The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-06-23 00:00:00

1

C.ll

produce dissension. The proposition of Mr. Can-
ning might be termed a motion of concord; almost
an universal expression by the House of Commons.
that the wishes of the Protestants and Catholics
should be considered, and such relief afforded as was
consistent with the safety of the Church : a concilia-
tory arlinstment was the object which every friend to
lreleinP:ind in view. By this resolution of concord,',
the House voted the nation one people ; it was a de.
claration by the people of Great Britain pf cordiality
• and affection to their brethren of Ireland.—[Hear,
Is ar!]--Such a generous proceeding could not fail
of producing a corresponding, effect in the minds of
the natives of that island. The natural change of
opinion upoti this great topic, had been produced.by
several causes : Ist, By repeated discussions in Par-
liament; 2d, By the death of Mr. Perceval ; 3d,
By the determination expressed in a high qattrter
to favour the claims; 4th, By the strong mino-
rities procured on recent occasions in support
°fait accommodation, by which the Protestants should
shake hands with the Catholics of Ireland. That
events might produce such variations, was proved sa-
tisfactorily by reference to transactions in the Irish
Parliament, ill which he bore a share, where, in one
Session, he was seconded oily by 25 Members in
the cause now on the verge. of success, and in the
meat was supported in his motion by the unanimous
vote of the House. The truth was, that the times
had changed, and what appeared on the first view
datigers, on future inspection proved only to be un-
real cuimeras. lie wished the (louse, however, to
reieember, that in acceding to a motion for the con-
sideration of the Claims of the Catholics, it made it-
s. If responsible for the failure of the proceeding,
theuld such failure unfortunately occur ; he there-
fore entreated that Miuisters on the one hand would
not &mend any unnecessary securities, and that the
Catholics on Nee other would not oppose any frivolous
objections.—plaor, hear 1-11 is anxious wish was,
that these who, from frequent communication with
the C.tholic batty, were best acquainted with the
subject, should be called to the aid of the Ministers
for the purpose of carrying the object into effect,
awl not of continuing disputes, the bitter fruits of
which were every day tasted. It was his intention,
during thi. next Session, to propose a Committee to
prepare a Bill for the removal of the existing penal
laws, but he should much prefer to see the matter
conducted by the Cabinet, whose exertions in the
cause he would willingly and strenuously second.
Lord CAiTLEIMAGII said, that he was very
happy that he had given way to the Hight Hon. Gen-
tleman, who, on this occasion, as well as on every
former discussion of the subject, had treated it in that
tone that was the most likely to reconcile all parties,
and produce the most favourable result for the cause
he so ably advocated. It would be the business of
another Session to go more Minutely into this ques-
tion ; at present, however, he thought it so far ne-
cessary to explain the reason of his vote, as that they
should come to the discussion next Session with a
fuller know ledge of each other's opinions. It was
now a great number of years since he had first de-
clared himself friendly to the measure, but an ob-
stacle then existed which made the attainment of it at
that time impracticable. While it existed, no agita-
tion of the subject in Parliament could have been at-
tended with any public good. That obstacle, however,
no loneer existed, nor was there at this moment any
obstacle that he was aware of between the wisdom of
Parliament and execution of any measures they should
resolve on. He therefore thought, the time for
bringing the subject into discussion was now arrived;
seed it' no other Member had brought it forward, he
should have thought it his duty to do so. Thetime for
its dismission was so clearly arrived, that he did not
think that any Goverment could now be formed that
would resist the agitation of the question. Belted been,
even ,before the Union, so fully convinced that the
claims of the Catholics must ultimately be granted, if
Ireland had continued a separate kingdom, that he
bored that theUttioe would have itnmediately got rid of
evevy difficulty; and he certainly thought it would have
'been. much better if the Catholic question had been
finally settled at that time. The Union left so many
anomalies in the empire, that it could not be supposed
that things would stand still there. Officers holding a
cor.ain rank in !relate!, and losing when they left it.
Irish Catholics being exempted from most of the penal laws,
which still were in fie ce ag stost English Catholics, against whom
there was not the slightest imputation. These were asoinalies
that cotunnon sense required to have corrected. As to the con-
cessions which lie wished from the Catholics, he certainly never
did wish any to he made which were contrary to their honour or
the it religion. There cool,' be nothing gained by the degrada.
lion of any sect. He. therefore, never looked for any other se-
etiritios hot in such principles as bad been recognised in all other
Catholic countries, und even contended for by the Catholics
themselves against the excessive influence and power of the Pope.
When he considered what a stand was male by our ancestors
against the unjust pretensions of the Pope in the days of Edward
the First, he could not but think that at the time of the Reforma-
tion, they had most ellsely and unwisely placed their reliance on
pen it laws. An Hon. Gentleman had represented the Pope as
a very feeble inst-ument even in the hands .1 the enemy. He
. could not allow, however, that he was feeble in Ireland, where
lm s bad perhaps more power than in any other country. Ile
would, however freely c infess, that he never knew of the
See of Rome having done any thing in the exercise of its eccle-
siastical authority in Ireland, hut what was perfectly fair and
reasonable. pleat. hear But although it had hitherto con-
d acted itself in a way that no fault could be found with It, it
did not follow that if a future Pope should be absolutely nomi-
nated by Bonaparte, that the ecclesiastical influence of Use Pope
might not be very much abused in Ireland. This was a danger
which should be guarded against; and in that ease, without
denying the Pope to be their spiritual head (which was a
train tenet of their religion) the correspondence between the
Bishops and the Pope ought to he carried on in so open and un-
di•gnised a manner as not to give reasonable alarm to the State. ,
It was evident that the correspondence between theta should he
so conducted as thit the State might be secure, that there was °
no other correspondence with a Pope being
Hea subject of our ene-
my. e' ept on matters of the r religion.thought the neces-
sary corrospondence 'night and ought to be carried on above
b Ird, and through tae medium of the State. He was con-
vin:ted that half concessions to the Catholics would never be
sunicieut, amid that t me not acceding to their claims would throw
the gr. at Catholic body into the hands of every agitator. He,
therefore, ebouid support the first Resolution of time Rught Hon.
Gen.lenutolo th- fattest extent. As to the second Resolution,
hue. e er, that .he Resolutions should be laid before his Royal
BielLuess' " he shouli have o objection to its being so commu-
nicated ; but ao thought it too maca to reqvire an instrnction t
the Cabinet to recommend the measure, WIWI) it was known that
the «pi. ions of tof the Caiuinet were ag..inst it. This wo-ld
be as far as td say, that the Government must be so mo-
delled as to roasi4 sof persons friendly to the Petitioners- , and
baying weir confidence. He must say, however, that he kpew •
nu disposition in any quartor to oppose the influence of Govern-
mein to those clai.us ; awl as for himself, with the fullest and
most sincere desire to have the claims of the Catholics acceded
Lts he should 'oe very bappy between this ead the nest Session
to confer nit,' any fleotleman on the other side, as to the best
Jonas of eatit.,l-g them, and as to the nature of' those sees-
ri ire, whist', when the Catholics were admitted- late the Coo-
at:nation, would securities fur theta as well as far the Pro-
tnants.
Mr. T/ItItNEY thought, that the Noble Lord,
alter the years that he had professed himself a wits
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