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TRUTH IS POWERFUL,
JOL. I.) *
aR
Sy
VEW-YORK, SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 1826.
AND WILL PREVAID.
NO.9
IRELAND.
eo —
Catholic Miecting in Dublin.
The following petition was read by Mr, O’Connell, from the
‘air of the catholic meeting, held in Dublin, pursuant to re-
quisition, on Wednesday, December 7th, 1825
To the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of
the United-Kingdom of Great-Brilain and Ireland, in Parlia-
«ment assembled =
The humble petition of his majesty’s Roman Catholic subs
jects, whose names are hereunto subscribed, as well for the
“selves as for other his majesty’s subjects professing the Roman
Catholic religion i in Ireland, most humbly sheweth—
That your “petitioners oneé more implore the attention of this
honourable house to that portion of the statutes of this realm
which renders it necessary for six millions of loyal subjects of
the British crown to appear at the bar of Parliament, humbly
pray ing, that they may not be any longer excluded from the en-
joyment of their political rights, on account of, conscientious
‘worship of their God, by adherence to that religion which
the common universal faith of England m the most glorious
epochs of her history, and is at the ‘present hour professed by
almost all those States in the old and tho new worlds with
whom theiy most gracious Sovereign holds terms of friendly
and confidential relation,
your petitioners had fondly hoped that the results of the
comprehensive andy olemn inquiries into the state of their coun-
ary, instituted by boch houses of Parliament, and repeatedly ap-
proved by gracious communications from the
have, ere now, relieve d them from the humiliating obligation of
again praying to he raised from their state of odious and un-
iaerited degradation, ‘fn their native Jand, of whose population
they constitute so large a majority, But your petitioners have
geen and felt, with unaffected surprise and regret, “that altho’
the magnitude of the subject eminently appeared, by the pro-
minent station which it unavoidably held in those inquiries. an
although the injurious tendency and operation of the present
‘system of exclusion was most unequivocally proved, neverthe-
Jess no means of amelioration were suggested to Parliament,
hor was any prospect of relief held out to your petitioners: be-
yond the cold and cheerless declaration of the “ paramount im-
portance” of their question.
Your petitioners, therefore, humbly trust, that inasmuch as
the said committee, i accordance with the conduct hitherto
observed by the ministers of the crown, have declioed to origi-
wate any measure respecting the subject, of such confessedly
paramount importance to the Strate; y your . Petitioners and
ully excused froth the charge of prema obtrusion in “the ir
humble endeavour to obtain for their claims the consideration of
this honourable hi
» That your petitioners feel no inclination to disguise the anxi-
ons hope, long entertained by the Catholics of Ireland, that the
liberal relaxetion’ of the pena’ al code cermenced i in the reign of
his late most gracious majesty, w npleted it in that of
their ean “illustrious Sovereign ; and { they felt inuch en:
inthe expectation by the enlightened and liberal prin-
ciples of government extended by his majesty to the Roman
Catholic subjects of his Hanoverian States.
at the same time, most gratcfuny admit that their confidence
had been much increased by the benevolent acts and profes-
sions of his majesty since his accession to the throne of these
yealms ; and they refer, with sentiments of g
tution, not only to his majesty’s parental ¥
ivish subjects, and the affectionate recommendation containe
in his parting admonition and injunction, which it has been ne-
cessary to cultivate and o! sce ve, but also to the many obliga-
tions which they owe to overeign for the repeated in-
stances of regard for his Irish subjects, apparent from several
communications from the throne to Parliament.
Your petitioners advert with much satisfaction to the graci-
ous declaration of his maje: sty upon the occasion of orening
the session of Parlinment in the year 1822, when his ma
was pleased to say, that “in his late visit to Ireland, he deri
the most sincere gratifica ation from the loyalty and attachment
amanifested by all ch SOS ef his subjects ;” and again, when
closing the s is majesty assured Parliament.
that "the oliject wi ich he over had at, heart was,” to use his
own parental terms, “ that of cementing the connection which
subsists between every part of the Empire, and of uniting in
broth erly, love and afieetion all classes and descriptions of his
subjects.
