1829. ] [ 68 ] 
THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON’S LETTER ON THE CATHOLIC QUESTION. 
TuE most important event of the month, or of the year, or of any year 
since the year of Waterloo, is the writing of the following letter, which 
we shall leave to speak for itself, as it does incomparably to the purpose. 
Letter from the Duke of Wellington to Dr. Curtis (the individual 
who has the effrontery to call himself Catholic Primate of Ireland). 
« My Dear Sir :—I have received your letter of the 4th instant, and 
I assure you you do me justice in believing that I am sincerely anxious to 
witness the settlement of the Roman Catholic question, which by bene- 
fiting the state, would confer a benefit on every individual belonging 
to it. 
« But I confess that I see no prospect of such a settlement! Party 
has been mixed up with the consideration of the question to such a 
degree, and such violence pervades every discussion of it, that it is 
impossible to expect to prevail upon men to consider it dispassionately ! 
« If we could bury it in oblivion for a short time, and employ that 
time diligently in the consideration of its difficulties on all sides (for 
they are very great), I should not despair of seeing a satisfactory 
remedy !—Believe me, my dear Sir, &c. 
« London, Dec. 11, 1828.” « WELLINGTON.” 
Now what does this letter say, but what every true friend to the 
church and the constitution has said all along ; he would be happy to 
see the question settled—of course ; but settled by telling Popery that 
it must not hope to pollute the legislature with its presence ; that the 
slave of a pope must not become the law maker for the free subjects 
of an English king—Sett/ed, just as conspiracy ought always to be 
settled—by knocking it on the head. 
The premier confesses that he sees no prospect of carrying the question. 
What is this but the regular official announcement that it cannot be 
carried, and that Government will not take a single step in its favour ? 
It cannot be even proposed until “ men will argue dispassionately.” 
But this the letter, to make assurance doubly sure, declares to be an 
impossible expectation, “ argal,” not to be expected. In other words, 
it shall be discussed in the Greek Calends. The final recommendation 
—another official phrase for a command—is to BURY THE QUESTION IN 
Ox.ivion ! 
So much for the clumsy impostures that were perpetually brought for- 
ward with such mock solemnity in the popish parliament of representatives 
of nothing. So much for the “ bills already under the eye of Sir Nicholas 
Tindal, the abolition of the securities, the pledge to the forty-shilling 
freeholders,” &c. &c. &c. What will the ingenious find next? ‘tis 
true this is an inventive season, par excellence. Punch is in his glory, 
and pantomime at all the theatres is flourishing prodigiously. The 
Irish agitator must not lie on his oars; but have a new scheme for 
every new speech, and a thousand of each. Bur rue CaBINET IS FIXED. 
The measure is not merely postponed, it is crushed under the ministerial 
heel ; and long may it moulder there. There may be popular violence 
still, and even the impudent presumption of the popish parliament may be 
suffered to exist a few weeks more. But this measure is complete. The 
friends of the constitution must still be vigilant, active, and combined. 
The Brunswick Clubs must not suffer their victory to be thrown away 
by their negligence. But the question for this ministry is “ settled.” 
