The Press. — London, England, 1853-12-03 00:00:00

PERSECUTION OF BRITISH SUBJECTS ABROAD. Tun recent imprisonment of Miss Cuniughame in Tuscany has served to originate a popular movement. touching the interference of foreign Governments with the proceedings and religious opinions of English subjects who may happen to reside in their respective countries. Tlpublic interest on this subject has taken its n atural development in various local meet ings, of which the most important and most nume rously attended was held on Tuesday at Exeter-hall, under the auspices of the Protestant Alliance, for the avowed purpose of memorialising the Foreign Secre tary " on the aspect of Popery &bread," and specially with reference to the persecution of British Protes tants in Tuscany, Spain, Portugal, and other Roman Catholic countries of Europe. The Earl of Shaftesbury presided, and upon the platform were Sir Culling Eardley, the lion. A. Kin naird, M.P., lion. S. C. Curzon, Hon. Capt. F. Maude, Colonel Alexander, Admiral Hawker, Admiral V. Harcourt., Mr. A. Haldane, Major Soulsby, Captain Trotter, and Revs. Canon Miller, W. Jenkinson, W. Chalmers, Thomas Nowlan, Pr. Thomson, G. 11. Davies, E. Garbett, &c., &c. The Noble Chairman, at the opening of a long address, observed that their purpose in meeting was to discuss the principle, and not to dilate upon in& • vidual instances, of persecution. His lordship pro ceeded to comment upon the law of Portugal, which inflicted fine and imprisonment upon any one " failing of respect to the religion of the kingdom, the Roman Catholic Apostolic"; and to the conduct of Spain, in relation to the question of the Protestant cemetery. Alluding then to the treatment of the Medial, and somewhat infringing his own rule by expatiating, with considerable detail, upon the imprisonment of Miss Cuningliame, Lord Shaftesbury finally con tended that the perfect liberty allowed in England to all faiths justified us in demanding reciprocal freedom of action for our own subjects abroad. We asked only what we gave ourselves, and were therefore entitled to obtain it. Sir Cumtso EA utnatv moved a resolution declaring that the unceasing encroachments of the Itomish priesthood, in procuring the enactment of new, and the revival of obsolete, laws against the peaceable profession of Protestant Christianity, in countries under their influence, calls for decided action on the part of British Protestants, in order to the security of themselves and their fellow-subjects, while residing in, or travelling through, countries where the religion of Rome is dominant. The Bey. Mr. Miller. of Birmingham, having seconded this resolution, a voluminous memorial to Lord Clarendon was ma d to the meeting and unani mously adopted. The principal clauses of this address are the following : " The committee of the Protestant Alliance beg leave to Anise to your lordship their most respectful aeknowledg- Now of the promptitude and energy with which lemon- MONIS have been conveyed to the Tuscan Government of the WINN sad imprisonment of Miss Cuninghame, whisk hate happily issued in the liberation of that lady. The esmeitise are anxious, at the same time, to call your Mbilidoli to the fact that, under the law recently which Miss Cuninghame has been accused aiming violated, British subjects residing or travelling in the Tessa. dominions will still be exposed to the most tendons and oppressive proceedings in case of any alleged mestillsalation of opinion at variance with the religion of the state. The committee are fully aware of the justice and importance of the general principle, that it pertains to the sovereignty of every state to make its own laws, and to preseribe the conditions upon which it admits foreigners t r visit or reside within its territory. But they subunit that amicable relations with any state involve reciprocal cinditione; and that, without questioning the right of legis talon, this country has an undoubted claim to require on Its part, se a term of continued amity, that all British sub- Joel' shall be allowed the free exercise of their religion, such as is guaranteed to individuals of every country or tweed visiting or residing in the British dominions. The oonitnittee are confident that it cannot have escaped the at tention of her Majesty's Ministers that the recent proceed ings of the Tuscan tiovernment are but one instance of a manifest change in the policy of several European Courts, which is distinctly traceable to the influence of the Vatican ; having for its object to promote, by every means of intrigue or open aggression, the domination of the Burnish priest hood, and to assail, insult, and suppress the evangelical faith of Protestants. Thus, in Portugal, by a decree of the Both of Deeember last, a new penal code was promulgated, which is in direct violation to the constitutional charter, and by which the following offences are declared to subject the offender to fins, and from one year to three years' imprisonment.—viz., : 1, Injuring the established religion publicly, in any dogma, act, or object of worship, by deed or word, or publication in any form. 1. Attempting by similar means to propagate doctrines contrary to the Catlin. lie dogmas as detined by the Church. 