‘That in the speech of his majesty’s commissioners, upon
opening the session of 1823, it was recommended t6 Parliament
to consider of ‘sueh measures of internal regulation as miy be
valculated to promote and secure the tranquillity of [ reiand, aud
* to improve the habits and condition of the peoples 7 and, upon
Closing that session, it was declared by’ the commi
his majesty’s name, that * his majesty ent erlained § a cont feu
© Reetation that the provisiens of interaal regulation which
Ya ent had adopted with respect to. Arelané, would when
edi nt efiect, tend to remove some of the evils yy fica have
That, in the same spirit of affectiohate regard, bis majesty’s
commissioners, upon the opening of the session of the year
1824, were instructed to declare, ‘‘ that Ireland had been
sometime past the subject of his imajesty’s particular olieitude,”
and that “ his majesty relied upon the continued endeavours of
Parliament to secure the welfare and happiness of that part of
the United-Kingdom ;” and when closing that session, his ma-
jesty was pleased to express his gracious approbation of the in-
quiries instituted into the state of Ireland; and to add, that he
* had no doubt but that Parliament would See the expediency
of pursuing i its inquiries in another session ;” which recommen-
dation was repeated by his majesty upon the opening the ses-
sion of 1825; and his majesty directed his commissioners,
when closing that session, ‘eo return’ ‘iis warmest acknowledg-
ments for the zeal and assiduity with which both houses. of
Parliament had prosecuted the inguiries into the state of Ire-
oboe petitioners humbly, but most confidently, submit, that it
must appear perfectly plain to this honourable house, that the
parental solicitude thus affectionately and repeatedly expressed
y his majesty, never can be gri ratified, nor his gracious desire
for the prontotion of brotherly union pmong all classes and de-
scriptions of his Irish subjects be accomplished: not the evils
which have so long afflicted Ireland be remedied ; nor the good
results expected to follow the late Parliamentary inquiries, be
effected, so Jong as the great body of the Irish population is
held, by th law, in an jsnominious inferiority, and excluded
from the full enjoyment of that constitution which they mainly
contribute to sustain.
It will not, therefore, eppear strange or unjustifiable, to this
honourable house. that a measore whose attainment is thus ma-
nifestly necessary, as well for the accomplishment of the beue-
volent views of the Sovereign, as: forthe promotion of the gene-
ral public weal, should be urged wth peculiar but respectful
zeal and cagnestness, upon every cohventent occasion, by y
petitioners, who are the dircet immediate victims of that duet
code against which they complain; as not only restrictive of
their just rights as faithiul subjects of the crown, and opposed
y the pursuits of legitimate aed laudable ambition, but alsd
thwarting their progress in every rank and walk of life; and
also neutralizing the advantages of that limited toleration
which was extended to the Roman Catholics of Ireland to-
wards the close of the last ceulury—uow more than thirty
years.
Your petitioners further most humbly represent to this ho-
nourable house, that it may,not be unworthy of its considera-
tion, that the prayer of the Catholic subjects of the United
Kiugdom for relief, hos been also sustained Ly the great body
ofthe resident {rish Protestant nobilit ly aud gentry, by the most
opulent and most exalied Irish proprictors of all religious com.
munitics and political parties in the State, by the enlightened
members of the learned professions in both istands, by the most
eminent bankers, merchants, traders, and capitalists of the Bri-
tish metropolis; by, many members of the English universities,
ignitaries, and ministers of the Established Church, by the
most esteemed members of the dissenting communitics, and,
finally, by the repeated determinations of the representatives
er the Commons of the United-Kingdom in Parliament assem-
bled. .
That although your petitioners may ‘aud do advert with sine
tere delight and gratitude to such unequivocal attestatious to
the justice of their prayer, they nevertheless rest their claims
chiefly upon the abstract right and intrinsic mevit thereaf, and
upon the soleinn compact which remains unbroken on their
part, «nd by which the honour of the British crown and people
was pledged for the support and proteetion of th hts and
liberties of the Catholics of Ireland; for your petitioners most
humbly insist that the continsance of these penal enactments
against which they now complain, is a direct palpable continued
infraction of those articles agreed upon at the capirul ation of
Limerick, which secured to the British king and nation many
important advantages, for that charter of Irish freedom, to the
maintenance of. which the good faith of England was thereupon
sulemnly plighted.
Nor can your petitioners wholly ov crlook the fact, that the
conduct of Ireland towards Britain, since the commencement
of the intercourse in remote ages, should insure to ler a return
far different from that which she has almost invariably recciv-
ed—a_ posi which is distinctly established, whether refer-
ence be had to the testimony of most esteemed English writers,
or to the labours of Irishmen in the diffusioa of christianity and
civilization § in every quarter of Britain; the establishment of
religious and literary institutions for that benevolent purpose,
and. the hospitable reception aud gretuitous support and
struction of British princes, clergy, and peopie in Irish semin-
aries, or hy reference, in more my noderd times, to the loyal zea}
and attachment manifested by the Krish Catholic’ subjects of
the British crown in » those inferior stations iu the army and na-
vy, to which alone they were admitted by the Provisions of the
law or practice of government,
Your petitioners do not refer to these topics ina spirit ofac
rim ewith ay ofler view than to remind the honourable
house Seale just claims of Ireland to Brith sympathy and fe
va
fee long aflicted hat partof the Cuited Kingdom.
As pe
your; for siihongh hey ‘are nyt ignerant that wile all othe?
