CHAP. V. A.D. 1828 POLITICAL SYSTEM OF POPERY 275 and continue to wonder how any man could honestly utter them, and yet produce the Relief Bill of next year, ostentatiously stript of all such guarantees :-'I should be glad to see the disabilities of the Roman Catholics removed, but I must see something in their stead which will effectually protect our Institutions.'1 Thrusting aside the charge of religious bigotry, Wellington keenly, yet truly, retorts :—'We have never objected to Roman Catholics on the ground that they believe in Transubstantiation, or in Purgatory, or in any other of these peculiar doctrines by which they are distinguished. But we objected to their opinions, because upon these opinions was founded a system of Political conduct. . . . Recollecting the transactions that have taken place in Ireland during the last twenty-five years, and seeing how the Roman Catholic Church has been acting there-in the spirit of combination, in the spirit by which the Laity has been governed-I confidently affirm that that is the cause of the present disturbed state of things in Ireland.' 2 Dealing with the so-called 'Securities,' the Duke declared that the Roman Catholic Religion does not appear in its nature to be adaptable to the spirit' of our free Protestant Constitution; and suggestively called their Lordships to note the damning circumstance that in all the countries of Europe 'the Sovereigns have found it necessary to call upon the Pope to assist them in the governance of their Roman Catholic people;' from which he drew this memorable inference: The fact really is that it would be found equally impossible to govern the Catholic subjects of Ireland until some such Concordat should be obtained, if any further concessions were to be granted to them.'s The concessions, however, have been made-the Duke himself becoming one main, if not the main influence, in granting 1 Hansard's P. D. (second series), vol. xix. p. 1287. 3 Ibid. p. 1289. 276 PEEL'S SENTIMENTS UNCHANGED BOOK IV. LA.D. 1828 them as we shall immediately see. Let this History also tell whether or not the consequences he clearly saw have as certainly followed, whether the Roman Catholics of Ireland are now really governed by loyal submission to British and Imperial laws, or whether they are moulded and swayed and driven by the Priesthood of Rome? When the Duke sat down the vote was taken. The contents numbered 137, and the non-contents 181; so the resolution brought up from the Commons was rejected in the Lords by a majority of 441 On Thursday following, 12th June, while certain petitions were being presented from the Catholics, the Members of the House of Commons entered upon a sort of conversational discussion, led by Sir Francis Burdett, Mr. Spring Rice, and others. In response to their observations, Mr. Secretary Peel declared, with his usual vehemence, that 'under the constitution of the present Government each individual Member was at liberty to entertain and to support his own opinions.' Then glancing at the result of the debate in the Upper House, he emphatically protested, unconscious as yet of any dawning revolution, that 'speaking for himself, and himself alone, his sentiments upon the subject remain unaltered.' Immediately, and almost of course, Brougham again leapt to the front, finding 'great grounds of consolation in the manner in which the Resolution of that House had been rejected!' With great astuteness, he fastened upon 'the recorded admissions of their former foes,' rejoicing that 'all the theological lumber had now been thrown overboard,' and glorying on the acceptance of a lower platform on which to fight the battle out :-'It is now a question of expediency alone, according to the highest authority!' There was a wicked glee in Brougham's tone; but, after all, as will soon 2 Ibid. p. 1318. 1 Hansard's P. D. (second series), vol. xix. p. 1294. CHAP. V. A.D. 1828 SQUEEZABLE EXPEDIENCY 277 be manifest, he had the best of reasons to rejoice. He and his friends in Ireland would soon make 'squeezable expediency' spell 'unconditional surrender;' but not even he had for once dreamed that such spelling could ever be done by the lips of Robert Peel. CHAPTER VI THE ROMAN CATHOLIC RELIEF BILL A.D. 1829. UR History here reaches its climax. More earnestly OUR than ever do we set ourselves to portray facts, and let them speak. The great men who move upon the stage shall defend their own policy, and in their own words. Every reader shall be put into possession of all the materials; but the judgment at which he arrives must be taken and held on his own responsibility. SECTION I Opening Skirmish: the King's Speech The King's THE 5th February 1829 saw the opening of the third session of the Eighth Imperial Parliament. Speech was brought in and read by the 'Lords Commissioners' -Lyndhurst, Wellington, Bathurst, Shaftesbury, and Ellenborough-while 'a great crowd' from the House of Commons listened at the Bar. It consisted of twenty-four paragraphs, and no less than seven of these were devoted to Ireland. They have made history, and must here be quoted in full:1'My Lords and Gentlemen, the state of Ireland has been the object of his Majesty's continued solicitude. 278 CHAP. VI. A.D. 1829 THE KING'S SPEECH 279 'His Majesty laments that, in that part of the United Kingdom, an Association should still exist which is dangerous to the public peace, and inconsistent with the spirit of the Constitution; which keeps alive discord and ill-will amongst his Majesty's subjects, and which must, if permitted to continue, effectually obstruct every effort permanently to improve the condition of Ireland. 'His Majesty confidently relies on the wisdom and on the support of his Parliament, and his Majesty feels assured that you will commit to him such powers as may enable his Majesty to maintain his just authority. 'His Majesty recommends that, when this essential object shall have been accomplished, you should take into your deliberate consideration the whole condition of Ireland, and that you should review the laws which impose Civil disabilities on his Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects. 'You will consider whether the removal of these disabilities can be effected, consistently with the full and permanent security of our Establishments in Church and State, with the maintenance of the Reformed Religion established by law, and of the rights and privileges of the Bishops and Clergy of this realm and of the Churches committed to their charge. 'These are institutions which must ever be held sacred in this Protestant kingdom, and which it is the duty and the determination of his Majesty to preserve inviolate. 'His Majesty most earnestly recommends to you to enter upon the consideration of a subject of such paramount importance, deeply interesting to the best feelings of his people, and involving the tranquillity and concord of the United Kingdom, with the temper and the moderation which will best ensure the successful issue of your deliberations.'1 Such was the egg out of which was, by-and-bye, evolved the Relief Bill of 1829. 1 Hansard's P. D. (second series), vol. xx. p. 5. |