CHAP. X. Ante, ch. 2. 8.3. Parliamentary polized-to the prejudice of Catholic Merchants and Traders. In a preceding Chapter, we briefly touched upon the valuable services, which a member of Parliament can render to his personal connexions and private friends" Advantages in tradeinfluence mono❤ ‹‹ indemnity from burdens-preferences in local "competitions." By such an alliance, it is notorious, that a merchant or trader may manage his business at the custom-house, the treasury, and the privy council successfully enforce his claims- soften the rigour of official regulations→→→→ explain away suspicious circumstances—and procure accommodations in the payment of duties, the freighting of ships, loading and unloading of goods, &c.-to an extent sufficient to bear down all competition. From all participation of these advantages, the Catholics remain wholly excluded. Protestant Cor. porations 2. Commerce and trade must neces injurious to Ca- sarily be exercised in Cities and towns, These tholic Mer chants and Traders. Ante, ch. 3. p. 98-102 are placed, by law, under the dominion of Protestant corporations composed of persons, filling the offices of Mayors, Aldermen, Sheriffs, Burgesses, Common Council men, &c. &c.Of these persons we have already treated at large. The Catholics, however wealthy, industrious, skilful, intelligent and respectable, are rigidly Corporations Trade. excluded from all these offices. Hence, the CHAP. X. Protestant merchants and traders possess decided local advantages over the Catholics-which injurious to fair frequently serve as substitutes for capitalskill and industry bestowing factitious credit, personal respect, and undue priority of information. The number of Protestants; thus favoured, has been shewn to amount to nearly Ante, ch. 2. 4000-in the different Cities and towns of P. 95, &ei Ireland. How severely must Trade be oppressed, and its freedom coerced, in a country, where those persons monopolize all power; influence, and public recommendation-enjoying (at the expence of the community) unquestioned authority, exemption from tolls, preference in the markets, and peculiar favour in all beneficial contracts, within the influence or disposal of the Crown! chants, Artisans, Whilst, on the other hand, the Catholic mer- Catholic Merchant, tradesman, artisan, &c. is involved in a &c. aggrieved. continual, but ineffectual, struggle against, not only the general severity of the Anti-Catholic system, but also the peculiar hardships and vexations attached to his lot, in his particular town. He sinks under the pressure of these accumulated burdens. He is debased by the galling ascendancy of privileged neighbours: depressed by partial imposts: undue preferences Х. CHAP. X. bestowed upon his competitor: a local inquisition: an uncertain and unequal measure of justice fraud and favouritism daily and openly practised to his prejudice. Corporations oppressive. Ante, ch. 3. Instance. Dublin-in Trade. In the city of Dublin, for instance, the number of corporate offices, from which the Sect. 2 and 3. Catholics are by direct law excluded, has been shewn to amount to about 250-besides an equal number of dependant offices. These 500 merCorporation of chants, tradesmen, and their dependants, borrow jurious to fair a character of superior credit, honour, and power-from this exclusion of their Catholic competitors. Nor is this artificial rank unsubstantial. The name of civic honours lends credit and recommendation to the trader-and procures lucrative support. If he vote prudently in the common council, or guild—he is, perhaps, rewarded by some beneficial contract for goodsor by an order from a public Board--which bestows affluence upon him for life. Thus a Protestant baker, cutler, sadler, gunsmith, tinman, brewer, builder, printer or stationer, chandler, &c.—may find a by-path to riches wholly inaccessible to a Catholic. Lucrative con tracts. Such is the profuse distribution of publie money in Ireland, that lucrative orders and contracts may readily be carved out for each privileged Corporator-whilst the less favoured Catholic tradesman is compelled to CHAP. X. remain a tame, and silent, spectator of this mo nopolizing system. Penal Catholic Merchants, Traders, dis- &c.peculiarly exposed to persecution. 1797-9. 3. The intolerance of these Laws furnishes improper facilities for crediting and oppressing Catholic merchants oppression and and tradesmen-and thus exposes them to continual hazards. In seasons of public commotion, this mischief operates severely and extensively. The Catholic, by reason of his religion, is marked as an object of suspicion (real or feigned) his loyalty and good conduct are maligned, and his credit whispered away. It Instances in is notorious that, in the years 1797, 1798, and 1799, very many Catholic traders and shopkeepers were wrongfully arrested, imprisoned, and persecuted with every severity--which they might have avoided, had they been Protestants. In consequence, their credit declined, their affairs fell into confusion, and at length they found themselves cruelly hurled from affluence to beggary. The persecutors of these innocent and deserving men found refuge in Acts of in- Acts of Indem demnity-which confounded all distinctions "ity. between right and wrong, guilt and innocenceand left the ruined Catholic and his family without redress or remuneration. CHAP. X. "but he may enter (and this is the usual method) "into either of the courts of equity. He may "file his Bills against those, whom he suspects "to be possessed of this forbidden property, against those whom he suspects to be their Bills of Discovery-for confiscating the property of Catholics. 66 trustees, and against those whom he suspects "to be privy to such ownership-and oblige "them under the guilt and penalties of perjury "to discover, upon oath, the exact nature, and just value of their estates and trusts, in all particulars necessary to effect their forfeiture. "In such suits, the informer is not liable to the delays which the ordinary procedure of those "courts throws into the way of the most equita"ble claimant : nor has the Catholic the indulgence allowed to the most fraudulent "defendant-that of plea, or demurrer. He is obliged to answer the whole directly upon " his oath and the old rule of "s extending "benefit and restraining penalty," is by this "law struck out of the ancient jurisprudence" and the contrary rule is established, directSeverity, in this "ing that, upon all doubts, these Penal Laws "shall be construed in the largest and most "liberal sense against the Catholic defendant. respect. 68 Thus, the enjoyment of property by a Catholic in Ireland, qualified and burdened as it is in other respects, is made to depend upon the |