PETITION OF THE ROMAN CATHOLICS OF IRELAND. (Hansard, 20 May 1811)

Mr. Gruttan

presented a Petition from his Majesty's Catholic Subjects, whose names were thereunto subscribed, as well for themselves as others his Majesty's subjects professing the Catholic faith in Ireland, setting forth,

"That, for a long series of years, the Petitioners and their ancestors suffered under the most cruel system of legalised persecution that ever afflicted a Christian people: and that, although they do with gratitude acknowledge that several of the enactments of that oppressive code have been repealed since the accession of his present Majesty to the throne of these realms, nevertheless the Petitioners still continue objects of a most degrading exclusion, not less injurious to the interests 208 of the empire than offensive to the feelings of the Petitioners; and that, for the last 17 years, no relief whatsoever has been extended to the Petitioners, though they have three several times within that period submitted their grievances and their claims to the consideration of the united parliament; on the contrary, their humble representations were disregarded, their just statements were contradicted, without afffording an opportunity of supporting them, every prayer for investigation was rejected, and men distinguished from their fellow citizens only by their inveterate and offensive opposition to the claims of the Petitioners, were raised to situations in the state of trust, dignity and emolument, a course of policy which the Petitioners cannot help considering at the least extremely questionable at all time: but more particularly so when the very independence of the United Kingdom becomes the subject of national contest; and that they deem it unnecessary to enter into any refutation of the several calumnies and misrepresentations which have been circulated respecting the doctrine of their holy religion; the solemn pledges they have given, the revenue they have contributed, the blood they have shed, and the lives they have sacrificed, in support of British policy and British connection, supply abundant contradiction to the malignant assertions and insinuations of their misguided enemies: the religion they profess is maintained by every one of his Majesty's European allies; it was the religion of every man in England when that colossal pillar of British liberty, so justly entitled her Great Charter, was raised by her trusty sons; and they beg leave most humbly to remind the House, that the Catholics of Ireland contribute very largely to the supply and reinforcement of his Majesty's forces on sea and land; and that they cannot disguise the feelings of disappointment: and dissatisfaction with which they are impressed, on finding such attachment and support on their part met by a system of cold and jealous reserve, which excludes the Irish Catholic from rank in military command; and those feelings are raised to a spirit of indignation when they observe that confidence which is refused to the Petitioners in this their native land reposed in foreign mercenaries, strangers alike to their soil and their constitutions and not naturally interested in the defence or prosperity of either; and that, 209 fully impressed with the conviction that the extent and degrees of their grievances are already known to the House, they deem it unnecessary to resort to a minute detail or recital of them, as such a particular recapitulation could only tend to impress more forcibly, and, if possible, more painfully, on the minds of the Petitioners, the degrading consequences resulting from their present wretched state of exclusion and humiliation; and praying the House to comply with the prayers of so many millions of their fellow subjects, and not to suffer their claims any longer to remain disregarded; the extent of their supplication is, that the House will secure and consolidate the real strength of the nation, and excite a spirit of enthusiastic loyalty in so large a portion of his Majesty's subjects at a time when every arm and every sinew is valuable in the defence of this insulated empire; the Petitioners ask for no favour which it is not in the power of parliament to bestow, or which they are not entitled to enjoy; restore then, they most humbly pray the House, the Catholics of Ireland to a full participation of all the blessings of that constitution, to the support and defence of which they have so essentially contributed."