Star.
London, England, 1829-03-06 00:00:00

101'

r

of stairs, and from that moment, during the remaiatter.
of his life, the Cabinet acted on the principle of hosts'.'
lity to the Catholic Claims certainly, but not 'ids a
view to perpetuity, or even permanency. During
_that
period Lord Castlereagh and Mr. Canning were MM.
bets of the Government, and only acted with it on the
groand that the hostility to the Catholic Claims was
not to beperpranent. In the month -of May, 1812, Mr.;
Perqeial lost his life, and then another consideration,
which had its rise almost co-incidental with his'
death, sprang up—l mean the ' termination of the
Regency restrictions. A change respecting this ques•
'trio then took place, which was by some attributed to
the 4eath of Mr. Perceval, but which, in fact, had its'
:origin More in the Other satire. It may be said that,
hid Mr. percevateentinued to live, the policy of the
Cabinet respecting the Catholic Claims would have re.
'Mained Unchanged. I doubt this assertion. But to re-
turn. Soon after the expiration of the Regency Restric-
tionsone month after the death of Mr. Perceval—the
Foliar:sent which had been elected in 1807 was dis-
solved, and on the nest division on the question this
)4se resolved By a majority of 189, to take the Ca-
thilic Claims into consideration. I therefore think that
elven hid Mt. Perceval lived be could not have con-
tinaed to conduct the Government of the country on
iitlier term,; it .I.ord Castlereagh and Mr. Can.
nag !rapid not have remained members of such a Go-1
iiiinmeet. Since 1812, and op to the commencement
of this' pieseht Session of Parliament, the Catholic gam
Lion has been made what was called a neutral question;
that is, every member of the Administ‘ation was al-
lowed to take what part he thought proper in the deci.
eines' of le; Daring that period the Cabinet was can-'
itiody.divided on the Subjrct. Sometimes there were
ievonifitamt Concession to stn for it ; at other times the
biladki Ot‘tlie contrary siJe; at others *ill The
Cabinet gins eqsallydivided. As as inevitabli con.
legumes tberi were, during the same time, Lords
Lieutenants of -Ireland and Secretaries taking dif-,
hien' irieirs.t, And Attorneys General and 83licitors'
General also opposed to each other on the same question
...t(Heat). 'Her pabiie men bring.divicled, it necessarily
Fa 'wed that lieland should exhibit division and con-
fission. Inferences have been drawn from speeches de-,
livered inParliament on the shbject utterli unwarranted.l
.--The apparent weakness of the party for concession j
arose out of want of enerily and. the divided nature of
the Government. Mane Incoureniences and evils were
felt from this, therefore necessarily unsettled,. state of
the question.,, Was that not a powerful reason for at-
tempting some other ?—(Hear). What has passed in
this'Hiniie within a compaiitively short period?
holdin my hand accounts of the divisions that have.
tikeis place here on the Catholic Question within the
last ten years, which, with the leave of the House, I
shall rea.i. i have already said that four out of five
of the Unusei of CoUirryins that have sat since 1812
had conic to detiiions lel:min of the CatholiC Qom-
tin's.... One Houle of .Commons did reject the Catholic
Claims by a majoriti. 010 t 0241. that !lathe single
in in -which a. Holes, of Comatose. within the

