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«HOUSE OF.LORDS.—Frimay; May 13° *
- Petitions were presented from various places, by the Arch-
bishop of York, the Earl of Liverpool, ‘and’ other’ Peers,
- against the Catholic Relief Bill. The Marquis- of Lansdown
presented petitions -from the parish of St. Luke, from Brid-
rt, Kempton, andthe Protestant Dissenters of Chichester,
‘ia favour of the Catholic claims. . Lord: Holland presented
three petitionsto the same effect—~one from the--Protestant
Dissenters of Stroud ; one from the town of New Ross ; and
one from the Minister, Elders, and Congregation of the Pres-
byterians in the Counties of Down and Antrim. ‘
Bel roles st Monpay, May 16. % 08 os py
- A-great, number of petitions ‘against the claims of the
Catholics were .presented. by’ several“ noble Lords—The
Earl ef, Dersy presented one from Manchester in favour
of the Catholics, ‘agreed to at the public meeting held in
that town,.dnd’ signed by 16,370 persons—The . Earl of
Darnxey presented another on the same side from Graves-
end, signed -by.5000 persons.—Lord HoLvanp presented a
similar. one: from the inhabitants of Leighton Buzzard —
Lord. King presented one from certain Protestant Dissenters
>of Whitchurch fin favour of the Catholics—The Marquis of
* Layspown presented one from 200 persons, comprising the
* most eminent bankers, merchants, and traders of the city of
London, and representing property to the cmount of between
20 and.30,000,0002. in favour of the Catholic Relief Biil—
These petitions were ordered to'be laid on the table, as was
- also ane.from certain Unitarians of Liverpoolin fayour of
the Catholics. aan ae
- 5 cost Tugspay, May 176 ei ot th
Bod iIn consequence of the interesting subject which came'on
¢ _ this evening, the House was crowded below the bar eat an
; early hour... A number. of Members of the other House, sé=
Dope veral ies, and: other distinguished visitors took their
_ places on. the steps of the. throne, and all that part of the
. House, was crowded ‘as below the bar. | The Dukes of York
>; and Sussex, and the Dukes of Devonshire,’ Beaufort; New-.
* castle, Dorset, Buckingham, and-other Peers came at an
_, early hour. . The entrance of Earl Grey, with a petition so
large that his Lordship could hardly carry it, excited a gene-
andsoon after the Lord Chancellor took the wool-
sack, and the business immediately began, 20.0. So
t many.of which were from Baptists and Dis:
senting Mectings? r=! oo. r t cet
»The Marquis of Downsuirx presented a petition from the
“~~ Protestant inhabitants of Jiclfast in: faxgur of the Catholic
Relief Bill; also another petition from’ the Ministers an
' Elders of. the Presbytery of Bangor to the saméeffect.
» was signed by thirteen Ministers representing congregations
amounting to 30,000 persons, * 3 . a.
> . Lord Dacre presented a petition from certain Serjeants
and Barristers at.Law,in favour of the bill. ; It was signed
~ by 200 members of the profession, “°° fe FFs
» <+ Lord Duptey any Warp presented -a petition from the
. Protestant Dissenters of the town of Dudley in favour of the
Dil. His Lordship. observed, that though he regretted, he
“. ‘was not surprised to see the Clergy of the Established Church
_ presenting petitions against their Roman Catholic fellow-
subjects, but it filled him’ beth with surprise and digust when
‘he saw Dissenters petitioning against the extension of that
toleration to others which was extended to them, and there-
fore he felt heppy in presenting the present petition, as being
more worthy of their.characters and of the times in which
theylived. -
The Bishop of Norwicn presented a petition from the
- Presbyterians in London connected with the Church of Scot-
Jand in favour of the bill. :
-: Lord Hotzany presented three petitions from the Unita-
“rian Dissenters of Exeter, aud one from the Dissenters in the
» neighbourhood of Warwick, all in favour of the bill.
