ADVERTISEMENT. ALTHOUGH the excitement occasioned by the immediate agitation of the Catholic Question has now passed away, it appeared to the Author of the following pages that some permanent record, not only of the measures recently adopted by the legislature for its settlement, but of the origin and progress of the laws affecting Roman Catholics, interwoven, as they are, with the constitutional history of our country, might not be unacceptable. Every liberal minded Englishman must hail, with sincere pleasure, the arrival of a period when Ireland is united with Great Britain, not by the bonds of a political compact merely, but by the removal of those causes of mutual discord and suspicion, which had so long kept the hearts of their inhabitants asunder. The successive steps which have led to the consummation of this grand measure, form an interesting portion of our national annals, while the par liamentary proceedings which have accompanied its discussion, have given rise to some of the most splendid efforts of senatorial eloquence on record. The author has endeavoured to select from both sources what he judged most important. He lays no claim to any merit beyond that of an industrious compiler. His attempt is therefore not so much discussion, as history. His aim has been not to produce what is original, but merely to present a combined and permanent record of facts already known. He will, however, feel gratified if his labours should, in any degree, tend to the removal of whatever may yet remain of the virulence of party rancour on the one hand, or the apprehensions of conscientious timidity, on the other. If however, in allusion to any of the points at issue between the Romish and Protestant churches, he should appear to bear hard on the tenets held by Roman Catholics, it will be recollected that he has written only what he conceives to be truth; and he assures the individuals of that communion that, while as a Protestant, he conscientiously renounces the doctrines of the church of Rome, it is in the spirit of meekness and good will to those who differ from him. OXFORD, JULY 14, 1829, CONTENTS. Penal Laws in the time of Elizabeth—Acts of Supremacy and Uni- formity Corporation and Test Acts-Popish Plot-Exclusion of Catholic Peers from Parliament-Effect of the Revolution of 1688 -Toleration Act-Act of Settlement-Progress of the Principles of Religious Liberty-Laws respecting Irish Catholics..... . p. 1—17 MEASURES FOR THE RELIEF OF THE CATHOLICS DURING Address of the Catholics in 1778, praying for relief-Sir George Savilles's Bill passed-Scottish Catholics-Protestant Association -Lord George Gordon-Riots in London-Proposed Repeal of Corporation and Test Acts-Relief of protesting Catholics in 1791 -Further Concessions in 1792, and 1793-Irish Union-Relief Bill in 1803-Lord Howick's Bill, in 1807, suppressed by his Ma- CATHOLIC RELIEF BILL, 1829-HOUSE OF LORDS. Effect of these Measures in Great Britain and Ireland-Speech of Dr. Chalmers at the Edinburgh Meeting-Proceedings of the Anti-catho- lic Party-No-popery Petitions-Meeting between the Duke of Wel- lington and Lord Winchilsea-Bill brought up from the Commons- Debates in the Lords on the several Readings-Speeches of the Duke of Wellington, Duke of Sussex, Archbishops of Canterbury, York, and Armagh, Bishops of Oxford and London, Marquises of Anglesea and Lansdown, the Lord-Chancellor Lyndhurst, Earl Grey, Earls of Winchilsea and Eldon, Lord Holland, and others—Bill passes the Lords-Royal Assent given—Abstract of the Bill-Improved State of Ireland-Case of O'Connell brought before the House of Com- |