European States gratefully recognized | the validity of similar
claims on the part of Ireland, Englan roved her dis-
positions by the confiscation of pagent the “demolition of reli-
gious and literary establishments, and the proscription and
persecution of the people; nevertheless, it is the most earnest
desire of your petitioners that Parliament should enact such a
final and satisfactory measure of justice and conciliation as will
obliterate for ever from the memory of both nations all traces
of such heart-rending reficetions.
It cannot be dissembled by your petitioners, that they had
been led to this painful reference, principally by the recent op-
Position to their claims founded upon the imputation that bis
majesty’s Roman Catholic subjects practise or profess a divided
allegiance; tis imputation, utterly unjustified by their conduct,
appears petitioners not more istolerable in fact, thun
ungenerous, vihiberal, and ungrateful in principle, and they ear-
nestly pray that this honourable house may feel assured that
your petitioners are restrained solely by sentiments of respect »
aod decorum from a more direct and unineasured expression
of the indignation which that charge has excited among ul:
ranks of his majesty’s faithful, though much-injured and Tong
suffering Irish Catholic subjects. *
Your | petitioners unbesitatingly admit and avow, that their
religious faith remains unaltered, and for this simple reason—
that it eppears to them the most conducive to the eternal salva-
tion of man; itis the same faith as was professed. by Catholic
Ireland upon every one of these occasions, in ancient and mo-
dern ‘times, to which your petitioners have referred; it is the
same faith as was professed by the most esteemed princes,
peers, and warriors of England, and by all peop!o, when the
offices of government and the obligations of subjects were as
well understood und ae vel performed as they have Leen in
any subsequent period: js the same faith ae was and still is
professed by the great ‘majority of christians scattered over al)
the nations of the earth, without destroying or endangering
their allegiance to thctr respective governments, and yuur y: e
titioners will not_be required by this honourable house ta ace 5
cede to the notion which this imputation implies, that there
must be something so incongtuous, revolting, and obnoxious in
the system of British rule, that the allegiance which Is enficiont
and secure in all other Sates, should be considered unavailing
and insecure within the United-Kingdom.
Nor is this the single inconsistency or peculiarity attending
that offensive ullegation, for it is made not only at a time w! rhen
his Majesty’s Roman Catholle subjects are admissible withou’ °
complaint to all the subordinate stations of practical power. in
the Naval, Civil, and Military departments of the State, bat
at the very moment when, as your petisioners believe, full one
half of the number of recruits enlisted for Lis Majesty's Army
are raiscd from the Catholic population of Iveland—a elrewa-
stance which your petitioners humbly submit could not and
should not be ahmnitted to occur, if this charge of “ divided alle-
giancewere seriously entertained by any member of his Ma-
jesty’s Governme!
Had it been aledgea that his Majesty! 's Roman Cat! holic swb-
jects abused the nded to them by veaamtents
or manifested a defective allegiance | in the adiistration of a
offices to,which they were appointed, or had their opponents
pointed to any specific proofs of a superior practical allegiance
onthe part of any other class or description of his Mayesty's
people, your petitioners could not, if such allegations were well
founded, complain of such a marked and peculiar distrust as is
thus avowed; but whereas, on the contrary, they can confi-
deatly challenge their adversaties to a contrast between the |
deportment of their body under the most try ing circumstances, |
and that of the most favoured class-in the State. ey trust
that this Honourable House will not suffer its judgment to be
affectes jousty towards them by such misrepresentations :
the spiritual jurisdiction recognise: ed by your petitione’ doe:
not vary in character from that esisting in any other Chr ian
community in which an ecclesia: al hieruichy is sustaiaed,
and is totally unconcerned in the exercise of any potitical pow-
‘r orinduence whatsoever; the authors of thisimputation might,
therefore, with equal justice and consistency, insist that it is
essential 16 the observance of that entire undivided allegiance
which they held to be due by a British subject to his Kinz, that
he should refuse honour to kis parents or worship to his God,
Your petitioners beg leuve very Uricfly ta cotrovert another
objection recently made to their claiins,, founded upon an alie-
ation of the total absence of education in the great tdy of the
Catholics of Ireland, 2s contrasted with their British’ tetlow-
subjects, and their consequent unfitness for the full enjoyment
Stave Bets Constitution; they do not desire to animadcert
avith severity upon the ungencrous charactor of this imputation,
which, if it were founded in truth, should nevertheless be de
Tectiaed Ly the advocates of a system that sought, by all ibe
stratagems of unfecting perseention, to establish that intellees
tual infeviority whieh is now alleged as a disqualification forthe
possession of freed .
But your pttimers mast explicitly deny the truth of the all's
vy insist, that notwithstanding the demotion ¢f theis
the becseottion ofthe peopie, and the prest.ir tion.
literary instvuctors, the mi iedivecte
whty ef Government, aid the factions zeat of ind id sals, the
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