The Bishop of Chester roseto present a Petition to their lordships from the city of Chester, against granting any further concessions to the Catholics; and in presenting it he felt himself called upon to say a single word. He had not, on any occasion, felt any great anxiety to vindicate himself from reports; but, on the present occasion, it had been said publicly, that he had been the instigator of the present petition, and he must therefore distinctly and solemnly assure their lordships, that he had not heard of the petition until he had received it to present to their lordships. Though he 563 might, on several occasions, have stated what his own opinion was, and might have referred to the popular opinions, he never had, since he had sat in the House, nor when the subject to which the petition referred was under discussion in parliament, been the instigator of a single petition.
Earl Grosvenorsaid, he had been requested to support the prayer of the petition. It, however, could never be supposed that he approved of its prayer. He was not surprised at his right rev. friend disclaiming all connexion with the getting-up of that petition, after it had been unjustly reported that it had been prepared under his authority. He was also readily disposed to be satisfied with that disclaimer, for he knew that the people of Chester had such a horror of Popery, that it had induced them to send up a second petition to their lordships, during the present session, against Catholic emancipation. He believed there was no place in England where the horrors of Popery pressed themselves on the minds of men, women, and children, in so great a degree as in Chester. Though he did not expect any rapid progress towards the change of that feeling, yet he did expect that, ultimately, a change would take place; for some friends of his residing in Chester, had lately assured him, that they began to entertain a different opinion upon the subject of the Roman Catholic claims to that which they had formerly held.
§ The Duke of Sussexsaid, he held in his hand a petition relating to the same subject. It came from the Roman Catholics of the province of Connaught, praying to be relieved from those penalties under which they laboured, and to participate in those civil rights from which they were now excluded. In presenting this petition, he thought it his duty to say a few words, in the first instance, to support the prayer of the petition; and likewise to state the reasons which had prevented him from presenting the petition sooner. When this petition was first handed to him, he had been prevented from attending to his duties in that House, on account of being engaged upon their lordships' committees; and afterwards an event had taken place, which caused him to delay still longer presenting the petition. But, seeing that so great a number of petitions against the Catholic claims had been presented to their lordships, he thought he should be acting unjustly towards the individuals who had 564 placed the petition in his hands, if he delayed any longer to present it. The subject was one which had occupied his serious attention, and he humbly stated that his opinion was totally unaltered; but at the same time he must be permitted to observe, that the question was one of extreme delicacy and importance, upon which it was requisite to go with the feelings of the country. It was highly necessary not to urge forward this question with violence, or offend the public mind by haste. The question was one which required time, and ought not to be hurried. He never considered, that the subject should be forced unwillingly on the country, and still less that it should be got rid of by clamour. The question of the Catholic claims had never been considered as a party question: it had been left open to every one to vote as he pleased. With that view of the subject he had always voted, and with that view of the subject only he should always vote; but if the question was to be made the standard of a party, he would not give to it the aid of his voice.
Ordered to lie on the table.