The Sun. — London, England, 1829-03-17 00:00:00

Ify opinion rests on three distinct grounds; rst, the great principle of religious toleration ; secondly, he true interests of the Protestant Church and Faith ; and, hirdly, the peace of the empire in the tranquillity of Ire ":"1---(Hear, hear.)—And first, as to religious tolera ion, it is not necessary to explain to a meeting like this, hat principle which grew up in this country by the Re ormation and the Revolution—which forms the basis of cur civil rights and our religious constitution—and by Chieb alone men are permitted to worship God according o their conscience. Any thing that imposes a burden on "en for their religious belief is a violation of the principle if toleration, and in some sort or degree a persecution for !onscience sake. I know there is a distinction taken 'Y some Own between toleration in religious opinions, and he giving political power. But, for my part, I cannot iee the difference between punishing a man for his religion iy burning, by torture, by banishment, or by depriva :ion of office, and punishing him by declaring him in 'apable to hold office.—(Hear.)—lt is the same thing. N° r oan can deny it; and the question must come to this ••••.-15 there or i s th e r e n o t a necess ity t o j us tify a d e gree ' if violation of the great principle of toleration ? Such ° necessity may exist. • I do not deny it. It did exist Probably when those laws were enacted. It did exist to i( nrie extent, in th e t error o f t h e power o f t h e R oman Catlio -1 ,k , King --of officers of St a t e R oman C a tholics, at a time when yet the Pope had such power that he looked forward t " and expected to regain his sway over these islands. But how different does the case stand now !—(Hear.)—After centuries that the Protestant religion had been established— and through centuries recommended itself to the affections of the people, strengthened by long possession—it is im possible to say that there is sot a wide difference ; and the question now is, whether we will continue the disabilities when the necessity is gone—in short, whether we will con tinue st,ll to violate the principles of justice, and deny their rights to our fellow citizens—(Hear.)—l have heard it stated that these statutes are the bulwarks of our Protestant Faith. I say, our Protestant Faith needs no such bulwarks. But truly they are bulwarks ; they are bulwarks against the Protestant Faith bulwarks for the continuance and pre &ovation of the Roman Catholics religion—(Hear.)—They are barriers which shut out the light of truth, and close the avenues to the power of reason—strongholds and for tresses which guard the entrance to the territory of Papal error. Can any man deny that these laws produce this effect? Let him look at the state of society in Ire land. Look at the position of many of the Noble Peers and gentlemen who profess the Roman Catholic religion ! Indepe n d ent a lt oge th er o f re li g i ous t ene t s , cons id er the po sition of these gentlemen, who must consider it a point of honour as gentlemen to adhere to the party persecuted.— With them argument and reason can have no weight. They will not give ear to you. They know that they cannot change their religion without abandoning the ties of honour and the daily intercourse of friendship. Look also at the lower classes. So long as you continue to persecute their religion, you place them en ti re ly in the hands of the Roman Catholic priests. Th e y a l so feel strongly the ties of clan ship and honour. So long as their masters are of the tame religion, they will not dissent from them, else they would lore their caste in society. Remove their disabilities 'and what is the consequence ? The powers of argument and tenon will have fair play, and Catholic and Protestant will mingle together without jealousy, when the birth-right of the former is restored to them. Therefore, on my second g round, I desire the removal of the disabilities.— But if any man object to these grounds, or does not think them sufficient, then I desire him to look to my third ground. I desire the disabilities to be removed, to insure the safety of the empire in the tranquillity of Ireland. I Will not go into minute particular. ; but I ask, can any one who has paid any attention to the matter, and who has c onsidered the condition tif Ireland during the last 10 or 20 Y e ars, doubt that there is a necessity of doing something to restore tranquillity to that country ?—(Hear.)--I say we are bound to give credit to his Majesty's Ministers—l say P e culiarly to the present Ministers—when they tell us that th ey know there is some necessity for taking decisive rnea "tea to restore tranquillity to Ireland. They have told us ° O , and surely we must give them credit for honesty in tell ing us so. S u r e ly we mus t b e li eve t h a t somet hi ng i s eeeteary, wh en we k now th a t t h ose very Mi n i sters , w h en ZY last y ear th ey did not see any necess i ty, w h o were ~ear Of opini on th at it wou ld b e d angerous to remove th e a l abilities, now yield to the conviction of circumstances, i nt to their honour changed their opinion.—(Hear.)-- And st. ~.h uPon what ground have they done so, but upon a soor ou .1,1 5 and honest conviction, knowing, as it is said they i . 