..stance .
._.__
._ ,_ ___
pei iod of 'whiCh [ speak;tecided.idversely to ffilktiatlto!
lic Claiins; every other was favourableto them at one
period or Other. In 1819 there was,: as I have just said, a
os.jiniiy of twriagainst concession.' In 1821 there was a
in ij iiity if nineteen in favour of it. In 1822 a Bill in
fagots, *rf the ' R 6,... caiholic Claims passed this Housed
by a 16,4 esity of five.' In 182# the question was not
discussed. In 1625 them was a majority of twenty-one
in favour of concession. In 1826 the general election
took .place. In 1827 the pretent House of Commons
detided agaliest the Catholic Claims by a majority of
leer; but last jeir theie was in this house a majenity
of six in faiOur 61 them. What was hisllajesty is Go-
✓ rum nt to do under theseciteumstance2theCatiinet
equikily divided=the 11:itise of Commons neatly sn.—
B.'„ with relit ct to the pleeent House of Commons,
which was elected in 1828, I shall ask, is this House an
unfair representation of public opinirn upon the Cabo.
lie Qeiestion? Was it not elected at a period when the
poblic Mind wai sufficiently alive to the question--
(Hem). It was eletted in 1826. Its predecessor hid
twite carried Bills through tads House for the removal
(tithe disabilities of the Woman Catholics. This House
of C-Mmoni was eleCtediiiimeeliately after a discussion
of the Roman Catholic Question. Public attention had
been therefore folly iwakined to it. Within one year
pteviously it had hecuine necessary to introduce Bills,
the objet of which was, the Suppression of the Catholic
Ass, claw's. Onthe ' first a debate took place in this
Hems., 'which occupied five nights. If; therefore, the
public were determined to prevent the future agitation.
of that question, the period of the general election was
the time tahive declared and cartied such determination.
It is' somewhat bard to be compelled to fight battles pessi
Seedy destitute of the necessary materials. It is some-
what
hat tut catry on a'Gtivernmein divided in itself. as
well with divided Honsei Of Parliament. It is some-
what hard to fight a battle "Wick those materials with
which only it could be successfully 'fought. lam told.
" the conotty is against the batholit Claims." ThiS ii
a Sets, recent chseovery. If it were title, it ought to
have beendeclisted in the proper and Unequivocal way
by roil:the meetings in eirety'patish, and peeseissW, by
the esertise of the eleetive ft aiseliise--(Hiar). Publie
opidirin not being decterid'aileeree to the Catholic
Claims, it is not fair.thereiore, tii'thissiy spost'aoiest?.-
, mem tLe'entire responsibility 'of 'resistance to them"-,
I. asked-Out '.l mere-cunoittly, fat I' was utterly ignorant,
of the fact, ['edged an tin. Friend the day befoloyes-
terday, taking the tepreiriitation of the 15 coniatio of
England possessing the litgest' popitlitiOsi 'end that of
the twenty largest mini toketber, what 'Was the result
with.tespect to their 'votes on this question, for the put-i
pose of ascertaining the sentimenti of the electoti of,
thole pluses, ,in hider to duvet my judgment—oh/10T,
1 we. &thief:aides! opein *hoodse blOe ul contieped,
teitatance to the' Catholic Claim mirk° rest, t.) ago.'
tell Op* what grounds it had beep urged thee the
voice of the people caul.* be said to bare been ilm.-t,
utistnimifii against this 9nestion? ' my lion. Friend
made the mutilation which. Pith be leave in the
Hail*, I shall state, first observant/ Chat the counties
toe townhselected were theses op account of their
suiterfor trent and amount • frialition—(Heal).....'
Tlie augment I shall 'found. on this practical eirarl
take to be onanswefahle. Olt What princtele, I will ailt,
the Heti. Gentlemen litho c'hillS•
,Is the Guyer oMilit of
Iceland to be eat, ierf A, if in' city is refused' intO the
manner in Which the Ptotestaat (relit% of the cowboy
basiteen dem 'roil r :led in' ihdOnltitray to which it could
be sorililiOle to ft ? In the House Comiiimis electeill
in 10261)4 .feillowing- ctietitiii kierclied the electisai
ft andbise in seMilog pet ions lospeak their seolinsents go
this qiiestirin ii'rirliante: t in theleillf,:tiing matinee-,
The Omar of TOM iioeased 'no opinion, hiCause it
sent tiro Members 'Who 'vote for, grid trio Who vo
agisiask the CrifiellieViiiitniNt. ratker„ iti opini;to goes:
ha Main ; hot, sit Mei& the worse et**, f..iisnailiillAil
eimeietbeed' it' is lisiicioribk ' it; 'those fief
W I Slisdthe' sense. Of tfid ioutitrY favodratil is ilitn;
why should I Ciontifilitinfleiabliin'aiy Opjiti-'
' / Is thus steakin lana guilty of no isnot-

.- --
question,
. sums taxi'
11111111110___