duced amongst us. It fell within his own obfervation to know, that m each of the two monaftic focieties established at Winchefter, feveral perfons had been fuffered actually to profefs themselves, and to take both veils, fince their refidence there; and, as he was credibly in formed, a great variety of fimilar inftances might be produced, from different parts of the country, where thole monaftic inftitutions had been permitted to eftablish themselves. Thefe practices, fir H. Mildmay thought, fhould be checked in the bud, otherwife we might live to lament that the national humanity had been abused; and that parliament, by voting money for their fubfiftence, had, in fome degree, been made a party to the revival of what feemed to them the most unnatural part of the Romish faith, when it might be too late to extirpate the evils, which the influence of fuch a fyftem might have introduced into the country. Having admitted upwards of five thoufand prielis into this country, of a perfuafion inimical to the religion eftabhed by law, and continuing to fubft there at the public expenfe, it was a duty ftrongly incumbent upon them to be particularly carefal to give no offence to the regular church, and that the interefts of the proteftant communion fhould not fuffer by the excefs of their humanity and indulgence. Another fabject, to which he would call the attention of the houfe, was the recent foundation of a great variety of catholic fchools, many of which were engrafted on, and under the immediate fuperintendence and influence of, their monaftic establishments. This fact had given confi rable alarm and uncafinels to thofe reverend perfons, whole high fituations in the regular church had placed the interefts of the proteftant communion particular only in their hands. The refolution he meant to propofe was fimilar to a regulation which he understood to have taken place in the year 1763, when the catholic province of Canada was ceded to this country, namely, to place within the protection of the law thofe convents which a tually exift, but not to fuffer, on any pretence whatever, the admiflion of any new members into fuch focieties.-Sir H. Mildmay faid, that, in fubmitting this fubject to the attention of parliament, he had complied with the general voice of the public, laity as well as clergy. When he added, to the other confiderations he had mentioned, the temptation, he might fay the bribe, which was held out to the public, by educating children, in thole catholic feminaries, free from any expense to their parents, he thought he was not calling on the houfe for any unreafonable interference, when he fuggefted the expediency of revifing and reconfidering the prefent laws, and of adding fuch ftrength to the arm of the executive power, as might be neceffary to meet the emergence of the prefent moment. The refolutions which he moved, for guarding againft the evils to be apprehended from a popish zeal for making convents, were thefe: "That it is the opinion of this committee, that the temporary refidence in this kingdom, of certain monaftic focieties, fhould be permitted, fubject to the provisions of an act paffed in the thirty-third year of his prefent majefty, intituled, "An Act for eftablighing Regulations refpecting Aliens arriving in this King dom, dom, or refident therein, in certain he could give them his cordial "That all perfons, undertaking the public education of youth in the Romith faith, fhould also return annually to the court a lift, containing the names and number of their pupils, together with the names and places of abode of their refpective parents; and that a power be given to magiftrates, appointed by the quarter-feffions, to infpect fuch in ftitutions at pleafure.” Thefe refolutions were fupported by Mr. Newbolt, Mr. Johnes, Mr. Pitt, and Mr. Bragge; and oppofed by Mr. Hobhouse and Dr. Lawrence. Mr. Newbolt bore witnefs to the alarm that had taken place among the clergy and others, at the intem perate zeal of fome priefts, and at the influence of the nuns in thofe monaftic inftitutions over the minds of their pupils. It was neceflary, in his mind, if the houfe did not wish to fee the country again overrun with catholics and catholic orders, either to abolish those monaftic inftitutions altogether, or to prohibit English catholics from entering into them. Mr. Johnes thought, that, for the fecurity of our religion, even fironger measures than thofe propofed by the honourable baronet were necellary. Mr. Pitt praised the liberal manner in which the honourable baronet had opened this business, and admired the liberal principles on which the refolutions which he had moved were framed. He was happy that ap Mr. Hobhoufe commended the motives of the honourable moyer, but thought the refolutions would be an infringement on the spirit of toleration, which fo peculiarly dif tinguished this country, and would alfo appear not very confiftent with that humanity and generofity with which we had received the exiled clergy of France. The alien-act polfeffed all the power that was neceffary to prevent the abufes which were the fubject of complaint. But, as to this argument, from the alien-bill, Mr. Pitt obferved, that it was furely better to advertife, by an act of the legislature, thofe