sion to those scenes where parties contended against each other. He saw, and he saw with satisfaction, the Catholic established in Canada. He saw Government conducting the Portuguese to South America, and establishing the Catholic religion there. He saw alliances formed with Austria and other Catholic states, from which he must infer that, whatever internal mis. chief might be apprehended from a Catholic establishment, there was no external danger to be feared. This would be something towards his argument; for he trusted, before he sat down, he should be able to show the House that the internal dan ger was small indeed. The petition prayed for admission into the State, and to the privileges of seats in that House. The act of the 353 of the King gave the Catholics admission to political power; it admitted them to the constituency, and rendered them eligible to all offices, with a few exceptions. The removal of these exceptions, and the power of legislation, were alone wanting. to place them on a level with the rest of their countrymen. Those who oppose the claims of the Catholics, object, in the first place, that they acknowledge the temporal power of a foreign Prince, and recognize in him the capacity to depose the Sovereign which the constitution has given them. These were the objections of some of the mildest among their antagonists.-Others, in the violence of their zeal and intolerance, represent the Catholics as men rendered execrable by their religion. Now, as to the first objection, he should appeal

to the unanimous decision of the seven

principal universities in Europe. Their opinion had been asked on the subject, and they unanimously declared, that it was not a tenet of the Catholic religion, that the Pope possessed temporal power out of his own dominions; that it was not a tenet of the Catholic religion that he had a right to depose Sovereigns; and that it was not one of their tenets that they should hold no faith with heretics. They observed upon all these imputations with great moral indignation, and they condemned and stigmatized such tenets. Such were the opinions of the great Doctors of the Catholic church. There were documents equally strong on the part of the Catholic laity of Ireland. These were the various oaths im

posed on them, particularly those by the 13th and 14th of the King. They disclaimed the infallibility of the Pope; they denied that it was any part of their reli gion to believe that he was infallible, and they renounced all claims which they might have upon property from all these he would contend that there was no moral in compatibility between the two religions,

It was the policy of all nations but this, to admit persons of every religions description into the service of the state. It was the practice in France before the revo• tion. In America it had long prevailed.— During the war which terminated in the independence of that country, the Amer can Catholic was seen fighting by the se of the American Protestant, and both in unity with Trance, of which the religion was Catholic. England was at present with out one ally in the world but Sweden; the Protestant religion did not supply us with one, and would they then give up the only ally which they had at home? The Ca tholic clergy were willing that his Majesty should exercise a negative upon the affirmative of their Bishops; so that no persen could be elevated to that rank without the previous approbation of the Sovereign.— He had so far argued the question up general principles; he would next consider it as applying to Great Britain and Ireland It was said that the object of the petition was opposed to the principles of the rew lution. It was said that it was hostile to the declaration of rights. By the fundsmental laws of this country, the Cathours form a part of the constituent body. they looked to the constitution, they mpt agree with the petitioners; if to the pri ciples of the revolution or the declaratia of rights, they must agree with them; ini if they looked to the duration of the su stitution, they must agree with them, cause, whenever danger should arise, wh were they to look for assistance and sport, but to the petitioners? The FLY of a Protestant King with Catholic C cils was urged against the claim expres in the petition. He could see no anc in the case, nor could he perceive ary e ger in the practice. The Councils of Her IV. of France were guided by Sully; Turenne headed the armies of Louis X Neither of these servants was of the religion of their Sovereign, but they serve ces were not less acceptable or meriton on that account.

But the argument upon which the g est reliance was placed was, that if the C tholics are admitted to the privileges gislation, they would endeavour to e lish their own religion. But how they to establish it? Circumstanced as pla perty was, was there any likelihood the the Catholics would become the m of the House, and if they were not, were they to pull down the Protestant tablishment, and erect their own in its place He entirely agreed that the two charter should be separate, and that the Cath should pay their own church. Th not the way, however, in which casting

considered the question. They looked to The dominant religion merely as a profitable Establishment, which they endeavoured to upport by pains and penalties, and thus converted the principle of the revolution, which should be a blessing to the empire, nto an instrument of oppression and intoerance. It is said the oath of the King is incompatible with the admission of the Catholics. The King, he would admit, was worn to maintain the constitution in church and state, but he was not sworn to the eternal maintenance of the penal laws