§ «> .: The Duke.of Sussex presented a petition to the same ef
3 «fect from the Archdeacon of Sudbury, and several other
a ~. eminent persons. ea es ee! -
: ..-The Bishop of St.Davin's presented a petition from an
}
wm
- °. individual who had abjured the Catholic Church; of which he
was a curate, and adopted the Protestant Church, of which
. » he was now a curate, in Ireland, against the bill. ~ ee
- ° . The Marquis of Lanspown presented a petition from th
Members of the Senate of the Universities of Cambridge and
: Oxford, in favour of the Catholic claims.’ “It was signed by
x ~-two of the Heads of Colleges, between 30 and 40 Fellows,
“soe - and between 60 and 90 other Members.. It had also been
oo . signed in London by 30 Members ‘of the University of Ox-
.. ford, no time having been afforded to send it to Oxford. It
“was signed by the Professors of Greek, Arabic, Theology,
Anatomy, Astronomy—in short, by all the great names in
“+ science and literature which gr4ced those two seminaries of
. learning. . His Lordship. thea presented another petition,
signed by about 100 Graduates of both Universities, to the
same effect as the former. “ . > io
PETITION OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC PEERS AND
vcs os, \ GENTRY OF ENGLAND. - o .
. Earl Geev.—I have now the honour of presenting to your
Lordships a petition signed by the Duke of Norfolk, by all
‘the Catholic Peers of England, by all the Catholic Pretates,
: allthe ancient Gentry, and upwards of 30,000 persons of tho
, Cathplic persuasion, praying for tle. removal of disqualifica-
: » >.) tions by which they are separated trom their fellow subjects,
,. for causes not depending on themselves, and excluded from
wt the privileges of the Constitution. ‘The petitioners come be-
- * fore your Lordships in ‘ail humility, but with the firmocss,
: and in the tone of sincerity which their conduct in past times
an entitles them to adopt. . They complain of the disqualifica-
: tions by which they are separated and degraded in the com~
munity to which they are &ttached, and they say that while
those ‘disqualifications continue, they never will cease to
tomplaia.—(ifcer, hear.) They pray your Lordsnifs to re-
to their conduct for full proof that fey assert and main-
- 3 TRUTH JS. POWERIUL, AND 'WILL PREVAIL,
the duties of social life," and that they are as active and zea-
lous, where they are not impeded by the impolitic and jea-
lous spitit of your laws,’as any of their fellow-subjects in
the public’service.”’ They say that it is as unfounded as it is
unjust to allege’ that there is any thing in their religious
principles which is inconsistent with a free Government, and
they refer for proof, irresistibly ard unanswerably, to those
proud periods in the histor'y of this ¢ountry, when their an-"
cestors made the most glorious aid successful resistance,
both ta tyrannic power and to the Papal claims—(J/ear,
hear,) * To proye; tod, that there is nothing in their religious
tenets inconsistent with a free Government, nothing incom-
patible with the full enjoyment of.civil rights, they refer
your Lordships to the events of madern times—they refer
your Lordships to Switzerland, where several Cantons are
Catholic and others Protestant, yet they are all bound to-
gether in federal union.’ They refer to France, where equal
rights are enjoyed by Catholics and Protestants. .They refer
to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, where the Protestant
States of Hollard ‘are united with the Catholic’ Provinces,
which were formerly held by the Emperor of Austria, ‘and
united too under’the spetial guarantee of Great Britain.—
(Hear, héar.) They refer to Hanover, where an’ exclusive
possession of civil rights has been repudiated by his gracious
Majesty, as intpolitic ‘and unjust.« They refer to Canada,
where the Catholic religion is the religion of the State.—
Above all, they refer you to the United States, whose rapid
rogress has not been impeded -by: the extinction of every
intolerant distinction—(hear, hear)—whose rapid progress
has hot impeded, but advanced—whose prgoress in prosperity
and power is greatly assisted and accelerated by the common
protection , which is afforded to all the different persuasions.
