The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-03-01 00:00:00

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fires Having thought it his duty to make farther'
eaviries upon the subject, lie would lay the result of
item before the House. His Lordship then read an
retract of a letter to Sir W. A'Cuurt, in which that
.Minister stated that no British agent was present upon
'.e Council of War which was held to determine the
'ate of Murat, and that his death was the same exact-
:3; as that which lie had previously destined for the ad-
herents of King Ferdinand, as appeared by the pro-
clamation found on his person, so that the House
would see that there *as a complete negative given to
she assertion upon which the Hon. General had found-
ed his question.
Sir It. WILSON said, that the explanation was sa-
tisfactory so far as it went; but the report to which
he had adverted stated that a British agent was pre-
emie at the Council which sent Murat to a military
trial and execution. His question, therefore, referred
to the Council at Naples, nut to the Council of
War.
Lord CASTLEREAGH said, he could give a still
more decisive negative to that assertion. fie had nu
hesitation in declaring, that was utterly destitute of
every colour of troth.
CLAIMS OF THE RONIAN CATHOLICS OF litr.r. %\I).
Mr. PLUNKETT said, he held in his it3:1,1 a Peti-
tion, which from the number of signature,, their re-
spectability, wealth, and talent, and hoot tit.• to,tAns
they hal of being acquainted with the sentiewins of
their countrymen at large, he thou lit himself entitle:l
to consider as the petition of the great body of the
Roman Catholics of Ireland, so Lir as it sought redress.
A similar petition was, about a year and a half ago,
hid before the House. It was presented by Isis la-
mented friend Mr. Grattan, and it carne before the
House supported not only by the into ity of his great
name, but hy the resistless fr.ree of his eloquence. It
was not his design at that moment to attempt to ex-
press those feelings with which his heart was filled by
elle name of that excellent man, or to trouble the
House with the declaration of his sentiments to the
tiiend by whose confidence he bad 'seen honoured—by
whose wisdom he hail been enlightened, and hy whose
example lie hail seen guiilcd. His eulogy was already
pronotinceil;by lips whose eloquence he would not dis-
parage by attempting to rival it. These honours,
which his sett hes to his native country had deserved
were amply rendered to his tont; by the high and li-
beral of this country : and Iris death, like his life,
was a bond of convention between the two countries.
lie would not weaken these eulogiums, cr disturb the
solemnity of his obsequies, by any feeble praise and una-
vailing sorrow of his. The subject to which he was haw-
diately about to call the attention of the House, was one
in which that good man felt earnestly. It took early
possession of his heart and feelings, and kept heel( in
thew to the last moment of existence. Even at his
latest hour, he would have willingly laid down his
life in asser.in4 the rights and liberties of his native
land. But deeply al he felt this question, as a friend
to his native t wintry, yet be had always considered it
in a more extended point of view: h felt that it was
an imperial question—one on which the liberties and
happiness of all the subjects of the British Empire
were involved. Mr. Urattan was alive to wise—to
that fame which attended upon virtuous conduct. It
clung to him whilst on ear:l; ; yet if he felt "That
last infirmity of noble minds," no eau ever more
deeply despised that hollow and heartless popularity
which was won by subserviency, and retained by a
darelictirm of ptinciple.—(Cheers.)—lie would coun-
tenance no underhand mans fur obtaining suacess,
and he felt that the question could never be carried,
unless the Protestant mind was thorottelily reeoneileil
t.) its justice and policy.—(Cheers.)---lot fellowing- the
eteps of that great titan. at a humble and ineasareles,
distance, he (Mr. P.) could only say thin he was actu-
ated by the same conviction. He conclitticii by :novice;
that the Petition be brought up.
Mr. JAMES BROWNE seconded the motion.
•The Petition was then read, laid on the tobie, au l
ordered to be printed.
Similar petitions were presented by Mr. I's ys-
PLITT from the Roaion Catholics of the paiis'oes of
Andrew, St. Mark, it. Anne, and St. Peter's, Dublin ;
avid another from the Homan Catholics of the County
and City of Waterford, which were read, and ordered
to be printed.

CATHOLIC FATANCIPATION.
Me. PLUNKETT said. that as one of tli 111.,:heq..
itolkinnst distinguished honors hail dcv.titt.i ni nal lai,A,
it. tennined tor hint to discharge Lis duty as a Aic:t.h..:
of that House, by bringing under its consiaLtrati.an the
laws telating to the C.Aliolies of the Lad:y.l Kitp:tlr.:A,.
4:n behalf of Pr-testacts as well as Catia-iies, he
called upon the !louse. as Close laws teere titmly dan-
gerous to the one party as to the other. ilis 05ject
vas to attain the end of public goo-1, by an a:t of
.;:ss-
t* cf.; anti if such was his object, it would he sur.• to
Jar the foundation of concord ; beeattse coact r• 1 w.ts
Cte consequence ofjustice. It would also pristine,. anse
ftelinos which resulted from the warmth of grac.,.11.1,
Acd Outlast inference was a matter of ca;:sitl,•r.
%lough by HO means equal to the other iniptiallL i:e-
lAits to be expected. AI unit discontent upon getter:ll-
-a:abject' vs-oathd be allayed ; but the qtte,tioa was not
a .:itated with that view. To believe that it was
Lrought forward for the purpose of allaying any dis-
c,:ntent, or any irritated feelings which tni;lit prevail.
uas to undervalue the motives of the p.trties jute:-
es/ell in its success. That a most anxious desire of
Lei:outing partakers of hritish freedom, hid exist on
their parts, he shou tt be asha-ned to leny ; neither
uould he say that there was not arsonal.st them a degree
of feverish sickness. created by I. 1:0;ie alarm il,"
which had been the cause of great awl io iz continuc.l
uneasiness. It was nut when tile wind of the tempest
tirst ceased to blow that the waves would cease to roll.
Aunt whether any discontent existed ur nut was not the
question which claimed their attention. It was their
duty to consider whether an injustice towards a large
portion of the people had not been done, and if so,
to atone for it. Whether laws injurious to them did
not exist, and if so, to obliterate them. This was
what he called upon the House to look at, and if they
found these burthens pressing heavily and unneces-
sarily upon any, the smallest portion of the people, it
was their duty to take uteastires fur their relief. Mt:
if they found them weighing neon a most itnpulant
and extensive branch of the population, they ought not
--Anent in taking steps which sruuid release
their situation. It had been objected from
to that these individuals were not agreed as
at or nature of the measure to be proposed or
it their relief. lie tvuul,l take the liberty of

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