He

was sworn as to his executive, but not as to his legislative capacity. When Henry VIII. assented to the reformation, he departed from his oath. So did Elizabeth.So did his present Majesty when he gave his consent to the Quebec act-when he admitted the Catholic to the right of inheritance in 1782-when he admitted him to the professions in 1792-when he admitted him to the constituency in 1793-so that, according to the mode of reasoning employed by the opponents of the Catholic, all the best and most gracious acts of his Majesty's reign were but a succession of perjuries. This was to make the rights of the church the wrongs of the people.This was to make the church a confederacy against the people, and what was worse, to make the King a party to it. The state of Ireland required that the full benefit of the constitution should be communicated to the Catholic, and it was most im periously called for by the state of Europe. Before Gentlemen should make up their minds to reject the motion, he entreated them to pause and consider the situation of the country. Austria had left us; Russia, who should have been ours, was matched against us. There was nothing left for us but an union of every heart and every hand. He would recommend to his countrymen to associate more with the Catholic, to remove gradually the little jealousies by which he was agitated. It was not the political exclusion so much as the personal inferiority which he felt. There was also a class of persons in Ireland, the Orange men, to whom he should not be ashamed to appeal on this occasion. He would entreat them to lay aside their animosities, and to consider the Catholics as entitled to receive, and capable of conferring, all the charities and confidence of civilized society. He would appeal to the Administration too; it would be no justification for them to say that the people of Ireland should not have felt so strongly upon this subject. The people might have been indiscreet, but he would pledge himself that they would have no French among the Catholics, if there were no bigotry among the

Government. He entreated the House not to believe the tales which were circulated respecting the ferocious disposition of the lower orders of people in Ireland; that the Catholics would suffer no Protestants to live among them. He would gladly, if he could obtain the permission of the House, go into a Committee to disprove the assertion. A people were not to be concili ated by such calumnies. Ireland stood by our side, contributing five millions to the population of the empire; exporting to the amount of ten millions; remitting two millions annually in rent; paying as much more in interest, and giving to the army and navy one third of their number. And was a connection with such a country to be placed in jeopardy for a privilege, the benefit of which would only be enjoyed by a few, but the denial of which was considefed injustice and oppression! The experience of a century had shewn how foolish it was to think of governing such a country by a system of bigotry, or any system but the principles of a legitimate constitutional Government. The Catholics did not come before that House as a few individuals, but as a people. They did not come with affected humility to implore a favour, but to claim what they conceived to be a right. They apply to you as freemen should to freemen. It was upon these grounds he would move that the petition on the table be referred to a Committee of the whole House.

(When Mr Grattan had sat down, as no other Member rose, there was a loud cry for the question, which was put, and the gallery was cleared for a division; but in a short time it was opened, and we found Mr Canning on his legs.)

Mr Secretary Canning did not hesitate to confess that he would have wished the debate had not been brought forward, but since it had been brought forward, he hop、 ed it might not be protracted. He must agree with the Right Hon. Gentleman in all the abstract principles which he had laid down, of the necessity of civil concord and union, and more particularly in the present situation of the country; but he could not agree with him entirely as to the practical result of those principles. He concurred most heartily in wishing that religious animosities might soon be healed, and in deploring their existence; but yet he could not shut his eyes against the prac tical effects of them. He saw that, in point of fact, they did exist; and he doubted whether they were to be healed by speeches. He, therefore, deprecated a discussion, which, he was convinced, could not lead to any practical good, and which, if it were conducted with that temper and modera

tion recommended by the Right Hou. Gen. tleman, would probably do more injury than service to the cause which it was intended to support. He was convinced, that the advice which he had given to the Gentlemen of Ireland, and which he would, no doubt, confirm by his own example, would do more practical good, in the conciliation of the people of that country, than any legislative enactment which could be made, Let any body who knew the state of the public mind in this country say, whether there was not a strong prevailing sentiment against concession to the Catholics. If this was founded in reason, it was not easily to be overcome; but if it was even founded only on prejudice, the Right Hon. Gentleman was well aware that such prejudices did not yield to repeated attacks of reason, any more than the prejudices on the other side to penal laws. It would be of little value to have a majority for the measure in the House, if there was an inflamed majority against it out of the House. If there should be a disappointment in the present instance, there would be a consolation in reflecting, that the object of the motion must ultimately, though gradually, prevail. He was unwilling to mix personal topics in this debate. The Right Hon. Gentleman opposite had very scrupulously abstained from such topics, and with him, at least, the Catholic question would never be a party question. But he feared some of those who would follow the Honourable Gentleman would take another course; and if there was any thing that made him regret having risen so early in the debate, it was its depriving him of the opportunity of meeting those personal charges which he certainly had no dread of encountering,

