the consequence was, that great misrepresentation 1807. took place, and their characters suffered much. April 11. 141 Lords Com Adm. Sir R. Bickerton, missioners of the Ad miralty. Right Hon. R. Dundas. President of the Board of Controul. Earl Camden, imp set oh Lord Hawkesbury, VOL. II Lord Visc. Castlereagh, Geo. Canning, Esq. Duke of Portland, Lord Teignmouth, Right Hon. T. Wallace, Geo. Johnstone, Esq. Lord B. Somerset, } Commis. for managing the affairs of India. Joint Paymas 1807 Lord Gren ville's Ex dismissal. To prevent similar effects, he spoke to the general subject nearly as follows. On three questions only did Mr. Pitt and Mr. pose of his Fox agree during the course of their long political lives. These were the sinking fund, the abolition of the slave trade, and what is called the Catholic question. Two of these had been carried; the first as soon as it was proposed, and the second after great delay, and having to encounter every species of artifice and misrepresentation. The third rested upon such grounds of justice and policy, that he could not conceive how any one, who understood the interests of the country could oppose it. On a former occasion, he had sacrificed objects of ambition and gratification, and he was ready to make such sacrifices again. He did it upon the principle, that four millious of subjects were to be governed by conciliation and kindness, and not by intole rance and exclusion. Different overtures were afterwards made to him for his assistance. His answer invariably was, that his Sovereign might command his services, but he never would relinquish the privilege of speaking his mind on the question. An opportunity afterwards arose, when the Catholics of Ireland wished to have their case taken into consideration. They did him the honor of selecting him to present their petition, which he wil lingly accepted. Upon the event of the motion, which he then made, it was not necessary for him to trouble the House with any observations. majority, who rejected it, could not have been understood, as having given a lasting pledge, that The they would never accede to it. Some months after 1807. 1807. object, and the object of those, who acted with Lord Gren ville continued. him, was to knit together all classes of his Majes ty's subjects in that country by a mild and conciliatory government. He entertained hopes, that such a system would supersede the necessity of agitating the question, particularly when it was known there were objections to it in a certain quarter, that it would be strongly opposed in Parliament, and that there was not any prospect of success for a considerable time. Accordingly they took measures to prevent the revival of the question, and they succeeded last year. Some symptoms, however, of that disturbed state, which in his opinion could be best prevented by that measure, broke out. To the honor of the noble Duke, who represented his Majesty, they were composed, not by having recourse to harsh measures, but by civil justice alone. The attention of ministers was soon after called to the situation of Ireland, by the representation of those, who had the best means of ascertaining the state of the public mind in that country I If the Irish law were adopted, he meant the law of 1793, would not the English Dissenter have a right to say, "Upon what principle of justice do you exclude me, while you are a friend to the "Catholic "For his part he was so much a friend to both, that he would have no distinction made, as far as regarded naval or military employment. It was therefore their opinion, that if any bill were brought forward, it should be so framed, as to include persons of all religious persuasions¿ and such was the opinion, that he, for one, thought_1807. |