Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-04-11
MR.. BRouGHAM'S SPEECH,
Delivered in the House of Commons, FEB. 5, on the
subject Of Catholic Emancipation.

subject of Catholic Emancipation
Mr.. Brougham thought that those hon. gen.
,lemen " no had called upon the right hon. Sec
re,ary TO enter INFO the details OF The measure
proposed in His MsJesty's speech, had follow
ed course perfectly irregular. l, was not the
practice Of the house 10 call upon HIS Nia]estys
Ministers to enter into details OF measures when
The speech from the throne recommended TO
Parliament to take certain matters into lis con-
sidera;ion. 1t twas a matter Of course that His
Moiesry should avoid entering into details IN
his speecb, because he would most naturally
avoid to dictate to the wisdom OF the leglsla-
,ure and therefore he, (Mr. Brougham,) Tor
one, was perfectly satisfied with the general de-
scription given Of the measure proposed, oy
which he understood that II was intended that
there should be an arrangement OF the Cathohe
claims upon a solid and permanent footing;
an1 by the granting, in niggardly measure,
a rArcel of concessions This session, that new
demands, or new requests, if that were the pro-
per expression, might be made in another SEES
sion. lie hoped that what should be found
sxpedient would at once be dore, that the mind
Of The legislature might be made perfec', after
two deliberations on the extent, right, ard ex'
peliency of making concessions, tor the pur-
pose Of terminating, once 10: all, the ditf.r-
ences which exist, and giving Catholics that
which we can afford, and with which they ought
TO be satisfied He said, with which they
ought to be satisfied" for he entirely concurrtd
with the hon, gentleman who had just sat down,
and il had been his uniform opinion OF this
subject, that this measure, great and important,
and as he trusted i, would be- inhni'ely be
n,ftia, TO all parts Of the empire, and 10 all
our institutions, religious well as civil, would
lose more than hall is value, il il were the re-
suit Of negotiations or of compact, aud not OF
the liberal wisdom Of the legislature. He con-
siderri The Catholic question to be substantial
ly carried. He meant, without going into de-
tails, by the Catholic question, above all and
before all, and as essential and integral, nay, he
had almost said the whole of ,har que stion-the
admissibili,y of Catholics to seats IN far'ia>
ment, and their eligibility to such Offices as
Pro,estan,s are capable of holding, with one or
two exceptions, with respect 10 certain otioes'
from which even Catholics must confess 'hem-
selves wholly excluded. 1t had been said oy
an honorable baron, that the ministers In pro-
pounding a measure Of this description, must
have changed all their principles without any
change Of circumstance to account Tor the
change. IF upon further consideration OF
oues,ion.-ifa as the resul, Of larger and longer
experie nce--meu were to char sc opinions and
to become the supporters OF differen, principles
"a those which they had here ofore honestly and
conscientiousy holden, he, Mr.. Broughah,)
should not i'm tina, he disposed 10 sp' ak
!. with the slightest disrespeot of those who came
mapf,,ly and hon. silly forward and aNowed such
change IN their opinions. He preferred hose
who iived to pref, by experience, over those
whom longer living only makes more per- erse-
" Estimate, laughter year after year reap
log the sad fruits Of continued long lite, with
out the important, though melan' holy conso-
IA, zion. of setting against increasing years IN
cres.iue wisdom-I Continued laughter.
1.-The differed from the honorable baroret on
this subject. he also differed from the honora.
BILE member for DorsetshiIe on another, for IN
deed both the points he alluded 10 agreed IN
the main. The hon. member for Dorsetshire
had asked, i" What is the change Of cireumstan>
ces! How are we in different situation more
than we were years, or indeed % or Is years
paN?" He (Mr. Brougham) no doubt had al
way. held, aud those who acted with him had
ALWAYS held, and mus maiu,ain it now as our
decided opinion, ,ha, il wanted no. The result
Of more rccen, experience to convince us that
this measure, the expediency Of which is unde.
uiable. was right, and we contended without the
benefits of recen, experience, as stoutly and de-
Iiberately 10 favour Of this great measure as,
with the benefit Of that experie0Ce, we do not
contend But different men saw the same sub
ice, in different lights, and he could very we'll
imagine, and indeed he knew il; soIh in public
and private, from the conduct oil men in that
house and others out If il, that those events
which had taken place during the last two or
three years, but particularly within The las' year
and half, both in Parliament, in the Govern
ment. aud on, of doors, had materially chang
ed the elements Of their calculations on this
subject. II it were necessary thai there should
be a united Government-i if on the most i'm
por,an, of questions which could be commits
ted 10 the discretion Of Ministers, 1t be ct any
moment that they should act with union anc
concert, there was only one o: two alternatives
10 choose-either that the Catholic question
should DE made cabinet question, with de-
termination to carry it, or that opposition and
perpetual resistance to it should be offered
For he quite agreed with The hon. member who
las, spoke, that il was quite childish 20 think 10
form a Government on the principle Of not re-
sis,ipp the question forever, but only for six
months, year, or any indefinite period which