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222 Intelligence .- * Catholic Question .
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Lord Grey contended , that the repeated majorities of late years , iu the House of Commons , proved that the Catholic question had grown in favour with the people at large . Though he admitted that the other House required reform to a certain extent , yet , even as now constituted , it was materially influenced by the public opinion . The Noble Lord admitted that the overthrow of the present Administration would be an evil ; but it was impossible to form one entirely hostile to the Catholic Claims ; and no man would be bold
enough to undertake to conduct the Government and preserve the Constitution , if the question was to remain unsettled . { Hear , hear . ) Let the Noble Lord consider the consequences of driving seven millions of people to despair after their hopes had been raised by the prospect of a measure in their favour . ( Cheers . )
The Duke of Wellington , for the second time , would repel the charge ' of Intimidation which was brought against the Administration . They had proposed their measures on their own responsibility , without communication of any sort , from a sense of duty to the country , satisfied as they were that such measures were necessary to the peace and welfare of Ireland . ( Hear , hear . ) It was known that the two Houses had been of
different opinions on the Catholic question , and that the Government held none at all . Such a state of things could not possibly continue , and it was the duty of Ministers to terminate it , in order to conduct the affairs of Ireland satisfactorily . These were the reason ^ , and not the unworthy ones imputed- ; atid it called for more firmness , on : the part of his honourable
fttend ( Mr . Peel )—to abandon opiuions which he had hitherto maintained , and to urge upon Parliament the adoption of this measure , to which he had been always opposed , — -to abandon , as it were , Ms political existeuce in order to urge on Parliament this measure *—it required , he related , more firmness of character to do that , than to adhere to his longcherished opinions on the subject .
The Irish Associations' Suppression Bill was brought up from the Commons and read a first time . The Duke of Newcastle wished to aBk the Noble Dulce what were his ulterior views in regard to the intended measure of admitting Catholics into Parliament ? The country , he said , was riot prepared to submit to absolute power of military role . As to the alleged difficulties of a divided Cabinet , he knew that the Noble Dukt was absolute there ,
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and that his will was implicitly obeyed . — [ No reply from the Duke of Wellington . ] Lord Camden advised the Noble Duke not to reply to every question which Noble Lords might choose to put on this subject , particularly as Ministers had avowed that the measure was introduced
on their own responsibility . His Lordship also complimented Mr . Peel for the manful , honourable , atid most useful conduct he had adopted , in order to carry measures which he deemed beneficial to the nation , though at the great sacrifice of private ties and personal feelings . [ Cheers . )
Lord Falmouth thought there was nothing irregular or improper in seeking for information on this important subject . Lord Darnley complained of the narrow-rainded and inflammatory appeals that had been of late made to the worst feelings and prejudices of the peoplesimilar ones , in 1780 , led to niobbiugs and conflagrations , but the people were then much less enlightened than they are at present .
February 18 th . Several petitions were presented against the Catholic Claims , among them that from the University of Oxford , by Lord Clare , who said , that neither himself nor his noble friend the Chancellor of the University , agreed with the petitioners in their hostility to the claims of
the Catholics , the favourable settlement of which they were both most anxious to aid in . —Lord Bexi ^ y observed , that the petition had been agreed to at the most numerous convocation ever assembled in Oxford , and had been carried by a majority of three to one . His Lordship presented an Auti-catholic petition from Norwich , signed by 5000 persons .
February 19 th . Several petitions were presented against the Catholic Claims ; and there was one , Lord Eldon said , which he did not know well how to treat , as it was signed by a great many ladies—{ Laughter )—about which he v \ ould look into the Journals , to see whether there was any precedent to prevent them from
forwarding their remonstrances against measures which they deemed injurious to the Constitution !—Lord Kino asked if the petitioners were youug or old women ?—( Laughter . )—Lord Eldon said , he could not answer upon that point ; but he was sure there were many women who possessed more kuowledge of the Constitution , and more common se 4 iise , than the descendants of Chancellors !
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1829, page 222, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2570/page/70/
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