CATHOLIC EMANCIPATION BILL 33 



Holland House was not only an acknowledged 

 centre for the literary portion of society ; it was 

 also a great Whig camp, where the politics of 

 the day were eagerly discussed. The burning 

 question of the years covered by this portion 

 of Miss Fox's diary from 1825 to 1829 was the 

 proposed emancipation of the Eoman Catholics 

 from the disabilities which barred their advance- 

 ment to any position of eminence. 



In March 1828 Miss Fox writes : ' The re- 

 peal of the Test and Corporation Act engrosses 

 the political world at present. My father made 

 a long and (what was generally considered to 

 be) an excellent speech on the subject : Lord 

 Eldon's arguments against the repeal seem 

 weak even to me. I trust and hope the 

 measure will be carried. Poor oppressed 

 Catholics ! how little our conduct with respect 

 to them tallies with the pure and sublime 

 precepts of that Gospel, in which they and we 

 equally believe.' 



In 1829 the great measure was carried in 

 both Houses of Parliament. 



Miss Fox records in her journal the passing 

 of the Bill in the House of Lords. 



