HC Deb 02 March 1821 vol 4 cc1066-8

The order of the day being read for the House to resolve itself into a committee to consider of this subject,

Mr. Plunkett

said, that previous to moving that the Speaker should leave the chair, he had a few observations to make, in which he should not occupy much of the time of the House, as he saw no reason to anticipate objection to the course he was about to propose. It was highly gratifying to him to observe the feeling which prevailed on all sides in that House throughout the late discussion on this subject; a feeling which assured him that those who were bound by their sense of duty to contend against the measures which he proposed, would scorn to act upon a vexatious spirit in opposing the bill. He deemed it a duty which he owed both to the friends of the measure and to those gentlemen who were conscientiously opposed to it, now to state to the House the course he proposed to pursue, which was, to propose in the committee certain Resolutions, which he would presently read to them; and after they were carried, and leave given to bring in the bill which he intended to found upon them, to fix the first reading of the bill for Tuesday next, and the second reading for the Monday following; which arrangement, he conceived, would afford ample time for every member to enter fully into its merits. The Resolutions which he intended to propose were:

  1. 1. "That it appears to this committee, that by certain acts passed in the parliaments of Great Britain and Ireland respectively, certain declarations and affirmations are required to be made, as qualifications for the enjoyment of certain offices, franchises, and civil rights, therein mentioned.
  2. 2. "That such parts of said oaths as require a declaration to be made against the belief of transubstantiation, or that the invocation or adoration of the Virgin Mary, or any other saint, and that the sacrifice of the Mass, as used in the Church of Rome, are superstitious and idolatrous, appear to this committee to relate to opinions merely speculative and dogmatical, not affecting the allegiance or civil duty of the subject, and that the same may, therefore, safely be repealed.
    3. 1067
  3. 3. "That it appears to this committee, that, in several acts passed in the parliaments of Great Britain and Ireland respectively, a certain oath, commonly called the oath of Supremacy, is required to be taken, as a qualification for the enjoyment of certain offices, franchises, and civil rights, therein mentioned.
  4. 4. That in the said oath and declaration is contained, that no foreign prince, person, prelate, state or potentate, ought to have any jurisdiction, power, superiority, pre-eminence, or authority, ecclesiastical or spiritual, within these realms.
  5. 5. "That it appears to this committee, that scruples are entertained by his majesty's Roman Catholic subjects with respect to taking the said oath, merely on account of the word 'spiritual' being inserted therein; and that for the purpose of removing such scruples, it would be expedient to declare the sense in which the said word is used, according to the injunction issued by queen Elizabeth in the first year of her reign, and recognised in the act of the fifth of her reign, and which is explained by the thirty-seventh of the articles of the church of England, imports merely, that the kings of this realm should govern all estates and degrees committed to their charge by God, whether they be ecclesiastical or temporal, and restrain with the civil sword the stubborn and evil doer.
  6. 6. "That it is the opinion of this committee, that such act of repeal and explanation, should be accompanied with such exceptions and regulations as may be found necessary for preserving unalterably the Protestant Succession to the Crown, according to the act for the further limitation of the Crown, and better securing the rights and liberties of the subject and for maintaining inviolate the Protestant episcopal Church of England and Ireland, and the doctrine, government, and discipline thereof; and the Church of Scotland, and the doctrine, worship, government, and discipline thereof, as the same are by law respectively established."

Mr. Peel

said, that after the vote the House had come to, it was not his intention to oppose the motion for the Speaker leaving the chair. With respect to the Resolutions proposed, he could only acquiesce in them on condition that the right hon. gentleman only demanded a formal adoption, and that those gentlemen who differed from him should in no way be precluded from offering any oppo- sition, either to the whole or part. He might perhaps, be allowed to say a few words, to discourage too sanguine expectations that might be formed. At a former period, when a similar measure had been carried by a much larger majority it was subsequently rejected. At was his determination to meet this question with temperance, but with the most decided opposition; for he thought that great temperance was perfectly consistent with great firmness. He would endeavour so to oppose it, as to guard against exciting jealousies or fears in the minds of the Protestants, or of exasperation and despondency in the minds of the Catholics.

The House went into the committee. The resolutions were agreed to; a bill was ordered to be brought in thereupon; and the House, on the motion of sir George Hill, was ordered to be called over on the 16th.