Subjection of lars-of expounding them-of executing them CHAP. X. with all the civil and military force of the land: -of occupying all offices in the army and navy the Catholics. of the empire: that is to say, of exercising full command and authority over FIVE HUNDRED Army, Navy, THOUSAND ARMED MEN in the public pay-and finally, of compelling the Catholics to defray the far greater part of the enormous charges, salaries, and emoluments, attached to this immense multitude of lucrative situations. Law offices, &c. fices. towns. 3. The Laws even descend, from Corporate ofpowers of a public and general nature, to the local and minute powers residing in the government of each city and town-chase the Catholic In cities and, from all participation in these powers, and clothe each individual Protestant citizen with the same immediate authority over the Catholic citizen, that the Protestant community at large enjoy (through the Legislature, Army, Navy, judicial and executive Offices of the Law, and various other stations) over the Catholic community throughout these Realms. Ante, ch. 3. taxes, &c. 4. The jealous and domineering spirit Parish rates, penetrates still farther, and with insatiable avidity. We trace it in the lesser subdivi-Ante, chap. 7. sion of society, into parishes; investing the P. 140, &c. CHAP. XI. Protestants in each parish with a monopoly of The Catholics power over the Catholics-rigidly excluding aggrieved in the the latter (for instance) from Parish Vestries, Parishes-in Land-tax parish taxes and income. Ante, ch. 7. p. 140, &c. Right of bearing arms circum and inflicting upon them a burdensome Land- elections. 5. The Catholic is prohibited from scribed, and un- exercising the valuable right of having or using equally enjoyed. Ante, ch. 8. Protestants subject to no restraint. Judicial decisions. Ante, ch. 9. arms, in the defence of his person, his family, dwelling or property, unless he possesses a certain property, and conforms to certain statutable regulations whilst the Protestant, however deficient in property or character, is allowed to riot without restraint in the enjoyment of this great privilege an inequality of rights, which frequently produces lamentable instances of aggression and outrage, especially in the Northern and Western districts of Ireland ! 6. A system of Judicial decision appears to exist, hostile to the Catholics-well understood and universally felt in Ireland, deeply how understood land. involving the purity of the administration of CHAP. XI. Justice. Penal clauses and partial regulations Courts of justice, are in force, whereby the Catholic is made and felt in Irepractically to feel, that he cannot with implicit confidence appeal to Courts of Justice in any Ante, chap. 9. case, where the influence of the crown may be adversely exerted, or where religious prejudices may otherwise be called into action. imputations Test Oaths. 7. The laws cherish an ungenerous Opprobrious spirit of insult, which exacts from all Catholics continued: thro (through the medium of qualification tests) the humiliating duty of disclaiming and disa- Ante, ch. 10. vowing, upon oath, ignominiously, in public P329, and see Appencourts, various disloyal, faithless, superstitious, and murderous principles-thus presupposing them to hold tenets, of which even the suspicion may attach infamy. dix. from offices in 8. The Catholics are effectually ex- Exclusioncluded from offices in the Army and Navy: from the Army and the honours of the legal and medical professions: and medical from the exercise of free Trade and Commerce.- Trade and com Navy-Legal professions merce-proper Clergy-Chari Their property is unjustly burdened, and its ty insecureenjoyment precarious and insecure.-Their clergy tics Education are depressed and insulted: their charities frus--Poor, &c.depressed. trated their education discouraged, and their poor consigned to neglect ! ! ! CHAP. XI. Subordinate tious and irri 9. Various subordinate clauses of this Penal Code eternally teaze and worry the clauses-vexa Catholics of all ranks and classes, in a degree not to be described, and scarcely even to be tating. Ante, ch. 10. imagined. TheCatholics branded with probrium. Ante, ch. 10. 10. Finally, these Penal Laws, by scorn and op. their very existence and necessary influence, stigmatize the Catholics as an inferior race, unfit for trust or power, marked for the scorn, derision, and opprobrium of mankind-and thus the helpless and unprotected condition of the Catholics hourly invites spurns and oppression. He, who reflects that the weak are commonly the victims of the illiberal, may form some estimate of the miseries which the Catholics, thus prostrate, patiently endure in Ireland. CHAP. XII. CHAP. XII. General Observations upon this Penal Code. SECTION 1. Dissensions necessarily excited. UNDER this dreadful System, then, no Dissensions ex cited by this hope of quiet, or of concord, can remain for Penal Code. no prospect of honourable security Ireland for the Throne or the Empire. For, as this System grievously oppresses and irritates, the Catholics feel themselves bound, in prudence and in honour, to protest loudly and frequently against its existence-lest their silence might otherwise imply an acquiescence in its justice, or a submission to its spirit.. These protests, thus provoked, are usually made compelled to complain. through the medium of Petitions to the Legislature.-Every new petition excites a new opposition. A few agitators are employed to frame Q ૧ The Catholics |