‘They say also, that it is falsely and foully imputed to them
what has been imputed to them to-night by one who was
once a professor of the same religion with them—they dis-
claim the false‘and foul imputation of a divided allegiance.—
They avow themselves ready to maintain the just rights of
the Crown tgainst any power, Prelate, Prince, or potentate
whomsoever. The petitioners pay, they now lay: their
prayers before your Lordsbips,' with increased earnestness
and undiminished hope.” ‘They come before you complain-
ing of {the hardships which they. endured, complaining of
the -disqualifications which degratled them, and they pray
your Lordships at last to relievé them from the operation
of Jaws injurious and disgraceful--excluding them from Bri-
tish rights, and roatking them ‘as objects of suspicion and
jealousy —(Hear, hear.) © My‘ hopes of the result of :this
night’s deliberation are equat to By conviction of the justice
of the claims of the petitioners, and of the expediency of im-
mediatelyracceding to those claitns, “This petition comes
recommended, ist, by the chZracter of the petilioners. Tha
noble Earl (we could not tcar to whut Mlustor was orate,
took occasion more than .odce to hear houest testimony to
sheir character, not ouly-as peaccable and inotienditigy but
as meritorious, standing fortiiin the hour of dange: in.their
country’s defence. It coméa ri-coramended by, the great
number of petitions from Protestnats, particularly in the Eis-’
ter Kingdom, where the grievanco, fts injurious effects, and
its dangers, as has been-so ably stated hy a noble Duke (De-
vonshire) near me,’ ure best appreciated and: most severely
felt, It comes recommended byjthe House of Commons,
who have a second time sent you this bill, and prayed you
to pass it. Much discussion has taken place, both this night,
and on former nights, respecting the state of public feeling
upon this question.” By some it is contended, that the nu-
merous petitions presented: to your Lordships egainst the
bill prove public feeling to Ge against it. By others it is at-
tempted to take from the weight of the Poutions, by shew-
ing the description of persons who sign them ; by exposing
the means pursued in order to obtain them ; and also by re-
ferring to the countervailing effect of petitions in favour of
the bill.. Between these two parties I do not take upon my-
self to decide ; but from all 1 have bees able to collect, from
my own observation and the information of others, I con-
clude, that not one petition has: been presented agai
Catholic claims from any great county, hardly from any
great town ; and if from any great town there have been
counter petitions. There-have.been no public meetings
called to petition against the bill ;‘and wherever public meet-
ings have been. held the result has been favourable. My
conclusion from all these considerations, and especially frem
the vote of the House of Commons,—tf ask, whatever may
be said against the state of the representation in the House
of Commons, whether, on the eve of a dissolution, they
would not express the decided opinion of the public? I can-
not believe that if a strong public feeling had appeared,
much as the necessity of reform is felt, the House of Com-
mons would not echo the public voice, and that such a bill
would hot be presented—my co'clusion from all this is; if,
while public feeling is—I will not say favourable, perhaps
that would be too much—but while public feeling is ina state
of tranquillity, if the’ administration agreed—(loxd cheers)
and did not leave the fate of a: measure affecting the peace
and security of the enipire to a species of chance medley
if there were an admintstration agrecing “as to the policy of
making these concessions, in the present state of the public
mind, all difficulties would have vanished, al! obstacles would
have been overcome ; this great work of peace and justice
would be accomplished ; a state of Suspicion and jealousy,
of irritation and alarnt, would give piace to a state of peace,
charity, amd union; and all inves and persuasions would
join in the same general principles of obedience, and parti-
cipate in the same general bles:.ings of tranquillity and pub-
lic prosperity, My Lord, the Bev, Prelates who have been.
so active in presenting petitions at least, if not in‘obtaining
them, have disclaimed any interference with the clergy to
excite them to petition... I have no reason to doubt this de~
claration. 1 believe them to Le pious men, and incapable of
saying what is not true. But are not their opinions, I may
say their wishes, generaily known ? * May it not, therefore,
he supposed that this knowledge of the opinions and wishes
of those whose favour could give advancement, would have
taia thé purest principles of morality, that they perform all
. CS ee . os ty a fe . .
E . . mls tay. t
"| MAY 19,1895.
“cy. [Prrer 7d.'or 8s, wen Qu.»
others as a direct interference could have ?. However that
consideration may or may not have operated, certain it is, r
that active endeavours have been made to procure petitions,
though those endeavours. have not been very successful—~)
(dfear.) That such endeavours will continue to he unsuc—
c
the consequence ma: asterous in rev!
long suppressed, but perhaps not extinguished.: .That at this
time those endeavours have failed, is ta be ascribed to the: *
enlightened sense and liberality—I trust. that they will’
which they, have hitherto ‘so failed. .
lieve. Such .an opportunity] of concikating Ireland, of, re-”
lieving the Catholics of England, of rendering the union of
law a union of interest and affection cannot be neglected,
with safety... It is often said—we héar it in every mouth, we.
meet with it at the corner of every street, that this is a ques-
tion of time—that it must proceed, and no doubt.must be
passed. . Is it possible with that opinion, that an 7
take upon himself the responsibility of delay ?—(/¥ear, hear, ,
‘The noble Duke near me has said, that this is a favourable
period. “It is so; it is most auspicious. . But a little mament
and it may be too late. You may not be ina condition to, ~
grant, and they may not be in a temper to receive. The
noble Duke has téld you, that the act would now be received,
with ‘satisfaction. . A littly delay, however, and you may;
offer it in vain. Peace andtranquillity now prevail, but there.
