Star.
London, England, 1821-03-17 00:00:00

the Himmirable. Member), tbat the queltion of the
IternanCatholiei was-kept 'distinct from that of the
Dissenters. The Roman Catholic was passed by
when the Dissenter was relieved% and when another
occasion subsequently offered itself to the Parlia--
ment to put them on an equal footing, it was not
made use of. In 1793, an Act was passed for the
relief of the Roman Catholics, and it was enacted
that the Roman Catholic should be bound by no
other qualification than the Protestant was liable to.
One would think, that by the operation of such a
provision as this, the Roman Catholic would not be
liable to the Test Act. But to that it was answered,
that the Dissenter was not a Protestant, and that
since the Protestant was still liable to the Test Act,
the Roman Catholic was not therefore exempt from
it. In consequence of this evasion, a Bill was brought
'in for the purpose of explaining the Act of 1193,
which declared that the Protestant was not liable to
the Test Act. The Bill went through the House of
Commons, it was read three times in one day ; in
the Lords, the word not," which was introduced
for the special purpose of explaining the Act 91 1793
was omitted, the Bin went down to the Commons,
and it passed that House unanimously—(Laughter).
Hence it came that the Roman Catholic in Ireland
was to this day subject to the Sacramental Test. He
had stated this to shew that the two questions were
kept distinct, and to shew also how a measure which
was calculated for conciliation, was rendered inef-
fectual by a paltry trick, devised by men .vho
thought it was for the advautage of the country to
perpetuate religious differences—( Hear, Rear).—He
would now proceed to state the nature of. the first
Bill. He proposed to add the oath of abjuration, as
well as those of allegiance and supremacy. This he
hoped would satisfy the most, timid Protestants. If
any mail could point out stronger words to secure
the Civil Authority of the State, he, for one, would
be most happy to adopt them. But he prayed the
House not to look at the Bill with a logical, critical,
and metaphysical eye. He proposed also to alter a
clause in the Bill to prevent the Catholics from ac-
quiring; landed property u ithoat taking the oaths of
abjuration and supremacy. For his own part, he
thought these conditions unnecessary, The oath
would be taken under the old Act of George I. His
object was to have nd division or separation in the
oaths, and therefore it was desirable to have as much
unanimity in this matter as possible ;• but as irwas
thought that there was a strong oath prescribed
already to the Catholics of Ireland, he was very
ready to incorporate that with the other securities.
He wished only to except the Lord High-Chancellor,
the Lord Privy Seal, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland,
from being Catholics, as well as the Prime Minister
of England. He believed the Right lion. Gentle.
man (Mr. Grant) intended to propose. an exception
to Catholics sitting on the Bench ; but with all re-
spect to him, he could not think the arguments
tenable, which might be brought in support of this ;
for, if a Protestant could not be satisfied with justice
from a Catholic Judge, bow could the Catholic be.
pleased with the decision of a Protestant Judge?—
The Catholics of Ireland were, however, satisfied,
and he would not do the Protestants the injustice to
suppose that they were less tolerant. It was right
that the Protestant mind should be thoroughly set
at rest on the subject of the nomination of Catholic
Bishops. They therefore provided that an oathshould
be taken by every Roman Catholic Clergynian that
his Correspondence should be purely on spiritual mat-
ters, and not on civil or state affairs. He believed
that it would be submitted to by the Catholics of Ire-
land, that the Laity should have a share in the elec-
tion of Bishops. The Pope had declared that the
Catholics might give the right of nomination to
Bishoprics to the Crown. He would not -reject
the Dill. if only the tlifling boon were granted
of allowing a Roman Catholic Barrister to wear a
silk gown (a concession which he would gladly ac-
cept if nothing more was granted). In either ofl
these cases, he would not feel himself justified in at-
tempting
to proceed with the second Bill. There was,
one topic more to which he felt it necessary to allude,
namely, the notice of his Ilonourable and Learned
Friend (Mr. Croker), with respect to a provision for
the Roman Catholic Clergy. He trusted that the
proposition would not be persevered in, for he was
sure that the results of it would be mischievous.
When the measure came to work in the country for
some time, and that the minds of the community
were accommodated to it, he was sensible that no-
thing would contribute to make it work kindly and
effectually, so much as a provision of this nature.
But this was not the opportunity. It would not be
fair of the Clergy, it would not be decorous in them-
to be employed in a negotiation about a provision
for themselves, until the rights of their fellow Ca-
tholics were disposed of; and if a proposition for au
allowance to them were to he entertained, until the,
final establishment of the Roman Catholic body in''
the possession of all their tights, they would he liable
to the imputation of bartering away the interests of
the laity, in order to secure an ample provision for
themselves. Besides, he did not think a proposition
of this nature would come well from any quarter,
escept the immediate servants of the Crown. The
arrangement for this purpose was not to be put upon
the Clergy ; it was a measure of grace and favour,
and one which, therefore, ought to emanate from the
Executive branch of the State--(llear).= He begged
the House to recollect that we were now at a season
when the opportunities and facilities existed to the
greatest extent, for the fin:sl adjustment of this irn-'
portant question. When Elizabeth, with that sound
policy which belonged to her councils, attempted tog
bring about conciliation, whilst she had the facilities
of doing so, the secret machinations of her enemies
were at work, and proved too powerful for the ac-
complishment of her design. In the reigns of her
immediate successors, the opportunities were aro
longer open, and, Unfortunately, when the Catholics
did become well affected to the Monarch, the Mo-
narch was not well affected to the country, and they
became obnoxious for their loyalty. In Ireland, the
circumstances of the Roman Catholics were even
less favourable. Before the English force was intro-
duced into' that country, there was a pure, simple
religion flourishing there, unadulterated by any of,
the corruptions of Popery. Popery was brought"
into Ireland by the English. The pure form of Ivor..
ship was dislodged by the English invader, and un-
happily the cut: uptions and superstitions whie„h were
so introduced, found but too copgenial a soil, and
had the most unfortuuito (piths. /grand beciulle