Star.
London, England, 1828-11-11 00:00:00

BRITISH CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION.

A Meeting of the above S ciety was held yesterday
morning at the Freemasons' Hail, Great Queen-street,
(or the purpose of considering the propriety of petition-
ing both Houses of Parliament to take into considera-
tion and repeal the penal laws affecting tho•e of his
Majesty's subjects profes.in? the Roman Catholic reli-
gion. Shortly before one o clock the Duke cf NortroLx
took the Chair.

The Secretary (E. BLOUNT, Esq.) then read the re-
quisition calling the Meeting, and the rules for the ma-
nagement of the public Meetings if the Association.
The Duke of NORFOLK said it was not his iiitentiiin
to take up the time of the Meeting by addressing them
at length, but he could ni t refrain from expressing his
congratulations at the meating at Penenden Heath—
(Hear, hear). He thought taw instead rf the result of
that Meetin being a su'sject of pain to the Catholics, it
was one of congratulation—(Cheers). They were in-
debted to the Noble la,,rds who had attended that Meet
ing and advocated their claims, and he believed that it
was intended to propose a vote of thanks to those distin•
gnashed persons. He was favourable to firm language
being made use of in their Pe ition ; but he trusted no
language would be made use of which would imply that
they rejected any measures which the Government
might offer them, because accompanied with securities
(A few cheers, which were rendered inaudible by hisses).
He (vie Noble Chairman) had expressed only his indi-
vidual feelings, and he had a right to do so. He would
have great reluctance in giving his sanction to any Pe-
titios. which might be so worded as to resist an offer of
the description he had alluded to.
The SECRETARY stated that he had received letters
excusing the absence of Lord Clifford and the Hon. Mr.
Petra. The letter of Lord Clifford was read.
Mr. M. J. Qum then rose—He said he had been eons.
missioned by the Committee to submit to their con-
sideration a Petition, which he would read, and which
he thought spoke such bold and manly language that
it would meet the approbation of the Meeting. He then
read it, as follows:
sea HUMNLI PETITION by THE UNDERSIONED ROMAN CATNOLIES

Or GREAT BRITAIN,
84 SHOWITH—That the Roman Catholics, forming a third part of
the population of the United Kingdom, still remain excluded, on
accouLt of their religion, from the full enjoyment of their civil
rights ; that although, in point of intelligence. industry, and wealth,
of fidelity to the Throne, of attachment to liberty, of willingness in
sharing the befallens of the country, and of energy when required
in defending it, they are admitted to be equal to any other class of
his Majesty's subjects, they are neve' theless stigmatised by unjust
laws, enacted in times of popular frenzy, as an inferior caste, unfit
to exercise the franchises of freemen.

" Thet the Ministers of the religion which your Petitioners pro-
fess were the Sat to introduce Cbtiedanity hay this land; that it

flourished here as the religion of sloe coi.ntry for upwargs of 1,000
years; that it was the religion of the men who liounded Trial by
Jury, who traced the outline of your System of Jurisprudence, who
obtained the Great Charter, who created the two Houses of Par-
liament, and, in short. laid ell the original foundations, and erected
the nit,st permanent bulwarks of the British Constitution.
" That your Petitioners cannot understand by what rialto( right
or justice it is, that, contrary to the maxim of British law, which
presumes the accused to be innocent until they are convicted, the'
Roman Catholics are condemned without even a single tenable
charge ht ing brought against them ; innocent of any crime, they
ate punished as criminals, outlawed in the land of their birth, and
repudiated by the State which taxes them for its maintenance.
.• That the injuries of which your Petitioners complain are
greatly aggravated by the numberless miurpresentations which
'gnu! slice and malevolence are constantly pouring forth against our
tenets as Christians, our morals as men, and our conduct as citizens;
that the Penal Laws, by giving to one cites in the State a factitious
ascendancy over all the others. resider the continuance of this system
of calumny indispensable to those who are interested in preserving
the monopoly which they now enjoy; thg; hence have arisen in
Ireland, and even in a few instances in England, confederacies of
persons, who, under the mask of religion, send forth menaces which
the religion of the Koran alone can sanction, and in the name of
Liberty. promulgate doctrines which aim at the subversion of the
Constitution.

