1807.

of the Committee to prepare a petition for the Catholics of Ireland. 3. That the Catholic peers be of the Committee, and that the meeting do nominate twenty-one gentlemen to assist in preparing the petition,, and that a list of their names be returned to the Secretary, that they may be summoned as speedily as possible. 4. That the Baronets do also form a part of the Committee. 5. That this meeting do at it's rising adjourn to

subjects; no sect is proscribed, or shut out from his councils, senates, or armies. Thus this meteor flies over Europe, and by rescuing men from the effects of ancient bigotry and intolerance, as much as by his arms, he promotes or secures his astonishing and alarming conquests.

If there were no law now in force to disqualify Catholics on account of their religious creed, if all sects were now equally eligible to the privileges of the constitution, and that loyalty, not modes of faith, were the criterion of merit, and that it were now proposed in Parliament to enact laws, to disqualify four millions of Catholics, and their posterity for ever; how would such a proposal be reprobated in Parliament? Would it not be said, that a law to disqualify, was a law to discontent, or to disaffect the party disgraced? That the united zeal and valour of every subject, would be necessary to repel the mighty force of our formidable enemy; but to give substantial cause for discontent to four millions of brave and hardy subjects, was worse than frenzy; that it bespoke venality, and if any wretch was base enough to wish to see these united countries become provinces to France, such must be his plan to accomplish it, such a measure must be the utmost wish of Talleyrand and of Bonaparte, who dread, that Catholic Emancipation should unite the empire, and render it invincible; but to make, or to continue a law, to expel four millions and their posterity from the constitution, will gratify every traitor to his King, to his illustrious heir, and to the empire.

Tuesday, the 17th inst, then to receive the petition 1807. from the Committee. Some other resolutions were passed concerning the internal management of the Committee, and of thanks to their chairman. The following is a list of the Committee, which recent events have rendered the knowledge of particularly interesting to the nation.

At an adjourned meeting of the Catholics of Catholic reIreland, holden at the Rotunda, on Tuesday, the

17th of February, 1807, the Earl of Fingall having

solutions for petitioning Parliament.

1807. been called to the chair, it was resolved, "1. "That the petition now read be adopted, subject ແ to the revision of our. Committee. 2. That the petition in it's revised state be laid before us at "our next adjourned meeting this day week. 3. "That said petition be presented to Parliament "this session. 4. That this meeting, at it's rising, "do adjourn to Tuesday, the 24th inst. 5. That "the cordial thanks of the Catholics of Ireland

are due to Lord Fingall for his conduct this

day in the chair, and for his constant services in "the Catholic cause." The Committee met on the 18th, when a sub-Committee was appointed, which reported progress to the Committee, that met on the 21st, 23d and 24th, when the petition was finally agreed to, and ordered to be reported to the general meeting. At an adjourned meeting of the Catholics of Ireland, at the Rotunda, on the 24th of February, 1807, the Earl of Fingall in the chair, they came to the following resolutions. "1. That the petition adopted by our last "meeting, and referred to the Committee for re"vision, do stand, as amended, the petition of "the Catholics of Ireland. 2d. That this meeting do now appoint the Earl of Fingall to request the Right Hon. Henry Grattan to present this our petition to Parliament during the pre"sent session. 3. That this meeting do authorize

*

For the satisfaction of the reader, the form of that petition is subjoined. It will be remembered, that it was framed under the conviction of the friends to the Catholic cause being in pow er, when it would be presented.

"the present Committee to continue until the " event of our petition be ascertained, and then to

PETITION.

"To the Right Hon. and Hon. the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled.

"The humble petition of the Roman Catholics of Ireland, whose names are hereunto subscribed, on behalf of themselves, and of others, his Majesty's subjects professing the Roman Catholic religion.

"SHEWETH.

That your Petitioners, as is set forth in their humble petition presented to this honorable House, on the 25th of March, 1805, are by divers Statutes, still of force within this realm, rendered liable to many incapacities and restrictions, not imposed upon any other description of his Majesty's subjects.

"That your petitioners with confidence assert, and they are supported by the testimony of many of the ablest senators and wisest statesmen, which the empire could ever boast, that there is nothing in their conduct as subjects, or tenets as Christians, which ought to disqualify them from enjoying equal privileges with his Majesty's other subjects; and they beg leave to state, that they do not yield to any class of persons, in affectionate attachment to his sacred person and family, in due obedience to the laws, and in just predilection for the British constitution.

"That at the present period, which requires all the energies of the state, and the exertions of an united people; your petitioners conceive that they cannot offer a stronger proof of their loyalty, than by humbly representing to this honourable House, their earnest wish to be altogether COMMITTED WITH THEIR › COUNTRY, and reinstated in a full and complete enjoyment of the English government and laws.

"For your petitioners beg leave respectfully to submit to this honourable House, that the constitution of England is the great charter of this land, and the inheritance of the dutiful and faithful subjects of his Majesty; the condition, which the ancestors of some of us accepted, when they submitted to the Crown, and on

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1807.

"cease. 4th. That the Committee be instructed "to appoint proper persons in the several counties

the faith of which, the ancestors of others passed over, and ef fected their settlement in Ireland, was, that they should partici pate in the laws and liberties of England; many concessions of his Majesty's Royal progenitors, and repeated acts of Parliament confirmed the invaluable blessing; it has had the sanction of an establishment of six hundred years; whilst the privations, of which we complain, are but the innovation of a century; from that innovation we appeal in this enlightened age, to the wisdom and justice of those august bodies, in whose hands are the fate and fortunes of the empire. We appeal against acts, repugnant to the SENSE and HABITS of ENGLISHMEN, and to the genius of the English constitution; against precedents, not entitled from the eircumstances, in which they were formed, to be immortal. We were excluded from our franchises, when the tumult of civil wars had scarcely been appeased; whilst the animosities they produced were recent; and at the close of the convulsion inci. dental to a widely extended revolution of property. We were excluded at a moment, when the settlement was precarious and new, upon which time and habit, the extinction of all other claims, common principles of obedience, and common interests. have now conferred all the solidity of unquestioned and immu table establishment.

"Your petitioners further beg leave to recall to the attention. of this honourable House, that we do not pay the penalty, neither is the blame imputed to us, of an innovating or capricious temper. We have not revolted from any institutions, which challenged our obedience. We have adhered to the tradition of our fathers, the immemorial usage of the land. We profess a religion compatible with the form of government, under which we are placed; accommodated to the spirit, and dear to the feelings of the great and growing majority of our country; a religion, which the existing incapacities do not seem calculated, and are probably not expected to suppress; for it has been deemed, in a considerable degree, to merit public encouragment and protection,