STATE PAPERS. 



351 



Highness, is added so high a testi- 

 mony of the confidence and esteem 

 of all the respectable persons com- 

 posing his present administration. 



With all humility towards the 

 exalted authority from which this 

 proposition proceeds, and with the 

 most sincere regard for those 

 through whom it is conveyed, I 

 must, however, declare, that I 

 should have declined it at the first 

 instant of its approach, if motives 

 of deference and submissive attach- 

 ment had not imposed upon me the 

 obligation of receiving it with re- 

 spectful consideration. 



The proposition necessarily rests 

 upon a supposition, that I enter- 

 tain no such diiference of public 

 sentiment with the present admi- 

 nistration, as should preclude me 

 from acting with them, under an 

 arrangement compatible with our 

 mutual and respective honour and 

 duty. 



But it appears from Lord Liver- 

 pool's candid and explicit state- 

 ment, that, upon the important 

 question, which regards the laws 

 affecting the Roman Catholics, 

 Lord Liverpool's opinions remain 

 unchanged ; nor is he aware, that 

 the sentiments of his colleagues, on 

 that subject, have undergone any 

 change. 



I must therefore conclude, that 

 the policy which has been pursued 

 respecting the Roman Catholics, 

 during the present session of par- 

 1ian)ent, is to be continued without 

 abatement ; the general constituent 

 parts of the present cabinet are to 

 remain unchanged ; the highest 

 and most efficient offices in the 

 state therefore, are to be filhd by 

 persons who still conceive thera- 

 •elves to be bound by duty , honour. 



and conscience, not only to resist 

 any mitigation of the present con- 

 dition of the Roman Catholics, but 

 even to prevent the consideration 

 of the laws which affect that large 

 portion of the population of the 

 empire. 



1 cannot concur in the principle 

 on which the present administration 

 has conducted this im portant branch 

 of public affairs ; on this point, I 

 have recently expressed the strong- 

 est difference of opinion with the 

 present administration. 



The declaration of Lord Liver- 

 pool precludes the hope of any such 

 change in the policy of the present 

 administration towards the Roman 

 Catholics as could satisfy my judg- 

 ment. This difference is of the 

 utmost importance : without any 

 other obstacle, therefore, this alone 

 compels me to decline the propo- 

 sition which Lord Liverpool has 

 conveyed to me. 



I entertain a confident expecta- 

 tion, that when the Prince Regent 

 shall have considered the nature of 

 this difficulty, he will extend his 

 indulgence to my humble represen- 

 tation, and will relieve me from 

 the pressure of commands, which 

 I could not obey without sacrificing 

 a [jublic principle of the highest 

 obligation. 



These observations comprise a 

 sufficient reply to the communica- 

 tion received through Lord Liver- 

 pool. But I deem it to be a duty 

 towards the Prince Regent to de- 

 clare, that the considerations which 

 induced me, on the 19th of 

 February, to resign the station 

 which I had the honour to hold in 

 his Royal Highness's service, have 

 acquired additional force since that 

 time, aud would constitute an in- 

 superable 



