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    were worth nothing . Mr . Chas . Grant shewed that the best securities were to be found in the healing nature of the measure ; in the spirit of the English people , clergy , and nobles ; and iu the interests of the Irish . Mr . Brougham's speech related chiefly to the second measure—the

    disfranchiseinent of the forty-shilling freeholders . — He had opposed the measure for the disfranchisemeut of the forty-shilling freeholders in 1825 ; and he would not disguise it , that , for his own part , to that measure he had all but an invincible repugnance . Even had he been one of those who supported that measure , he might with perfect consistency oppose this , which was one of a much more extensive

    character . But he looked not to these measures separately—he considered them as a whole . " If the question is put to me , I ) o you mean to vote for the disfranchisement of the forty-shilJing freeholders ?—if this question be put to me separately , singly , and apart from all other considerations , as an abstract proposition to be weighed and determined on its own

    grounds , and on its own grounds answered , ray answer is at once and simply , No ! But that is not the question to be answered , for it rests on other grounds , and is a much more difficult and complex question ; and if I be practically called on to say whether or not I shall take , upon myself the responsibility , shall I dare to take to myself even the smallest share of

    the awful and tremendous responsibility of saying to Ireland , ' Your last chance of tranquillity , good order , and safety , is gone , from the adoption of these two measures , which are inseparably connected' ?—from thatresponsibility—even from my small share of that responsibility—I

    honestly confess I do shrink : and I am not ashamed to confess that I do , for it is a responsibility that not only will appal the stoutest heart , but shake the soundest judgment . I therefore agree to the disfranchisement as the price—as the high price—as the all but extravagant price , of this inestimable good . "

    Tuesday , March 1 0 */* . Mr . Peel introduced his Bill for the relief of the Roman Catholics , and that for thedisfranchisementof the forty-shilling freeholders . In answer to the objections which had been made to the latter measure , Mr . Peel gave an arithmetical analysis of the fitness of these freeholders to exercise the elective franchise . In one county , he found that since the year 1823 , 23 , 700 freeholders had been registered , and that of this number

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    19 , 205 were marksmen , who could not write their own names . For voters of such a character , he proposed by this bill to substitute a class oi really respectable and independent electors . In another county , where from 10 , 000 to 15 , 000 voters had been registered within

    the same time , he had ascertained that not more than one hundred had applied to be registered at their own instance , and that the registration of the rest had been made at the instance and expense of liberal clubs , or of gentlemen who expected the votes of the freeholders so created to be given as they directed .

    It was charged against Ministers , that they are carrying forward their measure with " indecent haste . " Among other pithy answers , it was retorted , that the objectors saw nothing " indecent" in the haste with which the Bill for suppressing the Catholic Association was nurried through , or in any other penal enactment . Further delay was deprecated and refused .

    Friday , March 13 M . The general petitions of the Catholics of Ireland were laid before Parliament by the Marquis of Lansdowne and Sir F . Burdett . The statement of the noble Marquis shewed the peculiar fitness of the time chosen by his Majesty to accord to the Catholics the boon of equal rights : since this question began to be agitated , they have increased largely in numbers ,

    intelligence , and wealth . Thirty years ago , only ten Catholics held stock to the amount of 2000 / . — now there are upwards of eighty : education has advanced in a more rapid degree among the Catholic population ; and there is less crime in Ireland than in England , —the criminal indictments being less than 1 to every 1500 of the population , while in England they are as 1 to every 750 persons .

    Thursday , March 19 th . The Roman Catholic Relief Bill , read a second time , after two nights' debate . On Tuesday the debate lasted little more than four hours , —the previous part of the evening having been occupied in

    receiving petitions ; and when the adjournment was moved , an altercation followed between Sir Robert Inglis and some of the friends of the measure , as to how much of Wednesday night should be consumed in the same manner . The

    debate was , however , resumed at six , and continued until three o ' clock , when the division was called for- The numbers were—for the second reading , 353 ; against it , 173 ; Ministerial majority ,

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    294 Intelligence . — Cutholie Question .

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1829, page 294, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2571/page/70/