a4] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1797. 
person of high consideration was 
known to say, that, 500,0001. had 
been expended to quell an opposition 
in Ireland, and that as much more 
must be expended, in order to bring 
the legislature of that country to a 
proper temper. This systematic 
plan of corruption was followed up 
by a suitable system of measures. 
It had been the system of govern- 
ment, by the sale of peerages, to 
raise a purse for purchasing the re- 
presentation of the people of Ireland. 
It was offered to be proved, by Mr. 
Grattan, in the Irish house of com- 
mons, that one half, or even a ma- 
jority, of that house were creatures 
of the crown. The manner in which 
the political situation of Ireland at 
that time, was viewed, by the Irish 
nation, wasto this effect +  yonhave 
granted us an independent legisla- 
ture : independent certainly of your 
parliament, but dependent on your 
executive government.” Another 
proof of this substantial dependence 
on government was exhibited in the 
manner in which the demands .of 
the catholics had, at different times, 
been treated. ‘Their petitions, for 
a redress of some of the most op- 
pressive grievances, had been rejec- 
ted with haughtiness and insult. Tt 
was usual, Mr. Fox said, for men 
of consideration, in Ireland, to talk 
as if what had been cone for ‘the 
catholios was an act of necessity, 
which, on a fit occasion, would be 
recalled: Hostile suspicions were _ 
insinuated, not only against the 
lower order of catholics, but against 
men of the first respectability for 
character and fortune, and whose 
loyalty could not be questioied. 
Numbers were taken up'for high 
treasOn; and, when acquitted, it 
appeared that no ground of suspi- 
cicn could ever have been enter- 
tained against them. What could 
be the effect of such proceedings, 
but to convince the catholics, that 
the concessions in their favour were 
extorted? that the hostile mind 
still existed, and that they were still 
marked out as the victims of the 
most cruel proscriptions and op- 
pressions ? Private animosities, too, 
arose, and produced those different 
classes of disturbers of the public 
peace, about which so much had 
been said. The remedies applied 
tended to foment the disease. The 
authority of the laws was super- 
seded, ''Those against whom it was 
thought convictions could be pro- 
cured were taken up; and those 
whom it would have been impossible 
to convict were transported, in'great 
numbers, without the ceremony of 
a trial, or the form of convic- 
tion. 
I know, said Mr. Fox, anopinion 
has gone forth, that the catholics 
have no eubstantial grievances to 
complain of ; and, that the presby - 
terians have still less. It is said, 
that the catholics can vote for mem- 
bers of parliament, and that they 
are not distinguished from the pro- 
testants, otherwise than by an ex- 
clusion from being members of par- 
‘liament, and from the high offices 
of state. If this were all, I should 
still say, they have a right to all 
the privileges possessed by the pro- 
testants. And to exclude them still 
from these, in their fullextent, is a 
proof of continued hostility. But 
jet us consider the matter in another 
point of view. It is invidiously ob- 
jected by goverament, to the catho- 
lics, that it is not civil hberty, but 
power and emolument that they’ 
pursue, To this I could answer for 
the’catholics, yes; nor is it any dis- 
credit to ‘then to, be actuated by 
such, 
