Catholic Emancipation

"Courtesy of the University of Texas Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin."

In the waning years of the 18^th century, English leaders became increasingly concerned about the growing independence of the Irish Parliament. They determined to coerce the Irish to end any pretense of independence and become a part of the powerful English empire. To obtain Catholic support for this radical change, the Prime Minister promised Catholics they would obtain equality within the new union. Catholic leaders fulfilled their agreement and delivered their share of the needed votes, but the promised Catholic independence proved to be worthless words floated to deceive. The majority Catholic population continued to endure lives restricted by the remaining Penal Laws which enforced their second-class status.

In the early years of the 19^th century, the Catholics of Ireland finally found a strong and charismatic leader to fight for their rights, Daniel O’Connell. His great popularity with the Catholic population forced a number of concessions from Parliament. Unfortunately, one particularly galling restriction remained. Catholics were forbidden to hold public office or seats in Parliament where all the laws for Ireland were enacted. Finally, the unrest in Ireland produced long overdue action in England. Sir Robert Peel, the Home Secretary for the current Prime Minister, the fabled military leader the Duke of Wellington, addressed members of the House of Commons in the early days of 1829. England “must either grant further political concessions or that they must retract those which have already been granted.” The current laws for Ireland “poisoned the springs of social life.”

In order to gain support in Parliament, Peel proposed to raise the property standard for the right to vote, effectively removing the right to vote from laborers on the mainly Protestant estates who had previously been able to vote. Once this legislation had passed through Parliament, Sir Robert turned to the daunting task of obtaining enough votes to pass the Roman Catholic Relief Act, thus ending the last restriction created by the Penal Laws.

This legislation was strenuously opposed by the Protestants of Ulster. Localities and organizations flooded Parliament with petitions, 120 of them, protesting any further concessions to their Catholic neighbors. Notwithstanding their objections, Sir Peel’s legislation passed all the stages of the House of Commons on March 30, 1829 and moved on to the Lords. Irish Protestants were certain the legislation could never pass this stage. However, Prime Minister Wellington skillfully led the legislation through all the obstacles opponents of the legislation could erect. On April 10^th, the Emancipation legislation passed the critical second reading by 105 votes. It was clear that the last of the Catholic restrictions would be removed. Royal Assent was given on April 13^th. Since Daniel O’Connell had already been elected to a seat in Parliament, he would become the first Catholic from Ireland to participate in crafting the English laws for Ireland.

Alexander Peacock, who was then the owner and editor of the Newry Commercial Telegraph, wrote an impassioned plea to all the local residents. He hoped that these new laws would be greeted by “feelings of amity and good will by all classes of our fellow countrymen.” This English action represented “a complete revolution in Irish affairs and politics."

Mr. Peacock concluded, “Long, very long has she [Ireland] been the hapless victim of the fell demon of Party. Religion and politics have each, in turn, become subservient to its blighting influence.” All citizens must “cultivate a mutual spirit of charity and kindness.” Their only competition should be in “extending the right hand of friendship.”