Lords Sitting of 26 February 1813

PETITIONS RESPECTING THE CLAIMS OF THE ROMAN CATHOLICS.
Petitions against the Catholic Claims were presented by lord St. Helen's from Stamford, by the bishop of Chester, from the inhabitants of Worley, in Lancashire, and from the Protestants of the county of Cavan.—
Marquis Wellesleypresented a petition from certain inhabitants of Chichester and its neighbourhood, in favour of the Catholic claims. His lordship stated, that when notice was issued that this petition was lying for signatures, a hand-bill was circulated, part of which he read, warning persons against signing it; and for the purpose, as alleged, of stating the real opinions of the Catholics, quoting passages from a publication entitled "The Third Part of the Statement of Penal Laws," which it was asserted, had been published by the authority of the Catholic Board. This pretended Third Part of the Statement of Penal Laws, it was notorious in Ireland, was a fabrication, and it was there considered as a joke. It had, however, been observed, that what was considered a joke in Ireland, was sometimes looked upon in a very serious light in this country; and so it was with this fabrication, which had been industriously circulated, as the real opinions of the Catholics, in Sussex, in many parts of Yorkshire and Lancashire, and in other quarters. It had deterred many persons at Chichester from signing the petition he was then presenting, and was calculated to produce the worst effect, in exciting violence, by the grossest and most mischievous misrepresentation. He therefore trusted, that great caution would be used, in guarding against violence on either side, in order that a calm and dispassionate discussion might be had upon this momentous and vitally important question.