unfortunate people of what would be allowed them to do, and what they were prohibited from doing. It wou'd be hard to fend them again abroad as wanderers from their fecond home, for conduct which they knew not, and never had been informed that it was unlawful or improper. Mr.Braggeadded, that it ought likewife to be obferved, that the provifions of the alien-act were not applicable to the native fubjects ofthis country. The refolutions were then feverally put and carried, and, on the next day, reported. A bill, correfponding to thefe, was drawn up, and, on the twenty-third of June, when it was read a fecond time, and propofed to be committed, became the fubject of a long and animated debate, in the courfe of which it was oppofed, with great ingenioufness and eloquence, by Mr. Windham and Mr. Sheridan; but fupported with great ability by the mover, fir H. John Mildmay, Mr. T. Jones, Mr. Dudley Ryder, fir William Scott, Mr. Erikine, and Mr. Percival. Mr. ham obferved, was not its proper remedy. The divines of the cftablifhed church, (at whofe inftigation chiefly the prefent refolutions were moved) fhould feed their flocks with fpiritual food, and thus enable them to withstand the firft feed of this, they were too fond of raising the cry, "The church is in danger!" If profelylifm exifted, it was a dif grace only to that clergyman in whofe parith it took place. What, if they did their duty, could minifters of the church of England fear? They met their antagonifis on more than equal ground. If any one indeed attempted to preach up the rights of man, and infubordination to lawful authority: to filence fuch doctrines would be a werk of neceffity; but popery had nothing in it of that dangerous tendency, and might be met fairly in the field of argument.-A little oppofition was no bad thing; it made perfons attentive to their duty, and might be as ufeful in the church as in the fenate.Another objection to the bill, in Mr. Windham's mind, was, that it railed prejudices in the minds of the illiberal against a number of unoffending perfons, who had fled to our fhores from the tempeft that threatened their deftruction. When that fhould fubfide, they would be very ready to feek their own country again, and carry all their own cuftoms and fentiments along with them; but why fhould we fend them back lame and crippled? While they remained here, it was not generous to mark then out as objects of public fcorn and fufpicion.-On the whole, Mr. Windham confidered the bill in queftion as, at least, but ufclefs. "Where no danger exifts," faid he, "no precaution is neceflary; where no difeafe, no re◄ Mr. Windham admitted, that, if any neceffity exifted for a reftraining measure of this kind, that he knew of none more unexception able than the one proposed; but, inftead of the Roman catholic religion fpringing up again into importance, its friends had to fear a change of quite a different kind. What could be more abfurd than to fuppofe, that, in the prefent order of things, in this æra of the world, at the latter end of the eighteenth century, in the tenth year of the French revolution, in the general renunciation of every popifh tenet throughout Europe, when even the fate of that quarter of the world was trembling on the balance, and the period was arrived, which muft either eftablish or overturn for ever the power of France-how abfurd to fuppofe, that, in fuch circumitances, any apprehenfion could be entertained of the propagation and dominion of popery? A few fragglers only had come to us, who had happily furvived the deftruction of the Gallican church. This general abasement and overthrow had more weakened the catholic faith, than any endeavours of the remain ing few who adhered to it could effect towards its reftoration. Thofe who had fled to us were but miferable remains as to their means and power, though not as to the virtues they had uniformly difplayed. Mr. Windham defended monaftic inftitutions, in general, against the prejudices, the calumnies, and the narrow and perfecuting (pirit of their enemies. He infifted, that the Jaw fhould not interfere to prerent converts to popery, any more than to any other fects and perfuafons. If, indeed, converfion to popery were an evil, law, Mr. Wind medy. medy. When I think of the readinefs with which perfons are apt to call for the interference of the houfe, I confider it as one of the evils of the times. The courts below keep up their price. There we find no frivolous applications; the experiment is too coftly. Parliament only is cheap. The legif lature is as acceffible as the parish pump: it may be worked by the firit man who put his hand to it.This alone is a fufficient reafon why the vote of the houfe fhould put a ftop to the farther progrefs of a bill fo nugatory and ufelets."