ATHOLIC CLAIMS, APRIL 21. 1812.

Lord BYRON rose and said:--

My Lords,--The question before the House has been so frequently,
fully, and ably discussed, and never perhaps more ably than on this
night, that it would be difficult to adduce new arguments for or
against it. But with each discussion, difficulties have been removed,
objections have been canvassed and refuted, and some of the former
opponents of Catholic emancipation have at length conceded to the
expediency of relieving the petitioners. In conceding thus much,
however, a new objection is started; it is not the time, say they, or
it is an improper time, or there is time enough yet. In some degree I
concur with those who say, it is not the time exactly; that time is
passed; better had it been for the country, that the Catholics
possessed at this moment their proportion of our privileges, that
their nobles held their due weight in our councils, than that we
should be assembled to discuss their claims. It had indeed been
better--

"Non tempore tali
"Cogere concilium cum muros obsidet hostis."

The enemy is without, and distress within. It is too late to cavil on
doctrinal points, when we must unite in defence of things more
important than the mere ceremonies of religion. It is indeed
singular, that we are called together to deliberate, not on the God
we adore, for in that we are agreed; not about the king we obey, for
to him we are loyal; but how far a difference in the ceremonials of
worship, how far believing not too little, but too much (the worst
that can be imputed to the Catholics), how far too much devotion to
their God may incapacitate our fellow-subjects from effectually
serving their king.

Much has been said, within and without doors, of church and state,
and although those venerable words have been too often prostituted to
the most despicable of party purposes, we cannot hear them too often;
all, I presume, are the advocates of church and state,--the church of
Christ, and the state of Great Britain; but not a state of exclusion
and despotism, not an intolerant church, not a church militant, which
renders itself liable to the very objection urged against the Romish
communion, and in a greater degree, for the Catholic merely withholds
its spiritual benediction (and even that is doubtful), but our
church, or rather our churchmen, not only refuse to the Catholic
their spiritual grace, but all temporal blessings whatsoever.