such statement that he meant to leave to those who opposed the resolution to show, whether it would be safe or beneficial to grant the claims of the Catholics; and that he thought it was quite unnecessary for him to show any reason for the opinion he entertained, the mere existence of the exclusion being, as he contended, a sufficient argument in its favor. This was a doctrine which would apply to every temporary law whatever, which would make the crimes and follies of one century, sow division and discontent in the next when they had ceased to exist;-and draw an eternal line of separation between persons whom common ties and common interests must ultimately blend together, when civil disabilities no longer reminded them to suspect and distrust each other. But he would ask any Englishman to lay his hand to his heart and say, if he thought that any disabilities ought, in any case, to be imposed upon any class of his fellow subjects without its being shown that these disabilities are necessary? This was not an argument on which an Englishman ought to go. The grounds of the exclusion ought, in all cases, to be apparent. He did not desire them to appeal to authority with a view to decide this question, though great authorities might be produced in favor of the Catholic claims. The greatest statesmen, and he would confine himself, for obvious reasons, to those who were now no more, were advocates for concession to the Catholics. Mr. Pitt, Mr. Fox, and Mr. Burke, persons who differed in opinion upon every other political

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question, opposed to each other in every poli-, tical interest, were compelled by a sense of duty and of principle to agree in their views of this subject, that it was necessary to do something in regard to those laws which affected the Roman Catholics. He did not mean to state to them, that because these great men were agreed in this opinion, they were therefore to be precluded from all discussion on the subject; but at least it was a strong reason for, them to be cautious, and weigh well what opinions they entertained, before they determined to differ from these statesmen. The gentlemen who moved and seconded the resolution, ought to show them why they differ fromn Mr. Pitt, from Mr. Burke, and Mr. Fox. He asked them to show what the danger was which they apprehended? For his own part he knew no danger which could follow from admitting any classof persons into the possession of privileges in the State, but what resulted either from their known professions or their known practice, either from the clearest evidence of their entertaining sentiments hostile to the state, or of their manifesting such hostility by their actions. With respect to their professions, the Catholics had taken every oath which had been prescribed to them, renouncing all doctrines which could in any wise be considered inimical to the safety of the state. had copies of these oaths in his pocket, which, if the meeting was desirous, he would read to them. (General cry of read.) He knew they wished to be informed, and not to set their names hastily to any petition which might be

He

presented to them; but to form a deliberate judgment, after a full and dispassionate enquiry, like Englishmen.---These oaths, which he was going to state were prescribed to be taken by every Catholic, and he knew no man, re had heard of no man who desired that any Catholic should be admitted to privileges without taking them. (Here the noble Marquis read the oaths.)

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“I A. B. do sincerely promise and swear, "That I will be faithful, and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King George the "Third, and him will defend to the utmost "of my power against all conspiracies and at"tempts whatever that shall be made against "his person, crown, or dignity; and I will "do my utmost endeavour to disclose and "make known to His Majesty, his heirs and. successors, all treasons and traitorous conspiracies which may be formed against him or them: And I do faithfully promise to maintain, support, and defend, to the utmost of my power, the succession of the "crown; which succession, by an Act, inti

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tuled, An Act for the further Limitation of "the Crown, and better securing the Rights "and Liberties of the Subject, is, and stands "limited to the Princess Sophia Electress and "Duchess Dowager of Hanover, and the heirs of her body, being Protestants; hereby utterly renouncing and abjuring any "obedience or allegiance unto any other per-. son claiming or pretending a right to the "crown of these realms: And I do swear, that

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"I do reject and detest, as an unchristian and "impious position, that it is lawful to murder

or destroy any person or persons whatsoever, "for or under pretence of their being heretics or infidels; and also that unchristian and "impious principle, that faith is not to be kept with heretics or infidels: And I fur"ther declare, That it is not an article of my faith, and that I do renounce, reject, and abjure the opinion, that princes excommu"nicated by the Fope and Council, or any "authority of the See of Rome, or by any authority whatsoever, may be deposed or "murdered by their subjects, or any person << whatsoever: And I do promise, that I will "not hold, maintain, or abet any such opi

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nion, or any other opinions contrary to what "is expressed in this declaration And I do "declare, That I do not believe that the Pope "of Rome, or any other foreign prince, pre"late, state, or potentate, hath, or ought to "have, any temporal or civil jurisdiction,

power, superiority, or pre-eminence, direct"ly or indirectly, within this realm; And I "do solemnly, in the presence of God,

profess, testify and declare, that I do make "this declaration, and every part thereof, in "the plain and ordinary sense of the words of "this oath, without any evasion, equivocation, 66 or mental reservation whatever; and with"out any dispensation already granted by the "Pope, or any authority of the See of Rome, "or any person whatever; and without think"ing that I am or can be acquitted before "God or man, or absolved of this declaration,

or any part thereof, although the Pope or any other person or authority whatsoever *shall dispense with or annul the same, or declare that it was null or void.*

"So help me God."

The Marquis begged the gentlemen to pay particular attention to the next oath he should read, and to bear in mind that Every Irish Roman Catholick actually took it.

"1, A. B. do swear, that 1 do abjure, con"demn, and detest, as unchristian and impi"ous, the principle that it is lawful to murder, "destroy, or any ways injure any person what"soever, for or under the pretence of being a "heretic and I do declare solemnly before "God, that I believe that no act in itself unjust, "immoral, or wicked, can ever be justified or "excused by or under pretence or colour that "it was done either for the good of the church, "or in obedience to any ecclesiastical power "whatsoever, I also declare, that it is not 65 an article of the Catholic Faith, neither am "I thereby required to believe or profess, "that the Pope is infallible, or that I am bound "to obey any order in its own nature immo"ral, though the Pope, or any ecclesiastical

power, should issue or direct such order; "but, on the contrary, I hold that it would "be sinful in me to pay any respect or obedi

ence thereto: I further declare, that I do "not believe that any sin whatsoever commit

Prescribed by the 31st of the King, and taken by all English Catholics,