35S ANNUAL REGISTER, 1819. 



even to the consideration of the 

 causes of their complaints. But is 

 it possible to expect effectual 

 change in the temper of the Ro- 

 man Catholic body, while you re- 

 fuse even to inquire into the na- 

 ture of their grievances ? 



The repeated rejection of their 

 claim, without any other delibera- 

 tion than that which has arisen on 

 the mere question of taking the 

 petition into consideration, is not a 

 course of proceeding calculated to 

 mitigate the severity of disappoint- 

 ment. 



Reason and moderation must ap- 

 pear in our consideration of their 

 prayer, if we hope to infuse those 

 qualities into their proceedings. 



You require, also, a change in 

 the circumstances of Europe, — Ig- 

 norant of the events which may 

 liave furnished anj' hope of sucli a 

 change, since I had the honour of 

 a share in his Royal Highness's 

 councils, I must consider the de- 

 termination to delay this interest- 

 ing question, until Europe shall 

 have assumed a new aspect, as a 

 Tirtual negative upon the substance 

 of the claim ; and I feel this point 

 ■with a greater degree of pain, be- 

 cause I am convinced, that the 

 continuance of Ireland in her pre- 

 sent condition, must protract, if 

 not perpetuate, the present unhap- 

 py condition of Europe. 



But, until these preliminaries 

 shall have been established, you 

 declare, that it will ba your duty 

 to resist parliamentary inquiry, 

 which, in your judgment, could be 

 productive of no other effect, than 

 " to alarm the Protestants, and to 

 delude the Roman Catholics." At 

 the same time, you offer no hope, 

 that the means of relief will be 

 opened by any other authority. 



I cannot understand through 

 what channel of reason, or passion, 

 tiie Protestants should be alarmed, 

 or the Catholics deluded, by a full 

 and fair consideration of the state 

 of the laws affecting the latter 

 bodj'. Indeed, I cannot conceive 

 any proceeding so likely to remove 

 alarm, and prevent delusion, as 

 that which appears to you likely 

 to create both. 



On the other hand, I apprehend 

 much more danger, both of alarm 

 and of delusion, from any system of 

 measures to be founded on the ge- 

 neral and indistinct terms, in which 

 you state, that " circumstances 

 may arise, in which some altera- 

 tion in the laws would be advis- 

 able." 



You refer to considerations of a 

 " very high importance," which, 

 until a very late penod of time, 

 have precluded the executive go- 

 vernment and parliament from en- 

 tertaining this measure ; and you 

 suggest, that in the opinion of some 

 persons, these considerations have 

 not lost their weight. 



I presume, that you refer to the 

 sentiments of the most exalted and 

 venerable authority in these realms, 

 on the claims of his Majesty's Ro- 

 man Catholic subjects. 



As your letter seems to bear 

 some reference to the course of my 

 conduct in parliament, and in his 

 Majesty's councils on this suVyect, 

 I avail myself of this opportunity 

 to explain the motives, both of my 

 former silence, and of the recent 

 declaration of my sentiments. 



At the remote period of the year 

 1797, upon the eve of my depar- 

 ture for India, I stated to the late 

 Mr. Pitt my solicitude, that he 

 should direct his attention to the 

 settlement of Ireland ; and I ex- 

 pressed 



