Star.
London, England, 1828-02-07 00:00:00

highest confidence that his-. Administration would .
fraught with thezreatest adnnteges to the theint
r
`tone of his Molestfs
Wbatev9peeth,Cr.ofill.iighlicithilbsei. n
mrstcitnhfeess that he did not alto:"
rater approve, he felt quite certain "that the Adtql,
nistratien of the Noble DuktwOuld effectually supports
the honour.and interests of the country, both at home
and abroad, much more' effecuelly than the last, which
fell to pieces, not as the Member for Westminster
observed, from want of confidence in its own poweis,
bet from its real imbecility. Hi never recollected any,
Administration so wholly and completely imbecile. He
knew, from the manner in which it was constructed,
that it would not be in.the power even of that great
Minister now -no more (Mr. Canning) to keep such
heterogeneous materials together for two years. This he
predicted at the time, and his prediction was now
happily fulfilled.
Mr. SPRING RICE said, that in rising to offer some.
ebservatioasem what bad fallen from the Hon; Member
wise spoke last, he was disposed to regard that Hen.
ifienaber as the embodied spirit of all tilose who were
Opposed to the claims of the Roman Catholics. He felt
the utmost respect for the Hon. Baronet and his cosi-
aions ; but his respect for him was not so genetal as to
consider his opinions on a point of law as quite decisive,
particularly when opposed to the opinion of others
sham he looked upon as more competent judges in a
matter of this kind. The, reasoning of the Gallant
Officer (Genera). King). • and of those who succeeded
I him on the same side, was founded merely on their own
assertion, that .the Association wasillegal. There was,
however, stronger and better opinions than theirs on this
point. The Association. had been now going on for two
years, daring the greater part of which, with the ex-
ception of the short periol that the late Administration
was is power, the present Secretary for the Home De.
partmeot was in office. If that Right Hon. Gentleman
considered the Association to be illegal, it was not very
libely that he would have neglected his duty by ab-
staining from instittiting.proceedings against it. Lord
Manners was another material witness in the cause.—
Would he, holding the situation he did in Ireland, and
holding such opinions as he was known to entertain)
have acquiesced in the proceedings of the Association,
and sanctioned them by such acquiescence. .if he con-
sidered' them illegal? Hishould Wield, know in what
respect the Association was illegal ? Was it in inquiring
into the interests of its Constituents, and expressing opi-
nions on national concerns ? If so, they were not muse
,guilty than other• bodies, which met for 'similar pun.
poses:The Hon. Baronet who spike last,gave his sanction
to the Committee which sat id Palace-yard to hold con-
sultations and disseminate their opinions on the subject of'
the Corn Laws. If the Catholic Association, with Mr.
O'Connell at its head, was illegal, what prevented the
Palace Yard Association, with the. Hon. Bart.-acid Mr.
Webb Hall at its head, from being illegal ? He was.*
hostile to -the Catholic Association as any of those Hon.
Gentlemen who had spoken against it. Such a body
was pregnant with danger. Its proceedings brought
the connection between the two countries into pail by
exciting exasperation and discontent. These were always
his opinions on the subject, the. opinions he always exr I
pressed., But how was the evil to be got rid of ? The
experiment had been made, but the absurd Act intro-
duced• for the purpose of getting rid of the difficulty
proved wholly ineffectual. He did not know whether
any attempt would be made to renew the Act in the-
present Session. finch should be the case, he felt con-
fident that Ministers would find it very difficult to pre-
vail on the House to concur in such a proposition....,He
wished all such associations should be put down, who.
they beaded by Agricultural Demagogues is Pa-
lace Yard, or Catholic Demagogues in Dublin. Two
of the wisest, at least two meet Able and esperiea-
cod lawyers had been employed to frame that Bill.
but it was found totally ineffectual, and so he con&
deafly predicted would every similar measure. It
would • very speedily be' rent in atoms, unless, in•
deed, they issued a general prohibition against meet-
ing, speaking, writing, or reasoning ; bet esen then they-
could not stop the current of feeling, and even if they
succeeded in preventing the expression of it, the heart
would still be left ulcerated) and he must be a very bad
lodge of human nature, must know nate. of the natural
victi king 6 of the mind, who was not aware that the state
to which it had been thus blasphemously attempted to
reduce a people, was one fraught with the mostimmii
sent danger. With respect to intimidation, the whole
life °This gallant Friend (General King) proved 'that lie
was rialto be opirated upon by such considerations..
He trusted there did sot exist **tithe House any Hon.
Member who could be prevailed upon by threat. to vote
against his conviction. Those lush Members whci
supported the Catholic Claims were as independent of
the votes of Roman Catholics as they who oppoied them.
They supported the question from the deep conviction ed.
their beasts that was founded in justice and sousdpri..
licy. They pressed the subject last Session as streenously
es now—sin the opinion of some, perhaps usepte ant.
i ' t
jar
seam. That it did not succeed arose from no change of
nion on the part of those who were lately in power. a
appealed to all who heard him, whether. their opinions
were not the same, whether skirts on that or the other
side of the House? Bat the fact was, the question bail
gone by at the period of the Session` when a. change of
Ministers took place. The question' was tob large,
too important to be made a mere party-question, either
for the purpose of endeavouring to embarrpss an Ad-
ministration, or from thepaltry consideritign of obtain.;
ing the patronage and emoluments of dace- Gnu for-1
bid that any person should be so grovilling as, upon a
question affecting the dearest interests of the empire. to
be influenced by any such motives, ctir by any.pepulariti'
he might gain fsm the part he look on such a Subject:
It had been said that the present evils of Ireland *rose
entirely from the want of employment. ' Hi was far
from entertaining such an opinion: While a people
were in wretchedness, tbeit sputt Might be SO broken en
to suhtnit Without much. difficulty to tbeirsrlongs...
That prosperity, which must be the natural ,result of
employment, would-ony increase the danger, by giving
Mate means aced moss .vigour to the spirit of discontent.
which all mast feel who do not stand upon an equal'
Wain with their fellow subjects.. He .regretted that
11116.qm:2am had bean at all mixed up with the. Aden.
.
. •, • • which they.had beau mated was to be coa-
deatui Stip a prim** of complete naatrality. They
elonshi WO sae whisker that principle would be. ob.
veil. Fa his put be amid . mate the measures
Ise. Gelfalbeilla ifs he did thine under the Ardministta.
• . . otlordLiaerpool. sad give them his hearty sap.
farts If 14 considered them beadicial to the country.
...yla did not suppose that them etisted in the Cabiii
An uncompteinuing Opposition- to eke C
Claims. Events would enable them to judge.
friends of. the Catholics-did not provoke this discretion
bet *WO *Mannino were offered and summate made
lomat to their, application, they were .oaturally led to
saarair,thein. and Mould bo always ready-to dose.
sit JOH*I 1111r4GES,Iinitsivanstioa. stated, that
on wiseq,.?atithilis hid oft twee ' *randy pare et taw
*Session ss. Nis.. - • • - z.,-- -
Mr. FERGUSON soido.biloitieuvisoid• that wain