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

laugh.)—We bad also seen the walls of the turinhition
again raised—het which walls we had not helped is
restore; and we had beheld the Pope who was before
driven from his seat of power, who was repte rated as
no longer dangerous—restored to the Papal chair, and
its present occupant worthily and faithfully adopting
the course pursued by his predecessors—( Hear )—We
find him looking back to the dark ages, and seeking to
reintroduce the feudal system; and, above all, sip•
ported by that old_ally of Catholic power, the sanctuaty
--(Hear, hear.)—He bore no enmity to his fellow sub•
jects of the Roman Catholic persuasion, but he was
firmly persuaded that it would be highly dangerous to
admit them to places of trust and power—(Hear.)
Mr. BROWNLOW was convinced he could-not add
to the effect produced by the eloquent speech of the
Hon. Baronet, yet was desirousof making a few &ter.
vations. The Hon. Member who had spoken last, in a
speech which embraced a wide geographical range,
had not once mentioned Ireland. In that country a
question had arisen of the highest importance, and his
' hope was that Hon. Members would discuss it with
unprejudiced minds. When 'the House should have

calmly heard the evidence given by hish Members
they would doubtless go to a division, and' decide
with the solemnity due to a question of life and death.
He had heard- it said out of that House,-44 We
will die at our post; die with our colours nailed to
the mist, and conquer or go down together." He
might ask, notwithstanding such observation% whether
the'present state of things in Ireland could last for any
time? The House ought to consider how much the
power of the Roman Catholics had increased ; they
bad gone so far in opposing that body, that they must
now go back and repeal the restrictive laws. The
Catholics to a man were discontented ; they w. re
determined to be emancipated. It was said the present
state of things in Ireland had been induced by the
Catholic Association, by demagogues; but, whatever
they might be called, they had the confidence of the
people, and the moral strength of that country.
Mr. MIT, hawing voted upon this question was
or eight times, was desirous of making a few observe. -
tions. He could not but consider it a Constitetional
question—one on which the safety of the Constitution
depended. He had been told Ireland could not re.
main in her present state. He was ready to•admit
that she could not remain as she was. His hope was,
that prosperity might soon revist the, land ; but. it
was not because Ireland could not remain as she was,
that this question was to be conceded. With due sub.

mission to the opinion of others, he thought the best
prospect of Ireland rested on reformation. S 'me
said, how could they hope to controul six millions
of people? His did not wi,h to controul them, but
those who made the question depend on numbers, re-
minded the Hon. Member of an Irishman who said, " I
do not care whether I am right or wrong, but, by St.
Patrick, if.you do not grant what I want, I will set fire
to a train, and we will go to H—ll together." The
Hon. Member did not know whether the Union was for

the advantage of England, but it appeared to him to be
a cloak, undet which a dagger was concealed, ready to
strike at the vitals of the British Constitution. It was
saidt. Achy were Catholics precluded, from seats in
that as sembly? The answer was, because they. were .
disqualified like many
.others. Protestants, couhl ups
sit in Parlia,ent without t yote nualificaticws whiek
I:tbeConstiaturoymoired. Clergy wetreeachidarl.
!—'Why d • nor complain? An-llonentrablit
Member had said) it was not against the Coronation
Oath to.concede this question, and admitting that in-
sertion to be well grounded, he did not think the conces.
skis of the question would pacify Ireland. Several
writers had declared that the establishment of the
Church of Rome in England, was the main object
which the Catholics had in view. He believed that was
the object. His hope was, that the House would open
their eyes, and reflect thit the people of England had
providentially escaped danger which this sect had pre•
pared for them. Using a common proverb, we might
say, a " Burnet child should dread the file." Oppo-
sition to this sect, was the ground on which the
Monarchs of this country had aso-nded the throne.
He entreated the House to consider that the prejudices
as they were called, had once been justly entertained. .
The danger which excited those feelings might again
occur.
Mr. MOORE rose to express his opinion on the
question. It was impossible when that House was '
Called upon to redress a nation's wrongs, for any Mem-
ber to rise without feelings of the better sort. He was
satisfied that if the question was calmly considered, it
would be found impossible to concede it consistent with
regard for civil and religious liberty. The question on
the present occasion came before the House for the
accompllththent of one object only. The Catholic
Claims had formerly been attended by some quali.
fication : some safeguard for the Protestant religion..
Now it hid but one object. The claim was for political
power, unqualified, unbiassed. He might ask that •
Hon. Assembly, whether they were prepared to throw
down at once those safeguards-which the wisdom of 'heir
ancestors had raised, without any scheme of security ?
He, for one, did not refuse to give political power to
Jsßoman Catholic became he held a different tenet.
was not on account of his faith that the Roman
catholic was excluded, but because his tenets allowed
a systeis of dominion under the supremacy of a foreign
Power, exercising a jurisdiction too often directed to
political objects—too often directed to political mea.
sures. That was the reason the Roman Catholic was
refused. He had not relieved himself from that
thraldom, and could not expect from a Protestant
people that share in Government for which they were
disqualified. Mr. O'Connell and others bad said, that
there was no reasonable ground for objecting to
grant the question. It ought to be conceded, it was
said, as a matter of right. Others had urged a com-
pliance with the• Claims of the Catholics on the ground
`of expediency, and that they ought to have all the ad.
vantages of the Constitution. They were not thett,
called upon to consider the elements of a Constitution,
or whether the Constitution was good or not, but the
request was this :—change a Constitution which has
gone on for three centuries upon the principles of
liberty and independence. When the Honourable
Baronet reminded the House of the spirit which
excited men to deeds of arms at Cressy
court, he could go further, and trace
from the Norman Conquest. The wish to ...
and religious liberty had led to the Test and
in the reign of Charles the Second, the Acts
and Mary, and the Toleration Acts. The
betty had raised the British Empire to wh,
had established the Constitution they were
that day to abrogate. The Hon. Member
us the state of Ireland, observed, that he
different from that taken by several

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