Lord Castlereaghpresented a Petition in favour of the grant to the Kildare Street Society, from the town of Glenarns. He took that opportunity to assure the House, that a very strong feeling of dissatisfac- 663 tion pervaded that part of Ireland with which he was connected, at the course which the Government had determined to pursue with regard to this Society. This feeling was general in the province of Ulster. The Protestants ought not to suffer because they were the smaller number; it was most unwise to legislate for one part of a people. He feared that the measures of Government would alienate the industry, wealth, and intelligence of Ireland from this country, to which they had hitherto looked up for countenance and support.
§ Mr. Ruthvensaid, that the objects of the Society had failed, and many of its principal Members had seceded, after finding that its system did not work well.
Mr. Dominick Brownesaid, that Irish Members would give their support to the Reform Bill, whether the Government made grants to the Kildare Street Society or to the College of Maynooth.
Mr. O'Connellsaid, that Government had done but tardy justice to the Catholics of Ireland; but, though tardy, he was not surprised that the violent partisans on the other side felt more and more irritated as this justice was evinced.
Sir Robert Batesonthought, that what fell from the Catholics in that House looked very like the beginning of a new Catholic ascendancy.
§ Colonel Sibthorpdeprecated all allusion to religious opinions in that House, and the continuance of such discussion as that.
§ Petition to lie on the Table.