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

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*dein tlic odon eatlyheoriesehil saw no piOsifed.t of let tight oftl am willing to admit; Sir, that the,
dowtihtto- it defitiheit 'Or Satisfactory arrangeMeah I Catalogue of Catholic grievances; at stated; In manf,
pe wid Oppotted. tit Right Honourable Friend's ' publications out of doors, is exaggerated; but I de:
esblutitis, priniiiilly, indeed, with a view of ass I, contend, that what is still withhvie from the CathOir
ceftentin` g. the irearTeivi.df the: Country, which I lies Is much calculated, in its reftisal , Kt gall
would •Mittirally be' ened at the approach .of feelings ; they still labour under grievances of a !el
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diet ' petnid when lhe question was to be practi- 1 provoking and vexatious nature— they are admitted
call)' decided. That'feeling and verdict he now :to the civil professions, and with the honours of thole
conceived had been pikarounced in opposition to the professions placed constantly in their view; theraii
claiins:— (Near, hear, hear.) —lt bad been influ- forbidden to aspire to them. They are pent*
• enced, no doubt, in no slight degree by the-tone as. ' ted to become soldiers ; their hearts art taught to
Inured by the Catholics e'en at the very time when beat high with all that sense of glory -and thirst
the prospect was dawning upon them. Eten at that for-distinction; which more peculiarly characterises
moment they claimed 'their concessions* matter of the members that profession; and while they see
tight.—(Near, krar.)—..His Honourable Friend had, their companions in arms rise to that rank and dig-
with the ingenuity of a great orator, drawn a fresh nity which their conduct may merit, while, let their
eitigument from this violence in their favour ; and he imerits be at as they may be, for them there it
believed, there were some rsons in that House who no' splendid reward, they must never hope to least
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might be disposed to defen the principle, thahe their ebuntry's band to victory, or have their names
p\
Catholics were justified in c aiming concession as a known to that country for which they shed their
right.—(Hear, hear.)—Wasit then to be maintained blood. Assuredly all this is very galling ; and iill
that in a country composed like this, of different or- not the exclusion from this House also galling ? Is
der: and of Church and State, the State had not the it in this House that the converse of the proposi-
power of legislating for its own safety ? The best tion that kis ion, can be seriously maintained ? Why,
writers, both speculative and practical, agree, that Sir, do we who sit here not wish to do so; or :del
occasional abridgfnents of civil privileges might be : we not on the contrary actuated by a very strong
just and necessary, and that the distinction of a free ! desire to obtain seats in this Howe ?-Certainly we are;,
state consisted in its never having recourse to such ! and as certainly every motive which incites us to en 7 I
expedients except when dictated by necessity or sound *deavour to obtain them operates-as forcibly on the
policy. An Honourable Gentleman who spoke be. i minds of Catholic Gentlemen as it does on ours,
hind him so well, and for the first time, had said, , Moreover, Sir, when 'we give the Catholics the. elee.l
,that any man should be permitted to worship Gon in 1 tive franchite, we gave 'them a-great mass of political
his own form, but this was already permitted ; and ' power ; what remains is comparatively trifling, :.rid
the only difference made, was - with respect to the -? cannot' be withheld. We have given them wealth
equality of title to this for that particular priOileoe. i and knowledge, and wealth and ' knowledge are
The Honourable Member then went on to state the I power.—(clear, hear.)—Own tit they have power
sentiments of Mr. Clinch, a Catholic gentleman, wha I and they should not be given to people who were I
had asserted in a letter so another Catholic, that no ' meant to be excludtd from political power, for the
proposition could be • accepted bz the Burly which gift went to destroy a balance, -which, if such a de.
went to do away foreign influence, for that foreign sign was entertained, ought to have been prettiest&
influence was the Catholic religion. This he thought Sir, we have made the Catholics, by what we Wit
was sufficient to alarm :ill those interested in the dune for them, an aristocracy, and we treat them is
a mob ; by our extension of the elective franchise we
preservation cf the Constitution and the Established
Church; and he could not think that there could be have let a low mob into the most precious privileges
any security for their preservation unless any corre- of the Constitution, and we have refused them to per.
