Mr. Hutchinsonrose to pre- 1169 sent a petition on the subject of the Catholic Claims from the Catholics of the county and city of Cork. The petition was signed by 900 Catholics; and lest it should be supposed from the smallness of the numbers, that the Catholics were indifferent to the subject, he begged to state that there never was a time when they were more unanimous on the subject. The petitioners approached the House with respect, but with a deep sense of unmerited oppression and sufferings under the existing law. They preferred their claims on the broad principle of justice and political equality; they laid it down as an axiom', that equal and impartial justice should be dealt out to all members of the same community; and they asserted as to Ireland, that the empire could never enjoy peace and prosperity until all religious parties were placed on an equal footing. As parliament was to be prorogued in a few days, he was anxious to know what excuse could be offered, for the negligence which had been shown on this subject. In what manner it was to be explained that the ministers had not felt it to be their duty to direct the attention of the House to this great, and he might say, imperial, quest ion. Should he turn round on the Catholics, and say, that it was to their apathy or misconduct that this neglect was to be attributed? He could not, in his conscience, say so. He had witnessed the loyalty of the Catholics, and their devotion to their sovereign, convinced as they were, that nothing but the advice of ministers was necessary to cause the fullest justice to be done to them. When he found them taking an oath of allegiance, unexampled in its nature, disclaiming all the abominable doctrines imputed to them; when he found them approaching parliament respectfully with their petitions; when he found them performing unexceptionably all the political duties to which they were admitted—as electors, jurors, grand jurors, and magistrates; when he looked into the page of history, and saw the battles that had been won by their valour; he could not say that the Catholics had, either by their indifference or their misconduct, merited the neglect which had been shewn towards them. He should appeal to the example of the other governments of Europe, under none of which was conscience made a cause of exclusion. If the ministers refused to bring forward the question at the time which was most auspicious for the discussion of it, they would be forced 1170 into the discussion of it, when concession would look like fear, rather than justice. It was a question which must, for the general safety of the empire, be put an end to one way or other, and speedily too; and he was convinced that many of those Protestant gentlemen in Ireland, who had opposed the Catholic claims, would be glad to compose the distraction which they saw prevailing in Ireland, by a concession of the question.
Mr. W. Beckersupported the petition. He was glad of any opportunity of expressing his opinion on this great question, though this was not the occasion for entering into a full discussion of it.: All the friends of the question could do was, to induce the House to come coolly to the consideration of it, and to be in no manner prejudiced on account of the alleged misconduct of a few persons, on whom the injustice of the present laws operated most severely, and who could not be expected to feel or to express themselves respecting them, in the same manner as indifferent spectators. The manifestation of feeling on the part of these individuals was only an additional proof of the necessity of the repeal of the oppressive laws.—In a land of general freedom, no law could be made against a particular body of subjects which they would not be able with success to evade. What would be the conduct of the people of England, if the major part of the population laboured under the same disabilities as the Catholics of Ireland? If the people themselves were indifferent, would not persons of weight and consequence be found endeavouring to rouse them from a lethargy so disgraceful, and the most respected of those who now heard him would be branded with the name of agitators.
§ Ordered to lie on the table.