S6 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1805. 



Sir W. Scott, after an elaborate 

 examination of the subject, declar- 

 ed, that he never could agree to 

 sucli a motion. 



Dr. Lawrence toolc a review ol' 

 the decrees and canons of the coun- 

 cils of iiaziJ, Trent, Laldran, Con- 

 stance, &c., and, in a very learned 

 speech, contended for the folly of 

 the inferences dr.tAvn from them by 

 those who were adverse to the mo- 

 tion. 



Mr. P'oster opposed the motion, 

 on the grounds tliat its tendency 

 would be to disturb the public re- 

 pose, and endanger the national sc- 

 ^rity. 



Mr. G. Ponsoiiby ridiculed the 

 supposed danger of a protestant 

 king being surrounded by catholic 

 counsellors, who might try to in- 

 troduce the paramaunt authority 

 of the pope, as it was his majesty, 

 alone, who must do all this, as he 

 had himself the selection of his mi- 

 nisters ; and would, no doubt, dis- 

 miss and punish any who should 

 endeavour to Subvert the constitu- 

 tion. 



The Chancellor of the Exchef'Ucr 

 expressed his satisfaction, at finiliitg 

 that the application of the petition- 

 ers was not advised, or argued, a.s a 

 matter of right, but of expediency. 

 He owned, that since (he union, but 

 not before, he saw none of those 

 dangers, from granting the claim of 

 the petitioners, which many seem to 

 apprehend ; nor did he think the in- 

 troduction of a certain portion of 

 catholics into the imperial parlia- 

 ment, could be productive of any 

 effect detrimental to the welfare of 

 the stuto, or the security of the 

 constitution : however, in delivering 

 this frank opinion, he could not 

 shut his eyes to the conviction, that 

 a catholic, like any other man, would 



be anxious to advance the interests 

 of his religion, if an opportunity of- 

 Iv^gei! ; but if those guards were ap. 

 ])lied which he should have propos* 

 ed, could his m isiics have been ac- 

 complished, he firmly believed that 

 no dunger would have existed, and 

 that no injury could have been ap- 

 prehended, lie never meant to have 

 applied tests to the religious tenets 

 of the catholics, but to have made 

 the priest dependant in some sort 

 upon government, and, as it were, . 

 links between it and the people. 

 But circumstances, in his opinion, , 

 unfortunate, rendered it impossible 

 for him to have brought forward 

 that measure, at the period of the 

 union, which he thought most fa- 

 vourable for it. — What these cir- ' 

 cumstances were, it was neither now, 

 nor then, necessary for him to ex- 

 plain, but as long as they continued 

 to operate, he should feel it a duty 

 not only not to bring forward, but 

 not to be a party in bringing for- 

 Mard, orin agitating, this very im- 

 jiortaut question. At present, he 

 must say, the prevailing sentiment 

 was totally against the measure, and 

 it was not for him to predict, or 

 conjecture, what circumstances 

 might occur (o alter them. Unless it 

 could be carried with such a feeling 

 as would, at the same time, satisfy 

 the catholics, and not alarm or re- 

 volt the protestants, it could be 

 productive of no practical benefit, 

 though it might of many mis- 

 chiefs ; for he certainly thought 

 that this was not at all the time 

 when it was prudent to agitate the 

 question : for which reason he should 

 give a decided negative to the mo- 

 tion. 



Mr. Windham said, that the only 

 consideration that could have re- 

 conciled him to the measure of the 



union; 