1. Attempting by au' means to m ake prosely tes or converts to a di ff erent re • bitten or sect condemned - by the Church. 4. Celebrating publie acts of a worship other than that of the said Catholic religion. As this code extends also to Madeira, it will threaten the safety of many British subjects. lie Spain, the committee need only refer to the recent refusal of the Goveniment to allow to British Protestants even the use of a burial-ground, except on the intolerant and insolent condi • hen that no religious service whatever should be used at thy interment, and that all publicity shall be avoided in THE PRESS. conducting the burial. In the island of Malta, though a British possession, a new code has been sent home for her Majesty's approval, by one article of which, ' whosoever should outrage the objects of worship ofthe Roman Catholic religion, within or without the places of worship,' would be liable to imprisonment for a period of from one to three months. The Protestant inhabitants of Malta have ex pressed their alarm at this meditated infringement of their civil and religious rights, which they ascribe to the overbear ing power and auti•English influence of the Homan priest hood. The uccunence of these distinct ►uanifestationa of Runtish intolerance, taken in connection with the aggressive movements of the Papacy in this country, in the Nether. lands, and in Prussia, appear to the cotu►uittee clearly to indicate a settled purpose on the part of the Papal Court and the states subject to its predominant influence to sup press by violence the profession of the reformed faith, and to visit Protestants with every form of annoyance, insult, and humiliation. Under these circumstances the committee of the Protestant Alliance feel impelled to submit to her Majesty's tlovernment that the time is come for making a determined stand against these aggressive and hostile de. monatrations. They conceive that no political complica tions or difficulty could result from its being made dile tinctly known that Went Britain will not maintain diplo. matic relations with any state which shall persist in deny. ing to British subjects within its tenitory the free exercise of their religion, with liberty to possess plans of worship for their own use, as well as places of interment, and to have the rights of baptism, marriage, and burial performed among themselves without hindrance or compulsory se crecy. To demand less than this measure of liberty and justice, as the condition of continued diplomattc relations, would not seem consistent with the high position and moral claims of England. The committee submit that, whatever hazards or inconveniences might attend so de. cided a course of action, Great Britain, raised by Divine Providence to the highest eminence among the nations, lies under the strongest and most sacred obligations to as• own and uphold the rights of conscience, and to employ her utmost influence wit► the Governments of other countries to obtain the recog►►ition of religious freedom. The conk nutlet. respectfully and earnestly implore your lordship to bring these considerations under the serious attention of her Majesty's Ministers, with a view to the establishment of a better understanding with the Governments of Tuscany, Portugal, and Spain on the points referred to, and also to the prevention of intolerant enactments in the island of Malta; in adopting which course the committee are confi dent that her Majesty's Government will have the support of Parliament, and secu►e the grateful respect of all her Ma jesty's loyal Protestant subjects." THE UNITED STATES' CENSUS. Tim first revni upon the Seventh Census of Population, Av., in the United States, which was taken in ISM, is only now passing through the press. It will be the most im portant statistical work ever published in the United States. To produce it has required the unbounded means of the Government, the ability and zeal of two gentlemen, as superintendents of the work, enjoying the highest repo. tati tttt for skill in tlw collection and preparation of sta. and the labours of a multitude of intelligent subordimites, during three years and a half. The work will be entitled " Statistics of the United States," and has been prepared in confo►mity with the art of Congress directing the method of publishing the Census 'fables, It will consist of a single volume of 1,100 pages, and will be ready for distribution at the opening of the next session of Congress. The form adopted is quarto, in which respect the work will possess an advantage over any other document of the same class published by the Govern. went. All former returns have been thrown together in a shape so inconvenient as to preclude their general use, and the money expended, with the object of multiplying those valuable memorials of progress, has p►oved a useless expendit tire. Mr. De How, says the New Fork l'ous'ier, has availed himself of the clause of the act prescribing the gene►al plan of his labours to illustrate his work with notes and commentaries, which give it the character it ought to lore• seas, that of a statistical history rather than a rigid and wearisome array of tigures. This portion of his report will occupy between seventyflve and a hundred pages. The superintendent has prepared and includ►d in this division a useful abstract of the results of all the censuses from 1790 to MO. lie has also given the forms and schedules adopted for collecting and condensing information in each census, together with a complete view of legislation on the subject since the foundation of the 6oven►ment. This will be valuable for reference, and will greatly abridge the labours of Congress when hereafter called ulou► to amend or add to existing laws. The cost of taking and printing the different censuses since 1790 has been as follows : 1790 I*oo NOM 04 „ 1810 It 1 20 UW► 3704,M1i „ s:►2,x7o 95 „ 1,450 1 sis,o27 53 —To 30th September, It+.'