(without whom nothing of that fort can be done) a very useful work towards every plan of political economy may be formed. I am fure every one must be fenfible of the truth of Lord Fitzwilliam's affertion, on feeing Mr. Hay's plan, that the depreffion of the Catholics is not the perfecution of a fect, but tyranny over a people. In the provinces of Ireland (out of the cities) it is almost literally true in fubftance and effect; it is true of the whole in the parts marked in his paper, the Proteftants are not as one to forty-five; and on the whole I do not think, that the county of Wexford is much more Catholic than the other counties in Leinster and Munfter. I know that an ill handle may be made of this work, but fo there is, and fo there will be of every thing done for the good of that country; but this invidious representation is not of fo much prejudice as the knowledge of important truths will be of advantage to you, to the country, and to a confiderate government. Mr. Hay is fo good as to take over to you fome books of your late dear friend, to be prefented as memorials of the deceafed to the new college, or to that of Carlow, as you think best. * I have the honor to be, &c. &c. Beaconsfield, June 9th, 1798. To the Rev. Doctor Huffey, Catholic College. EDMUND BURKE. No. CX. Addrefs of the Roman Catholics of Ireland. (Page 700.) The Addrefs of the Roman Catholics of Ireland, prefented to his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, on Wednesday, May the 30th, 1798. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY, WE, the undersigned, his majesty's moft loyal fubjects the Roman Catholics of Ireland, think it neceffary at this moment publicly to declare our firm attachment to his majesty's royal perfon, and to the conftitution, under which we have the happiness to live; we feel, in common with the rest of his majesty's fubjects, the danger, to which both are exposed from an implacable and enterprizing enemy menacing invafion from abroad, and from the machinations of evil and difaffected men confpiring treafon within His fon the late Richard Burke. his majesty's kingdom; under thefe impreffions, we deem it neceffary to remove, by an open and explicit declaration, every idea of countenance afforded on our part to a conduct bearing even the appearance of indifference and indiscretion, much more to a conduct holding forth fymptoms of difaffection and hoftility to the established order of government in this kingdom, in the preservation of which, though we differ from it in fome points of spiritual concern, we feel too deeply interested to look with an indifferent eye at its overthrow. Allow us then to affure your excellency, that we contemplate with horror the evils of every defcription, which the conduct of the French republic has produced on every nation hitherto weak enough to be deluded with its promifes of liberty, and offers of fraternity; we anticipate fimilar misfortunes as awaiting this his majesty's kingdom, in the deprecated event of fuccessful invafion; with confidence we date our determination not to be outdone by any defcription of our fellow fubjects, in zealous endeavours for averting that calamity and that although anxious to enjoy, free of every restriction, the full benefit of our conftitution, we reject with indignation any idea of removing the restrictions, under which we ftill labour, by means of foreign invafion, or by any other step inconfiftent with the known laws of the land; we prefer, without hesitation, our present state to any alteration thus obtained; and with gratitude to the best of kings, and to our enlightened legislature, we acknowledge fuch a share of political liberty and advantage, already in our poffeffion, as leaves us nothing to expect from foreign aid, nor any motive to look elfewhere, than to the tried benignity of our fovereign, and the unbiassed determination of the legislature, as the fource of future advantage. We cannot avoid expreffing to your excellency our regret at feeing, amid the general delufion, many, particularly of the lower orders, of our religious perfuafion engaged in unlawful affociations and practices. Yet we trust that your excellency's difcernment will lead you to make every juft allowance for the facility, with which men open to delufion from their fituation in life, are led aftray from their political duty: it fhall be our endeavour to call fuch men to a sense of that duty, by pointing out to them, how inconfiftent their conduct is with their real intereft, and how contrary to the maxims of religion which they profefs; nor fhall we lefs endeavour, by our conduct, to convince all defcriptions of our fellow-fubjects, how much we are impreffed with the neceffity of laying afide all confiderations of religious diftinctions, and join 296 ing in one common effort for the prefervation of our conftitution, of focial order, and of the Chriftian religion, against a nation whofe avowed principles aim at the deftruction of them all. We request your excellency will make these our fentiments known to his majefty, and we rely with confidence on your excellency's acknowledged candour and generofity, that you will represent us in that light, to which we venture to hope our conduct and principles have given us a juft claim. FINGAL, SOUTHWELL, KENMARE, With feventy-two baronets, gentlemen of diftinction, and profeffors of divinity, together with the Rev. Peter