The National Register. — London, England, 1811-07-28 00:00:00

•' THE NATION* . . . glon of Gregory 7, Boniface 8., Benedict 14, or Clement 12 I I am not.--You, perhaps, think me created to kiss the Pope's slipper. if it only depended on you, you would cut off my hair, put on me a cowl; or would„like Lewis the Pious, place me in a Convent, or banish me to Africa. What ignorant ideots you are! Prove to me out of the Gospel, that Jesus Christ has ap pointed the Pope his substitute, or successor of St. Peter; arid that be has the right to excommunicate a sovereign. You will not," demanded Napoleon, " pray for the Emperor Per haps, because a Romish Priest excommunicated me ! But, who gave him (the Pope) the right of excommunicating a sovereign ? The English acted wisely in renouncing you bear the temporal sword;" continued Napoleon ;" I know how to guide it. God placed me on the throne ; and you reptiles of the earth dare not oppose me.—lf you care about my protection, then preach the Gospel as the Apostles did.• I will protect you if you are good ' citizens ; if not, I will banish you from my empire, and will dis perse you over the world like Jews," &c. Addressing M. Ten Oever, of the Valloon Congregation, de puted by the Protestants, Bonaparte observed that Protestants and Catholics now enjoyed equal privileges in France, t dding " I have always met with faithful subjects amongst Protestants; never have I had occasion to complain of any of them. You," again admonishing the Catholic Clergy, " have calumniated the Protestants, by representing them as preaching doctrines dange rous to the state; but the best subjects I have are Protestants. In Paris, I am partly attended by them ; they have free access to tne.—Had I not met, in Bossuet's Doctrises and in the Max ims of the Gallican Church, with principles which agree with mine, and had not the Concordat been received, I 'myself etould have become a Protestant ; and thirty millions y people would have followed .my example I" Knowing the usual conduct of Bonaparte, whose hints are enough for the wise, when he tells the Roman Catholic Clergy that the English acted wisely in renouncing" them, and adds, with the same breath, panegyrising the Protestants, that he him self was at one time likely to have " become a Protestant," in which case " thirty millions of people would have followed his etample,"—knowing, Sir, the conduct of the Potentate who uttered these sentiments, we have some right to conclude that they were desired to convey some meaning to the world ; and we may at least be indulged in imagining that they contained " his views re-pectin? the Roman Catholic Church," as com pared with the Protestant Church. 01:e thing is quite clear. It is quite•clear from what Bonaparte sa) s respecting those " truths and principles of Religion which belong to tha whole universe," adopting my interpretation of universe, and from his approbation of Bossuet's Doctrines, and some Maxims of the Gallican Church, that this Ruler of-France does not intend to recommend the In fidelity of Philosophism; but that be will adopt and ordain an Established Religion; and, supposing Popery discarded, what religion is he so likely to adopt, who has now praised it so much, as the Religion of Protestants? Should he then at length act thus, embracing the religion here embraced, let us not carp at the means. Violent disonlers de mand forcible remedies. ThOse who must allow that Henry the Eighth " acted wisely," however they dislike the occasion, " in renouncing" the Roman Catholic Religion here, ought not to be surprised if they find Napoleon the First the instrument of effecting the same spiritual renunciation on the part of France ! With these views, whatever may be their reception, I am NEMO. your's, The Pope has been removed, by the order of Bo naparte, from Savona, in the Genoese territory, to Tortona, a strong place of Piedmont. Such . an event, at the period of the meeting of the Cardinals and Italian French Bishops in Paris, by the order of Bonaparte, gives room and occasion for various re flections. i•RECISTER BONAPARTE,'S CONFERENCE WITH THE CATHOLIC AND PR OTE •TANT CLERGY, AT ifitEDA. An account has been puhlighed in the Gazette of Dorpt, a town of Livonia, of an audience granted by Bonaparte to the Catholic and Protestant Cleric : at Breda, on the Ist of May, 1810. • " After Bonaparte had made the customary tour, lie said a few words to the President of the Court of-Appeal, took a view of the different Collegiates, and at length stopped opposite - to the Catholic Apostolic Vicar. who, with his manuscript in his band, complimented the Monarch in the name of the Catholic Clergy. Majesty, however, did