order of the committee, or at least who shall not pledge himself to attend in his turn. It is also suggested, that, in addition to the resident delegates, each county do appoint at the same time, as associate delegates for such county, one or two (as it may appear best to the electors) resident inhabitants of Dublin, whose business it shall be to keep up a regular correspondence with colleagues in the country, and to inform the county through them, of all proceedings in the general committee, at such times as the county delegates shall be absent. It is to be understood, that attendance on the part of the county delegates will not be required, except on important occasions. In this, however, they are to study their own convenience; if they all come often, we are persuaded that the committee will derive satisfaction and profit from their presence and advice.

As soon as the gentlemen of your county shall have appointed delegates, it will be necessary to call their attention to the first great business which shall probably engage the general committee, viz. An humble application to our gracious sovereign, submitting to him our loyalty and attachment, our obedience to the laws, a true statement of our situation, and of the laws which operate against us; and humbly beseeching, that we may be restored to the elective franchise, and an equal participation in the benefits of the trial by jury. We have the first authority for asserting, that this application will have infinite weight with our gracious sovereign and with parliament, if our friends are qualified to declare, that it is the universal wish of every Catholic in the nation. To enable therefore your delegates and the general committee to succeed in your behalf, it will be necessary that the meeting enter into resolutions in any words they choose to the following effect;

day of

1792, of this county, and

in the

At a meeting of the Catholics of the county of regularly convened, this chair, Resolved that of the city of Dublin, have been this day chosen by the Catholics of this county as their delegates to the general committee.

Resolved,―That it is our instruction to our said delegates, to support in said committee, as the voice of all the Catholics of this county, that an humble representation be made to our gracious sovereign and to parliament, of the many severe laws, which oppress his majesty's faithful subjects, the Catholics of Ireland, although no cause founded in wisdom or policy, is assigned for their continuance; imploring it, as essential to our protection, and to secure an impartial distribution of justice in our favour, that we be restored to the elective franchise, and an equal participation in the benefits of the trial by jury.

According to its present form of constitution, the general committee is open not only to persons delegated by others, but to every Roman Catholic of landed property in the kingdom. From this mixture of representative and personal association, inconveniences which every one may remember, but which at present it is useless to dwell on, have arisen. To guard against similar inconveniences in future, we have recommended to your consideration the above sketch of a new system; the object of which is to give to the committee somewhat more of a representative, and somewhat less of an individual capacity; and we beg leave to offer to you the following observations in support of our plan:

Men appointed by others must hold themselves accountable to those from whom they derive their trust; and therefore must regulate their conduct by the standard of general opinion; or, if they be unwilling to take such a standard for their rule, and to obey the instructions of their constituents, they may be removed from the places they hold, to make room for others more practicable and less inclined to set the dictates of private sentiment, or private interest, in opposition to the general will and the public good. Under a system which is thus representative, and where the trust is revocable at pleasure, seduction cannot be practised, nor can division again take place: or at least the remedy is so near the evil, that little danger is to be apprehended from either.

Our plan, by making attendance a duty, will, we apprehend, serve to bring a greater number of country gentlemen into the committee than have formerly appeared among us. While ad

mission remains so easy as it does at present, and while so many persons are exempted from responsibility and control, we have little reason to expect, that country gentlemen will desert their homes and their immediate concerns, to promote an interest which is remotely or obscurely felt; but we hope that the honourable distinction of representing others, added to the obligation of a solemn promise, will not fail to reconcile those who shall happen to be delegated, to admit of some temporary hardships, in order to promote the public good. By collecting occasionally a number of country gentlemen in Dublin, we flatter ourselves, that the committee will be enabled to speak the sentiments of its constituent members with distinctness and precision; and that the country parts of the kingdom will be provided with the surest means of acquiring whatever information may be necessary on the subject of Catholic affairs. From this prompt communication of opinion and intelligence, we foresee great advantages, advantages, which under the present system are wholly beyond our reach; as the landed gentlemen are responsible only to themselves, and as the Dublin delegates have frequently little know

ledge of their constituents. The attendance of a great number of country gentlemen will justify such a reduction of the number of delegates for the metropolis in the general committee, as may be judged advisable; a measure which was always desirable, but which could not be heretofore accomplished, as the attendance of landed gentlemen was so uncertain and irregular.

Every endeavour should be used to cultivate and improve the friendship of our clergy. The clergy and laity, having but one interest, should have but one mind, and should therefore mutually combine their talents, their opinions, and their exertions, in order to effectuate our common emancipation. This union of sentiment and design, this interchange of counsel, and of aid, will serve to strengthen the bonds of a common friendship, and will be the best security against innovation in matters which relate to religion.

