conduct as for their great opulence; and I will venture to affert, that the voice of the country would join with me in Taying, that, as friends and neighbours, as landlords, as fathers of families, as perfons filling all the relations of life, there do not exift men who have established more just claims to the univerfal efteem of all mankind. It is in this character that the petitioners prefent themfelves, as men complaining of fevere deprivations, and as having deferved by their conduct a very different treatment: and, my lords, I have, in making this statement, the fatisfaction of being authorized to add, that, while they pray for relief, they are willing to accept it, accompanied with fuch provifions for the maintenance of the civil and religious eftablishments of this kingdom as may be made, confiftently with a strict adherence, on their part, to the tenets and difcipline of the Roman catholic religion; and that any arrangement, founded on this bafis of mutual fatis faction and fecurity, will meet with their grateful concur. rence. This declaration is contained in the fecond petition which I have prefented to your lordfhips, and was adopted lately at a meeting in the metropolis. I am perfuaded you will think that fuch conduct entitles their petition to an impartial and favourable confideration; but I will fay further, that it is on the principle stated in this petition alone, and with a view to an arrangement fuch as I have described, that this measure has my support. If I do not deceive myfelf, I think there cannot be a more fincere and determined friend to the true principles of toleration, in the fullest and most extensive sense of the word, than the individual who has the honour to address you; nay, I will go farther, and ftate it to be my firm belief, that not only policy in the general fenfe of the word, but that the immediate calls of our own fafety, never more imperiously required a recognition of thofe principles, by the adoption of a wife fyftem, with refpect to the Church, which may have the effect of uniting, in

1

the bonds of a common intereft, all claffes of his Majefty's fubjects, and of producing that real union of affection, without which the nominal union of law is ineffectual; but with which, we may look undifmayed at all the dangers which threaten us. In fpeaking on this fubject, I have no hesitation in declaring it as my fettled opinion, that no government can difcharge the duties impofed upon it at the prefent crifis; no government can afford a hope of extricating us from the difficulties of the prefent moment, and of guiding us with fafety through the perils that furround us, if it does not without delay, apply all its faculties to the accomplishment of this difficult perhaps and complicated, but great and indispensable work of national conciliation-But in ftating this matter as I have done, I beg your lordships to be affured, that I never fhall urge you to grant the relief which is required, without having a due regard to your own fecurities; that I shall never urge you to take up this subject, but on a comprehenfive and general view of all the interefts connected with it. I am fenfible, that, in looking at the claims of the catholics, we ought alfo to look at thofe fecurities which may be demanded for our own religious eftablishments; that we ought to ftrengthen, and confirm, and confolidate them; to remove from them all real dangers, and above all, thofe dangers which, under the falfe name of pretended fecurity, are infeparable from any fyftem which contains in it principles of intolerance and perfecution. To confolidate, and confirm, and ftrengthen thofe eftablishments by reasonable provifions, will be always regarded by me as a facred and indifpenfable duty. In maintaining the doctrine of religious liberty in favour of the catholics, I am perfuaded I cannot maintain it on other grounds than those on which civil liberty itself is founded. Neither confifting in an abfolute exemption from all reftraint whatever, but in being fubject to no reftraint but fuch as the common interest and the common

