admitted.
Mr. Hobart gave up his objections to admitting the Catholics to the bar,
or even to the army or navy, if England should think fit to set the
example; but civil offices, or the elective franchise, he still
considered highly dangerous.

My opinion, I speak with great deference, does not concur with
yours, as to the little importance of supporting the Protestants
against the Catholics; it is, in my mind, the link which binds the
two countries: break that, and you endanger the connection. Every
means should be exerted to prevent the struggle taking place; and,
therefore, every indulgence that with any degree of safety can be
given to the Roman Catholics, and more particularly at this time,
ought to be extended to them. Notwithstanding a variety of
objections, I cannot help thinking that the safest principle for
the Parliament of Ireland to adopt, is, that of following England
upon all questions relative to Roman Catholics; but it is of the
utmost consequence, that the Government of England should accede to
no measure upon that subject, without a due consideration of its
effect in Ireland, and fairly weigh the benefits to be attained in
the one country, against the disadvantages that may arise in the
other.

The example of England, if adopted as a principle, may be extremely
useful as a means of resisting inconvenient pretensions urged here;
for, whether avowedly adopted or not, it will always be made use of
by the Roman Catholics when they have anything to gain by it; and
ultimately they must be successful upon that ground. I would
therefore admit them to the bar; and if England opens the army and
navy to them, it should follow of course here; but admission to
civil offices, or anything that led to voting for Members of
Parliament, or sitting in either House, would, I conceive, be
highly dangerous in this country; because I am a friend to the
Protestant ascendancy, and that can be maintained only through the
medium of a Protestant Parliament, aided by a profitable
encouragement to those who profess that faith.

The times are growing so enlightened, or so depraved, that a man
need not live very long, to have a chance of seeing all religious
distinctions abolished; but so long as things remain in their
present state, I am strongly impressed with the i