which may be threatened. To this defirable 
object, however, the fubfifting law formed an 
infurmountable ob{tacle. Catholics might be- 
come in Ireland, Majors, Lieutenant-colonels, 
or Colonels, but the moment fuch officers 
landed in England, however prefling the exi- 
gencies of the public fervice, they muft either 
do that, which in any other fituation would 
be difgraceful to a foldier; namely, quit their 
regiments, or aét in defiance of the law of the 
land and be fubje¢t to all its penalties. The fame 
difability applied to the navy. Another grofs 
and glaring incongruity was, that Cathetics 
after having rifento a high rank in the army, 
and difplayed the greateit military fkill and 
fcience, could not, on account of their diffe- 
rence of opinion in religious matters, be en- 
trufted with a command. Not merely this 
view of the fubje&, but, I was then, dnd ftill 
am of opinion, that the Catholic gentry and 
higher order of Yeomanry in lreland, never 
can be conciliated, unlefs they-have the means 
afforded them of providing for their younger 
fons by fending them into the military or na- 
val fervice of the Empire. Oj the peafantry 
of that country, the number in our military 
fervice is inconceivably fmall, thofe from 
whom they receive their religious opinions, 
objecting to their entering into a fervice where 
they are debarred the free exercite of their 
religion. Under all thefe circumfances, and 
confidering theie diftinétions to be wholly in- 
confiftent with the idea of an United King- 
dom; knowing at the fame time that the 
Catholics of Ireland were confidering of peti- 
tioning Parliament, in order to bring the great 
qguettion refpecting them again before the Le- 
giflature, his Majefty’s Minifters thought it 
expedient to frame a meafure for the purpofe 
of extending the provifions of the A&t of 1793 
to this country; and, at the fame time, en- 
larging its benefits, in the hope of inducing 
the Catholics to poftpone bringing under con- 
fideration the large queftion, which they pro- 
pofed, and at the fame time of_adding eflen- 
tially to the ftrength of the country. I do 
not wifh to conceal my opinion, that the Ca- 
tholics of Ireland in perfifting to bring that 
queftion again into difcuMfion at the prefent 
moment, are injuring their own caufe, and 
injuring the general interefts of the Empire. 
It having been determined by his Majetty’s 
Minitters.to frame a meafure, as I have al- 
ready ftated, it was found upon confideration 
that it muft alto be extended to Proteftant 
Diffenters. It would have been unjuft to 
have given privileges to the Catholics, which 
were denied to the Proteftant Diffenters; and 
in this country where Proteftant Reformed 
Religion is the eftablithed religion, if it were 
to become a queftion between that body and - 
the Catholics, I certainly thould feel it my 
duty to give a preference to the former. His 
Mejefty’s Minitters having thus determined 
to extend thofe privileges to the Protettanc 
Diflenters, which it would have been unjuft 
to have withheld from them, at the fame time 
that thev were granted to the Catholics, the 
MontTury Mas. No. 159, 
State of Public Affairs in March. 
‘fied his affent to- its propofal. 
oe 
Bill was fo framed as to extend to all his Ma- 
jetty’s fubjects without diftin@tion, enabling 
them to hold Commiffions in the army .or 
navy, on taking the oath of allegiance, and 
an oath to fupport the Confitution as by law 
eftablithed.. I now come, my Lords, to the, 
points more immediately conne&ted with the 
circumftances that have recently happened. His 
Majetty’s Minifters conceiving the meafure to 
which I have alluded to be indifpenfably ne- 
ceflary, felt it alfo to be their duty to repre 
fent that opinion to his Majefty, and to pro- 
pole the meafure for his Majefty’s approba- 
tion. It is undoubtedly true, my Lords, that 
it is the right, as it is the duty, of a Member 
of Parliament. to bring forward any meafure 
which he conceives to be conducive to the 
welfave or iaterefts of the country 3 but it is 
alfo true, in the praétical .frame of our Cone 
ftitution, that thofe Members of Parliament 
who are likewife his Majefty’s Minitiers, 
ought fot to bring forward any meafure 
which may be conceived, in confequence of 
its being fo brought forward, to be a meafure 
-of Government, without firft obtaining his 
Majefty’s approbation. On prefenting this 
meafure for his Majefty’s previous approba- 
tion, I conceived that his Majefty had fignie 
My Lords, 
there has been on this fubjeét a mifundere 
ftanding and a mifapprehenfion,—This [ have 
from a quarter which not only 1 am inclined 
to believe, but which it is my duty to be- 
lieve. Underitanding, however, my Lords, 
as [ certainly did at that time, that his Ma- 
jefty had affented to the propofed meafure to 
‘the extent ftated, a difpatch was prepared to 
be fent to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to 
be contmunicated by him to the Catholics 
with whom he had been in the habit of come 
municating, a draft of which I laid before his 
Majeity for his approbation. This draft re~ 
‘ferred, in its commencement, to the Act of 
the Irifh Parliament of 1793, and then ftated 
that it was intended to propofe to Parliament, 
to extend and enlarge the provifions of that 
Act in the manner | have already ftated. To 
this draft fome repugnance was exprefiled by 
his Majefty, and his Minifters felt it to be 
their duty to make a reprefentation to his 
Majefty on the fubje&t, who received it with 
the utmott kindnefs and benignity, and after- 
wards affented to the difpatch, which was, in 
confequence, fent to the Duke of Bedford, 
and is exprefled in the terms which I have 
already ftated. The Catholics, on receiving 
the communication, expreiled a doubt whether 
it was intended to enable them to become Ge- 
nerals on the Staif, and, in confequence of an 
application to the Lord Lieutenant, he fent 
over a difpatch, requeiting an anfwer upon 
that point. This difpatch, as it is the duty 
f Minitters with refpeét to ali difpatches, was 
Jaid betore his Majefty. An an{wer was pre- 
pared, ftating that it was inteAded to enable 
Catholics to become Generals on the Stat, 
and to open to them all commiffions in the 
army and navy. To the dratt of this difpatch 
Na Zunderitoes 
’ 
ee 
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