fafety,

fafety, rationally and impartially confidered, may appear. to require. Keeping this principle in view, we fhall fteer a right courfe; and the way we have to act is, to confider, without paffion, what are the dangers with which we have to contend, and then to apply provifions to meet the dangers, and adopt the meafures of precaution that may be necef fary. Limiting thefe in their application to the neceffity of the cafe, we fhall not act in contradiction to the principles of toleration; whilft on the contrary, to fupport reftrictions on any other principle than this, would be to act contrary to the principles of the government under which we live, and inconsistent with the mild and charitable fpirit of Chriftianity itself. The particular provitions which, for this purpose, it may be expedient to propofe, it is not now time to difcufs-it would be premature. I fincerely rejoice, that, in the declaration which they have made, the English catholics, without adverting to particular measures, have confined themselves to a general flatement. More than this should not be required of them at prefent. It leaves the whole fubject open to future confideration; and, I hope, the time is not far diftant, when we may enter upon it with fuch a difpofition, as will tend to produce an arrangement fatisfactory to all parties-an arrangement, in the words of the Petition, "on the found basis of mutual fatisfaction and fecurity." I have faid, that I did not intend to prefs the fubject further at prefent: that determination is founded on the confideration, that, whatever diftinctions there may be between the English catholics and other perfons profeffing the fame religion, in other points, no advantages perhaps can arife from a feparate difcuffion. With regard to other confiderations which affect this question, it is not my purpose now to trouble your Lordships. But the proceedings even of this day will not, I hope, be ufelefs. I hope and truft they will produce a temper and disposition, on all fides, which will enable us to decide difpaffionately F 2

the

the moft momentous queftion that was ever fubmitted to your confideration. I fhall not trouble your lordships further, but content myself with moving, "That this petition do lie upon the table." Ordered accordingly.

Speech of the Right Honourable William Windham, on his prefenting the English Roman Catholic Petition to the Houfe of Commons, (as reported in the Globe Paper).

"I have a petition to prefent, into the merits of which it is not now my intention to go; it refpects a body of people, who labour under oppreffions of peculiar feverity; I mean the Roman catholics of England.

"I admit the right of ftates to impofe religious reftric-, tions upon the people, but that right fhould be only exercifed, when called for by an imperious and overruling neceffity. It is obvious no fuch neceffity exifts for the restrictions upon the Roman catholics of England, as they afk for nothing but that which both church and state muft deem it ucceffary to grant, and which justice muft confirm. Who can pretend to have any fear of the Roman catholics, or to dread a difclofure of their power, by which their virtues must also be revealed?

"I will affert, then, if their power prove confiderable, their inclinations are in a proportionate degree favourable to the interefts of the country; if their character be unknown, if they be obfcure-it is because they are deemed unworthy of our confideration, and are branded with our neglect. When I fpeak of their obscurity, I do not mean, that they are deftitute of hereditary virtues and hereditary dignity that they are not a part of that class which ought to be denominated Ultimi Romanorum,”--I can, not contemplate a more noble and affecting fpectacle, than an ancient Roman catholic gentleman in the midst of his people, exercifing the virtues of beneficence, humanity, and hofpitality. If they are obfcure, it is becaufe they are. prefcribed as aliens to the ftate; becaufe they are shut out

from

from this affembly, where many of thofe, who are far lefs worthy, are allowed to fit. Have they ever tried thofe vile arts which are exercised fo fuccefsfully by thofe many to creep into penfion and place? Have they ever attempted to obtain their rights either by clamour or by fervility? On the contrary, their conduct has proved that no other body is more juftly entitled to respect and admiration.

"I with the Petition to lie upon the table, that the contents may fink deep into the minds of this Houfe, and I hope that the consideration will bring a final fuccefs to the caufe of virtue and of truth. It is impoffible that we can for ever bear the fight of our own injustice. Rectitude must ultimately prevail, and I prefume that the object of this Petition will be granted without a struggle."

on

In the year 1788, a Committee of the English Catholics waited on Mr. Pitt, respecting their Application for a Repeal of the Penal Laws.-He requested to be furnished with Authentic Evidence, of the Opinions of the Roman Catholic Clergy and the Roman Catholic Universities abroad, 66 the Exiflence and Extent of the Pope's difpenfing Power.”Three Questions were accordingly framed, and sent to the Universities of Paris, Lorain, Alcala, Doway, Salamanca, and Vuladolid, for their Opinions. The Questions proposed to them were,

----

1. Has the pope, or cardinals, or any body of men, or any individual of the church of Rome, any civil authority, power, jurifdiction, or pre-eminence whatsoever, within the realm of England?

2. Can the pope, or cardinals, or any body of men, or any individual of the church of Rome, abfolve or difpenfe with His Majefty's fubjects from their oath of allegiance, upon any pretext whatsoever?

3.