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introduce into one House; seven or eight, the major number, it could introduce into the other. Therefore, Sir, this is to be the foundation of a Catholic ascendancy, and this is the argument directed to 658 legislators! This is the principle upon which exclusion is to be pronounced towards millions of people, and here is the argument and the authority upon which we are to arrive at conclusion! Therefore, I repeat, the right honourable gentleman's authority, great as it is in general, is, upon this particular cause, no authority at all. The question is not, whether you will uphold the Protestant establishment, but it is, whether you will endanger its existence, by proscribing your people. I repeat, again and again, that if you repel Catholic emancipation, you trample to the ground Protestant security.

You addressed us, the framers of this bill; you said, "We will argue the point-produce us your securities in the first instance; we will then produce you our concessions." Here they are; [Mr. Grattan here extended forth the bill] here are our securities:- where are your concessions? How do you meet us? After calling on us for securities, you reject concession, and, by that rejection, refuse the best security for the church, by withholding freedom from the people. If you vote against this clause, you vote against the bill; you nullify your object, you falsify your pledge. The noble lord opposite (Castlereagh) has acted a manly part; let the noble lord share then the merit of the bill. Upon my head be the odium of the clauses: to insure the principle of concession, I shall submit to the minor infringements. The alleged unpopularity of the bill can only be temporary. Should the Catholic mind be indisposed to accept it, should their leaders inculcate hostility to its clauses, clauses so necessary to carry through its principle; why, then, I shall lament such an occurrence; I shall feel it bitterly; I shall then, indeed, admit, that the Catholics are the bitterest enemies of themselves, and that upon their own heads, and on their own heads only, can the consequences of their own folly rest. [Mr. Grattan here paused for a moment, but resumed his wonted animation].

Sir, the question is, if you reject this bill, can you dwell upon the restrictions; and, upon your own view of the subject, how do you stand? You vote for the continuation of galling and jarring restrictions upon four millions of your fellow subjects. You vote for the unlimited power of the Pope upon this proscribed population; instead of enfranchising the one, and obliterating the other. [The right honourable gentleman concluded in a strain of eloquence, of which it is impossible to convey but a faint outline.] I beseech you to

pause before you vote this night. You stand between two important opinions. The one leads to unanimity in the nation, the other to discord in the community. The one incorporates the Catholic with the Protestant, and limits, nay extinguishes, the power of the Pope. The other exasperates the feelings of the people, and saps the best securities of the empire. The one lays at your disposal a brave and generous people, to testify on the embattled plain, the allegiance and the gratitude they owe you, and places your country on an iron pedestal, never, never to be shaken. The other arms you, with what? the Pope and his visions at your back; and, with these banners, to advance against and appal the almost overwhelming enemy of Europe.

The House divided on the Speaker's amendment, Ayes 251, Noes 247; Majority against admitting the Catholics into Parliament 4.

Mr. Ponsonby said, that as the leading clause of the bill was negatived, the friends of the measure considered it as lost for the present. He would therefore move, that the chairman do leave the chair; which motion was put and carried.

The following is a copy of the bill, that was brought in by Mr. Grattan for the relief of the Roman Catholics.

Bill for the further relief of the Roman Catholics of Great Britain and Ireland.

Whereas the Protestant succession to the Crown is, by the act for the further limitation of the Crown, and the better securing the liberties of the people, established permanently and inviolably;

And whereas the Protestant episcopal church of England and Ireland, and the doctrine, discipline, and government thereof, and likewise the Protestant church of Scotland, and the doctrine, discipline, and government thereof, are established permanently and inviolably;

And whereas it may tend to promote the interest of the same, and strengthen our free constitution, of which they are an essential part, if the civil and military disqualifications, under, which His Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects now labour, were removed;

And whereas, after due consideration of the petitions of the said Roman Catholics, it appears highly advisable to communicate to them the blessings of our free form of government; and with a view to put an end to all religious jealousies between His Majesty's subjects, and to bury in oblivion all animosities between Great Britain and Ireland, so that the inhabitants of the respective countries may be bound together, in all times to come, by the same privileges and the same interest, in defence of their common

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liberties and government, against all the enemies of the British empire :

May it please Your Majesty, That it may be enacted, and be it enacted, by the King's most excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that, from and after the

it shall and may be lawful for persons professing the Roman Catholic religion, to sit and vote in either House of Parliament, being in all other respects duly qualified so to sit and vote, upon making, taking, and subscribing the following declaration and oath, instead of the oaths of allegiance, abjuration, and supremacy, and instead of making and subscribing the declaration against transubstantiation, and the declaration against the invocation of saints, now by law required:

"I, A. B., do hereby declare, that I do profess the Roman Catholic religion; and I do sincerely promise and swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King George the Third, and him will defend to the utmost of my power against all conspiracies and attempts whatever, that shall be made against his person, crown, or dignity; and I will do my utmost endeavour to disclose and make known to His Majesty, his heirs and successors, all treasons and traitorous conspiracies which may be formed against him or them, and I do faithfully promise to maintain, support, and defend, to the utmost of my power, the succession to the Crown (which succession, by an act entitled, 'An act for the further limitation of the Crown, and the better securing the rights and liberties of the subject,' is, and stands limited to the Princess Sophia, Electress and Dutchess Dowager of Hanover, and the heirs of her body being Protestants); hereby utterly renouncing and abjuring any obedience or allegiance unto any other person claiming or pretending a right to the Crown of this realm. I do declare, that I do not believe that the Pope of Rome, or any other foreign prince, prelate, state, or potentate, hath, or ought to have, any temporal or civil jurisdiction, power, superiority, or pre-eminence, directly or indirectly, within this realm: I do further declare, that it is not an article of my faith, and that I do renounce, reject, and abjure the opinion, that princes excommunicated by the Pope or council, or by the Pope and council, or by any authority of the See of Rome, or by any authority whatsoever, may be deposed or murdered by their subjects, or any person whatsoever. I do swear, that I will defend, to the utmost of my power, the settlement and arrangement of property within this realm, as established by the laws. I do swear that I do abjure, condemn, and detest, as unchristian and impious, the principle, that it is lawful to destroy or any ways injure any person whatsoever, for or under the pretence of such person being an heretic. I do declare solemnly before God, that I believe that no act, in itself unjust or immoral, can ever be justified or excused, by or under the pretence or colour that it was done, either for the good of the church, or in obedience to any ecclesiastical power

