Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-04-30
Hou,. of Cansmons. March 2, 1891.

House OF SanstnonS' !hoTc" =
cArsoLIc CLAIMS.
The order Of the day having been re 40
for the House resolving itself into Com
mi,tee to consider of this subject
Mr.. Plunke. rose and said, that previous
to moving that The Speaker should leave Inc
Chair, he had few observations to make,
in which he should not occupy much OF the
time of the House, as he saw no reason to
anticipate objection to the course he was a
bout to propose. Ii was highly gratifying
to him, and must be so to every lover OF
tranquility throughout the country, to OBJ
serve the feeling which had prevailed on all
sides in that House throughout the late dis
cussion on this subject; feeling which as
sured him that those who we're bound by
their sense Of duty to contend against the
measure which he proposed, would scom to
acl upon vexatious spirit in opposing the
Bill He deemed it a duty which he owed
both to the friends of the measure and to
those Gentle men who were conscientiously
opposed TO it, now to state to the House
the course he proposed to pursue. which was,
to propose in the Committee certain Reso-
lutions, which he would presently read to
them; and after they were carried, & leave
given to bring in the Bill which he intended
to found upon them. to fix the first reading
of the Bill for Tuesday next, and the Sc
cond reading for the Monday following,
which arrangement, be conceived, would
afford ample time for every Member to en-
ter fully into its merits. II, however, a
longer interval should be thought desirable,
be should be very ready to accede to the
wishes Of the House on that point The re-
solutions which he intended to propose were
six in number, which he would now read
|. That it appears to this Committee,
that, by certain Acts passed in the Paria-
ments of Great Britain and Irland respec-
lively, certain declarations and affirmations
are required TO be made, as qualifications
for the enjoyment of certain Offices, franchi-
ses, and civil rights, observation-disclosures.
2, That such parts OF said oaths as require
declaration to be made against the belief
of MISREPRESENTATION or that the invocation
or alteration of the VirginMary or any other
Saint. and the sacrifice OF the Mass, as used
in the Church OF Rome, are 'superstitious D.
idolatrous, appear to this Committee to re-
late to opinions merely speculative and dog
NAUTICAL, not affecting the allegiance OF civil
duty ofthe subject; and that the same may
therefore safely be repealed.
8. That it appears to this Committee,
that, in several Acts passed in the Parlla-
ments of G reat Britain and Ireland respec-
lively. a certain oath, commonly called the
Oath of supremacy,is required 10 be taken,
as a Qualification for the enjoyment OF Ger
tain Offices, franchises, & civil rights, there
in mentioned.
4. That in the said oath and declaration
is contained, that no foreign Prince, Per-
son, Prelate, State. or Potentate, ought TO
have any jurisdiction, power, superiority
pre-eminence. or authority, ecclesiastical or
spiritual, within these realms.
S. That it appears to this Committee, that
scruples are entertained by his Majesty's
Ron an Catholic subjects with respect to
taking the said oath. merely on account Of
the word spiritual" being inserted there
in. and that for the purpose Of removing
such scruples, it would be expedient TO de-
talre the sense in whiuh the said word is
used according to the injunction issued by
Queen Elizabeth in the first year OF her