4, th a t t h e counsel w hi c h t h ey gave t o hi s M a j es ty was i• unt in accordance with his or their preconceived opinions. -- (Cil eere.)—Hoii, then, can this change of opinion have O (H ne, but f rom the evidence of facts, bringing the force of L. 4 ' lo km to their minds. They saw that the time was come, Iv ,, i 7 n a in larder to preserve. the empire from the calamity of ~;11 : war and bloodshed, something must be done to Iran -I"'se Ireland. I may assume then that the necessity M ats for somet hi ng b e i ng d one . A n d t h e quest i on h as n asked in Parliament and elsewhere, what do you Propose to do? I say remove the disabiliti es o f t h e Catho ea, or nothing is done; or if you will not do this, and Yet you admit that something must be done, I ask what then do.you propose to do ?—and I have never heard any thing like an answer to this question. One party say, educate .the people ; but in making this proposal they for get that• the danger is imminent, impending—that there is no time fOr such a case to work—for we know not what another year may produce. Another set of men propose another remedy. They tell us they are ready to subscribe money, to give their services, if necessary, in defence of the r 4 otestant Establish men t aga i nst t h e v i o l ence o f th e Catho 4, of Ireland. 0 ! vain and weak, I had almost said Bitched b oast i ng—to think to strengthen the Government ,y much means. They would glory in triumphing over !heir Roman Catholic brethren—a kiugdom divided against Wlf.• Would th e y g l or y i n ar mi ng b ro th er aga i ns t b ro • r - ill arming the eon against the father—in seeing the teen field s i n w hi c h t h ey h a il e d witl, enthusiasm their Lvereign's pre sence , i n th e h ones t, warm , li g ht-h ear t e d 71 , e, that it was the harbinger of peace, and trill laillity, :and conciliation.—would they glory in seeing t hese green fields drenched in the blood that so tP ar a lewd, and chee re d, an d welcomed him to their o.res ?.....(Loud cheering.) —A n d w ill t h ey g l ory to think, that after all this is done, they will come hack in Uworse condition than th e y set out? You will find the t titl desolated and devastated—you will find, if you tri t4b-sfor I will'not speak of the opposite alternative— !? Will then find yourselves surrounded by a death-like aleence-a-by faction and by peril, when no man will be th.. ° to leek hi s b ro th er i n th e face, without the suspicion : it he may p rov e his murderer.--(Loud c h ee r s .)—Th e y -oust have stout hearts, indeed, who Would venture to pro- Pose such remedies. For myse lf I h ave not t h e courage t 4 look at them. I turn my eyes with horror from them ii:•and turn to the glory an d ma j es t y o f t rue va l our , en (Zeid in th e h eart o f t h e grea t C a ptain of the age— C a si '' hee r'')--to the majesty of conquering the Roman p(lobes of Ireland by giving them peace and freedom.— e C ra n hee n rs i n .)-- nY man may . differ from that distinguished t , olitics or otherwise; but he will be little wor e, "Y of being esteemed as a lover of liberty or true patri -1 OT l ! q he withhold his acknowledgment of gratitude e t e diatingoished seryiee he is now doing to the state, - -(lfear, hear.)—l pray (,hod that he may be preserved o-finish what he h as so we ll b egun, and that lie may rig live to enjoy its fruits—(hear, hear, and cheers)—the I li t °4 glorious of all hi s we ll won fi e ld s. —( L ou d c h eer s. ) has been s a id i n P ar li ament by persons who are not ac -1 Il lai nted with the kno w l e d ge an d experience of the people I ; Scotland, that the opinion of all Scotland is adverse to 4"eessions. I deny the proposition. I firmly and sin- I ti . e lY believ e th a t th e Scots too well know how to value 1 t r i t i gious lib erty—t h ey h ave h a d t oo muc h ex p er i ence i n I, li h istory of their country of the dreadful oppression of I nt dens upon the religious conscience, to think for a mo- I lt that it i s reasona bl e , w i t h out a b so l u t e necess it y , t o '"ireinue such burdens on their Roman Catholic fellow -1144'ir,14,--(Cheers.)—Another statement I have heard, 1 1 , tiiq *to p; c,.:1:0;,,r 1 . eFed adverse to concessions. _ I tinder at such a atziteinent ; hot 4 need net viod!Fate t1.,.e -4 411 of Saotlantl, when I see my Reverend Friend near tee (Dr. • to k a ' r . Chalmers)—(trempendous cheering)—Wbo i I trust, tAid himself tell you how far he thiuks it will be dangerous sa - t he Church of Scotland to admit Catholics to oivil g u l te ,°. I. will also read to you a letter from a distin -1 i,: il ed minister, who is prevented from attending here— h." Reverend Dr. Thompson, of St. George's.—(Great e b - i ' e z n i.)