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The Catholic Question (3)

The following report is taken from the Edinburgh Review of early March 1829; the Review reproduced reports from other newspapers.

A public breakfast was on Saturday [28 February 1829] given by Lord Chandos, at Wotton, to about two hundred gentlemen; after which they proceeded to the Town-hall, at Buckingham, where a numerous meeting was held, for the purpose of petitioning Parliament against any further concessions to the Catholics, and also to vote and addressed to the King. Both propositions were unanimously adopted, with the single exception of the opposition of Lord Nugent. One point in his speech deserves notice. The Marquis of Chandos having been quoted the well-known reply said to have been made by his late Majesty to Lord Grenville, with reference to the coronation oath, Lord Nugent pledged himself to the fact, that is not one word or syllable was used. At Dover, public meetings, which were very fully attended, have been held on both sides of the question. The meeting was convened at Portsmouth on Friday, to support the measures proposed by government, which entered amidst great confusion, by an amendment being carried by a majority of about five to three, out of twelve hundred persons present. On the same day, public meeting was held at Sheffield, convened by the town authorities, to petition in favour of concessions. The first resolution was proposed by the senior magistrate of the district, and carried by acclamation; not more than twenty hands out of five or six thousand present, being held up against it. The petition was proposed by another of the magistrates, and it was opposed by the Vicar of one of the parish churches and two Wesleyan ministers, who were replied to by several gentlemen, and the petition was carried by the same majority as the resolution. Fifteen thousand signatures have been affixed to an anti-Catholic petition in that town. The inhabitants of Coventry met on Wednesday to consider propriety of petitioning against Catholic claims. The opponents of the object of the meeting endeavoured for three hours talk obtain a hearing, and were treated with such violence, that the Mayor dissolved the meeting, on the ground that the terms of the requisition had not been complied with. Petitions against concession have been lying for signature at Brighton for some days past, and have nearly 4000 signatures attached to them.