Star.
London, England, 1825-05-24 00:00:00

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a man by Cu and faggot becattskof his belief, however
erroneous ; and yet how little removed from that was
he who prolonged a negative species of torture, by
keeping a man from those rights, the enjoyment of
which every well-understood interpretation of toleration,
the good of the countty, and reason sanctioned ?--(Hear)
Toleration ! thei e was something inconceivably pre-
sumptuous in the word. What right had• any man to
intrude himself between his fellowman and his MAILER?
Whim warranty had any nian in prescr:bing a certain
fro mof belief to another ? As well might I.e presume
to say that the DEITY must not receive a certain form
of supplication, as that he must be ad dr e%sed in a certain
way--(Hear). L 'rd Liverpool tells us. that in this
14nd of ours; we cannot endure religious toleration
(which is enjoyed by all the world besides, and even
ia despotic countries); that in England such liberty
as is enjoyed in America cannot be tasted, because
that country is. so very free, and we are nt t free enough.
—Another Noble Lord, who concedes that all the free
institutions we possess were founded by our Catholic
ancestors, is equally adverse to making concessions to
the Catholics with the Prime Minister ; but it is because
in Gei many and ether countries where toleration is
practised, he says they are despotic, whereas we are too
free to permit it. This is blowing hot and cold with a ven-
geance—(Cheers). The land of Goshen had been de-
scribed as free from strife, but this is erecting this coun-
try into the most anti •Goshen land imaginable—a place
under any circumstances fit for strife and discord, and
where, above all other places in the world, religious
exclusion is kept up. With respect to the measure itself,
I am far from agreeing in the monopolieng views taken
of the subject by the Bishops and other persons interestei
in the exclusion. I believe that the Bishops do not
choose to let any others taste of the good things which
they enjoy ; for with them the vulgar saying of " the
fewer the better cheer;" has great weiAlu—(Laughing).
This recalls to my mind a passage from Shakspeare,'
where, in The Merchant of Venice, Jessica is rejoicing
that she shall be saved by her husband. " Jessica—l
shall be saved by my husband, he made me aChristiam—
Lau ncelot—Truly ; the more to blame lie; we were
Chiistians enough before, even as many as could well
live one by another"—(Loud laughing). I give no credit
to the monopolizing gentry for any religious scruples.
Ido n t even believe that they are honest bigots. I
say the cause of religious freedom is the great cause—
that it is the stay of English security; for can we ima-
gine that 6,000,000 of men, not only injured, but in-
sulted, oppressed, calumniated, and urged to madness,
will be always quiet, however gre.it their patience has
hitherto been, and although the fortitude and courage
which they have shewn under these inflictions, should
be without parallel in the history of the world ? Will
they see calmly even the golden moment lost,w hich might
have been laid hold of to increase the wealth, enhance
the security, and elevate the honour and glory of this
country, and the tranquillity of that, by simply doing
Or m an act of justice, which cannot be withheld with-
out ioly, folly approaching almost to insanity ? (Hear).
I oon I have the subject near my heart. I have wit-
ness d the miseries and privations of the Irish peasant,
and I havradeplored the misrepresentations by which
he is blackened in this country. The charity alone of
the Irish poor would indemnify for half their faults. I
do not see in the plans of the new political economists
anything to compensate for the rights of which the
Irish people are deprived. The liberties of the two
countries are so blended together, that ohs cannot
prosper whilst the other is suffering. We have a patty
with us in the Administration; but what are we to
think of an Administration so c insposed ? The best
assimilation I can make to it is that of Sin, in Milton;
where one part is fair, the other filthy—
" The one seemed woman to the waist, and fair,
But ended foul in many a scaly fold;
Voluminous and vast, a serpent armed
With mortal sting."
I find fault with the liberal part of the Administration
that they do not follow their principles to any beneficial
extent. They have not the excuse of saying, that "we
have an unenlightened public to deal with," because
the public surpass them in intelligence and liberality—
(Cheers). The Hon. Baronet concluded by declaring
himself an advocate fur the principles of free trade, and
an unchanged friend to Parliamentary Reform. He
sat down amidst the loudest cheering, which lasted for
some minutes.
Sir FRANCiS BURDETT then said, he had a toast to
propose to them, which he was sure they would (16.1
with cordiality. They might, indeed, be surprised to
bear him propose the health of any member of the pre-
sent Cabinet ; but Mi. Peel had so much merit in the
Bill which he had brought into Parliament, that if he
had only the good fortune to carry it through berth
Houses, it would be one of the greatest benefits be-
t stowed upon the country from the time of the Revolu-
tion—(Cheers). It was with great pleasure he proposed
ge The purity of Trial by Jury, and thanks to Mr. Peel
for his admirable Bill now before Parliament for the
• improvement of that invaluable institution." This was
• drank with three times three, and with great applause.
Mr. COKE, M.P. proposed 44 the health of John Cain
•.
Hobhouse, Esq. the other able, enlightened, and inde-
fatigable Representative of Westminster." He said
he had a particular pleasure •in doing this, because,'
before he knew Mr. Hobhouse he had been opposed
• to him. ' Since he had known him, he had become
warmly attached to him. He was sure the people of
England were in favour of Catholic Emancipation,
• and if the majority of the County of Norfolk, which
lze had represented for se many years, were not, he
would not represent it, so help him Gon!—(Appizuse).
•
Mr. J. C. Hormoose rose to return thanks, and said
he was highly flattered by the manner in which the
Member for Norfolk had proposed his health. Year
after year, as he had presented himself to the notice of
his constituents, be bad found their approval stronger,
and their friendship warmer. He had suppored those
measto es in Parliament, which his Honourable Col-
league had alluded to on the same grounds as he
had. He approved of Mr. Secretary Peel's Bill, not-
wtthstanding its reverses. Civil freedom was making
'rapid strides both in Greece and" in America ; and,
in the latter country, there was a man victorious in
war, and a leader of the Senate in peace, who had
thrown down his sword on the altar of liberty, and
shewn himself worthy to be placed at the head of a
free people. The ambition ofipatriots, and the iogra-
titua of republics, were common-place themes of de-
clamation, but Bolivar was a patriot without ambition,
and his country was without ingratitude.
Mr. &MICH proposed ‘‘ Religious liberty throughout the world,
and thanks to the majority of the House of Commons who voted
our the Bill for the removal of religious disabilitiss; and may the
inipulatc rejection of that Bill, by the Hours of Lords, not en-
d4:iser the tranquillity of Iteland."
The healti's of Lord John Russell, Lord Ebrington, and .Lord
Sugellt were successively drank, and they afizeturaed thanks, The
n.:.t cast was