The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-07-26

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,rine as would on account Of difference of religious
OPINIONS iuppoe nations incapable Of all the relations
OF civilized life, would be doctrine fit only TO have
been entertained III dark and fuperitious ages II is
doctrine which only De traced to the wildeR and
mott abominable bigory. When the oaths in queiti-
on were hr;t Propoied, :he time when number of
eonce,ois were be made the Catholics, among
Others, objeaed to them as altogether unnecelary
The hou'e was then of contrary opinion, and the
oaths v ere made condition of the conceiions to be
granted by the Legislature. What then has been the
conequerce Why, Gr, the Catholics have taken the
oaths, their arclbiihops, bhops and inferior clerg
nave taken Them, and m it is contended that all this
viii not iatisty our anxiety for the eceeiiacal ef-
tablthn'ent The Catholics cannot be believed, and
therefore their tettimony is quite nugatory. When
the petition was trtt read the table, did nater my
iet that the explicit declaration of the petitioners,
the ,oaths had been taken, would have made frong
inPreihonon the oufe. Why then are NC row TO bear
that this declaration far from afordig ati,iacion
irecolee, hr, when talking on this fubjeet with 4
much valued friend OF mne, the late Lord Petre,
Whole Preience woud have done honor auy al
iembly, gave my opinion fairly, that to me the
oaths ieemed altogether fuperhuous. He on the O.
ther hand, was anxious that the oths houd be ,aken
as the belt means of doing away thoe ellrnii;ies
winch have beer heaped the Catholic body. My
reply was iimrle tina, it certainly might be very ui
nhacie, nay, perhaps, very proper for the Catholic
body to take tins mode of placing their principles III
fair point of view, but that 1t unworthy oil the
dignity of the Legislature to demand iueh leclara-
non from 70 Numerous ard respectable body. Be
ing ON this part of the iubeGt think it proper to
add that the oaths which 70 much reis Is laid,
have been poSsgely taken BY tour Catholic arehbh-
ops by all the bihops, and by the greater pare OF
the interior clergy. Though my own opinion re-
means unaitered, that the oa lis unne ,eiiary R
the ita;enens now make nuA be conferred as uf-
IS ~ ,h,,
with to deicribe the Catholics as men who have not
III good sarneit renowned their opinions, on which
The reilitancc TO their claims is principally founded
We are told, however, that the Irih Catholics have
already had 10 much ded to then that it is quite
extraor binary to hear them calling for it;l greater IL:
dusences With this idea Cannot poGibly conc ur
and ON the contrary, think that their prelent demands
are hrctiy tonient with every principle of reafon
and every view of human nature When you have
conceded to men certain privileges, il is to be ex
Peced that their defres Of a till more perfect fate
! oil political ituation will be ncreaied. When you
have toa certain degree aimilated one body of the
iuojects OF an empire the other there will necea-
my De created al anxiety to enjoy more perfect
| iimllarity with the ref Of the connunity If the
Catholics OF Ireland RATED from flae of deba
hing oppreion, and refored to the character of men.
1T was not iurely extraordinary that with this nobler
Character which they had obtained, they hould fee!
an ardent will that 1t ihould be accompanied by eve
ry corresponding privilege. Nothing lhort of this
could poihbly atisfy the expectation which had been
excited, and that man mutt fhut his eyes to the ma
ure OF man, and the genius ofthe human mind, who
could not perceive thar the people of Ireland though
IN the hrtt intance they might view the conceGions
afforded them with feelings of gratitude, fill reaet-
ed that they were iubecfs of indhputabe right and
mat Ii what they now claimed was not granted them
very important part of thele rights was withheld.
They could eafiy diainguih betwxt favor
grs''ied 20 an individual, number of indyi,iu
ais, anu = right unjuty denied, and at length con-
cedea TO ;he G-aands OF four millions Of TIE general
population of the country. From the moment that
the eonceions were frit granted to the Catholics.
1t was eaiy TO fee that much more was be required
When the Catholics had gained much, they were
fenlble that they had yet great deal to receive
Will be argued, Sur, that after all you have coz
seeded, what remains is iafely 10 be given up TO
the Catholic body of Ireland , Shall We hear thar
the Catholics dhafeted, or in danger Of diEiTec
ton, and at the fame time fhal we nlt our eyes a.
CAN'T the tact, that in our army and i'll our navy
the!e very Catholics employed, that van bodies
OF the Catholic population employed in arms
to defend Ireland againa any attempt which the
French may mediate againil that part of the En-
Pire? viii any gentleman be bold enough to fay,
that are perfectly fate in truGing to the rude un
cultivated tribes OF Ireland, and that there is any dan
ger in admitting feat III the leglature the hipb
er and more respectable gentlemen in the com
mun,y DO you content to truit the lower ranks
of the lrfh people, and can you have any appreher-
fons of the deigns of Lord Finga and the other no.
blemen and gentlemen whole names are fubfcribed
the petition which forms the fnbef of the motion
with which hall have the honor to conclude ;
ak, Sir, of thOe gentlemen, who oppole the claims
of the petitioners, what deicripon Of the Irii peo
PIE they think unworthy of beng trufed' have
already aid that you in the conant habi, oftru
Dpt the lower orders whole manners apd
render them the mott fubjed fufpcion, while to
the higher ORDERS againR whom none of thefe caufes
of uipicion apply you appear to entertain the ntmoi
degree of eaouiy. You admit the lower orders into
Gtuations which certainly not very well adap,ed
TO iupicon of their loyalty while the higher or
ders, whole loyalty undoubted, were refufed the
enjoyment Of the rights of the hghen of the ctzsns
| OF free country. To thoie from whom we have g.
very thing to fear give nothing, while from thofe
who have every thing claim our confidence, we
withhold what their approved attachment powerfully
demands. Surely, Sir, this is fort Of proceeding
equally contrary TO the principles CT common iuice
and common enie. IL cannot for monlen, be adj
mtted that what Tsfuie is withheld from ienfe
of danger-for If danger really extsd, what is al
ready conceded viii produce all the 9lnrers which
can be anticipated They have had conceded to them
this fundamental principle Of free contribution
that al orders in the fate TO be equal that hey
eDjcy equal riFhts and eqaal acceibi;y to all
political privileges. We have therefore, Sir really
retained nothing which il is OF the leaf Importance
for us 20 keep, but what it is ofimmenfe conequence