.

You can have little idea of the ferment that has been raised on the
subject of Catholics. When I saw you, I talked of existing
prejudices, which would ever render it no easy task to carry the
English concessions. I little thought that the minds of the
Protestants could be so inflamed, as a variety of circumstances
(but principally the industry of Mr. R. Burke) has inflamed them.
He has endeavoured, and with too much success, to persuade the
Catholics that British Government were determined to compel the
Irish Administration, and through them the Parliament of Ireland,
to open the franchise to the Catholics; that therefore, if they
persevered in the assertion of their claims, they could not fail of
carrying their point. The alarm and indignation that this created
amongst the Protestants was such as I will not venture to describe;
but you may be assured that any Irish Government that countenanced
such a measure could not stand twenty-four hours afterwards, if the
Parliament was sitting. So far from the Protestants being likely to
be terrified into compliance, they instantly became desperate at
the very idea of it. The cry was, "Let us bring it at once to an
issue. If England will not protect us, the sooner we know it the
better: anything is preferable to the horrid state of suspense we
are now reduced to; at all events, we must resist every concession.
Let us not make the Catholics stronger, the better to enable them
to annihilate us at a future day. The Protestants must unite for
their own protection; and although Mr. Pitt's Government will not
defend us, possibly the weight of all the Parliamentary power of
Ireland thrown into the scale of English Opposition may force them
into office, and they may be more disposed to favour us than the
present Administration."

These ideas were rankling in every man's mind when the Parliament
met, and it is with the utmost difficulty that we have been able to
remove them. I cannot paint more strongly to you the real situation
of the feelings of the House of Commons, than by telling you, that
a declaration from me upon my legs, "that it was the determination
of the Government of _both_ countries to maintain the Protestant
establishment, and to resist any attempts by force or intimidation
that might be made