CHAP. X.

In the House of Commons, a similar propoCobbet's Parl. sition of Lord Henry Petty, supported by Mr. Dcb vol. 2. Grattan, and resisted by Messrs. John Foster and Percival, was also rejected-96 to 83.

June 2, 1808.

Thus are the situations of Governor and

Bank Directors. Directors of the Bank of Ireland rigidly closed against Catholics.

The injury, which Catholic merchants and traders sustain from this exclusion, may be estimated from a view of the solid advantages and powers annexed to these situations.-Bank Directors preside over the circulating currency of Ireland, and command the springs of private This Exclusion credit. They can favour one class of traders, Catholic Mer- and heavily press upon another;-they can, in

injurious to

chants and

Traders.

many instances, postpone and prevent, or accelerate, the distress and insolvency of extensive merchants. They possess the best opportunities of ascertaining the extent of individual property and credit of discriminating between real and fictitious capital-of anticipating bankruptcies, and guarding against consequent losses. From these opportunities they derive valuable knowAdvantages, ledge which they may use elsewhere, with cerpossessed by Bank Directors. tain and immense advantage to themselves and their friends.

This superior intelligence, acquired by Bank Directors, and participated in by their immediate

connections, is manifestly of the highest value to CHAP. X. every merchant and trader. It may, frequently, Bank Directors, prove a shield against heavy losses-as the want

of it may lead to utter ruin.

The late Mr. Edward Byrne, the first mer- Observation of chant in Ireland, when questioned respecting the Mr. E. Byrac. advantages incident to a Directorship, gave this

conclusive and pointed answer :

these situations,

"I have bad debts in my books," said he, Advantages of "to the amount of £70,000.-Had I been a "Bank Director, or had I an active friend in "the Direction, these bad debts would probably "not have exceeded £20,000.-Thus I lose "£50,000. by this exclusion."

chiefs to the

Trade of

Ireland.

4. These are amongst the evils, which General mis this intolerant Code of laws inflicts upon Catholics, exercising commerce or trade in Ireland. They are in rapid progression, and must necessarily impair the trade and lower the credit of traders of all classes, in the estimation of other Public discredit countries. The sentiments of the English upon

talists refuse to

the settle in Ireland.

the general insecurity of property in Ireland are well ascertained. No English capitalist (of English Capiany note) has settled in Ireland since Union, a period of 12 years. Neither their large surplus of capital, nor the want of employment at home, nor the cheapness of labour

English Capi

settle in Ireland.

CHAP. X. in Ireland, nor any of the natural advantages of this country-has tempted English merchants talists refuse to or manufacturers (however enterprizing and greedy of gain) to entrust, to the protection of Irish Laws and people, their properties, machinery and families. They reason wellTheir caution has abundantly justified the inimitable irony with which Mr. Grattan ridiFalse predictions culed the delusive predictions, (circulated at the time of the Union)-that these sober and rational calculators would deem Ireland a safe country, under an intolerant system of laws.

to the contrary.

Irish Parl. Deb.

15 Jan. 1800.

"Mr. Pitt tells you," said he, "that the English capitalist will settle his family in the "midst of those Irish Catholics, whom he does not think it safe to admit into parliament. fully justified by As subjects he thinks them dangerous as a

Mr. Grattan's

opinions

events.

"neighbouring multitude, safe. The English "manufacturer, forsooth, will make this notable "distinction-he will dread them as indivi"duals and confide in them as a body, and "settle his family and property in the midst of "them. He will, therefore, leave his mines, "his machinery, his comforts and his habits

conquer his prejudices-and come over to "Ireland-to meet his Taxes, and miss his "constitution."

SECTIONS XI-AND`XII.

CHAP. X.

Humiliation of the Catholics-Hostility against them-sanctioned and encouraged, throughout every department.

To goad and exasperate a large and Penal Code, goading and valuable class of citizens is a Policy, always exasperating.

ungenerous, generally unjust, frequently unsafe. Yet such is the policy of this Penal Code. No reader can fail to discern it in the pointed scorn and acrimonious operation of the numerous laws, referred to in the preceding sections of this "Statement." We shall now present some further illustrations of this hostile and contemptuous policy-from which it will appear, that the Laws treat the Catholics as a people, at once despicable and hateful.

Superstition and

1. It is a principle of law, that the Imputations of Catholics are a superstitious and idolatrous Idolatry. race. For, the Declaration against the Catholic Religion, required from all members of Par-Ante, p. 64-68, liament, public officers, &c.-expressly stigmatizes the Catholic Mass, and other rites and

&c.

CHAP. X. tenets-(long revered by all Catholics) as superstitious and idolatrous. Moreover, any Imputations of Superstition and provision for maintaining a Catholic Clergyman, Chapel, or Charity, is held, in law, to be a superstitious use.

Idolatry.

Ante, p. 43

48.

Imputations of falsehood, dis

&c.

These imputations, coarse and virulent as they are, necessarily subject the Catholics to ignominy and opprobrium-as a stupid and senseless people-immersed in superstition and idolatryfit objects of scorn and abhorrence.

2. The Law presumes every Catholic loyalty, perjury, to be faithless, disloyal, unprincipled, and disposed to equivocate upon his oath-until he shall have repelled this presumption by his sworn exculpation-in public court.

Oaths, pre scribed to the

the Statutes of

This appears from the Statutes, which impose Catholics-by upon every Catholic, as the "sine qua non” of 1773 and 1793. his existence, the humiliating condition of repeating all these and other cruel and abominable imputations" seriatim" and circumstantiallyin the presence of his fellow-countrymen-and abjuring them, upon Oath.

Illiberal ro proaches.

No species of reproach appears more illiberal than this incessant and iterated imputation of immoral principles, which have been solemnly disclaimed. No weapon of hostility is more unfair, more unworthy, or more unwarrantable.