actual object of government, and the aim of all its operations and of all its measures. In such a government, union and harmony among citizens of all descriptions is to be desired; and it should be the endeavour of the government to promote it, as the means of binding the love and affections of all to the constitution.

But, my Lords, admitting for a moment that we have nothing to do with the disputes of these people among themselves, yet your Lordships surely have to do with the justice and equity of your own proceedings. Now, consider my Lords, upon what principle were the penal laws against the Roman Catholics first introduced?-Certainly upon this principle, that the Roman Catholics in general were disaffected subjects. Upon what principle would the Legislature now relieve any man Catholics from those laws ?-Certainly,

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my Lords, upon this principle, that the Legislature acquits those to whom it extends the relief of the crime and suspicion of disaffection. Upon what principle is the relief which is extended to some withheld from others?-Certainly upon no just principle but this, that those others still lie, in the eye of the Legislature, under a suspicion of disaffection. Thus, my Lords, by passing a law which will give only a partial relief, you will impress a stigma of disaffection upon the party not relieved; which, in my judgment, if there be no ground for suspecting them, would be the height of cruelty and injustice.

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But, my Lords, give me leave to say, that though your Lordships would indeed have nothing to do with any disputes among the Roman Catholics upon controverted points of their own divinity, the matter and the state of the present dispute

are such, that your Lordships have much to do with it in forming a judgment upon the present bill. The matter in dispute is the propriety of the oath as it stands in this bill; which oath the one party is ready to accept, the other reprobates. The dispute began in terms of mutual respect and great moderation; but as the dispute went on, both sides, as is the case in all disputes, grew warmer: Both sides have now lost all temper; and the quarrel, a religious quarrel, my Lords, is raging. The scrupulous Catholics speak of the writings on the other side as schismatical, scandalous, and inflammatory : The Catholic Committee charge the former with inculcating principles hostile to society and government, and to the constitution and laws of the British. My Lords, these reproaches are, I think, unmerited on either side; but they are for that reason the stronger symptoms

of intemperate heat on both sides. My Lords, this bill, should it pass into a law, will not mitigate the quarrel, but inflame it; and as it reënacts the penal laws against all those who from their scruples about the oath cannot bring themselves within the benefit of it, the Roman Catholics who will be relieved by this bill will be impowered to inforce those laws against their more scrupulous brethren, with whom they are quarrelling. My Lords, the history of the church too clearly proves, that men whose minds are inflamed with religious controversy are not to be trusted with such weapons. My Lords, when I look at the names of the gentlemen who compose the Catholic Committee,-men of high birth, of distinguished probity and honour,-I cannot for a moment suppose that any of them would pursue the quarrel with their adversaries in that base manner: But, my Lords,

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the leaders of a party cannot always command the passions of their followers; and your Lordships will have no security that this may not be done, but the liberality and honour of the individuals: And is it wise or just, my Lords, to put any innopower of his enemy, relying only on the good disposition of that enemy to restrain him from the abuse of that power which you put into his hands? My Lords, if the party relieved by this bill should take the advantage which the law will give them against the other party, a horrible persecution will arise. My Lords, I shudder at the scene of terror and confusion which my imagination sets before me, when, under the operation of this partial law, should it unfortunately receive your Lordships' sanction, miscreants of base informers may be enriched with the fortunes, our gaols may be crowded with the persons,