Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-05-16
SPEECH OF Mr.. JEFFREY,
AZ Ms meeiny AZ support Of the Catholic Claims ~
EAllInrD an fbe Ilyb nIarI

Me-. Jsrrnnv rose amidst long and continued APP
planse--l greatly fear that owing to a severe indis-
position under which l labor, I shall find IL difficult
TO make myself sufficiently heard, even in the few |
words which l wish to address 10 you: but 1 can not
resst the temptation of attempting at least TO say,
that never did come TO any public meeting, nor
ever did rise on any Ablic occasion, with more un-
mingled satisfaction, or more heartfelt delight than
at preseni, not only because l never came into such
a meeting, with the greatness and ~joyfnlness of the
occasion Of which, ! was so deeply Impressed, and
from which had SO near and cheering a prospect
ofgrcst and attainable good before me, but because
l never before had the good luck to be surrounded
many ofmy former efforts by the many distinguish.
cd persons which | now sec about me, from whom It
was my misfortune in the former part Of my career,
20 nave been divided by general differences oil feel |
ing aud opinion, but with whom, OH grounds equal
" honourahlc, ] now teel that ! am cordially and
entirely united. tApplausc.] I feel that tho great
ness OF the occasion has entirely obliterated all those
slightcr shades of difference by which in free states
che opinions of men in ordinary times will naturally
DC distinguished, and when the question is, whether
they ANAL cooperate in t~estifying their deliCh: and
satisfaction m measures calculated to strengthen the
empire, aiidt 10 avert from every part oil il the most
tremendous and imminent pef!1s, | trust this will al
ways be the case; and that on questions like the pre-
sent VIC shall forget who are Wings and who are
Tories, who are in opposition, and who are on the
side OF government; and only think of the common
Cause Oh our common country, and the true promo
tion OF common good. Indeed. unless l vei much
misunderstood the signs of the times, | am persuaded
the period is not fur distant when what is commonly
e"Su purity pohtlCS VIII ne OF TAR less consequence
than they have been in our day; and when those dis
functions which have given party contests n factitions
character, and even the epithets and watch words
belonging tn them, will dwiMdlc into insigniiicancc,
compared with the great object OF furthcring the
common good, Which was no doubt the object we
all had formerly sought to attain, though by more
separated, divided, and less ellcctual COURSES
tHear, hear At the same tune ] must acknowledge
that while this is my own impression, / have still SO
much ofthe faint of the ancient leaveu-so much Of
the unrightcous mammon of whiggery i'll me, Ia
laugh) that / could not but have wished that the glory
OF consumnating this great work had been reserv-
ed for a Wing Adminisl ration-or been lcl at least
as the reward OF those VINO, from first to last, had
peen Jealous IN their attempts To produce il. But
while L have been frec to make this disclosure OF
the infirnity of my heart, Ia laugh / will 90 fur
ther IN chastising and %subduing the remnants of my in
herent whiggry, by acknowledging in public, before
you all, that L am now fully convinced, that this great
measure would not have been carried into effect
by q Wing Administration in these timcs-pay.
that 1t could not have been so carried by any adj
ministration, unless 1t had originated, and been
mainly supported by persons WHO, for the rreater
part OF their lives, had been as conscientiously oppo-
sed to those principles Us they are now conscientious
~ devoted to them. Such blind and slort-sirhted
creatures are we, even in those matters which seem
10 ne most plainly and directly within the sphere of
vulgar human wisdom; and SO marvellously does Pro-
violence work It's own great works, by Instruments
which the eTrlng wisdom of man would throw aside
as desperate and useless. CGrcat applause.l it is
among the worst consequences of a system Of inius-
ice and oppression, that III some measure j~ustifes it.
sen, oy communicating to Its victims the vices which
II rmputes to them. Those who have long been oh,
Jects OF distrust VIII IN the end, fear, prove to be
not trust worthy. Those against whom the law is
will be but too often against the law. Those who
are ruled by force will soon require force TO rul,
them. Hear, hear, and applause. I wilrnot rccui
10 that frightful chapter of evils and pcrils to which
the refusal or even the delay OF this boon viii now in
evitably lead. | will rather turn TO the topics oi
which hear something out of doors, regarding the
alledgcd countervailing peris thar we are told may
accompany concession. Listening with all diligence
TO the topics which have with sufficient zeal been
promulgated on this subject, | am altogether mt a loss
20 lind what tangible peril, connected by any degree
of probability with the measure, these iervld orators
aave been atle to point out. The great point is, vine
Their so or 60 Catholics shall be admitted into Par
lament, or shall continue to be excluded Now,
what possible mischief can they do III Parliament, OK
cept by their votes! No one who is acquainted with
the first elements of Cocker, can venture to PROFOUND
that this small s%prinkiing of Catholics can by any
possibility effect either the conversion of the Protcs
tint majority, over which they are to be dlifused, ol
n~lt-speak or out-vote that majority within the Walls
oil Parliament. But for every other purpose. IN,
powers of the Catholics to do mischief, will be OK
actly what they we're before, whether they arc i!
Parliament or out Of it. They will have tho same
'inion, the same love of power, the same arts, tho
same uDscruPuIous morality, the same rage of prose.
lytism, thut arc now imputed 20 them, and no more;
and the only difference will be-, that willie they
are excluded from Parliament, they will be NATURALLY
disposed To turn all these arts and talents against tho
Protestant faith and Protestant establishment. by
~ W. " tbcCC ulSh Oillt IT'S, uOtIlID Cll ne UU-
dcd to their individual power; but n great deal may
be taken from their opposition to the Protes;uar nth
They will look upon Protestant establishrncris ant
Protestant doctrines, with u less hostile, a less martial
Il less rancorous ego, than they do now: consequent,
tney will have their minds more open to the perva-
ding influence OF those unanswerable arguments
those eiiicacious and i~lustrious examples, that subdu
Jug and harmonisiDg influence Of the holy life led h,
Protestant Divinos. They will be more open 10 re
"Hivc that light ard that correction which it belong
10 us to give, who firmly believe that those doctrines
VII IN the end, through the fundamentally of The
avenue now To be opened, convert in time the whole
orring family of Christians, to that pure faith which
recognizes the gospel MS the true word Of Coda
the fountain head and well ofhving Writer'S, which
socaslcs and bigSts of all ages have sought 70 pol
lutte, by their vain and ambitious doomas. rGrcat
and long continued pppIause.1 IL is on thes,
priDcIpIrs, that from the earliest time J couIt
iorm any opinion on tho merits Of this great
question, fny conviction las always been The
Fane, and although II could not be well increased
That Impression has been strengthened by thc urocni