►a, and exclusive of the expenses incurred for final printing and binding. Following these statements is a digest of all the circu lars and instructions issued from the state department and from the superintendents of census to the marshals engaged in taking the census, and the persons employed in compiling the returns. We then have a well-prepared deseripti )))) of the " E on) • pear census system," showing at what times and in w h a t manner the population and statistics of the different coun tries of that continent are obtained. Relating more especially to the census of the Unite 4 swi g* t o r we extract the following statcuteut%:— SATURDAY, TERRITORIAL EXTENT OF THE UNITED trraTzs. The following table was prepared for the Census office by Colonel J. J. Abert, of the Topographical Engineers Square Area of the Pacific elope, or of the region watered by rivers falling into the Pacific Area of the Valley, or of the reg i on watered by the Mississippi, Missouri, and their _ tributaries - -- 1,237,311 Area of the Atlantic slope proper b37,100 Area of the Atlantic elope including only the widen falling into the Gulf of Mexico west of the Misaissippi 183,646 Area of the Atlantic elope including only the waters falling into the Gulf of Mexico east of the Mississippi 146,830 Total of the Atlantic slope, or of the regions whose watery fall into the At lautic 087,576 Total area of the United States and their territories in 2.951,1ki lu a subsequent page the aggregate area of the l'uion, given by states and territories, is stated at 3,:I043,000 rquan, Mr. I►e Bow remarks upon the foregoing table as follows :—" The territorial extent of the republic is therefore, nearly ten times as huge as that of Great Britain and France combined ; three times as large a.. France, Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Holland, and Dennuirk together; one and one• half times as large as the Itussiim empire iu Europe ; one•sixth leas only than the area covered by the fitty•tiine or sixty empires, states, and republics of Europe ; of equal extent with the Roman empire, or that of Alexander, neither of which is said to have exceeded 3,00(000 square The area of all the Mates of Europe is given as 3,684,h1:12 square miles. The areas of the different countries ou the American continent are given as follows : Square miles. United States, by detailed estimate 3,3011.5466 British America 3,01n,39#1 Mexico Central America Rietttian America Danish America (Greenland) . - 203,551 $94,000 3+40,101* Total area of North America 8,373,8411 The estimated population of the United States at cer.ain periods since the commencement of the last century is given as follows :- 1701 1749 1 0104,1100 1775 (including 500 , 0 0 0 slaves) 2,ti03,090 The most interesting table of the series is the following abstract of the population as distributed among the Thirty. nine States of the Union ci o STATES AND W kite. El t 22 TEIIII ITORIES. U 1 a i. I C. C. , .. 4 ------ —--- Alabama 416514 2.165 342844 771621 Arkansas l'alifornia Carolina, North Carolina, South Columbia, Dia Connecticut 1/elaware Florida Georgia Ill' is holism* Indian Territory lowa Kentucky I.4naisiana Maine 6611613 1356 583169 Maryland . . 417943 74723 90368 5003034 Massachusetts 985450 9064 994614 Michigan Minnesota Territory Mississippi Missouri Nebraska Territory — New llatnpollirs New Mexico Territory New York New Jersey North-west Territory — Ohio Oregon Territory 13 0 ,47 207 13294 Pennsylvania Rhode Island Teni.esseo Texas 154034 197 58161 211591 Utah Territory 11334) 24 26 11380 Virginia Vermont 313401 718 314120 Wisconsin 504756 635 305391 Total United States . ..:19383008 434496 3204313 23101071 REMARKS. Alabiuna—Formed out of territory ceded to United States by Sonth Carolina and Ueorgia. Admitted into the Union I►ee. 14,11419. Arkansas—Formed from territory ceded to United States by France. Admitted into the Union dune 15, Wit California—Formed of territory ceded by Mexico. Ad mitted into the Union Sept. 9, ISW. Carolina, North—One of the thirteen original states. Ratified the constitution of the United States Nov. 11, 17811. _ ('amtina, South—One of the thirteen original states. Ratified the constitution of the United States May V, 17HH. Columbia, I►i4trict of—Formed from territory ceded by Maryland and Virginia. Established as seat of llovein• went July 19, 1790. Alesandria retroceded, July, 11ti. ('onnecticut—t►ne of the thirteen original states. Matt• fled the constitution of the United States Jan 9, 17H0. Delaware—One of the thirteen original states. Ratified the constitution of the United States l►ec. 7, 1767.