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whatsoever. I also declare, that it is not an article of the Roman Catholic faith, neither am I thereby required to believe or profess, that the Pope is infallible, or that I am bound to obey any order, in its own nature immoral, though the Pope or any ecclesiastical power should issue or direct such order; but, on the contrary, I hold, that it would be sinful in me, to pay any respect or obedience thereto. I further declare, that I do not believe that any sin whatsoever committed by me, can be forgiven at the will of any Pope, or of any priest, or any person or persons whatsoever; but that sincere sorrow for past sins, a firm and sincere resolution to avoid future guilt, and to atone to God, are previous and indispensable requisites to establish a well-founded expectation of forgiveness, and that any person, who received absolution without the previous requisites, so far from obtaining thereby any remission of his sins, incurs the additional guilt of violating a sacrament. I do reject and detest, as an unchristian and impious principle, that faith is not to be kept with heretics or infidels. I do hereby disclaim, disavow, and solemnly abjure any intention to subvert the present church establishment, for the purpose of substituting a Roman Catholic establishment in its stead. I do solemnly swear that I will not use any privilege, power, or influence, which I do now, or may hereafter possess, to overthrow or disturb the present church establishments of the United Kingdom; and that I never will, by any conspiracy, contrivance, or device whatsoever, abet others in any attempt to overthrow or disturb the same. And that I will make known to His Majesty, his heirs and successors, all attempts, plots, or conspiracies, whether at home or abroad, which shall come to my knowledge, for effecting either of these purposes. I do solemnly, in the presence of God, profess, testify, and declare, that I do swear this oath, and make this declaration, and every part thereof, in the plain and ordinary sense of the words, without any evasion, equivocation, or mental reservation whatever, and without any dispensation, already granted by the Pope, or any authority of the See of Rome, or any person whatever, and without thinking that I am, or can be acquitted before God or man, or absolved of this declaration, or any part thereof, although the Pope, or any other person or authority whatsoever, shall dispense with or annul the same, or declare that it was null and void from the beginning. - So help me God."

And be it further enacted, That it shall and may be lawful for persons professing the Roman Catholic religion to vote at elections of members to serve in Parliament, being in all other respects duly qualified so to do upon making, taking, and subscribing either in. manner by this act directed, or at the time and place of tendering their votes before the returning-officer or officers presiding at such elections, who is, and are hereby authorised and required to receive and administer the same, instead of the oaths of allegiance, abjuration, and supremacy, and instead of such other oath or oaths, as are now by law required to be taken for the purpose aforesaid, by any of His Majesty's subjects professing the Roman Catholic religion, the aforesaid declaration and

oath, and also, upon taking such other oath or oaths as may now be lawfully tendered to any person or persons offering to vote at such elections.

And be it further enacted, that it shall be lawful for persons professing the Roman Catholic religion to hold, exercise, and enjoy all civil and military offices, or places of trust or profit, under His Majesty, his heirs or successors, except as herein-after excepted, upon making, taking, and subscribing the aforesaid declaration and oath, instead of the oaths and declaration against transubstantiation, and the declaration against the invocation of saints, now by law required; and upon taking also such other oath or oaths, as are now by law required to be taken by any person or persons, on his or their admission into any such office, or place of trust or profit, respectively, and without taking the sacrament of our Lord's supper, according to the usage of the church of England.

Provided always, that nothing herein contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to enable any person, being a Roman Catholic, to hold and enjoy the office of Lord High Chancellor, Lord Keeper or Lord Commissioner of the Great Seal of Great Britain, or of Lord Lieutenant or Lord Deputy, or Chief Governor or Governors of Ireland.

And be it further enacted, that it shall and may be lawful for any person professing the Roman Catholic religion, to be a member of any Lay Body Corporate, and to hold any civil office or place of trust or profit therein, upon making, taking, and subscribing the declaration and oath aforesaid, instead of the oaths of allegiance, abjuration, or supremacy, and instead of the declaration against transubstantiation, and the declaration against the invocation of saints, now by law required; and upon taking also such other oath or oaths as may now by law be required to be taken by any person or persons becoming a member or members of such Lay Body Corporate, or being admitted to hold any office or place of trust or profit within the same; and without taking the sacrament of our Lord's supper, according to the usage of the church of England.

Provided always, that nothing in this act contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to dispense with, repeal, or alter any of the laws now in force, for establishing the uniformity of public prayers, or administration of sacraments in the united episcopal church of England and Ireland; or to enable any person or persons, otherwise than as they are now enabled, to hold, enjoy, or exercise any office, benefice, place, or dignity, of, in, or belonging to the said united church of England and Ireland, or the church of Scotland, or any place or office whatever, of or belonging to any of the ecclesiastical courts of judicature of this realm, or of any court of appeal, from a review of the sentences of such court or courts, or of or belonging to any cathedral, or to any collegiate or ecclesiastical establishment or foundation within the same, or any office or place of, or belonging to, any of the universities of this realm, or any office or place of provost, master, head, or fel

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