The Right Hon. Gentleman's speech was so happily constructed and directed, that, whether his motion succeeded or failed, it must do eminent service. There was

one principle of the Right Hon. Gentle man,however, which must be received with some reserve. When the Legislature limited by law the share of political power to be held by any class of men, and it was proposed to repeal that limitation, the Legislature was to judge of the propriety of complying with the proposition, and if more disorder would arise from the repeal than from the continuance of the limitation, it was right to continue. He again recommended the soothing and conciliating system proposed by the Right Hon. Gentle man, and trusted that more benefit would be obtained by sending back the petition, without any irritating language, than even by referring it to the Committee by means of a violent and contentious majority. On these grounds he would give his vote con

Mr Windham observed, that the speech of the Right Hon. Gentleman reminded him of an expression used by Lord Ches terfield in one of his letters." That Nolle Lord, giving his poetical opinion on the Tragedy of Cato, remarked on the passage with which that tragedy commenced, "The dawn is overcast, the morning lowrs,

"And heavily in clouds brings on the day."

That it merely related what a watchman told every body, when he cried out, "Pat four o'clock and a cloudy morning"-($ laugh).—So of the speech of the Righ Honourable Gentleman, in the exuberant eloquence of which not any thing was ta be found, but that the discussion would be inconvenient to him and his friends, and therefore that it ought to be deprecated.

Lord Pollington, Lord Castlereagh, and Mr Wilberforce, opposed the motion.

Lord Milton, Lord H. Petty, Sir J. Car Hippisley, Mr Elliot, Mr M. Fitzgerald Mr Martin, and Gen. M. Mathew, spoke in favour of the motion; as did also.

Mr Ponsonby, who said, that versation with Dr Milner, who was the representative of the Catholic Clergy, he assured him that their body had determined to have no other head but the King, if the prayer of their petition were granted.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer depre cated any intemperance of party feeling this occasion, and complimented the mat ner in which the question had been treated by the Right Hon. Mover. Although he was adverse to the proposition, he beg ged to be understood as anxious for any measure that should serve to content and conciliate the Irish. This proposition did not appear to him likely to produce th fect, and therefore he should oppose it.

e the ef

Mr Whitbread, at considerable length, answered many of the arguments urge gainst the motion; and concluded by s ing, that he was sure the time was net für distant when concessions would be made to the Catholics--perhaps unanimously-perhaps too late.

The House called loudly for the ques tion. The question for going into a Com mittee was then rejected on a divison, la to 281-Majority,-155.

HIS

PORTUGAL.

WE 7E are happy to announce the intelligence of most important and ecisive victories being gained by the British army under Gen. Sir Arthur Vellesley over the French army comnanded by Gen. Junot, and which we rust will be followed by the surrender of the enemy's whole force in Portual. In our last (p. 630.) we menioned the landing of the British army t different points on the Portuguese

coast.

We had learnt from the Spanish papers hat Gen. Wellesley was at Leiria on he 12th of August, having been joined by Gen. Spencer's division, and a body of Portugueze troops: and it will be seen, from what follows, that General Anstruther's division had joined, previous to the decisive battle of the 21st. Sir H. Burrard had also himself landed; but not his troops. The dispatches were published on Saturday morning, Sept. 3. In a London Gazette Extraordinary. They consist of copies and extracts of letters from Generals Burrard and Wellesley, to Lord Castlereagh, as follows:Extract of a letter from Lieut.-Gen. Sir Arthur Wellesley, dated Head quarters at Caldas, August 16th:

"I marched from Leiria on the 13th, and arrived at Ahobaca on the 14th, which place the enemy had abandoned in the preceding night; and I arrived here yesterday. The enemy, about 4000 in number, were posted about ten miles from hence, at Borica; and they occupied Brilos, about three miles from hence, with their advanced posts. As the possession of this last village was impor tant to our future operations, I determined to occupy it; and as soon as the British infantry arrived upon the ground, I directed that it might be occupied by a detachment, consisting of four companies of riflemen of the 60th and 95th re giments. The enemy, consisting of a small piquet of infantry and a few cavalry, made a trifling resistance, and re tired; but they were followed by a deSept. 1808.

tachment of our riflemen to the distance of three miles from Brilos. The rifle. men were then attacked by a superior body of the enemy, who attempted to cut them off from the main body of the detachment to which they belonged, which had now advanced to their sup port; larger bodies of the enemy appeared on both the flanks of the detachment, and it was with difficulty that Major. Gen. Spencer, who had gone out to Ebidos when he had heard that the riflemen had advanced in pursuit of the enemy, was enabled to effect their retreat to that village. They have since remained in possession of it, and the ene. my have retired entirely from the neighbourhood.”

In this little affair, occasioned solely by the eagerness of the troops in pursuit, Lieut. Bunbury, of the 95th foot, and a private of the 5th battalion 60th, were killed, five men of the same battalion wounded, and 17 (with four of the 95th) missing.

