292 Notes of the Month on (Marcu, 
that house, the country, and himself, should have induced him to then trespass 
on their indulgence. But feeling as strongly as he ever did the importance of 
the subject, he thought it his duty to let the country know—not whether he 
said this or whether he said that—sur wHar ne was. (Hear, hear.) It was 
a source of painful regret to him to differ on any measure from the noble Duke 
at the head of the government, with whom he had long been on habits of inti- 
macy, and for whom he entertained the highest respect. He would put it to their 
lordships, whether they were prepared to say, or that was, in fact, the question, whether 
this country was to be a Protestant country with a Protestant government, or a 
Roman Catholic country with a Roman Catholic government. (Hear, hear.) This 
was the question and none other. The moment that there were Roman Catholics 
admitted into that House, or the other House of Parliament, their House, or the 
House of Commens, must cease to be a Protestant House of Peers or Protestant 
House of Commons. Although as much a friend as any noble lord within the 
reach of his voice to toleration, he was not prepared to admit the Catholics to 
seats in that House, to become members of the Cabinet, to be eligible to the 
high and confidential situation of Lord Chancellor, nor to that of Lord Lieute- 
nant of Ireland. He was unwilling to say more at present, though he would 
confess that he believed there were many Roman Catholics who were just and 
worthy men. He felt sorry that he had been called, as it were, somewhat out 
of place, to interrupt the regular proceeding by this avowal of his sentiments 
on this important subject. It had cost him some efforts ; but he felt, consi- 7 
dering the turn which the observations of a noble lord who had preceded him . 
had taken, that this explanation on his part could not be avoided. (Hear.) , 
“ The Brighton and Sussex bank stopped payment on Saturday, on 
which day the doors were not opened. The event created much dismay 
and distress among the market-folks, many of whom had that morning 
taken of the notes.” 
So says the Brighton Guardian ; and we can fully believe that the 
market-folks were by no means pleased with the discovery that they had 
given their eggs for the paper of the Brighton and Sussex bank. When 
are these things to attract the eye of our wise and patriotic legislature, 
governed as it is by the wisest and most patriotic of field-marshals? If a 
wretch starving, and naked as the winds, ventures to turn a sleeve- 
button into a sixpence, he is dragged to justice ; and learned serjeants on 
the bench put on their black caps, and dilate with judicial pride on the 
unfailing vigour of British law. If a miserable clerk, at fifty pounds a 
year, with a wife and a dozen brats to feed upon his soul and body, 
imitates a five-pound check, the law grasps the emaciated felon, flings 
him into the dock, and, when he has gone through the bitterness of” 
death a hundred times over, in all sorts of shame, taunts, and tribulations, 
sends him to be hanged. ’ 
But, when a gentleman, or a knot of gentlemen, who drink Champagne — 
and Hockheimer, keep berouches and Opera-boxes, and flourish in the 
ton, take it into their ways and means to issue fifty thousands pounds in 
paper, which turns out to be not worth so many farthings, the whole 
affair is perfectly selon les régles—“ quite an every day thing, done by 
gentlemen of the purest honour and the most unimpeachable character, 
and, in fact, no disgrace whatever’—the whole matter being a mere 
inisfortune. 
But what must say the men, women, and children—the feeble, the 
decaying, the undone—who have given their labours for the paper of 
these men of elegance? Where are they to go for bread—where to hide — 
their houseless heads—where to answer the demands of creditors as" 
