The Statesman.
London, England, 1810-06-07 00:00:00

dune so already, and during the last buudred years
hid the slightest endeavour to sow disaffection '
amongst his Majesty's Catholic subjects, been ith...l
word to the Court of Rum& It had been said,:
however, Ist, that beyond illother States on the
Continent, Ireland was itillufneed, and controut-
eil by the Papal power. Secondly, that therewas
no country in Europe in Which the population
was in a state of greatietlependance elven, their
clergy ; and 341 y, that the Catholic Hierarchy
bad more the conduce of the Irish populace in
their hands, than the law or any other influence
whatever. lie did nut believe the first of these
positions to be founded in fact ; but at any rate, 1
their Lordships had the means of making this at.
tachment completely itinoxious, by removing the
cement of exclusion, and giving the Catholics
an additional motive of allegiance to the State.
To the other two propositions, from his own
personal knowledge in some extensive districts,
he must 'refuse his assent in the most unqui-
lified manner. The fact was, and it was deeply
to be lamented, that the influence of the Catholic
Clergy in the feelings and conduct of the lower
ciasses of their community, lud greatly and avow-
edly declined. Depcndaut as the Catholic Pastor
wis'epon the precarious liberality of his flock, for
daily bread, where was the principle of this in.
toence to be found ? With respect to the Hier.
archy, What means Of influenci:ig could they pos.
sess, except through the intervention of the Parish
Priests ? A more exemplary body of men than this
Hierarthy did not exist in the Unites! Kingdom.
Ile lamented fhe decline of the influence of the
Cethulie Cler4y upon the Catholic Population,
and should hail its return as a benefit of the great-
est value. With respect to that ill-fated Pete the
Introduction of which into the Catholic vocobulary
lie witnessed with sincere regret, he could only say
for hinisert, that he wanted no additional severity ;
but he was equally ready to acknowledge, that it
was the bounden duty of the Catholic, whenever
the happy moment of conciliation should arrive,
to go the full length his religion would permit him,
to. quiet the scruples, however groundless and
Imaginary, of the 'Protestant Legislature: The re.
cent adulation: of the Counties of Kildare and
Tipperary, and of the General Comdittee, at.
forded evidence most convincing that such was
ihu cordial feeling of the Catholic Body, and
which hu was persuaded their Prelacy would be
toady to nieet with corresponding feelings on their
put, anti what wit dot less satisfactory, they did
out appeat• to foresee any difficulty in effectuating
those arrangements Which the present unfottlinate
situation of the Holy See would, certainly render
most desirable, perlsapt indispensible, in the view
of some attached friends to the measure. Whcn.
ever that moment shotild arrive, he trusted it would
be recollected, lst, That they could not expect to
dispatch the spiritual rights of the Sovereign Pon.
tiff by the formality of a few negative words in a
restrictive provision, without his own previously
obtained consent. And ?Ally, that till the Catholic
religion should cease to exist, the doctrines and
discipline df that Church must continue to be
united under uhe and the same kola. Hu wished,
however, to be understood, that he spoke from no
authority but that of hit own mind, and that he
was trot the Charge d'Affaires of any man or body
of men, lay or ecclesiastical. He had thus en.
deavoured to state the grounds on which he founded
his argument for granting to the Catholics a full
and' complete participation in every right, privi.
lege,.and immunity of the British Constitution ; in
dung which, like the quality of that endearing at.
tribute of Omoiputent Power, their merciful dis.
pensatioesliMildlialp twice blessed in him • that
gives and.Un. that .receives, in the deliverance of
ettfranchised..Cathoiic millions front unmerited in-
snit and :degradatiote, in the increased and
assored•seeerity of that' keotestant Slate, present-
ing to every insolent menet°, of the imphicable,foe
to the British wow auJ greatnese, a wall of atlas
mitikin the uncenquerableonergies of an united
people. Respecting the Pytitious of the English
Catholics, he hail carefully abstained ceops offer-
ing any observation, pot, feeling that telae, causes
which he hatl.heen pleading required thwaid even
Of their acknowledged respectability,, „and he
was appreheusive of weakening by the indiscreet
zeal of a feeble advocate, the force of. ;that
appeal to their Lordships' jestice and feelings,,
uhich the English Catholics had so wisely come
snitted to the experienced abilities of the Noble
Earl. lie could not, however, permit the present
occasion to pass without registering dig tribute of
his humble testimony to that undeviating tenor
of unshaken loyalty to the King, and zealous sub.
mission to the law, which slander itself had never
dared to assail with its unhallowed breath, and to
those hereditary claims to private regard and pub.
lic confidence which had ever distinguished that
blameless and meritorious portion of his Majesty's
subjects. His Lordship concluded by moving to
refer the petition of the general body of the Irish
Catholics, and the other petitions from his Ma.
jost)'s subjects of that religions persuasion upon
the table, to a Cemmittee of the whole House.
The Earl of CL MCCARTY opposed the going into a
Committee, and read, in the conrse of his speech, sundry
pissases (ruin res,ilut ions of the 'testi Catholic Bishops, phew.
ine their deentiou to the Papal See, the head of which was
alw in the power of Bonaparte. The Irish Catholic church
in fact, contended fur Papal supremacy to a greater de-
gree than that of any other minim in Europe. lie admitted,
not wititsiatAing. that it was vain and tin:tactical:le to nt-
tempt.the abolition of that religion in !retried, rind wished
that mine arrangement eineld be adapted. Ills Lordship,
after many other remarks on the object, expressed himself
f, irodly to a public provision for the Cmholic Clergy : but
103 sumo veal formed and proposed, he should object
to going into a Committee.
Lord EnsK feefessed himself among the warmest Mp-
h rr n s to Protestant*ns in which. from his cradle, lie bad
been brought up. It might be the erre of prejudice, bat be
did not Wok churn mere prejudices. that led Mai to :erradi
the Papal siiperifition as having been the gleams du
upon the bentomistat effects of Christianity attouanklad,
since our Saviour came into the world. But he 'lettered that
the Paint superstition and the Roman Catholic faith were not
pe•ci,:etv the wine thing. A Mead of his wise was of the
Roman. Catholic persuasion, and with w bons he bad conversed
mach on the subject, had put into his lauds a book from
which hi. Lordship rend several pats.ages, which to his mind
appeared suficieut to justify hen in voting for going into
the Committee. In that honk the superior Catholic Clergy
load iti.tinctly, and ratline God to witness, declared their
ally in the • civil estaWiokinent, and the Coostitutional
&nerds's of this kingdom. They bad also disavowed, so-
lean tv, all obedience tit bolls and receipts issued by the
Papal power, intder confinement, andto any eleetlanof the sac-
ces.or of the Pontetnot rev:lndy and dusomealtleizt. In the
acme of that God whum they imolai, said ha ip, what