spondence that might take pl:ree between the Catho- sons of the highest rank and respectability. My Lord
1k Prelates and the Head of the Church were subject , Fingal is debarred from what his footman enjoys, and
to inspection. The Honourable Member then alluded this strange per version of all soun .1 political principle
to some proposition meant to be made to the House is dignified by the name of the British Constitution.----
with respect to the security of the establixlmmt, (Hear, hear.r—lt is the utmost wish of the Catho.
contending, that the House could not listen to au lies to be admitted to that Constitution, to rally
proposition which had for its object a sweeping re- round it in the ranks cf its most ardent supporters
peal of disabilities at the press n: moment ; objected and defenders, to shale their dangers and their
to the principles of the RightlionourableG'entlemaa glory, and to abide their fate—(dear, bear, hear,)
(Mr. Gyttan) going to the repeal of the Corporation and all theyaisk, if admitted to its blessings, is to be
and Teat Acts, and went on to say, that be would, permitted to bring with them their religion and their
at some future period, willingly acquiesce in the re- honour, whole and untainted ; and without these they
peal of the Penal Laws against the Catholics, pro- would be useless, they would be worse than useless,
vided proper aacurities for the Constitution could be they would be dangerous associates. Sir, the con-
devised, such as they would consent to, at the same duct of our ancestors towards the Catholics was re-
time expressing his regret that such a consummation gulated- on very differerr principles from those by'
was more to be wished than looked for. The Hon. which we aid actuated. They conceived there was
Member concluded with animadverting on the in- a necessity for excluding them from.political*power,.
tern-perance of the Catholics sitter the favourable and when they did so, they discovered tide expediency
disposition evinced towards them by the late Parlia- of impoveris;.ing and barbarising them as the best
ment, and stating his belief 'that it had created a means they could use for the purpose. Diabolical,
considerable alarm amongst the Protestants in this indeed, would have been the continuance of such a ,
country, which must naturally counteract their views. system; but, nevertheless, if we do not abandon it
Mr. GRATTAN explained. unreservedly, we must reverse the concessions we
Mr. PLUNKETT then rose and s:oke to the fol- have already made, and retrace our steps. To be con-
lowing effect ;---. Sir—l do not think the imputation sistent, we must do so—we must take back all we'
thrown out by the Hon. Gentleman against my Right have given ; we have lierived off a mountain from the
Hon. Friend, as if he had said any thing, the intern- Ineasts of our countrymen, and we must now replace
prance of which were calculated to injure the cause it. And shall we do so ? shall we' again plunge
he wished to serve, just ; but if some expression has those whom. we have ruined into' the depths of poli-
escaped him in the warmth of debate, such as his neat degradation ? Where is the maniac who Wauld
cool reason would regret, Ido maintain, Sir, that say we should ?—(Loud cheering.) The state of
such expressions should be viewed only in combina. the "Catliolias is unparalleled—they are not cer:
tion with tire general temperance with which he is tainly, as is hinted by some 'of their- absurd ad-
wont to bring this question before the House, and vocates, slaves—they participate in many and impor-
easily forgiven when it is obviously the result of a' tant advantages—but that they still remain degraded
strong feeling for the public welfare, and the public and dishonoured is most oertain—they skulk behind
glory. Now, Sir, with respect to the question which our chairs and share not in the public banquet to
my .Right Hon. Friend has so ably advocated, it has which they ardently aspire to be admitted; and to
been stated, that the object of the present application which, if they did not so aspire, they would be a de-
is the overthrow of the National Church, and the based and unworthy race, from whose grovelling
establishment of a Catholic monarchy in its stead ; spirit none of those energies could be expected which
and a complaint has been made, that no specific pro- make a people great. Requirsed to submit to the
position had been made on the part of the Catholics, laws of the country they are supposed to be utteily
which could be looked to as promising security to indifferent to the honours of its Constitution, even
that Church and to the Constitution. Sir, my Right while they come foiward with every pledge and every
Hon. Friend has declared, that the Catholics are wil- satisfactory evidence to their title to obtain them. On
ling to give any security which may not be incon- the other side, indeed, the danger of 'admitting their
sistent with their faith, and it is for those who op- claims is loudly, but not very consistently, tuain.
