MAILCK eS.—Pontefract, at three o'clock.

GERMAN PAPERS.

DRESDEN, JANUARY 22.

' It is in contemplation to establish in the kingdom
of Saxony, (with the exception of the Lusactins,) a
;new system of taxation, which will be more cqui•
table, as every one will be rated according to the
value of his possessions. In conformity with this sys-
tem, in all the provinces a survey will be taken of
'the landed estates, with an account of their value,
produce, and the buildings thereon. In doubtful
cases the owners will be examined upoit oath, their
lands will be measured, and their cattle counted. In
the towns, the value of the houses will be estimated
from the number of stories.
STUTGARE;T, JANUARY 18.

In order to defray the very heavy and extraordi-
nary expences incurred by our.military preparations,
and which existing circumstances have rendered ne-
cessary, his Majesty has established a general impost
upon income, so well arranged, that it will affect
people of property only.