Star.
London, England, 1813-03-02 00:00:00

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140 aikkai. WOW anceetAl &alined their li.t ciety for the Propagation of Christianity, and iw
every artifice to -induce, or to force, people to tipbirdie in such, cool and temperate-language? Was,
eeritions. Instead of a rooted feeling in this country'
it in human nature not to feel some degree of warmth
when the happiness or misery of our country was at against the Catholics, the people were more favourabls
stake ? He was not one of than...who, on a question by many degrees than on former occasinns,and the cry
involving in its issue the fate of millions,could descend of 4No Popery' would not succi ed at this ndumeat.
to that cold criticism which would finalize every sew. It was In vain to attempt to take awe) Mi. Pitt's
timent and weigh every period. • authority' on this subj.•ct, notwithstanding what wis
Mr. RYDER was ready to adniite that the time attempted in the charge of a Reverend Prelate, eve
might arrive when the Roman Catholics should be with the sentiments of Mr. Fox. That Reverent
allowed to exempt themselves from the thraldom un- Prelate, if acting al a politician, had certainly aN.
der which they laboured by the authority of the liticAl game open to him; and was nut much to
Pope. The power of the Pope, in fact, extended blame, except as a Prelate, in endeavouring to utrin
not to teligious points alone, but to all the important this question of the authority ot Mr. Fox. For that
duties and rights of social fife, and to the laws of the purpose, in a note, he quoted a passage from a pest-
realm. That power, if established, would destroy humour work of Mr. Fox : but it was not tedir in the
the temporal rights of the country. It had been Bishop to give a garbled extract to his clergy, many
objected, that the Clergy had taken a share in pee- of whom had never attended debates, Alla could not
tioning the Legislature against the Catholic claims ; know the immutable principles of Mr. Fox ono this
but he would put it fairly to the feelings and the question—principles in which Mr. Pitt coincided.—
judgment of the House, whether the Clergy did I When they were told that Mr: Pitt never commu-
not Fellness and exercise a just right to interfere, when nicated his ideas on the subject to Lord Eldon,
a question was brought forward, in which the vital they might as well have been told, that he nett no
interests .of the national establishment were in- decided opinion on the Slave Trade, because he
volved ? To attack the Clergy upon that ground, did not consult and agree with other Members of
was, in reality, to be guilty of that of which those per- the Cabinet on the abolition of that netarious traffic.
sons who made the attack mint have been conscious. `Some friend of the Slave Trade might have said,
He denied that not going into the Committee would that Mr. Pitt never had any digested plan of aboli-
shut the doors of the House against the claims of the • eon, and thence argued, that he was not sincerely in
Roman Catholics. The question had been discussed favour of it ; but he (Mr. W.) would Assert, that
year after year, session after session, week after week, the divine effusions of eloquence which be had heard
and day after day; and he would ask, what ad van- from him, rendered it impossible to doubt his sin-
tage could arise from entertaining the merits of the cerity. leo, in this question, he would refer to Mr.
question in a Committee ? Seeing, as he did, the Pitt's declaration, and to the paper which Lord
Protestants of this country decided- against and ad, Cornwallis left at Dublin, coupled with what his
verse to the.claims of the Roman Catholics, and the most intimate friends had said, tei proofs of his teal
Roman Catholics themselves unwilling to grant the opinion. Thus, then, there we: e :he opinions of
necessary securities, what was left to the House but Mr. Pitt, Mr. Fox, Mr. Burke, Mr. Windham,
to oppose these claims, and to support the present Cs- and of another, who was the boast of Ireland,
tablishment unfettered and unimpaired ? Although one of whom she had always been, and always
Mr. Pitt was friendly to the concessions required by would be proud, as one of the most illustri-
the Catholics, he felt it his duty to oppose theme in ' ous of her sons—Mr. Sheridan, Tee ground
consequence of the general feeling and dispositiod oft of opposition to these claims was a soil so rank;
the country. . that when you cut de*n the weeds they sprung
Mr. WELLESLEY POLE explained. up again directly, and there was no end to ete
Mr. MARSH felt himself not desirous to trespass forts; just as it was during the exertion of twenty
upon the indulgence of the House; but he could not years, crowned at last with the abolition of the Slave
remaih silent, and witless, without a remark, the as. Trade : he hoped yet to see, as in that case, the
perity of censure which had been thrown against the blessed day; when we could say, We had conciliated
Clergy. He had a pride and pleasure in recollecting Ireland. Gee Gentleman said, after eight years deli;
that a character ttuly illustrious, the Bishop of Nor- beration, that he was not averse to concessions, but to
wich, was invulnerable to censures of that nature, going into a Committee. A Committee was the only
and that the pious sentiments, liberality of demea- mode of giving the matter full consideration. Was it
nour, and the purity of life of that excellent Prelate thought that the annual speech of his eloquent and Tee
exempted him from all attack of that kind. If any nerable friend (MoGrattan) answered by some Gentle;
quality could peculiarly distinguish that great and man on the other side, was enough to content Ireland?