-The arguments of Mr. Windham were replied to by fir H. Mildmay, who contended ftill, that if circumftances refpecting popery had arifen, which were not fufficiently far, from not having been in the contemplation of the legiflature, which had caufed alarm, and apprehenfion in the public mind, it was a very full reafon for correcting and amending them, and for giving fuch additional powers to the arm of the executive government, as would enable it to meet the emergency of the prefent danger. age Mr. T. Jones faid, that, as the age of chivalry was gone, fo the of popery had commenced. Mr. D. Ryder faid, that if the bill paffed into a law it would not harafs the Roman catholics, but operate as a protection to them, and reconcile the minds of the clergy and populace to their refidence in Britain. The monaftic life, he faid, was pretty generally condemned, even in Roman catholic countries, and he had, by no means, expected to hear that defended in the houfe of commons, which was contrary to our religion, hoftile to our laws, and destructive of our profperity and opulence. Mr. Hobhouse, in the courfe of a very pertinent and able speech, remarked an important diftinction between Roman catholics and papifts: the former renouncing, the latter allerting the fupremacy of the pope in affairs temporal as well as ecclefiaftical. Sir W. Scott obferved, that monaftic inftitutions were not neceffarily connected with the Roman catholic religion, as it might fubfift, in its full force, without them. If then they were not neceflarily connected with toleration, they were inftitutiens which, in this proteftant country, fhould be dif countenanced, as unfriendly to its religion. Mr. Erfkine fupported the bill, because it gave encouragement, in fome refpects to those who were the objects of it, by fecaring them againft penalties to which, in certain cafes, they would otherwise be fubject, while it put them under regulations which appeared to him to be neceflary. Mr. Sheridan confidered the queftion to be really this: "Whether there does exift, at this moment, in the conduct of the catholics of this country, any ground to blame them Whether any body could impute any blame to them whatever?" And he concluded a long fpeech with the propofition "That the houfe do appoint a committee to inquire into the ftate of the mo naftic religious houfes in England, and proceed no farther until it had fome evidence on which to delibe rate," for which purpofe he would move, "that this examination be adjourned to Monday next." The The Ipeaker obferved, that this queftion could not be put before the prefent queftion fhould be difpofed of, which was "That he do now leave the chair," should the queftion be negatived, then it would be competent for Mr. Sheridan to move his propolition, or indeed any other which he should think good to make. Mr. Percival did not think the bill nugatory, ufelefs, or unimportant. It did not appear to him to be unworthy of being the last folemn act of the British parliament. The queftion for the fpeaker's leaving the chair was carried by 52 againft 24: the house then went into a committee on the bill, which fat again on the twenty-feventh of June. Certain alterations were made by the mover, which reconciled Mr. Sheridan, Mr. Hobhouse, and others to the bill: Though Mr. Hobhouse much wished that the king had been invefted with a difcretionary power of licensing the admition of any perfon into a monatic or religious houfe. Mr. Percival faid, that the object of the honourable gentleman would be fully anfwered, for it was intended to place fuch a power in the hands of his majefty, during the continuance of the war. Mr. Hobhouse did not like the limitation as to time. Mr. Windham approved the alterations as far as they went, but did not promife not to oppofe the bill in its future ftages: through which, however, without any farther opposition it was paffed, and carried up to the houfe of lords, where, on the fecond read ing, on the tenth of July, it was oppofed by lord Grenville, fupported by the bishop of Winchefter, and, in part, by the lord chancellor, but oppofed by the bishop of Rochefter, as altogether unneceffary, unconftitutional, and dangerous; and by lord Grenville, as unneceflary and intolerant.—Bishop Horfley, after proving at great length that the exifting laws, if neceflary to be enforced, were fully adequate to any poflible evit to be apprehended from the Roman catholics in this country, came at laft to fhew that the bill was unconftitutional and dangerous, or account of the alarming power it would put in the hands of the crown. For it made it lawful for his majefty to grant licences to fuch religious orders or communities as were in this kingdom, to continue to refide therein during the conti nuance of the present war, and one year after, and to perform and ob→ ferve, within their refpective house the rights and ordnance of their infti tutions any law or flatute to the contrary, notwithstanding. Now, penance was a rite of the Roman catholics. Would his majefty expofe any of his fubjects to corporat feverities? Would their lordships allow the pope's bulls to come again into England, and give the king a fufpending power? There was one claufe of the bill to which the bishop owned he fhould feel no objection, were it not for the other parts with which it was connected. This was the claufe obliging Roman catholic school-mafters to return yearly a lift of fuch perfons as are or had been boarded with them, with the names and places of abode of their refpective parents and guardians. Such a regulation, he faid, fhould be extended to al schools, especially thofe of the proteftant diffenters, in whofe fchools the doctrines of jacobinilm, fed:- tion |