—And are there not many others of the same G ai' ll ' i n ? I believe there are, even within these walls .4. th is moment. But whether here or not, they ki : 'it th e knowledge or in the memory a the gentle ae;,ll,Present lergymen who have shown the greatest ef t . In defence of the Church of Scotland, and against the 04'bi , of Popery. I will tell you a little more on this . t1'45,,t0 In the year 1513, this subject was taken up by C d 4- reabitery of dinburgh, where x petition was car ' 44 1 %, 'It tainst - con r ceasions; tut 'a dissent w'as entered by two Z' s ... - "eritof the church on that occasion, and nobody has r -m that period made a single attempt to propose a simi- Q Petitio n . I n t h e same y ear it was proposed in the ftet al Assembly of the Church of Scotland to petition de l. ' l , concessions ; but it was met by a counter petition, Ai Li ng the great principle of religious to eration, but at I su e time desiring that Parliament would take mea -1 se uen t e guard the Protestant interests from any evil con )1 sett k e el This was the resolution of the General As- Passed, 7 not unanimonsly, but by such a decided Ini " rit Y •of opinion, that no one proposed to bring the question to a vote. lam entitled to say, there fore, that the opinion of the Church of Scotland stands otherwise than what has been stated.—(Cheers.) — If any man sUppOse that I think the removal of the dis abilities will work a magical cure of all the evils that affect Ireland, I will swear that I think no such thing. I never thought such a thing. These evils are too great to he cured in an instant. But I say, till you remove the dis abilities, you do nothing to etf,ct a cure ; and when you do so, I believe you will lay the basis of a system which will be productive of union, of conciliation, of illumina tion, and of peace and tranquillty in Ireland. In my conscience I believe, that the blessing of the Almighty will rest on this great work of peace, and charity, and true wisdom.—(Loud and continued cheering.) The DEAN of FACULTY then read a letter from the Rev. Dr. Andrew Thomson, expressing his regret, that owing to particular circumstances, he was unable to attend the meeting, but intimating his entire concurrence in its ob ' jeet.—The Reverend Doctor explained at considerable length his views of the measures in progress, as tending to promote religious liberty—and concluded by moving the following resolution " That every attempt to abolish religious errors, by im posing civil disabilities, or other temporal penalties on those by whom they are conscientiously cherished has been found merely to foster and perpetuate such errors, an 1 that the present state of Popery in Ireland is to be ascribed mainly to this cause." Mr. A. SMITH, banker, seconded the resolution. Dr. M‘LAcaN rose to move the second resolution, and began to address the meeting, but a great commotion and noise arose, which for some time interrupted entirely the proceedings. A number of persons in the remoter parts of the room pressed towards the platform, calling out " gallery, gallery, intimating, it should seem, that the speakers should have the platform at one end of the room, and take their place in the music gallery, which is in the middle of it. Mr. JEFFREY attempted to speak to order, but could not be heard. After farther uproar, Dr. M‘Lanast then proceeded—l should ill requite the honour that has been conferred on me, were Ito dwell long on the topic suggested by the resolution I have to propose, viz.—The benefit and security which would accrue to the State, were the talents and energies of every class of its subjects made available for this service, topics on which others around will bring to bear all the force and eloquence and weight of authority. But, Sir, having been a wit ness during my military service, of many of these glorious contests from which, happily for the honour and safety of this country, and it may be, happily for the destinies of Europe, the energies of our Catholic brethren were not excluded, I may be allowed to bear my humble testi mony to the debt of gratitude and justice, which, under their then great commander, and now their atilt more il lustrious advocate, they have established in their country. Sir, it is my conviction, that the same result would follow the admission of Catholics into every department in which they may be qualified to excel. Give them a like interest in the State; lay open to them the paths of honour and ambition ; and instead of hunted Irishmen and Catholic Associations, you will have a united Empire, and a combined people. But where, I may be asked, are your securities? Liberty of conscience and equality of civil rights is the answer. In these consist the moral grandeur, the political strength, and the re ligious security of the Duke of Wellington's measure. And with all my admiration of those achievements by which the Duke of Wellington has been so pre-eminently distinguished, in my mind they sink into utter insignifi cance with the glorious conquest which he is now, I trust, accomplishing over violence and injustice, and persecution and turbulent resistance—the first and the only true con quest of Ireland, and the first and only sure foundation for a real and permanent union with Great Britain. Mr. APLagan concluded by moving the following resolution:— " That it would obviously conduce to the prosperity and glory of the State, that the talents and energies of every class of its subjects should be available for its service, in every department in which they may be qualified to excel ; and that the continued exclusion of one great class of Dis senters from the Established Church from stations for which they may be eminently fitted, while these are left open