328 LON 
activity of the clergy in railing the cry of “ No Popery.” 
He deeply regretted that uncharitable and illiberal fenti- 
naents of that nature fliouid difgrace moll of the petitions 
prefented to parliament. 
In the houfe of commons, on a petition, againft the 
catholic claims being prefented from the county of An- 
glefea, fir Henry Parnell lfated, that the fignatures to this 
petition had been obtained under an erroneous iinpreflion. 
The perfon who propofed the petition at the meeting, had 
enforced its neceflity on the allegations contained in a 
book which he read to the meeting. This book pretended 
to be the Third Part of the Statement of the Penal Laws 
of the Catholics; but, fo far from being publifhed by the 
catholic board as alleged, it was written and induftrioufly 
circulated by their enemies.—Mr. Whitbread, with a 
warmth befitting his good intentions, faid, that the argu¬ 
ments of the opponents of the catholics were founded in 
falfehood, and that their fupport was obtained by forgery. 
—And Mr. Canning ftated, that this fabrication had to 
his own knowledge occafioned many friends to the claims 
of the Roman-catholics to change their fentiments.—The 
petition was laid upon the table. 
The queftion came regularly before the houfe on the 
25th of February ; when Mr. Elliott, after moving the 
refolution of 1 a ft fefTion, for taking into confideration the 
Roman-catholic claims, prefented a petition from the Ro¬ 
man-catholics of England. 
Mr. Grattan, in a fpeech diflinguifhed for its eloquence, 
urged the juflice and policy of admitting the catholics to 
a participation of the fame rights and privileges as pro- 
teifants, upon proper fecurities being given for the main¬ 
tenance of the conllitution in church and ftate. He read 
the oath of the 33d of the king, by which people of that 
perfuafion abjure the dobtrine that it is lawful to injure 
or kill a heretic ; that the pope can abfolve a fuhjebl from 
his allegiance, or that he has even any temporal power in 
thefe realms ; and concluded by moving that the houfe 
do now form itfelf into a committee on the claims. 
Mr. Tomline confidered the catholics of the prefent day 
as perfecuting as their anceltors. It was unwife to grant 
the claims of a few, and expofe the fafety of many. -We 
wanted none but protellants in our fenate, or to command 
our fleets and armies. The Roman-catholics of Ireland 
were the authors of the rebellion in that country. 
Sir H. Heron affirmed that thofe great men, Pitt, Fox, 
Burke, and Windham, were in favour of the Roman-ca¬ 
tholics. He reprehended the unworthy means taken by 
the clergy to excite the prejudices of the people. There 
were even certain dignitaries, fome of them with mitres 
on their heads, and fome of them with mitres in their heads, 
who certainly had done more than became their fituation. 
A learned prelate had even mifreprefented the opinions 
■ of Mr. Fox on this fubjeff, in order to excite groundlefs 
fears. 
Mr. Bankes profefled his opinion fo be changed fince 
laft feffion ; perhaps his judgment had been perverted by 
the extraordinary abilities of Mr. Canning; but be 
thought that the conceflions would be attended with dan¬ 
ger. What was to become of the tell and corporation 
aits ? and would the catholics agree to the veto ? They 
had met conciliation by frefh demands, ar.d a domineering 
and threatening tone. Btfides, the people of England 
were evidently againft any farther conceflions, contrary to 
the opinion that prevailed lad feffion. 
The debate was lengthened out till half pad two in the 
morning, and then adjourned till the id of March; on 
which day, fir John Newport, MeflVs. W. Pole and Whit- 
Bread, fir T. Acland, hon. F. Robinfion, and lord Pal- 
merdone, fpoke at fome length in favour of the motion; 
which was oppofed by MeflVs. Peele, Ryder, H. Davies, H. 
Lafcelles, and fir T. Sutton. 
Mr. Whitbread recommended that conceflions fliouid 
be made to the catholics, without taunting them by fix¬ 
ing impoffible conditions, fucli as renouncing their creed. 
In regard to the city-pe.tition with its 6-000 figaatures, 
DON. 
prefented by fir W. Curtis, he obferved, that the infant 
and its nurfe were both of a large growth. 
