HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



8>. 



CHAP. IX. 



Parliamenlanj Debates conlinmd. — Lord Grcnville's Motion in the House 

 of Lordnjor taking into Consideration the Petition of the Roman Catho- 

 lics of Ireland. — Debate thereon. — Speeches of Lord Grenville — IlaxDkes^ 

 liirij — Earl Spencer — y'iycount Sidnionth — Lord Midgrave — Earl of 

 Camden — The Bishop of Durham — Lord Rcdesdalc. — Debate adjourned. 

 Resumed on the next Da_y of Sitting. — Di-cision. — Motion negatived. — • 

 Conference between the Lords and Cammons iipon Lord Mchillc^s at- 

 tending the Committee of the Lou-er House, appointed to report upon tJie 

 10th Naval Report. — Debate vpon the Catholic Petition in the House of 

 Commons. — Mr. Fox moves that if he referred to a Committee, of the 

 uliolc House. — Speeches of Doctor Duigcnan — Mr. Grattun — The At- 

 torney General — Mr. Alexander. — Debate adjourned — Resumed next Day. 

 — Debate. — Motion negatived upon a Division. 



ON the lOth of May, lord 

 Grciiville moved the order of 

 the day, " To take into considcra- 

 " tioii the petition of the Roman ca- 

 " tholicsof Ireland,'' * which being 

 agreed to, his lordship reviewed the 

 different topics referred to in tho 

 petition, and hoped that, as the 

 language of it was loyal, respect- 

 ful, and moderate, it would be dis- 

 passionately and impartially discus- 

 sed. IJe thought it would be a great 

 evil, and misfortune to the empire, 

 if the prayer of this petition was 

 not granted ; but he feared it would 

 he infinitely more unfortunate, if 

 the petitioners were given to under- 

 stand that the doors of parliament 

 Were shut to their complaints, if 

 they were to be driven to absolute 

 despair, and the expectations held out 

 to them, by the union, complete- 

 ly frustrated. In the luiitcd king- 



" For which, vide Appendix. 



doni of Great Britain and Ireland, a 

 population of not less than three mil- 

 lions by the lowest, and live millions 

 by the highest calculation, Avere 

 educated in the catholic religion ; 

 and the house must never lose sight 

 of the fact, that three-fourths of the 

 people of Ireland were Roman ca- 

 tholics. Those political opinions, 

 adverse to the principles of the re- 

 volution, and favourable to tho ex- 

 iled family of Stuart, which forn;crly 

 operated, were no longer in exist-, 

 ence. Upon this ground, the ca- 

 tholics were not to be allowed any 

 influence, because influence led to 

 power ; not to be allowed property, 

 because property led to influence ; 

 not io enjoy th-e free toleration of 

 religion, nor to have the least inter- 

 course with the rest of their fellow 

 subjects. The effect of it was, that 

 they were kept in ignorance, in 



extreme 



