The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-05-22

free to offer their advice on this important quef-
ton, 70 alfo, will anfwer for every individual
OF them, they came into Office with hncere
defire, while they adhered to their principles,
to avoid every fotjea that might prove repug-
nant to thofe feeling, which they were bound,
~ every motive of duty. of affection, and of
attachment, to refpeet. Hear! bear! hearf
This, Sir, was the Rate Of the cafe their OPT
Mons on the Catholic Oueftion were well
known; but they hoped, by conciliatory
mode Of government, to keep tina. queRion at
ref.
For long time no difficulty occurred at
length, towards the end of lalt year, fome cir.
cumtanees took place in the Weft of Ireland
tie mott valuable, and very much fear that
mum add, the mott vulnerable part of the En-
pire-which called upon his MajeRy's Mini,ters
for attention, and which trongly excited the
anxiety that fuch circumstances mutt naturally
excite. Unwilling to ufe that force which, but
two days after the meeting of this Parliament,
was trongIy recommended by pevfon in this
Houfe, who was too impatient to wait for the
operation OF more lenicnt mcafures, his MajeE
tvs MiniGers hoped, and that hope was graft
fed, to reduce the fpiri of dilturbance that had
been manfeffed by vigorous ezertion of the
power of the laws alone, without referring to
any Incorporate proceedings occur
renee, however, naturally led to the conGdera-
ton Of fome meafure, which might at once give
fatisfaction tn the people OF Ireland, and
ftrengtheD the means and policy of the empire.
Various were the proportions that were agitat-
ed in the Cabinet, but the one which was deem
ed to be the NOT obvioufly advantageous, was
that, Sir, which bad the honour to recommend
to the adoption of this Hoxle. 1t appeared to
Us calculated TO be highly beneficial to the En-
pire at large, by atfording the means of recruit
ing, to the ereateR poifib!e extent, the Army
and Navy, from which 70 many perfons are now
excluded by what we conceive to be weak
and i'll underfood policy.
1t appeared to us calculated to be highly be-
neficial to Ireland, for the reafons which have
before ftated in this HOMIE, a, tending to tran
quilize that country, by holding out to the
gentry the profped of ri(ing in the military and
naval fervices, and thus attaching them to this
country, and alto by ahordng vent to the
perhaps fuperabundant population of Ireland,
and thus drawing from the very fouroes of diff.
content, the means of frcnsth and union
Thefe, Sir, were the motives by which we were
attuated. 1t is furely not necenary to repeat,
and yet the bafe arts which are practifed with
70 much indutry may make it uiefuI to repeat,
that in this meafure our Object was not to in
wade, but to fecure, the etablfhment of the
Empire.
IF Ireland were rendered infecure, the eitab-
liihments of England would be expofed to
greater danger than any which could politely
refut from fuch boon to the Catholics.-H,
under fuch circumstances, fuccef.fui iDvaion
of Ireland by the enemy were to take place, |
call upon thof. who accufe us Of endangerns
The Establishments Of this country, in Gods
name, to coniider to what hazard thoie citab-
ments would then be fuhject. Sir, while this
mea(ure was under the confederation of his Ma
,jeRy's Minfters, letters were received from the
2 Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, in which his Grace
itated, that difpohion had arifen among the
Catholics o proftcute the claims that they had
10 lately and 70 UNNECESSARILY urged in the I'm.
peral Parliament. Sir, WAS the known fup-
porter of thofe claims, but could not avoid
conlidering the proiecution of them at that mo-
ment az mott impolitic. AZ far as my private
opinion went, / did frongiy recommend the
dlfcontnuance of any fuch attempt. The par
rial Azure then under contemplation appear
ed admirably fuited to induce that difcontin,i-
ance, and that diicontinuance was effected.
Such, fir, were our inducements I; the general
inducements of policy and principle.-But we
had alto another inducement we did hope
that this limited m azure would not encounter
the oppofition to which we well knew the gen.
eral guettion was expofed. In reverting to the
af of the Irith Parliament of 1898, we found
that pledge had been given by the heheit
fervauts of the crown, that a fmilar meafiire
fbould he brought forward in this country
This pledge was recorded in the Secretary of
States's office by difpstch from Lord Hobart,
i'm which he ditinetiy fated the fa6. Thus
beco ming dncfiion not of policy alone, but
alto Of good faith, we did hope that the limit
ed meafure might receive that af1cnt and ap-
probation, of which, on the more general queE
tion we therefore f,dulonny avoided. On
thefe GROUNDS, The naeaiure that had the honor
of introducing into the lionte, was fubmitted
10 his Majcity. A detailed difpatch, which 7
with il in my power TO lay on the table,
was written Ia tive Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.
Eating explicitly the motives for this mcclure,
and this detailed difpatch was fent TO hi, Ma.
ICY, accompanied by Cabinet Miniaer
From that frf proportion, his Majeity certain
W expreGed trnng difTent on that diff n;
being made known 10 them, the Cabinet d,li
beratcd, and the rsfult was refpettful repre-
fcntation 20 his Mijcfy ofthe grounds on which
they thought the meaiure expedient. To thofe
representations were returned an anrwer, in
which his MajeAy, with comfortable reluctance
unque0ionabiy, isniied his all; mt certainly
with reu6i Ance, but pofitive alient. u der
the faEtliou of this ahcnt, the DIFF IL was
ieut to- the Lord Lieutenant. AT a nestio, of
the Catholics in 1rel4Ad, rIr. Elliott, the S..
cretdry OF State, informed them oi the ie perate
ihe2fure which it was intended to prnpore.
Come dfcuiiion eniusd and 10 a queltion from
Mr.. OCopnrr, whether every rank in the ar.
my was TO he opened 70 the Catholics or whe.
thsr they were I'LL 70 he precuded from the
Staf, Mr. EIiot's anCwer was, that s,the words
4