to the ambition of other Dissenters, is not only in jurious to • the public interest, but must beget a sense of injustice in those who are thus excluded, which can scarcely fail, in the long run, to endanger the public peace." Sir A. MaxTLastn GIBSON seconded the resolution. Mr. JEFFREY next rose to address the meeting. I greatly fear that, owing to an indisposition under which I have been for some time labouring, it will be difficult for me to make myself heard, even for the very few words I intend to address to the meeting. I cannot, however, re sist the temptation to say, that I never entered or rose to address a public meeting in this place, with more unmin gled satisfaction and more intense delight than I entered the present. And this is not only because I never came into one with the greatness of the object of which I was so deeply impressed, but also because of the near and cer tain prospect of good afforded by the measures to which it is called to give its support ; and also because I never before had the pleasure of seeing around me thosa with whotn it was formerly my lot to differ, but with whom from a change of opinion alike honourable to all parties, I on the present occasion, most cordially agree. The greatness and urgency of the oecasion has banished those differences of opinion which, nn public matters, always exists in a free state. I trust that wheofwer we are called upon to consolidate our strength in support of mea sures like the present, we will always be ready to forget who are Whigs and who are Tories. Indeed, unless I much misread the signs of the times, I believe that the pe • riod is near at hand when all that has been called party po litics will be of much less consequence—when the differ ences of faction, with all its watchwords, will dwindle into insignificance ; and it shall be the aim and wish of all to unite for the common good. At the same time I have still its me so much of the taint of the ancient leaven -so much of the indelible inherent mammon of Whiggery —that I wish the glory of perfecting the great work bad been reserved for a Whig Ministry, or at least that the glory should have been theirs who have been all along consistent in the support of it. But while I make this disclosure of the infirmity of my heart, I do not grudge to the noble and high-minded originators of the concessions about to be granted, that glory which is so justly due to them. It is with no cold heart and niggardly hand that I come forward to thank and to venerate them. I must further subdue the remnants of my inherent Whiggery, by confessing that, in the present state of affairs, this measure could not possibly have been carried by a Whig Adininis tra4ou : not without the co-operation of those who were long and conscientiously opposed to it, but have now, by the force of circumstances, been induced to become, in equal truth and honesty, its supporters. Such blind and short-sighted creat u r es we are i n all that lies within the province in which our interests and affec tions move—and so wonderfully d oes P rov id enc e work by means which to us might seem the most unlikely, As to the measure itself, I do not think it necessary, after what has been so well and so eloquently said. It is at once wise and just, and it is inevitably necessary—desirable .alike for the good that it will bring about and for the ill it will keep off—the peril which it alone can avert. I will not advert to those topics on which my Learned Friend addressed you, or bring again under your view the cheer ing changes to which this measure will lead. But I will recal in one word a not less tangible benefit, which consists in the gaining the affections of those ardent and aspiring spirits in another kingdom, and in the consequent moral improvement. It is among the worst consequences of in justice, to communicate to its victims the very vices which it imputes to them. They who are not trusted will soon cease to be trustworthy—they against whom the law is, will soon be against the law—they who are ruled by force, will soon require force to rule them. Those who are mis trusted, will uniformly iu the end learn to deceive—those suspected by the ,law will deserve it—and those who are sought to be governed by force will require it. There is less need for my rectirrinG to, the, impressive and frightful chapter which 'refers to, the dreadfol.consequences of re fusal ; and I will only advert in one word to the counter vttiliog dangers which have been alleged by some. With all diligent listening after these topics, I have been at a loss to discover to what tangible dangers these fervid ora tors point. The question at issue is simply this—shall BO or 60 Roman Catholics be admitted to Parliament or ex cluded? Now, what .harm can so small a sprinkling do by their votes? Who that is acquainted with the simplest elements of Cocker can for a moment suppose that Phis gnjdll nttniber should lie able to convert the Mem bers of our Senate, or overawe, outspeak, or outvote the other Members. In every other respect their powers are exactly the same now as if they were in Parliament. They have the same union among themselves, the same powers Of controversy, and the ewe ttrdour of prpselytiarn that is at tributed them. 