"What a consolation to the children of God! what "a conviction of truth! when they behold in Pius VII. "who fills so worthily the first seat of the Church, in these "tumultuous times, that one remounts without interruption "from him to St. Peter, established by Jesus Christ to "be the prince of the Apostles; from whence, in taking "the Pontiffs who have served under the law, they ascend "in a straight line, as far as Moses and Aaron, and from "thence to the Patriarchs, and then to the origin of the "world. What series! what order! what succession! “what tradition! what marvellous connection, or conca"tenation! If our mind, naturally uncertain, wavering, "and unsettled, accompanied by a depraved propensity

"to evil, are thereby become the sport of our own reason❝ings; or is in want of being fixed or determined by

a divine authority, in a case in which the salvation of "one's soul is concerned; what greater authority can there "be, than that of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Church, "which unites and coalesces in itself the authority of all 66 past ages, and the ancient traditions of the whole human "kind to the first origin of the world."-Histoire Universelle, par M. Bossuet, Ev. de Maux, p. 133.

A SHORT SKETCH OF

MR. GRATTAN'S SPEECH

On the Catholic Question.

HE began by stating, that every one who did not mean to shut the doors of the House against them, must vote for the motion. He said that there were two places in the world where the success or failure of our projects depend on the wisdom or folly of the Administration-Ireland and America. Here were the points in which folly might ruin the empire, or prudence might save it: they might destroy their anchor in the old world, and their power in the new. It was now to be determined, whether two-thirds or threefourths of our population were to be deprived of their liberties for ever. Ministers say-not now-not now. This mode of phraseology was abominable, unutterable, and inconceivable. Why not avow all at once, that it was their wish to disfranchise and enslave for ever three-fourths of the population of Ireland, because they follow the religion of their fathers? They had a right so to do, and no human power could, without the grossest injustice, molest them for so doing. Their religion was their right and property; they had it directly from God, without having need of a licence from the king for so doing. Government had no right to punish for religion. We impeach the Irish for disloyalty, when they are pouring out their blood profusely in the battles of the country, and dying every day in the No. I.

D

service of the empire. They had often shared in the thanks of the House, and what was their reward! The Irish had for a long time been distinguished for their loyalty towards the house of Hanover. It is said that the Pope could dissolve the allegiance of the subjects, and that Catholics and Protestants could never amalgamate in one society. Hence no Catholic state in Europe could be kept together; they must have perished in a moral dissolution. Independent of experience on the conduct of Catholics, the opinion of six of the most distinguished Catholic Universities were taken; the solemn answer was, that the Pope had no sort of temporal power or jurisdiction in his Majesty's dominions, nor any right to absolve his subjects from their allegiance. As to the question whether Catholics were bound by oaths given to Protestants; they answer that with all the indignation and horror which they must naturally feel at hearing such an abominable doctrine imputed to them; the best answer was the unshaken allegiance of his Majesty's Catholic subjects. What were the thanks of Parliament to our armies, but verdicts of acquittal to the Irish Catholics? If the Catholics are not guilty, Parliament is so, that excludes them from their rights. Where were now the country petitions, which would have borne down, as it was said, the table of that House? Where was the petition of London, the metropolis of the empire, or where was the petition even of the University of Dublin? Where were those against the Pope and his seven sacraments? (a laugh!) Instead of those threatenings, they had heard the words of truth and wisdom from ten thousand Englishmen in favour of the claims. There were also Mr. Latouche, the Duke of Leinster, the Earl of Ormond, and all the great. Protestant proprietors in Ireland, as well as of the leading 'merchants, as also of a great proportion of the dissenters. It was fair to say, that it was the petition of the population of the whole country. If this petition should be dismissed, he would remind them who was the petitioner-The kingdom of Ireland stood at their bar with her imperial crown. They had taken her Parliament from her, and she now came in person. Ireland has paid you in commerce, in taxes, in