ness altogether, and disappoint the petitioners at your Lordships' bar in their just expectations of relief. My Lords, I call the Great Searcher of hearts to witness, that there is no such duplicity, no such malice, in my intention. My Lords, if your Lordships should be moved, by what has been said by me, or what may be said with more ability by others to the same effect, to reject this bill, rather than that the Roman Catholics should be finally unrelieved, I would pledge myself to your Lordships, to the Roman Catholics, and to my country, to bring in a bill, early in the next session, which should not be pregnant with the mischiefs which seem to me the certain consequences of this bill. But I should hope, that your Lordships would not leave a matter of such moment to the discretion and abilities of any individual lord; but that your Lordships will think proper to.

name a committee, to revise all the subsisting laws against the Roman Catholics, and to frame a bill for the repeal of such as may with safety be repealed. The only objection that I can see to such a measure is the delay, for it is much too late in the session to begin such a business: But, my Lords, in a matter of this magnitude and importance, the Legislature should think little of the delay of a few months; nor ought the Roman Catholics themselves to murmur at a delay which may conduce to put the relief they solicit upon a broad and permanent basis."

IN REPLY TO THE LORD CHANCELLOR, UPON

THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL FOR THE RELIEF OF THE SCOTTISH EPISCOPALIANS;

MAY 2, 1792.

EARLY in the session of 1792, a bill was brought into Parliament, to remove certain disabilities, forfeitures, and penalties, under which persons frequenting or officiating in certain Episcopal chapels and meeting-houses in Scotland then laboured. The bill was read a second time, in the House of Lords, on the 2d of May; when the LORD CHANCELLOR (Thurlow) stated several objections against it. To these objections the Bishop of ST DAVID'S replied.

"MY LORDS,

"I am happy to perceive, that

in the sentiments which I have to deliver to your Lordships upon the present subject of discussion, I shall not have the misfortune to differ very widely, in any thing that essentially regards the principle of the bill, from the noble and learned lord upon the woolsack. My Lords, a wide difference from him I should call a misfortune; because it would necessarily produce in me a degree of mistrust of my own judgment, which would considerably abate the satisfaction which otherwise I might feel in following what still might be the firm and full conviction of my own mind. Nevertheless, my Lords, in any question like this, in which the interest of religion, the public weal, and the credit of the Legislature, might be concerned-a question of justice and mercy towards a suffering part of the

family of Christ,-it would ill become me to be influenced, in the vote that I should give, upon any authority but that of my own conviction; and it might not less misbecome me to oppose a high authority by a silent vote, without stating to your Lordships the grounds on which my contrary conviction stood. My Lords, the principle of this bill has been so clearly stated by the noble earl* who moved the second reading, and so well illustrated by the noble viscount † who spoke last, that it is unnecessary to dwell upon it. The object of the bill is to relieve certain dissenters from the established church of Scotland, well-affected to his present Majesty and the Protestant succession, from the penalties of disaffection imposed by former laws. My Lords, the hardship under which they

*Lord ELGIN.

+ Lord STORMONT.