The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-07-28

| -! ~ Po'icy Can ne expected no
prospect is afforded of any conciliatory pro-
ceeding, Which might tend to omen The tysx
20 an aih'cable settlement and, while de-
sne " nearing specific propositions of secu-
y progressed, the very consideration Of
| 'he question is denied to Parliament, and is
no. pursued by any other authority.
MS statement is no misrepresentation of
.he tenor OF your explanatory letter: and
III sue. state OF the practical consequen-
C 80 oi .ne united Councils of the present
NaDihet' II may be deemed superfuous to
anaiyze individual sentiments.
ms task, however useless with regard
| 10 present practice) is required from me.
| ny the s.rcng protest which you have madeS
against any inference to be drawn f,ou,}
any declaration Of your 81, that il is. or eh
| 'er mas oeen your opinion, that and-r nc
encHms'anceS, it would be possible to make
any alteration in the laws Respecting The
Roman Catholics" To this protest Won
nave added an assurance, IS That upon the
laSt occasion, on which the subject was dis
Cussed IN parliament, you expressly stated
mat eTcnmStGnces might arise, in which.
III your Judgment, some alteration in those
| laws would be advisable ~
CONFESS freely to you, that had always
unuers'cod your recorded opinion on this
subject IN very different sense: I had sup
Poseo' that you considered the disabilities
imposed by statute upon the Roman Catho-
iCs' not as temporary and occasional secu-
| ritle5' against temporary & occasional dan
ger, out as an integral and permanent part
OF the Constitution in Church and State. es-
| ta6tished at the Revolution.
In this opinion, | had always understood
mat several OF the principal Members of the
present Cabinet concurred with you and
that you felt, in common. an aprrehens;on
'ndC the removal Of any part of this system
| OF restraint would endanger thefoundations Of
Religion. -
viewing in this light your sentiments, and
those OF the respectable persons to whom I
| REFER i am persuaded, that shall not be
suspected OF intending to cast any reflection
uPol ehe nohor or honesty of those princi-
pies, or OF the persons who maintain them.
nave ever considered those principles to
De pure and honest in the minds in which
supposed them to reside and, while gave
| iuli credit to their sincerity, / lamentcd tneir
erroneous foundation and dangerous ienden.
cy.
must further declare, that from some
accident did not hear the statement in
armament to which you refer. as having
en maze oy you, on the last occasion in
the House of Lords
now, however, understand your opinion
10 De, that Ci''cumsfanc e. 8 D1ati arse in which
II" your judgment, some alteration would he
advisable in the laws affecting the Roman
| Catholics. NV 0''""
should be DESTROYS of urging the SAME
enquiry respecting the circumstances, which
you nave made respecting securities &
should De anxious to hear the specific
| St@'eInent OF al, or any Of those circunstQn-
ce&' under which you would advise any al
teration in the Laws respecting the Roman
| Catholics. ->N'-'"''
he explanation which you require, res
PeCtihg securities, is attainable, ONLY bv 81
iuii consideration and discussion of the whoI-
SUBJECT; and therefore view the declared
intention OF resisting the first steps towards
suc'l discussion, as an efEectual barrier a.
Sans .he explanation, which You consider
tor nt we necessary preliminary 10 any al
teraticn In the existing Statutes.
! l ne details of your re asCninr on this nara
OF tne question, render the prospect Of any
Set'iSment utterly hopeless YOU require q
o"ahge IN the state of the opinions, feelings.
| conduct and temper of the Koman Catholics
ds d preliminary even to the con sidcration
OF the causes ct their comprehensive is i,
possible 10 expect efectual change in the
temper Of the Roman Catholic b dv, while
you refuse even to inquire into the nature oE
their grievances
Inc repeated rejection Of their claim,
without any other deliberation, than that
"nlch has arisen on the mere question Of
taxing the Petition into consideration, is not
course ct proceeding calculated to miti-
gate the severity of disappointment.
reason and moderation must appear in
| our Consideration of their PRAYER, if we hone
to lntuse those qualities into their proceed.
ing,
You require, also. change in the circum.
stances Of Europe. Ignorant Of the ever,
"hich may nave furnished any hope of such
change, since had the honor of share in
ms Royal l1ghness's Councils, must copsi.
berthe determination to delay this interesting
question until Europe shall have assumed a
ne :" aspect, as virtual negative upon the
Suostanceot the claim and feel this poine
with greater degree of pain, because am
convinced that the continuance Of ireland
III her present condition, must protract. il
not perPetn7te, the present unhappy condi.
ton ofEurope.
but, until these preliminaries shall have
oech established, YOU declare, that it will
be your duty 20 resist Parliamentary inoui-
/ ~ winch in your judgment could be pro-
auctIFe OF no other effect, II an TO alarm the
IroteStants, and TO deude the Roman Cath
ohcs. Atthe same time, YOU nfFer no hops
that the means Of relief will be opened bv
any other authority
cannot understand, through what chan
mel OF reason or passi n, the Protestant,
should be alarmed, or the Catholics deIud-
ed, by a full and fair consideration Of tbs
state OF the laws affecting the latter bod,,