eminent Prelate, it was his generous devotion for, Many of the counter-penticinseand some of the counter-
and enthusiastic spirit in, the cause of civil and reli. speeches, were imbued With the old errors respecting
gious liberty. The proposition which was then submit- Popery, yet the greeter part looked to some convenient
ted for the House togo into a Committee, was the only time. The Bishop of Lincoln, however, laid it down
efficacious way of Satisfying both the Catholics, and the solemnly, that not only Popery was to be discouragedi
scruples of those who objected to their claims. It was but also, that any opinion which diminished the twice
the only mode in which the question ought to be consi- of the conviction of men's minds against it thereby.
dered. All the merits and demeritsof the subject would weakening the Church of England, was to be equally
be then fairly brow ht under the consideration of the opposed. Was not this an erroneous meek ; and did
House, which would be enabled to see and feel all it not tend to exciting the re-enactment ot the set
the grand and leading points on both sides, without wrest excluding statutes against Catholics? Ond
reviving animosities—without exciting prejudices— Right Honourable Gentleman (Mr. k Y
_ _e) had said,.
and without restoring those grounds of contention, " Shew me the securities, and I will go to a Com-
the existence of which had caused so many serious mittee ;" but he was immediately afterwards carried
and unhappy disputes. Gentlemen could, in that away, and like the man who had just touched Hea-
case, avail themselves of all the evidence which ven, in the poetic description,
was set off again by
might be adduced—they could, and indeed had a the winds, and driven to the limbo, where he cone
right to expect, all the facts which it was possible to templated cowls, and beads, and Bulls, and Indule
bring forward; and they would be enabled to treat gences. If he could not convince himsede no mortal
them with a sobriety and calmness, suitable to the power could. In some events the Right Hon. Gentle-
importance and magnitUde of the subject which man would agree : one was, the death of Bonaparte.
called for their investigation and decision. Prejudices He (Mr. Whitbread) did not attribute to hitn the
and passions, on either side, would not, in conse- wish to see Bonaparte taken off by unfair means ;
quence of such a line of conduct, be allowed to pos- but he was surprised to s.e in public prints of re-
sess any weight ; and it should not of course be for. spectability, horrible doctrines advanced, such as the
gotten, that the imputed violence of the partizans of necessity of marching to peace over the dead bodf
Catholic Emancipation, could not be urged as a of that man. He, for one, should solemnly object to
proof of the badness of the cause they advocated. 44 the deep damnation" of the taking off et any m
Mr. PEELE explained, and disclaimed any im-, by unfair means. That man was under the wear of
proper allusion to the Bishop of Norwich. that Paovreeeca which had permitted his elevation,
Mr. WHITBREAD observed, on rising, that, al-'tdwhat he now was:—but if the Catholics were to
though the subject, momentous as it was, had been wait for this supposed event, he feared that their ex-,
discussed with extraordinary ability, and that the ate pectations might long be hopeless. Another event
guments for going into a Committee were peculiarly
`*as the giving up, by the Catholics, of the papal sus
strong, yet there still appeaied to him some points premacy. Last • year the Right Hon. Gentleman
which had not been enforced in support of the clues- wanted a Pope at Ballyshannon :—but this year the,
tion. While he felt happy in the opportunity thus whole supremacy must be surrendered. !f there
afforded to him, of offering his tribute of admiration was any thing peculiarly taunting, anil likely to
to the unbiassed abilities, and his unqualified venera.., provoke sufferers to madness, it was to fix on them '
tion for the pure piety, of the Bishop of Norwich, he a condition impossible to pefform. This was the•
could not pass over the very able speech of the Right dreaeful modeemployed towards theunhappy
Hon. and Learned Gentleman (Mr. Plunkett) who tortured by the rack of the Inquisition, in order to ex.
