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CHAP. LXXXIV.

ACT PASSED FOR THE RELIEF OF THE IRISH

CATHOLICS IN 1793,-LORD FITZWILLIAM'S APPOINTMENT ΤΟ THE LIEUTENANCY OF

IRELAND, AND RECAL-REBELLION IN 1798,

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-PROSPECT OF EMANCIPATION HELD OUT TO THE CATHOLICS AT THE UNION.

AN excellent account of the act passed in 1793, for the relief of the roman-catholics of Ireland, of the principal circumstances connected with it, and of the subsequent events in the history of the Irish catholics, is given by sir Henry Parnel in the history which we have so often cited. It represents his own mind, completely accurate, completely informed, and completely honourable. From this work, principally, we shall present to our readers, I. Some account of the act of 1793* II. Of the appointment of earl Fitzwilliam to the lieutenancy of Ireland, and his recal: III. Of the rebellion in Ireland in 1798: and IV. Of the union between England and Ireland, so far as respects the prospect of emancipation then held out to the catholics.

LXXXIV. 1.

The Act passed for the Relief of the Irish Catholics in 1793.

In respect to this act, it is sufficient for the purpose of the present publication to observe, that,

speaking generally, it places the catholics on a level with their fellow-subjects in Ireland, except that they continue excluded from both houses of parliament, and from about 20,000 functions or offices of power and emolument*. Thus between them and their fellow-subjects, a distinction, not so great as it was formerly, but still very strongly marked, and pressing very heavily upon them, is continued. It keeps them from falling into the general mass of the community, and renders them a separate cast; which it is an alleged principle of the constitution to behold with jealousy, and to keep, without regard to their feelings or their interest, in a state of political degradation and subserviency. Can this be just? Can that, which is unjust, be expedient?

To entitle them to the benefit of some of the provisions of this act, the catholics were required by it to take the following oath :

I, A. B. do hereby declare, that I do profess "the roman-catholic religion. I, A. B. do swear, "that I do abjure, condemn and detest, as un"christian and impious, the principle that it is "lawful to murder, destroy, or any ways injure

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any person whatsoever, for or under the pretence "of being an heretic; and I do declare solemnly. "before God, that I believe that no act in itself “ unjust, immoral, or wicked, can ever be justified or excused by, or under pretence, or colour, that "it was done either for the good of the church, or

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"in obedience to any ecclesiastical power what66 soever. I also declare, that it is not an article "of the catholic faith, neither am I thereby required "to believe or profess, that the pope is infallible, "or that I am bound to obey any order in its own "nature immoral, though the pope or any eccle"siastical power should issue or direct such order; "but, on the contrary, I hold, that it would be "sinful in me to pay any respect or obedience "thereto; I further declare, that I do not believe "that any sin whatsoever committed by me can be forgiven at the mere will of any pope, or any priest, or of any person whatsoever; but that "sincere sorrow for past sins, a firm and sincere "resolution to avoid future guilt, and to atone to "God, are previous and indispensable requisites "to establish a well-founded expectation of for

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giveness; and that any person who receives "absolution without these previous requisites, so "far from obtaining thereby any remission of his "sins, incurs the additional guilt of violating a "sacrament; and I do swear, that I will defend "to the utmost of my power, the settlement and arrangement of property in this country, as estab"lished by the laws now in being; I do hereby "disclaim, disavow, and solemnly abjure any in"tention to subvert the present church establish

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ment, for the purpose of substituting a catholic "establishment in its stead; and I do solemnly "swear, that I will not exercise any privilege, to "which I am or may become entitled, to disturb

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Earl Fitzwilliam's Appointment to the Lieutenancy of
Ireland, and Recal.

In the summer of the year 1794, the memorable coalition took place between Mr. Pitt and the Rockingham party. The terms of it, in respect to Ireland, are stated explicitly in the celebrated letter of lord Fitzwilliam to lord Carlisle, and this statement has never been contradicted. "When "the duke of Portland, and his friends," says his lordship in this letter, "were to be entered into a "coalition with Mr. Pitt's administration, it was

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necessary to hold out such allures as would make "the coalition palatable, or even possible for them "to accede to. If the general management and "superintendence of Ireland had not been offered "to his grace, that coalition would never have "taken place: the sentiments he had entertained, "and the language he had held so publicly for years back on the subject, rendered a superin"tendence of Irish affairs a point that could not "be dispensed with by him. It was become of "absolute necessity that it should be transferred "to his management; and accordingly it was "offered from the beginning of the negotiation, "as was also the home department of secretary "of state. Ask the duke of Portland, when he

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accepted the management of Ireland, if he did it "under any restrictions whatever?"

Thus it was, at the solicitation of the duke of Portland, that lord Fitzwilliam accepted the office of lord lieutenant :-" From the beginning, as well "as through the whole progress of the business, "I acted," says his lordship in the letter which we have just cited, "in perfect conformity with "the original outline settled between me and his "majesty's ministry, previously to my departure "from London. From a full consideration of the "real merits of the case, as well as from every in"formation I had been able to collect of the state " and temper of Ireland, from the year 1790, I was decidedly of opinion, that not only sound policy "but justice required, on the part of Great Britain, "that the work which was left imperfect at that

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period ought to be completed, and the catholics "relieved from every disability. In this opinion "the duke of Portland uniformly concurred with CC me; and when the question came under discussion, previous to my departure from Ireland, "I found the cabinet, with Mr. Pitt at their head, "strongly impressed with the same conviction. "Had I found it otherwise, I never would have "undertaken the government. I at first proposed "that the additional indulgences should be offered "from the throne; the very best effect would be "secured by this act of unsolicited graciousness; "and the embarrassing consequences, which it "was natural to foresee must result from the measures being left open for any volunteer to bring

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