66

Head-quarters at Villa Verde,
August 17.

MY LORD-The French General Laborde having continued in his position at Roleia since my arrival at Caldas on the 15th inst. I determined to attack him in it this morning. Roleia is situated on an eminence, having a plain in its front, at the end of a valley, which commences at Caldas, and is closed to the southward by mountains, which join the hills, forming the valley on the left, looking from Caldas. In the centre of the valley, and about eight miles from Roleia, is the town and old Moorish fort of bidos, from whence the enemy's piquets had been driven on the 15th, and from that time he had posts on the hills on both sides of the valley, as well as in the plain in front of his army, which was posted on the heights in front of Roleia, its right resting upon the hills, its left upon an eminence, on which was a windmill, and the whole covering four or five passes into the mountains in his

rear.

"I have reason to believe that is force consisted of at least 6000 men, of which about 500 were cavalry, with five pieces of cannon; and there was some reason to believe that General Loison, who was at Rio Major yesterday, would join General Laborde by his right in the course of the night. The plan of attack was formed accordingly, and the army, having broken up from Caldas this morn. ing, was formed into three columns; the right, consisting of 1200 Portugueze infantry, and 5 Portugueze cavalry, destined to turn the enemy's left, and penetrate into the mountains in his rear; the left, consisting of Major-General Ferguson's and Brigadier-Gen. Bowes's brigades of infantry, three companies of riflemen, a brigade of light artillery, and 20 British and 20 Portugueze cavalry, was destined, under the command of Maj. General Ferguson, to ascend the hills at bidos, to turn all the enemy's posts on the left of the valley, as well as the right of his post at Roleia; this corps was also destined to watch the motions of General Loison, on the enemy's right, who I had heard had moved from Rio Major towards Alcoentre last night. The centre column, consisting of Major Gen. Hill's, Brigadier General Nightingale's, Brig. Gen. Craufurd's, and Brigadier Gen. Fane's brigades (with the exception of the riflemen detached with Major-Gen. Ferguson,) and 400 Portugueze light infantry, the British and Portugueze cavalry, a brigade of 9pounders, and a brigade of 6-pounders, were destined to attack General La. borde's position in front.

"The columns being formed, the troops moved from Ebidos about seven o'clock in the morning. Brigadier-General Fane's riflemen were immediately detached into the hills on the left of the valley, to keep up the communication between the centre and left columns, and to protect the march of the former along the valley; and the enemy's posts were successively driven in. Major General Hill's brigade, formed in three columns of battalions, moved on the right of the valley, supported by the cavalry, in order to attack the enemy's left; and Brigadier Gens. Nightingale and Craufurd moved with the artillery along the high road, until at length the former formed in the plain immediately in the enemy's front, supported by the

light infantry companies, and the g regiment of Brigadier-Gen. Craufurd's brigade, while the two other regiments of this brigade (the scth and gist,) and half of the 9-pounder brigade, were kept as a reserve in the rear.

"Major-Gen. Hill and Brig.-General Nightingale advanced upon the enemy's position, and, at the same moment, Brig. Gen. Fane's riflemen were on the hus on his right; the Portugueze infantry in a village upon his left; and Major Gen. Ferguson's column was descending from the heights into the plain. From th situation the enemy retired by the pa ses into the mountain with the utmost regularity and the greatest celerity; and notwithstanding the rapid advance the British infantry, the want of a sufi cient body of cavalry was the cause his suffering but little loss in the plain.

"It was then necessary to make a disposition to attack the formidable po sition which he had taken up. Brg Gen. Fane's riflemen were already in the mountains on his right, and no time wo lost in attacking the different passt, well to support the riflemen as to defea the enemy completely.

"The Portugueze infantry were or dered to move up a pass on the right the whole; the light companies of M jor Gen. Hill's brigade and the thre giment moved up a pass next on the right; and the 29th regiment, support ed by the 9th regt. under Brig. Generk Nightingale, a third pass; and the 4 and 82d regiments, passes on the let These passes were all difficult of acc and some of them were well defener by the enemy, particularly that wha was attacked by the 29th and 9th reg ments, These regiments attacked wi the greatest impetuosity, and reachetur enemy before those whose attacks we to be made on their flauks; the defend of the enemy was desperate, and it was in this attack principally that we susta ed the loss which we have to lame particularly of that gallant officer the Hon. Lieutenant Col. Lake, who distin guished himself upon this occasion,

"The enemy was, however, drives from all the positions he had taken the passes of the mountains, and troops were advanced in the plains their tops. For a considerable lengt of time, the 29th and 9th regiment lone were advanced to this point, with