in its triumph would indeed give me a
share of that unmeasurable joy which its rescue would diffuse throughout
the nation; but to be numbered as one of those who, faithful to the end,
made a last though ineffectual struggle in its defence, will afford a
melancholy satisfaction, which I would not exchange for all the pride,
and power, and honours which may await a contrary course." After this
preamble, Mr. Sadler argued at great length against the principles of
the bill, and its dangerous tendency toward the Protestant church: and
showed its utter futility in remedying the evils which oppressed, or
repaying the wrongs which she had suffered from so many generations.
He remarked:--"Ireland degraded, deserted, oppressed, pillaged,
is turbulent; and you listen to the selfish recommendations of her
agitators. You seek not to know, or knowing you wilfully neglect, her
real distresses. If you can calm the agitated surface of society, you
heed not that fathomless depth of misery, sorrow, and distress whose
troubled waves heave unseen and disregarded: and this, forsooth, is
patriotism, Ireland asks of you bread, and you proffer her Catholic
emancipation: and this, I presume, is construed to be the taking into
our consideration, as his majesty recommended, the whole situation of
Ireland." As regards the nature of the measure, Mr. Sadler contended
that it could only be described as an inroad on the constitution of the
country, and a preparatory movement towards its final destruction.
The securities, also, were treated by him as vague and unsatisfactory.
Matters, he said, had reached such a point of noisy and dangerous
discord between parties in Ireland, that ministers contended there must
be an adjustment of the question. Adjustment generally terminated in
mutual concessions and reciprocal advantages: but would the authors of
this bill point out what it gave to the Protestant constitution for
that which it took away? The Protestant faith surrendered everything,
it received nothing. As a security, the office of viceroy, an office of
pageantry, was to continue Protestant: but what Protestant cared an iota
about it, when its holder was to be surrounded with Popish advisers,
and to act by Popish instruments? The king, too, it seems, must still
continue to be a Protestant. This reservation was the worst of all, and
heightened every objection to the measure into abhorrence and disgust.
"What!" he continued, "after establishing by a solemn