Mr. W. Pole faid, that matters could not continue in 
their prefent ftate in Ireland. They muft fooner or later 
re-enaCt the old difabling laws—raile a rebellion—or agree 
to conciliate the catholics, which he recommended. The 
debate was then adjourned till next day; when 
Sir W. Scott urged, in (frong terms, the danger of con- 
ceflion, fince the catholics had refufed the proper fecuri¬ 
ties; and the protellants, efpecially the clergy, had peti¬ 
tioned againft it. He was followed on the lame iiele by 
MeflVs. M. Sutton and Rofe. 
Lord Caftlereagh recommended going into the commit¬ 
tee, though he thought he law inlurmountable difficulties 
to the accomplilhment of the propofed objebh—The fenle 
of the houfe being againft farther adjournment, a divifiou 
took place, when there appeared :—lor going into a com¬ 
mittee, to confider of relief to the catholics, 264; againft 
it, 224; majority in favour of the motion, 40. 
The houfe accordingly went into the committee on the 
9th of March; when Mr. Grattan, after -a very long 
lpeech, concluded by moving the following refolution : 
—“That the houfe would take meafures for reltor- 
ing to the catholics the privileges of the conftitution ; 
fubjebt, however, to certain exceptions, and under fuch 
regulations as might be deemed necefiary to fupport 
the proteftant eftablilhment in church and ftate.” He 
added, that, if this were agreed to, he Ihould then move 
for leave to bring in a bill; but he was not defirous of 
precipitating the meafure. He thought that time ought 
to be given for the fpirits to coo!—that they fliouid not 
legiflate without confulting the feelings of the people; 
and that in the mean time they fliouid repole upon the 
good fenle of both countries, and not take any Itep that 
Ihould deprive the caufe of the benefit of that good fenle. 
The Speaker faid, he was willing that the range of ca¬ 
tholic privileges fliouid be extended in fuch a way, that 
all objebts of honour, diftinbt from political power, ihould 
be opened to them. He would lay open to them all mi¬ 
litary fltuations, even thd- llaff-appointments, with the ex¬ 
ception, however, of the highelt fituation in the profef- 
fi on, that of commander-in-chief in England, Scotland, and 
Ireland. He would likewile admit the catholics to all 
the honours of the bar—protect the foldier in the exercife 
of his religion in this country—and protebt mafs-houies 
in the fame manner as other places of worfliip. But, as long 
as the Roman-catholics acknowledged the foreign influ¬ 
ence of the pope, he could not conlent to arm them with 
political power. 
We mult beg leave to obferve here, that to require the 
Roman-catholics to give up their lubmiffion to the pope 
in fpiritual affairs, would be the fame as defiring them to 
fubvert the whole fyftem of their religion ; the doubt is, 
how far the fpiritual influence of the biihop of Rome 
upon the conlciences of individuals may affect them as to 
the impartial exercife of political power.—Several very 
able fpeeches were made both for and againft the motion ; 
and at length, after a loud and peremptory cry of Queltion! 
a divifion took place ; when Mr. Grattan’s lefolution was 
carried by 186 againft 119. 
On the 30th ot April, Mr. Grattan brought in his bill. 
It allowed Roman-catholics to fit in either houfe of par¬ 
liament on taking an oath therein fpecified, inltead of the 
oath of fuprernacy, and lagainft tranfubftantiation : it alfo 
allowed them to be members of any corporation, and to 
be officers of the king’s houfehold, with certain excep¬ 
tions.-—The bill was read a firtt time, and ordered to be 
printed. Mr. Gratt anthen movedja calf of the houfe for the 
iecond reading on the 11th of May, which was agreed to. 
On that day, lir J. C. Hippifley rofe to urge the neceflity 
of delay, and to require further fecurity ; and, after 
Hating that 30,000k had been collected by the Jefuits to 
build a college near Dublin, moved for a committee of 
inquiry, with initrublions to obtain returns from the colo¬ 
nies, aqd information from foreign countries, refpebting 
x the 