" That one of the calumnies of which your Petitioners complain,
states that they are not to he believed on their oaths, although it
must be notorious that it is by a barrier of oaths alone they are kept
beyond the pale of the Constitution.
That another calumny, which they are bound to repel, charges
them with seeking en ascendancy in the State. All that they wish
for they would find in the s pie abrogation of the Statutes which
deprive many amoopt them of their hereditary rights, which oh-
straw( the honourable industry of all, and place them, without any
adequate cause, below other classes of thtir countrymen.
" That the penal laws are also the fruitful parents of many
. other disasters to the community; they import upon it an enor-
mous expense for the perpetual military occupation of Ireland;
they embarrass commercial enterprise, and check the progress
of improvements in that country ; and here they are seen breaking
up one Administration after another, thereby producing an Meta.
bility in the Government which is vitally detrimental to its firma.
tions both in its foreign and domestic relations. Of these laws,
therefore, your Petitioners earnestly entreat the total and uncondi-
tional repeal.
" And your Petitioners as in duty bound, will ever pray."
The Petition was received with loud cheering.
Mr. QUIN said, that although he joined in petitioning
for an unconditional repeal of the penal laws, he did
not think that that would pi event them from listening
to any proposition which his Majesty's Government
might make to them on the subject of securities. He
did not think that any measures should be rejected be-
fore they knew what they were. He understood that
some Gentlemen were present who maintained that their
claims would not be granted until there was a reform
in the Commons House of Parliament. He could not
see how it could be necessary for them to petition for
reform, when the claims had been carried by majorities
in that House this teen times within the last few years.
The supporters of such propositions should show how a
reform could affect the House of Lords, for in that
House their principal opponents were. Instead of re.
f rm, they should suggest some measure for liberalising
the mind of a Newcastle, a Kenyon, a Winchilsea, and
assimilate the feelings of :lie vest of the Bench of Bi-
shops with those of the enlightened Bishop of Norwich
—(Cheers). He was no advocate for conditionaleman-
cipation ; but still, if it were offered, and that the Catholic
body considered that the exercise t f their religion would
not be interfered with in' any way, that might create
suspicion in the minds of the Catholic body.
Mr. Roaming arose to second the adoption of the
Petition, and regretted that in the capital of Great Bri-
tain, and in the nineteenth century, it was necessary for
the Catholics to petition for their rights—(Mr. Eneas
Macdonnell now entered the room, and was received
with loud cheeling).—Mr. Robinson then appealed to
the names of Pope, Ariosto, Fenelon, Columbus, &c. if
.they belonged to a religion that was superstitious or
idolatrous. It was preposterous to say that the Catholic
religion was averse to civil and religious liberty.
• Mr. Hour addressed the Meeting chiefly in support
of Parli-mentary Reform.
Mr. ENEAS MACDONNELL made a furious speech
against LordWinchilsea, in which he was called to order
by Mr. Hunt. He declared himself entirely against
giving any security, and that the Catholics of Ireland
would consent to nothing short of unconditional eman•
cipation.
Dr. CuLLINs was of opinion that Emancipation would
never be granted without securities—(Here there was a
loud cry of" Then we won't have it at all.")
Mr. BLOUNT said, nothing irreconcileable with the
Catholic religion would be accepted.
Mr. FRENCH attempted in vain to speak ; and
Dr. WADE spoke in favour of Emancipation. He
admitted the cruelties of Catholics in former ages, but
insisted that the present race were very different men.
The Resolutions and Petition were then agreed to.
It was resolved that it be presented to the Lords by
Earl Gary, and by Lord Islonanr to the Commons.
On the motion of Mr. FLANNAGAN, thanks were
toted to Mr. &lie!.
It was understood that thanks were also voted to
Lords Camden and Darnley.
After some more speaking of no consequence, the
Meeting adjourned.

T H 14; EVEN ING kTA R.

LON DON.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1828.