had delivered his sentiments in support of the motion tort from them confessions ot crimes ot which they
on a former night. 'that speech brought back to his were innocent. To the holiest of the martyrs it may
mind, and ho doubt, he would add, to the recollection have-been said, " Only declare your disbelief of cere
of the House, nee golden times of Pitt, and Fox, and taro doctrines ;" to Servetus, 6 Only say you believe
Burke, and Sheridan, and Windham. With respect to in the Trinity ;" and so of all other sufferers. They
the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. W. Pole) who had were all foolish people, and their sufferings were alt
in a speech, heard with great pleasure, attempted to their own fault. The expiring man might say, n
shew his own consistency, he should merely say, that , may be released from my agonies; but exquisite as my
the Right Hon. Gentletnan had not succeeded in im. torments are, I will not consent to be relieved frogs'
parting that degree of satisfaction which he intended. temporary misery, at the expence of eternal puiatte
That Right Honourable Gentleman contended, that meats." We say to the Catholics, You may, be
aye and no amounted to a decisive affirmative; and a Judge, a General, an Admiral, a Commander in
as he was himself consistent in giving an aye and Chief :if you don't, the fault is your own. WhY don't
aye, he felt it necessary to take every precaution, that you renounce your Creed ?" But the answer was
these two affirmatives should not be construed in a ready What shall a man give in exchange for
way directly contrary, and urged against himself his sold ? I shew you that Ido give you seem ay. My
as an evidence of inconsistency. With respect to forefathers and my brethren have proved it by shed-
the Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Bankes) who was ding their blood in your service. I myself am note
at the head of economical reform, he would ask, what marching to the perils of war, to risk my life in your
was his conduct, and how did he fulfil the duties on cause. You cannot be sincere in an offer coupled with
the 'present question, which he avowed to have con- such conditions; but I mu )t be lift in despair !"
tracted on other qtiestione? —Was he to stop short, Popery had prevailed in Ireland from the earliest ;v-
-end when his books and accounts were to be exa- riods. When were the times, wherein the charges
mined, was he to halt in his march, and carry them of the dissolution of marriages,' bastardizing issues,'
off under his arm ? No f Such a conduct would be and changing the course of landed property by the
altogethet unjustifiable. And yet the Honourable Pope, could be substantiated ? When did he absolve*
Gentleman; who, on subjects of economical re- our soldiers and sailors from their allegiance; and
form, was ever ready to fulfil his duties in spite direct his priests to order them to desert Will tura
of all opposition from without and from within, their weapons against out nwir bosoms Gentle nto'
was now prepared to change his whole system, to spoke of the papal influence, as if the conctes Dote
shift his whole plan of operations, to bike up new were to create it ; whereas the Hierarchy l,ad, in•
ground, and tte assure the Houle that no further in- fact, existed all along over a vast and discont .nted
quiry was necessary, and that to go into' the Corn- multitude; whereas the passing of the measure would
mittee would be a complete waste of times He was cpntinue it over a comparativel contented and happy
persuaded, that the greatest misrepresentations had population.--(Hear.) One Gentleman went beck to'
been resorted to; even by inflammatory addresses from the time when all Ulster was given up to the levies.
the pulpit, made,nd doubt, in igno. rance,or they would tants ; but if that Gentleman had been a Cathelice
not have used them, by papers circulated by tha'So: where' would he• have been now, with all his talenn

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