The opinions of Messrs. Ponsonby, Wolfe, CHAP. X. and Burston, were as follows, viz.

MR. PONSONBY.

Bank Directors.

Ponsonby.

"I am of opinion, that Roman Catholics are Opinion of Mr. "not incapable of being Directors of the Bank " of Ireland—but they cannot act as such, 1795"until they shall have made and subscribed "the Declaration required by the Act of Anne, "entitled, An Act to prevent the further "growth of Popery; and shall have also "taken the oaths of allegiance, supremacy, and abjuration."

27th Jan. 1795:

GEO. PONSONBY.

MR. WOLFE.

(ATTORNEY GENERAL.)

"I am of opinion, that Roman Catholics Mr. Wolfe. r are not ineligible to the offices of Directors of "the Bank of Ireland. But previous to their "acting in such office, they must take the " oaths and subscribe the declaration prescribed "by the charter. The act of the 33d of the

CHAP. X.

Bank Directors.

Opinion of
Mr. Wolfe.

1795

68

८८

King, in my apprehetision, does not extend tơ

"the case. That act enables Roman Catholics "to become members of and to hold offices in lay corporations without taking the oaths, "or subscribing the declaration, notwithstanding any law or statute, or any by-law to the contrary but the act makes no provision for a case, where the Charter of a corporation directs, that such baths shall be taken, and "declaration signed, previous to its members "acting in an office of such corporation."

66

3d Feb: 1795:

A. WOLFE:

Mr. Burston,

favourable to the admission of Catholics.

"

MR. BURSTON.

"A Roman Catholic might, under the "Charter and Act of Parliament incorporating the Bank, have exercised the office of Director; if he had submitted to make the declaration pursuant to the Act against the further "growth of Popery, and to take the oaths of allegiance, supremacy and abjuration. The "Act of the 33d of George 3. cap. 21. sect. 7. expressly enables a Roman Catholic to hold

any office or place of trust in; and to be a

kr

member of, any lay body corporate (the CHAP. X.

College excepted) without taking the oaths Bank Directors.

"of allegiance, supremacy, or abjuration, or

making or subscribing the declaration re

quired to be taken, made and subscribed, to Opinion of Mr. Burston, "enable any person to hold and enjoy any of 1795. "such places and without receiving the sacra"ment of the Lord's Supper, according to the "rites of the Church of Ireland, any law, "statute, or by-law of any corporation to "the contrary notwithstanding-provided such person shall take and subscribe the oath set forth in that section. The company of the "Bank of Ireland is a lay corporation: and I "am of opinion, that this Act of 33 Geo. 3. "extends to it; and that, therefore, a Roman favourable to "Catholic is eligible to the office of Director Catholics. "of the Bank of Ireland-provided he takes

and subscribes the oath appointed by the 33 "of Geo. 3.—and also the oaths of qualification "as to property, and that to the Company, "directed by the Charter."

BERESFORD BURSTON.

the admission of

29th Jan. 1795.

Catholic Mere

In 1808, whilst a Bill was pending in Petition of the Imperial Parliament for a renewal of the chants, &

M m

1808.

CHAP. X. Bank charter for a further term of 21 years, Lord Grenville presented to the House of Lords a Petition of several Catholic merchants of

Bank Directors.

Petition of Ca- Dublin, praying, "That they may not be ex

tholic Mer

chants, &c.

1808.

Cobbet's Parl.

Deb. 22 June,

"cluded from acting, if elected, as Governors "or Directors of the Bank of Ireland."His Lordship powerfully urged the matter of this Petition.

"You are now," said he, "about to renew 1808.-Vol. 2. this Charter for a term exceeding 20 years. By allowing the Catholics to act as Directors "of the Bank of Ireland, you will confer upon "them no political power-for it is not in the

Lord Grenville's "Bank of Ireland as in that of England.

argument.

Absurdity of this exclusion.

"The former has not, like the latter, any con"nection with the government. The argument "of political power, therefore, cannot apply to "these situations.

"Besides, men of different religions are ad"mitted as Directors of the Bank of England. "In Ireland, however, you would exclude "from that situation those, who form the larger portion of the monied interest of the country-and who possess the greater share of "the commercial capital. You thus deprive

66

them of the means of managing their own "property, than which nothing can be more

"unreasonable. You so far discourage them CHAP. X, "from entrusting their property to the Irish

funds, than which nothing can be more un"wise or impolitic. There is no point of view, "under which it is possible to consider such an exclusion, in which it must not appear, to every unprejudiced mind, to be unjust, "illiberal, ungrateful, and impolitic."concluded by moving,

66

Bank Directors.

"That it be an instruction to the Com. Motion, by Lord Grenville "mittee upon this Bill, that they do make-1808• "distinct provision for admitting the Catho"lics to hold and exercise the offices of "Governor and Directors of the Bank of "Ireland."

This proposition was supported by the truly learned and eloquent Lord Erskine, who dwelt Lord Erskine upon the Statute of 1793-and demonstrated,

that the spirit of that Statute (as evinced by its ante, p. 319. preamble) must be violated by a refusal of this

proposition.

pool

Lord Hawkesbury (now Earl of Liverpool) Lord Liveron the part of the British government, opposed the Petition-and declared, that he would take his stand upon the law, as it stood at the time of the Union, without admitting any variation-and, accordingly, the motion was rejected, Motion ne gatived. upon a division-101 against 64.