Hood, D. D. prefident of the Royal College of Maynooth, for himself and the profeffors and ftudents of faid college, and above 2000 whofe names are too numerous to be inferted. The following Addrefs was prefented to his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant by the Earl of Fingall, Viscounts Gormanftown, Southwell, and Kenmare, the Rev. Dr. Troy, the Hon. Mr. Barnewall, Denis Thomas O'Brien, Hugh Hamil, and George Goold, Efqrs. and figned by great numbers of Roman Catholics of Dublin, and of other parts of the kingdom: MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY, WE, the underfigned Roman Catholics, his majesty's most dutiful and loyal fubjects, beg leave to approach your excellency with our warmeft congratulations on your excellency's appointment to the government of this kingdom. Firmly attached to his majesty's royal perfon and family, and to the principles of our excellent conftitution, we cannot omit this opportunity of expreffing to your excellency our deep concern and regret, at feeing in this kingdom the existence of a rebellion, threatening the deftruction of each. We beg leave to affure your excellency, that we are determined to fpare no exertion in our power for ftopping its progrefs; and that, however our religious tenets may prevent us from fubfcribing fome of the tefts, which, by fome of the exifting laws, are required as qualifications in certain inftances, yet none of these tenets militate against the principles of our happy conftitution. Our religious principles lead us to refift all rebellious conduct, as well as every fpecies of turbulence and infubordination, and our individual attachment to his majesty and the conftitution further invites us to fuch refiftance; by these principles your excellency will find our conduct ever guided, and led by them to a zealous co-operation with all others of his majesty's loyal fubjects. We anticipate with confidence, under the direction of your excellency's acknowledged military and political talents, a speedy determination of the present unhappy state of this his majesty's kingdom, and an early restoration of the blesfings of internal peace and tranquillity. The Lord Lieutenant's Anfwer. I HAVE the highest fatisfaction in receiving your addrefs. The loyalty of the principles you profefs will, I doubt not, be fully evinced by your public and effectual exertions. The prefent unhappy conjuncture calls equally upon men of all religious perfuafions to mark their attachment to their fovereign and our conftitution, by counteracting the fpirit of anarchy and rebellion, which had disgraced the country. The influence of your example and authority may be of effential service, and you may be affured of my determination to do justice to your efforts, in repreffing every species of turbu lence and infubordination. No. CXI. (Page 710.) The following Declaration and Addrefs have been tranfmitted by James Stewart, Efq. of Killymoon, and laid before the Lord Lieutenant : WE the Diffenting Congregation of Cookestown, in the county of Tyrone, affembled at our Meeting-house, on the 27th of May 1798, feel ourselves called upon, at this important and alarming period, to come forward and exprefs our attachment and loyalty in this public manner to our king and the conftitution, and pledge ourselves, to the utmost of our power, to preserve the peace and good order of the community, and prevent, as far as our influence fhall extend, that anarchy and confufion, which are fo lamentably difgracing other parts of the kingdom. Signed, by order of the feffion, VOL. II. 7 P JOHN DAVIS, Minifter. And 298 And we do alfo request that James Stewart, Efq. of Killymoon, will prefent these our fentiments to his excellency the lord lieutenant. The Addrefs of the Roman Catholics of the parish of Defartcreat and Derryloran, in the county of Tyrone, unanimously agreed to at their respective chapels, on Sunday the 3d day of June, 1798, to be prefented to his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY, WE, the Roman Catholic inhabitants of the parish of Defertcreat and Derryloran, understanding with the utmost concern that most daring outrages have, for fome time paft, difgraced our unfortunate country, and which, in fome parts of the kingdom, feem as yet difturbing the public peace, do think it neceffary at this moment of alarm, (when many of our unfortunate countrymen, and, amidst the general delufion many of our religi ous perfuafion, are engaged in thofe unlawful practices,) publicly to declare our firm attachment to his gracious majefty's royal perfon, and the conftitution under which we have the happiness to live. Under these impreffions, we also think it neceffary to remove, by an explicit declaration, every idea which may be entertained of our affifting or even countenancing the conduct of thefe mifguided people, who are attempting to introduce into our country anarchy and confufion: and we pledge ourselves, folemnly and without hefitation to protect, at the hazard of all we hold most dear, the perfon of our most gracious fovereign King George the third, and the constitution of this kingdom, against all enemies foreign or domeftic, who are now or may hereafter disturb the public peace or tranquillity. Signed by upwards of 1000 of the inhabitants of faid parishes in the prefence of ARTHUR TEGART, Parish Prieft. N. B. The fignatures may be feen with Mr. Tegart. No. |