pose their claims, to say what that, security should taiued, while it is deemed safe to admit them to the
be. I profess that Ido not very well know what Bar, where they often become very eminent practi-
the Honourable Gentleman who spoke last means.— tiorrers, it is thought dangerous to permit them
(Hear, hear.)—But his arguments obviously lead to become Counsel for the Crown. It is safe to let
to the conclusion, that the Catholic Claims are to- them fight in the ranks of our army, but dangerous
tally inadmissible—that the nature of their religion if they should obtain rank m it. Safe that they should
must for ever shut them out from the pale of the act as Grand Jurors and Sheriffs, and exercise other
Constitution. Though certainly, Sir, ,I do drink important offices in ',eland, in that place where the
that the Honourable Gentleman has not very dis- chief danger lies, and dangerous to allow them the
timely. informed the House what interference sit the same advantages in England. They will, indeed, it
Pope ur other cause has occurred since the period of is true, be admitted to the very heart of the State,
his last vote on this question to effect so material a should they render themselves worthy cf that high
change as it appearsbas been wrought in his opi- pr:vilege, by one act, and that act is perjury. The
'lions. (Rear, hear, hear.) 'One would imagine,Petitions with which the 'fable is now loaded, go to
Sir, that the Holy Father must have very I.m:ly the re-enactment of the penal code. The Catholics,
called upon the Catholics not- to coalesce with a Pro. in preferring their claims, show their title by a refe-
testant people, asserting such an union to be sub. rence to the oath they-are willing to make. If this
seminally as impossible as that of CHRIST with Belial. be not believed, we can have no security under any
And yet the Hon. Gentleman said, that something circumstances; and all that is left us is to chain the
may be done ; that the case is not quite hopeless.— people down to that religion we choose to say they
Then NO)), does he refuse to vote fora Committee, profess, and, indeed, I should not be surprised if in
the object of which is to inquire what may be done ? the lapse of a little time weshould have Petitions to
(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman has anticipated that effect. It is only for some choice spirit, an Hon.
the speech of a Right Honourable Friend, who, he Alderman, for instance, to humour a Meeting at some
understands, means to propose certain conditions, on one of the taverns of the Metropolis, and we should
which the Catholics may be admitted to the benefits soon have some sixty thousand signatures, that, per.
of •tbe,.Constitution, and therefore has declined to haps, would be affixed with alacrity to such a Peti.
hold earth any such conditions himself ; and he has don in the ratio of the boldness of its prayer. If
said that the claims of the Catholics may be granted the Catholics can be admitted to the privileges they
some time or another, but he does not know when;— claim, consistently with the safety of the Constits-
and he has drawn a distinction between religious thin and the Church, they are entitled to every thing,
toleration and an admission to civil power, which if not, they are entitled•to nothing.—(Bear, hear).—..
does not appear to me altogether a just distinc- I On this point, the claimants are willing to join issue,
tion. Abstractly, indeed, lam not disposed, to as- I confident of being able to 'disprove the imputations
Sens that the Catholics have any thing which, strictly I thrown out against theni ; and if it were otherwise,
speaking, can be called a right to what they claim ; strange indeed would be the dispensation of Pnovk
butif the have a tight to toleration, it is at least era- DiNCt WhiCil.WOUld expose us to the arduous struggle
ihnable 'that they should be admitted to a 'share of 'in' which wre.are now engaged, and refuse- us the
chit 'power. -(finr4 kiae.) The discUssiOno Sir, means of with% the subjects of the realm in its de-