'The only difference is, that so long as they remain excluded they will naturally turn those powers against an Establishment which they conceive to be hostile and oppressive to them. Whereas their admission to all the rights of citizenship—the removal of the bulwarks and harriers we hear spoken of, will remove their hostility. They will look upon Protestantism afterwards with less ani mosity than they do now. Their minds will be opened to fair . argument and example—to the influence emanating from the pure and exemplary lives which we all process to believe to be led, and which I from my heart do believe to be, led by our Protestant divines. A way will be opened to convert in time the whole of the erring family of Chris tians, and to bring them back into the bosom of that Church whose doctrines flow from the pure and unadulterated source of genuine revelation alone. It is upon thes,! principles I from my earliest time have had a firm and decided view of the merits of this question. In addition to thin , an imme diate and urgent necessity has been forced upon my notice by late events, and by the numerous conversions which have been the consequence of them. I beg leave to propose as the third resolution— " That for these, and fer other reasons, we have received with the most lively joy and gratitude the accounts of that great act of wisdom, generosity, and justice, by which his Majesty's Ministers now propose to effect the final relief of his Roman Catholic subjects from their remaining disabili ties, and by which they will at the same time terminate the unseemly struggles which have so long agitated the empire, and deliver us for ever from our only serious hazard of national disunion or disaster." Mr. WALKER Daummosn seconded the resolution. Mr. JOHN A uCHIBALD MoRRAY—I know that there is, on the part of many pure and honourable-minded men, a fair,and honest conviction of opinions the very contrary of those which we have met to advocate. I respect such men for their uprightness, and I regret that, in the late pro ceedings in this town, persons animated by very different feelings have attempted to promote their cause by means which they must depise and abhor as much as I do. Ob serve the placards and notices which have been plastered up and handed about. I saw a placard affixed yesterday in the most populous part of the town. Ido not allude at present to the trash about " Idolators," and that equally con , temptable warning against " Popish Lords of Session."— The placard ran, as nearly as I can remember thus— " Pi otestants, you have already been warned of the danger of admitting idolitors into Parliament ! Further, think of the danger that would result from their having a Popish Treasurer of the Edinburgh Charity Workhouse," &c.— Gentlemen, I know well that to those whom lam now addressing, this placard can be only matter of laughter.— They cannot believe it serious. It will, I trust, soon be matter of laughter even to the lowest. But the: eis here an attempt to touch the sorest points of the minds of the populace—(Cries of " It is a hoax." " Who put it up?)— There is an allusion in it to those topics on which the mind of the citizens have been most fearfully agitated. It has been suggested that it is all a joke : if so, I can only say it is a very bad one.. I beg leave to read the fourth reso lution. . " That, though we entertain no doubt that the firmness and prudence of the distinguishe.l Statesmen who have united to support this great measure will speedily carry it ii to effect, without any considerable impediment, and that the partial clamours which have been excited against it, will soon subside in general and permanent satisfaction, we think it right not only to offer our humble tribute of thanks for the good we believe it will effect, but earnestly to pray for its speedy and entire consummation, and to express cur conviction that its abandonment, if such a thing were pos sible after the hopes that have been raised and the pledges that have been given, would be the greatest of all national calamities, and would aggravate tenfold all the evils and dangers from which it promised to deliver us." Dr. CHALMERS—I understand that the prent meeting would not have been called, had it not been for certain an terior efforts made in this city, and the object of which was to obtain signatures for a petition against the Catholic emancipation. We should have remained quiet, and, this perhaps would have been as significant an expression as we could have given of our confidence in the measures pro posed by his Majesty's Government. Had there been no public exhibition on their part, I understand that there would have been no public exhibition upon ours. And I advert to this simply for the purpose of remarking, how delusive the indication often is of the state of public sen timent, in as far as it is grounded either on the majority of petitions or in the majority of signatures. The truth is, that they are the non-contents, the alarmists, who are in motion. And the contents scarcely ever think of moving but in the capacity of counter-alarmists. Mean, while, if arithmetical deduction were to be made of al the petitioners on both sides of the question, it would be found that the great body of the public, the great body of the population, were in a state of rest—(Cheers)—and they count with us, not with our opponents.