likewife of 8th Anne, c. 3. is repealed; which enacts, that no Papift fhall take more than two apprentices.

In the course of the debates upon this act, the Catholics were accufed of profeffing tenets inimical to good order, and government; and with harbouring pretenfions to the forfeited eftates of their forefathers, and with wishing to fubvert the existing establishment, that they might reinstate a Popish one in its ftead. The general committee were also accused of being turbulent and feditious agitators. It was afferted, that the petition which they prefented this year to Parliament was the act of an obfcure faction, confined merely to the capital, and difavowed by the great mafs of the Catholics

In order to repel the first of these accufations, the declaration of 1774, which has already been introduced into this work, was republifhed, and figned by Dr. Troy and the principal Catholic clergy and laity of the kingdom. The second charge was not fo eafily to be contradicted. It was one of moft ferious importance to the interests

of

of the whole body, and, if suffered to pass without the fallacy of it being expofed, would have contributed to defeat all the exertions which had been made to obtain redress: Urged by these confiderations, and alfo by a communication, which, about this time, was made, from the first authority, that a further application for relief would have great weight with his Majefty, and with Parliament, if the committee were qualified to declare, that it was the measure of every Catholic in the kingdom,* the committee devised a plan, by which a convention of delegates should be held, elected by the whole Catholic body. A circular letter was immediately written, directing that each parish should proceed to choose one or two electors, and that these electors fhould then elect from one to four delegates, as it might appear most expedient to them. Their directions. were obeyed, and carried into effect with so much promptitude and good order, that the convention were able to meet on the 3d of December, without the smallest degree of tumult or agitation having occurred in any part of the kingdom.

See the plan for conducting the election of delegates, published 1793.

In the mean time, this circular letter had been laid hold of by the government as a proper inftrument with which to rekindle the embers of religious animofities. Where the partizans of govern, ment were fufficiently ftrong, corporate and county meetings were held to reprobate the plan of the general committee; but if defeat, or even formidable refiftance, was apprehended, fimilar refolutions were entered into by the grand juries, where fuccefs could easily be fecured, from the influence of government in their appointment.

In order to counteract the effect of these resolutions, thofe Proteftants who had the virtue and the good fenfe neither to become the tools or the dupes of government, held a great number of meetings of different towns and districts. Some few, with Londonderry at their head, expressed themselves favourable to a gradual admiffion of the Catholics; but the great majority followed the example of an immense body of volunteers, who, when affembled together at their commemoration meeting, declared their fentiments in favour of the immediate and unqualified exten

fion

fion of the right of fuffrage to the whole Catholic body.

When the convention met in December, their proceedings were wife, temperate, and decifive, and conducted without any violation of the laws of the land, or of the good order of fociety. At the first meeting the following petition to the King was unanimously agreed to, pursuant to instructions which had been given to each delegate by his respective electors.

To the King's moft Excellent Majefty, the humble Petition of the Underfigned Catholics, on behalf of themselves and the reft of his Catholic Subjects of the kingdom of Ireland.

Moft Gracious Sovereign,

We your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal fubjects of your kingdom of Ireland, profeffing the Catholic religion, presume to approach your Majesty, who are the common father of all your people, and humbly to submit to your confideration the manifold incapacities and oppreffive difqualifications under which we labour,

For, may it please your Majefty, after a century of uniaterrupted loyalty, in which time five foreign wars and two domestic rebellions have occurred, after having taken every oath of allegiance and fidelity to your Majesty, and given, and being still ready to give, every pledge, which can be devised for their peaceable demeanour and unconditional fubmission

to

to the laws, the Catholics of Ireland ftand obnoxious to a long catalogue of statutes, inflicting on dutiful and meritorious fubjects pains and penalties of an extent and feverity, which fcarce any degree of delinquency can warrant, and prolonged to a period, when no neceffity can be alleged to juftify their continuance.

In the first place, we beg leave, with all humility, to reprefent to your Majefty, that, notwithstanding the lowest departments in your Majesty's fleets and armies are largely supplied by our numbers, and your revenue in this country to a great degree fupported by our contributions, we are difabled from ferving your Majefty in any office of truft and emolument whatsoever, civil or military-a profcription, which difregards capacity or merit, admits of neither qualification nor degree, and refts as an univerfal ftigma of distrust upon the whole body of your Catholic fubjects.

We are interdicted from all municipal ftations, and the franchife of all guilds and corporations; and our exclufion from the benefits annexed to thofe fituations is not an evil terminating in itself; for, by giving an advantage over us to thofe, in whom they are exclufively vefted, they establish throughout the kingdom a fpecies of qualified monopoly, uniformly operating in our disfavour, contrary to the fpirit, and highly detrimental to the freedom of trade.

We may not found nor endow any univerfity, college, or fchool, for the education of our children; and we are interdicted from obtaining degrees in the univerfity of Dublin by the feveral charters and ftatutes now in force therein.

We are totally prohibited from keeping or ufing weapons, for the defence of our houfes, families, or perfons, whereby we are expofed to the violence of burglary, robbery, and affaffination;