not deign to give any answer, but asked, Where are the reformed Clergymen ?' Whereupon the Prince of Neufchatel presoned them to the Emperor, and Mr. Ten Oever, of the Vallooo Congregation, received permission to address his Majesty. The discourse was short, ::rid contained amongst the rest the following words : ' It is the immutahte principle of Protestants, in every thing that happens, to : ebn a see Providence, and to render unto Caesar the things which are Cresar's."lbe Emperor listened attentively tfi this speech, and answered, ' You are right. I protect all religions. Protestants and Catholics enjoy equal privileges in France ; it is but just, that the Protestants in this department should have equal prero gatives with the Catholics.' His Majtety then asked Mr. Ten Oever, Why, Sir, are you in your full dress ?' answered 'Fen Oever, that is the rule. Why, yes,' said the knweiror, ' it is the custom in every couetry ; but,' continued he, turtling to the Romhn Catholic Clergy, who were not in their till dress, Why have not you your Cassocks on? You tay you are Priests: what are you ? Attornit s, notaries, peasants? I conic into a pro vince where the majority are Catholics, who in former tines were oppressed, who after the Revolution acquired more liberty, and upon whim the King, my brother, bestowed man y favours. I come in order to make you all equal to the rest ; and yoo be gin by forgetting the respect due 0 me, and complain of tl e op pressions that you sufihred under the form.:r Governmeuts. Your conduct, however, shows how well you deserved them. The first act of sovereignty which I was obliged to ex-Tcise, con sisted in the necessity of arresting two of your contumacious Priests, even the •Apoduiic Vicar; they are imioisened, and shall continue uoder. arresr. Oa the other hand, the foat words I he-ar from a Reformed Priest, arc to unto Caesar the thinks which are Crcsar's. This is the doctritie you ought to preach. From that Gentleman,' palming to Mr. 'I en o..ver, you ought to learn it. I have always met with faahl'al amongst Protestant.; : never have I had occasion to con-plaie of any of them. You have calumniated the Protestants, by repre senting them as preaching doctrines deo:genius to the state; but the best subjects I have are Protestants. In Paris I an: partly attended by then'.: they have free access to me: and here a handful o: Brabant fanatics attempt to resist my designs. Had I nor met in liossuet's doctrines, and in the maxims of the Gallic-an Church, with pi incioles that :Tree with mine, and lytel not the Concordat been received, I myself should have become a Protestant, and 30 millions of people would have followeet my example. But, what religion do you teach ? Do you not know that Christ said, My kingdom is not of this world ;' and would you interfere in my concerns? You will not pray fora Sovereign— (probably the Catholic Clergy in these new provine es bad partly declared that they would not receive any orders on stiritual sub jeCts from a temporal power : the order to pray for the Emoeror 'must he intimated to them by some spiritual sovereign.) You want to be obstinate citizens : I have- the proofs of at in my pocket. If you maintain such principles, your lot will be pu nishment in this world, and esternal damnation in the next. You; said he, turning to the Apostolic Vicar, who had addressed him, ' are the Apostolic Vicar. Who appointed you to that office? The Pope :—he has no right to eto it. I create Bishops. You will not,' said he, turning to the re. t, ' pray for the Mo narch ?—perhaps because a Romith Priest excommunicated me. But who gave him the right of exconmunicating a Sovereign ? Why did Luther and Caltin sepal ate thtmsebo s from the Church ? Your infamous soles of indulgences caused them to re. volt, and the German Priucescwould no longer bear your sway. The English acted wisely in renouncing you. The Popes by their hierarchy set Europe in flames. Perhaps it is your with to re-establish scaffolds and racks, but it shall be my care you do not succeed. Are you of the religion of Gregory Vil. Bomface VIII. Benedict XIV. Clement XII.? I am not • I an; of the religion of Jesus Christ, who said, ' Give unto Cesar the Wings which are Caesar's;' and agreeably to the same Gospel, I give until God, that which belongs to God.' I bear the temporal sword, and I know how to guide it. God placed me on the throne, and you reptiles of the earth dare oppose me. . I owe no nit of my administration to the Pope; only to God- and Jesus .Christ. You, perhaps, think me created to.kiss the Popei'fi 'slim& 10 only d epended on you, you would cut oil Liphau-0,-Miditt,e4l • 1r • r w. • *