are signs in the horizon which forbode a tempest. Now’
you may grant this relief with satisfaction, . In the season of
distress and danger,.when the passions are agitated and +
Givisions become irreconcileable, every proposition for peace,
may be rejected with indignation. * So it was with our colo-
nies in America. Still more fatal is the delusion that would
cause another separation, the effects of which may
repaired as the eficots of the other separation have been, but
bring about the ruin of this. empire.’ I should. not bave
offered so many observations to your Lordships, but that L
do not intend to trespass ‘again upon the attention of your,
Lordships this evening. -It is hardly, necessary for, meéto +
offer any observations on the subject; my opinions are well .,$
known.” All I cansay I have said over and over again during,
the last 20 years. t will only now add, that in every, yeary “>
which has passed, I have been more and more convinced of
the necessity of giving this relief. If you wish for thepros-
erity and power of the country, remove the disqualitying
jaws Which afford no protection to church or state, but which, > *
are full of danger to both, and threaten the imost irrctrievable
and fatal’ effects. The petitioners pray in complete unison
with the Catholics of I lana. In that prayer God grant that
they may be successfal, But the case. of the Catholics 6?
England ie-greatl? dil
Ireland.” Laws -whieh
frclund have no ‘operation: here, and the Catholics heve are
subject to py laws which have been removed there, , |
hope your Lordships will remove the striking anomaly, an.
grant to the Catholics of England what they are entitled to,
not.as an indulgence, but as justice. clition is signed, © ’
as I stated before hefore,: by the Catholic nobility, reniry, *,
clergy, and 30,000 Roman Catholics. I move that it be laid
on your Lordships’ table—(Cheers.)—It was read, and laid,
on the fable. . <
. CATHOLIC RELIEF BILL. °. 8:00 +
~ Lord Doxoucumoze moved the second reading of the bitt
for the Relief of the Roman Catholics of Great. Britain’ and
Ireland, and said, that. while Englishmen boasted of their
love of freedom, they made abject slaves of their Catholic
fellow countrymen. He shoul not then trouble the House "=
with aay further observations, but reserve himself fora futnre
opportunity. -
rd CoLcuEsSTER thought the claims of the Catholics bad
ivanced upon a system of intimidation, to which he
osedto submit. With regard to the Parliamentary _
enquiries into the subject, he was of opinion that they did
not affect any of the fundamental! objections to further con-
cessions to that body, and as to civil enjoyments, all’ situa-
tions in the Revenue were open to them, aa
obstacle to precedence at the Bar us far as w:
with the support of the Established ‘Church, He thought ‘
none of the securities sueh as could be atallrelied upon,
when it was recollected that the principle of mental reserva-
tion was adhered to by the members of the Catholic Religion,
‘There were other reasons which caused him rther
concessions in a dangerous light—reasons which had been
often stated, and which must be obvious to thetr Lornships.
A Roman Catholic Minister might arise, who, in asingle Ga-
zette, might raise Catholics to the highest offices of the State,
and where then would be the security of the Protestant Esta-
blishment ? " He should trespass no longer on their Lordships”.
attention than to state his intention of moving, as an ameud-
ment, that the’ Bill be read a second time this day six montis.:
> The Marquis of AvGresea had looked at the concessions
which had been from time made to the Catholics, in the anx-
fous hope that thé result of his inquiries would be that every,
concession which was made to them was met on their part
by a cotresponding spirit of conciliation, by a kindly fecling:
and good fellowship towards their Protestant fella. jects 5
but he was sorry to say that the result of bis inquiries pro-
duced disappointment, and that cvery step towards concilia--
tion produced great additional irritation onthe part of the
Cathotiés ; and judging from this fact his opinion was that the
dhject of the Roman Catholics was not Emancipation but
Ascendancy: Their Lordships were told that the demand of
$ix millions of men could not be resisted. The necessity of,
resisting such demands no man deplored more than he dids
but if anfortunately, the necessity should arise, and that tne
battle nust be fought, he would gay ta their Lordships, they
ought to fight it if possible in the best position, and he must *
say tnat he could see no position better than that in which
their Lordships now stood. ~ a .
Darxiey spoke in favour of the Bill, and Lord
Losxerord opposed it ; as did glso the Bishop of Lraxnarr,
the same cfect in stimulating the zeal and assiduiry of
Coe so bas}
but the reports sny not one sentence of the Pictate’s speech,
could be heard below the bar. x we
always fail through the same_auspicions cause, as that b at
notbe S
ervat_from_ that. of the. sett
granted not indulgence but justice Wo Se