The clergy being the natural guardians of morality, will undoubtedly consent to co-operate with the laity, when they consider, that the restoration of the elective franchise to the Catholic community will tend to prevent those prejudices which are so common at, and which disgrace the return of electioneering contests. By such conduct will the clergy secure to themselves that influence over the laity of their own persuasion which it is useful that good clergy should have; and that respectability among persons of other persuasions which must naturally result from the increased importance of the people to whom they belong. It is unnecessary to point out the advantages which a restoration of the elective franchise would produce in our habits and modes of life in the state of national as well as individual happiness. Let it suffice to say, that not only laymen, but every Catholic bishop and priest, would, by the acquisition of so valuable a privilege to the Catholic body at large, find his condition meliorated in a variety of shapes and circumstances, which cannot easily be reduced within the compass of exact calculation. The silent operation of this right would, in the lapse of time, contribute to raise a respectable yeomanry in the kingdom; and this yeomanry, giving on the one hand a new infusion of vigour to the commonwealth, would, on the other supply a fund, from which the clergy would derive the means of a more honourable support, and more proportionate to their uncommon labours and merits, than at present they enjoy.

When this plan shall have been adopted, and the returns in consequence made, the committee will in the course of next winter, consider, as a measure of the last importance, what further improvements may be necessary in the mode of electing delegates on future occasions, in order to secure a permanent, exten

sive, and effectual method of collecting the general sense of the Catholics of Ireland.

ry

We beg leave to recommend it to you most earnestly, to carthe above plan into immediate execution. It is of the utmost consequence, that we should have this addition of country gentlemen as soon as possible, in order to give due weight and efficacy to our humble application to the throne, which we are advised to make this summer, before the parliamentary arrangements are formed for the ensuing winter.

As soon as your delegates shall have been chosen, we request that you will make a return of their names and address, to our secretary, Mr. Richard M'Cormick, Marks-Alley, Dublin.

No. XC.

RESOLUTIONS RELATIVE TO THE CATHOLIC ADMISSION TO THE

ELECTIVE FRANCHISE....PAGE 40.

COUNTY OF LOUTH.

WE, the high sheriff and grand jury of said county, assembled at summer assizes, 1792, cannot express in terms too strong our abhorrence of the wicked and daring attempt made by a printed letter from persons calling themselves the sub-committee of the Catholics of Ireland, signed Edward Byrne, and circulated through this kingdom, to excite a spirit of discontent among the Catholics, and rouse their animosity against the Protestants and the constitution. A letter which most falsely tells them, that they are not secure of an impartial administration of justice; that they are oppressed even to slavery; that a change of that part of the constitution which secures the Protestant establishment, is essential to their existence; and then endeavours to induce them to disturb the tranquillity of the kingdom, by urging them to illegal and unconstitutional associations, and to elect a popish congress to meet in the metropolis, with the vain expectation, that it can overawe the parliament, that the constitution is not strong enough to repress and punish so daring a violation.

Though we have a strong reliance upon the good sense and loyalty of the Roman Catholics at large, that the seditious views of the authors and propagators of this said letter will be disappointed, yet we feel it a duty particularly incumbent upon us, at

this time, to declare our sentiments fully and decidedly in the following resolutions :

Resolved, That under the laws, which vest the elective franchise in Protestants only, this kingdom has improved, and is rapidly improving in trade, wealth, and manufactures; its freedom has been vindicated and secured; its population increased, and that since those laws have been called frequently into operation, the progress of the national prosperity has been more vigorous and rapid.

Resolved, That the allowing to Roman Catholics the right of voting for members to serve in parliament, or admitting them to any participation in the government of the kingdom, is incompatible with the safety of the Protestant establishment, the continuance of the succession to the crown in the illustrious House of Hanover, and must finally tend to shake, if not destroy our connexion with Great Britain, on the continuance and inseparability of which depends the happiness and prosperity of this kingdom.

Resolved, That we will oppose every attempt towards such a dangerous innovation, and that we will support with our lives and fortunes, our present constitution, and the settlement of the throne on his majesty's Protestant house.

WE, the high sheriff, magistrates, and freeholders of county Meath, convened by public advertisement, having seen, with the deepest regret, a scandalous and libellous paper or letter, signed Edward Byrne, containing matter of a most daring and inflammatory nature, tending to excite animosity against the peace of the kingdom, and our happy constitution, both in church and state, feel it our indispensable duty to express our fullest abhorrence of such publication.

And whereas, the said publication, in order to inflame the minds of good and peaceable men, states, that the Roman Ca