Catholic Emancipation - Catholic Relief Act of 1829

Catholic Relief Act of 1829

In 1823, Daniel O'Connell started a campaign for Catholic emancipation by establishing the Catholic Association. In 1828 he stood for election in County Clare in Ireland and was elected even though he could not take his seat in the House of Commons. He repeated this in 1829.

O'Connell's manoeuvres were important, but the decisive turning point came with the change in public opinion in Britain in favour of emancipation. Politicians understood the critical importance of public opinion. They were influenced as well by the strong support for the measure by the Whigs in the House of Lords and the followers of Lord Grenville (1759–1834). The increasing strength of public opinion, as expressed in the newspapers and elections over a twenty-year period overcame religious bias and deference to the crown, first in the House of Commons and then in the House of Lords. Every MP elected after 1807, with one exception, announced in favor of Catholic Emancipation. however the votes in the House of Lords were consistently negative, in part because of the king's opposition. The balance in the House of Lords shifted abruptly in 1828–29 in response to public opinion, especially fear of religious civil war in Ireland.

Finally Duke of Wellington and Sir Robert Peel changed positions and passed the Catholic Relief Act of 1829. It removed many of the remaining substantial restrictions on Roman Catholics in the United Kingdom. At the same time, the minimum property requirement for voters was tightened, rising from a rental value of forty shillings (£2) per annum to £10 per annum, so reducing the total number of voters, though it was later lowered in successive Reform Acts after 1832. The major beneficiaries were the Catholic middle classes who could now have new careers in the higher civil service and in the judiciary. The year 1829 is therefore generally regarded as marking Catholic emancipation in Britain.

The obligation, however, to support financially the established Anglican church in Ireland remained, resulting in the Tithe War (1830s), and many other minor issues remained. A succession of further reforms were introduced over time.