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

•
tinti.-4#4i, ..iier4 -Jut tile **Kg heigoat
• asp inictittablei and. wonder àwØ mlyr Such Mel
Se its behlist. If soz—if the Sat of HIBAVIII be dgaitist
them! the Catholics mtist submit; but before they
retire, they have a right to claim, that what is asserted
to their prejudice should be made manifest by proof,
clear arid lucid as the light of Heaver; itself. ' 04
this point I will join issue on the part of the Cathos
lice, and am ready to dispute the ground, step by step*
and inch by. inch ; but whatever might be the result
of such a contest, whether Justice prevail or be put to
silence, I would desire the House to 'beware how they
listen to a factious clamour, which would drive them
to outlaw-the Irish people, and draw down upon
themseln., and the country disaster and disgrace.—
The Hon. Member then went into a minute enumera-
tion of the objections which had been advanced against
the Catholic claims. The first endeavoured to prove,
that the Oath of Supremacy had originally no poli-
tical
bearing whatsoever, till the time of Charles 11.
He admitted that it had been used as a political in- .
strument from that time ; but asserted, that an oath
bad been substituted for it in Ireland, by which the
Catholics of that country denied the dangerous prin-
ciples which were imputed to them. The refusal of
the Catholics to take an oath which militated against
, their principles, he contended was a proof ot their
`political sincerity ; and when their opposers refused
to.take their oath if they adhered to their principles,
wl le they expressed themselves ready to take their
simple assertion if they swerved from them, they.
were guilty of as great an absurdity as transub t in-
dation- itself; the one rebelled as completely against
reason and demonstration as the other did against
the senses. The.Honourable Member next procee-
ded to ridicule the idea of the Test and Corporation
Acts being considered as bulwarks of the Constitn-
tion, and insisted that the Roman Cathelicset ere not
excluded from Parliament by t'.e Bill of Rights;
inatmuch•asihey had sat in it subsequently to its enact=
ment, and reprobated the injustice they had expert:
1 enced. Shortly after the Revolution, when in lieu
1 of the promises that had beer, made them; not 4.617
that they should: retain the privileges of which they
had been left in possession, but that they should re=
ceive further indulgences, they found themselves sub-
jected by the Parliament, which was convened in
the Ist •of William • and Mary, to penalties for re.
cusancy, besides being divested of all their privileges:
The Hon. and Learned Gentleman then observed
that those who were concerned in that great *tent,
the Revolution, did not atter where it was not ibis.
lutely necessary ; and the great object was the licit.
city of the Throne, which they believed they could
only accomplish by vesting it in the Proti stain suc-
cession. They secured it to the Protestant suc-
cession, but for the perfecting of that great work of
freedom, much was left to be done which indeet
could only be matured by the progress of ages—that
time had now arrived. England was now engaged in
fighting the cause of Europe—she was'opposed to aft
ambitious man, far more boundless in his views than
Louis the 14th, and possessing far mere extensive
means of warfare. Such was our situation, that we
required the hearts and hands of the whole Empire
to strike this Colossus from the high eminence of his
ambition. True it was that this Colossus appeased
tottering, and he therefore would conjure the House '
not to let those bright prospects shine upon us in
vain, by with-holding from millions wh.t would
make them join heart and hand in the cause—(Hear.) , -
They bad been told much about the church being its .1
danger—but he had clot yet been able to ascertain .l
what ;vas meant by this cry of the church in danger
Was it meant that the security of the Protestant
Church could hereafter be affected by concession
to the Catholics ? But how could the Protestant •
Church be affected, when the very preliminary on '
which it was proposed to proceed was, that its rights
privileges, and doctrines
,should be left as they were
found. The only change that was desired, was, that .
the privileges enjoyed by the Protestant under die -
Constitution, should be extended to the CatholiC, fee
the benefit and security of the Empire. As to tkie
idea of concession enabling • the Catholics hereaftp
to overturn the Protestant establishment, how could
such an event be brought about I Was it feared that
it might be done by force and out-of Parliament; or,
by legislation in Parliament ? With respect to its
being done by !Circe and out of Parliament, the mea-
sure itself would, in fact, deprive them of the pores
1 by taking from them the pretext ; besides, when es
Catholics were brought within the pale of the Cop•
stitution, they a ould feel an interest, in cot ampt
with the Protestants, in opposing tiny such Wiebed
design. Well, then, how was it to be accomplished
by legislation in Parliament.? But to expose tis
I absurdity of any such ides he thought it was only
necessary to state it ; !et this was one among
the fanatic cries that hadi.been sent round the coun-
try. Suppose six Catholic Members should get into
that House—nay, suppose the whole hundred for Ire.
land consisted of Catholics—was it natural, was it
rational to suppose that they would be able to over.
turn a Protestant Parliament ? But these were the
mere reveries of disordered brains I Why then should
the House defer the consideration of these claims?.
Was it required of them that they should wait till the
establishment was tottering, when it might be said,
that die Church would be more secure by the agita. 1
don of this question ? Surely they could not be wait..
ins for any such period. At the present moment the
Irish Catholics were as inferior in point of property,
as they were superior in number to the Protestants;
would it be wise to wait till they hecanie superior
in property, when they would claim what they
now asked for of the Legislature of the land.—
By
concession to the Catholics, the Protestant este.
blishment, and the State, would be strengthened,
notwithstanding what the Clergy bad said to the '
contrary—they who had mitres ea their heads, or in
their heads, as had been ingeniously observed. 1
deter even the consideration of the Catholic Clain*
had something of dishonesty about it, when it upp.
remembered that the Union had been brought *boot
chiefly by holding out the idea, that by such event
that body would be materially benefited, as their
claims would be more likely to.meet, not only with
attention, but wish acquiescence in a British Perlin.
ment. And might not Ireland complain, if she wen
told that her claims were not listened to, because
cry had been set up in England against her ;
how much worse would they think of this circus*
stance, if the Noble Lord (Castlereagh) who was
mainly instrumental in pointing out to the IrisliCstheis
lics the benefits if union, leagued himself with that