Star.
London, England, 1827-03-06 00:00:00

was represented a* of no weight in comparison with
that of the Priests. This violent attachment to Priests

existed only where the Penal Code exhtss remove
therefore therm*, and the effect wonlitheease. The first
disunion of landlord and tenant in Ireland had not origi-
nated in the influence of the Priests. He would read an I
address to freeholders of the South of Ireland, not signed ,
Ib-y a Doyle or an O'Connell; but by the predecesS3ll oft
'his Honourable Friend in the conntrof Londonderry—art
Address of the Irish Delegates to the Irish People,
calling upon them to forget all intentsr comiderations,
d to be true only to their Country and their, Goix
He honoured and admired the public spirit. which the
'freeholders of Ireland had evinced. The freeholdeis
of Waterford; if they had elected Lord Geo. Beresford,
-would have furnished a much stronger argument
against the claims of the Catholics. than that which
was now founded upon their conduct. His opinions
were well known, and if they bad voted for him,
wield net the inference have been that. they were in-
different to:the question? He rejoiced that the people
Of Ireland could act under motives and impulses supil-'
rior to those of mere physical feeling. He had often
conversed with the Irish peasant in every part 'of
the world, and he bad always found him sensible
of the degradation of his country. The accord of
public opinion was essential to the due, administration
of the laws. He would not stop to defend the eonduct
of individuals belonging, to. the Catholic Association.
But were those who most violently arraigned, that.con-
'duct prepared to say, that if this body were dissolved—
if O'Connei and Shiel were to retire to their professional
avocations—they would then be prepared to suppOrt
the question? If not, the argument drawn from their
conduct was a mere make-weight and a delusion. lithe
question. was to be considered as one merely of political
power,then adieu to all the generous and sublime views
of statesmen upon the subject. Two years had passed
since the subject was last discussed, and he would ask,
if any combination of political power, or of legislative
wisdom, could regain the ground they bad lost? Many
men, and some of them who were unfortunately blame-
less, suffered deeply under the responsibility'of the evil
they had incurred, and the good they had suffered to
escape. The Members from his unfortunate country
were entitled to the confidence of the House, for the
votes they gave were of a tendency to deprive them of
their seats in that House; and, if the apprehensions of
the opponents of the measure were well founded, even
of their properties and their lives. This was not a qua,
tion of a sugar island, or of any petty interest, but of a
whole people.
Mr. V. STUART supported the Resolution. The
interference of the Irish Clergy in temporal affairs,
had its apology in the depressed condition in which
they were held. Their interference had been grossly
exaggerated by the public press. They had been accused
'of employing the threat of eternal perdition to secure
Foote; at the late election : but those who thought such
*threat necessary,knew little of the condition of Ireland.
In Waterford, previous to the late election. they. bad
in accordance with their duty, instructed the Electors
how they were conscientiously to discharge their duty,
Farther than this they had not gone ; for if they had,
why were they not called to the bar of that House to
answer for a breach of its privileges ? In a recent con-
versation he had held with the Roman Catholic Bishop
of Waterford, that Prelatehad expressed his anxiety foe
the strictest investigation, Thipioflnence of the Land-.
lords over the Forty4h3liiss Freeholders would Se Ma-
cured by the concession of these Claims; that, and
that alone, could fill up the gulph which now separated
them. If the Freeholders were to give no vote but by
the command of their Landlords, why not apportion the
number of votes to every man according to the number
of acres he possessed ?
Mr. G. BANKES said be should not complain of
the freeholders votes, when given in consequence of
difference between landlord and tenant ; but there was
ground for complaint when they were guided by
priestly domination—when, to obey such authority,
I they disregarded those to whom they they were in-
debted for kindnesses and protection. It was the na.,
we of ardent genius, such as that possessed by the
peat names to whom an Hon. Baronet (Sir F. Burdett)
had alluded—to overlook difficulties, and to despise
' dangers ; but if they could be sure of always having
such men as had been named as guarantees for the se-
curity of Protestant interests, when the granting of the
Claims might be pregnant with so much danger—
then opposition might be waived ; but they had no
right to indulge any such hope. Their opponents
desired to pull down ; they also desired to substi
cute something instead of what was to be removed.—
He could guess where the enterprise would begin
but be could form no idea where it would end.
They would begin their attack on the Constitu-
tion by meddling with our Church—(Hear). Though
he had no reason to entertain fears for the Church,
though it was fixed in the hearts of the people, he did
not see that it was requisite to do that which would in-
crease the power of its opponents. Those would de-
stroy what they did not reverence, love, and prefer;
and set up what they did love, reverence, and prefer.
Besides, if the claims were a question of justice and
right, he did not see why there were to be any ex-
ceptions. Why even was the succession to the Crown
to be an exception ? If he were told that the
ring was the head of the Protestant Church. he
was also told to view the two Houses as the pillar*
of the Protestant Church ; he was told that the Con;
stitution was essentially Protestant ; and yet he was
called upon to make exceptions, violating those fun-
damental principles, in favour of the Roman Catholics.
It was said that all classes, the Atheist, the Infidel, &c.
could be admitted within their wills; but that the
Roman Catholics were excluded; it might not be
difficult to shew that there was considerable difference;
for the former desired to pull down only, while the
latter, not content with destroying, would be for set.
tiog up something instead of what he had pulled
down. Lord Bacon remarked, that si Atheism leaves
a man to sense, to philosophy, to natural piety, to laws,
to reputation; all which n.ay be guides to an oat.
ward moral virtue, though religion were not; but
superstition dismounts all these, and erecteth an abso.
lute monarchy in the minds of men." Tnat "absolutes
monarchy" had shewn itself it. Waterford; it there had
displayed its tyranny. He did not desire either to con-
tinue irritations, or to say any thing that was calculated
to promote them ; but when they spoke of the character
of the Roman Catholic religion, they could not forget
what had been once said in that House while urging
this question. It was asked (by Mr. Grattan, we
believe)—where were the splendours of the Vatic**
now? where the terrors of the Inquisition? and
what danger was to be apprehended from the
Polo? But what have we seen? That same Vatican.
estored ; indeed we had helped to restore