—(Loud cheers.)—We have read of expressive silence ; and this is what their silence expiess —(Cbeers.)—There may have been a local effervescence here and there, but mainly and throughout the land, there is a general at'itude of quiescence, perhaps the strongest demonstration that 'could be given of the reliance which the people of Scot land have on the wisdom and the sgfety of the measures now in agitation. But I would scarcely have adverted to the existence of another petition, and of other petitioners, had it not been fir the designation which they have assumed of Anti- Catholic, leaving to us, then, it might appear, the goodly designation of Pro-Catholic. Never was a grosser impo sition practised on the public, and the popular mind, than by means of these two words. We are not Pro-Catholic. We are not hostile, neither are we indifferent, to the holy cause of Protestantism.—(Cheers.)—l cannot answer for others, but in vindication of myself, I can at least say, it is in the spirit of devotedness to that cause that I come here, and because in this:emancipation of Papists I see for Protestants a still greater and more glorious ernhncipation. —(lmmense cheering.)—The truth is, that these disabi- ;ies have hung as a dead-weight around the Protestant cause for more than a century. They have enlisted in op position to it some of the most unconquerable principles of nature; resentment because of injury, and the pride of ad herents to a suffering cause.—(lmmense and prolonged cheering.)—They have transformed the whole nature of the contest, and by so doing, they have rooted and given tenfold obstinacy to error.—(Loud cheers.)—They have given to our side the hateful aspect of tyranny, while on theirs we behold a generous and high. minded resistance to what they deem to be oppression.(Tremendous cheer ing. ) They have transformed a nation of heretics into a nation of heroes: We could have refuted and shamed the heretic out of his errors, but we cannot bring down the hero from his altitude; and thus it is, that from the first introduction of this heterogenous element into the ques tion, the cause of truth has gone backward.----(Loud cheers.)—lt has ever since been met by the unyielding defiance of a people irritated but not crushed, under a sense of indignity, and this notable expedient for keeping down the Popery of Ireland, has only compressed it into a firmness, and closed it into a phalanx, which, till opened up by emancipation, we shall find to be impenetrable. Gentlemen would draw arguments from history against us, but there is one passage in history which they never can dispose of. How comes it that Protestantism made such triumphant progress in these realms when it had pains and penalties to struggle with, and how came this progress to be arrested from the moment it laid on these pains and pc. nalties in turn ?—(Enthusiastic cheering,)—What have all the enactments of the statute-book done for the cause of Protestantism in Ireland?—(Cheers)—and how is it that when single-handed truth walked through our Wand with the might and prowess of a conqueror, so soon as propped by the authority of the State, and the armour of intolerance was given to her, the brilliant career of her victories was ended? (Enthusiastic cheering for several seconds.) It was when she took up the carnal and laid down the spi ritual weapon; it was then that strength went out of her. She was struck - with impotency (cheers) on the instant, that from a warfare of principle it became A warfare of politics.—(Loud applause.)--There are gentlemen op posed to us profound in the documents of history, hut she has really nothing to offer half so instructive as the living history that is now before our eyes. With the pains and penalties to fight against, the cause of Reformation did al most everything in Britain ; with the pains and penal tier on its side, it has done nothing, and worse than no thing, in Ireland.—(Loud cheers.) But after all, it is a question which does not require the evidence of history for its elucidation. There shines upon it an immediate light from the known laws and prin cip:es of human nature. When truth and falsehood enter into collision upon equal terms, and do so with their own ap propriate weapons, the result is infallible. Magna est ve ritas et prcevalebit. But if to strength the cause of truth, you put the forces of the statute-book under her command, there instantly starts up on the side of falsehood, an auxiliary far more formidable. (Cheers.) You may lay an incapacity on the persons, or you may put restraint and limitation on the property, of Catholics ; but the Ca tholic mind becomes tenfold more impregnable than before. We know the purpose of these disabilities. They were meant to serve as a barrier of defence for Protestants againat the encroachments of Popery ; and thdy have turne3. mit a barrier of defence for Papists against the en croachments of Protestantism. They were intended as a line of circumvallation round the strong holds of the Pro testant Faith, and in effect they have been a line of cir- Rinvallation around the strong holds of the Catholic Faith. it is to force these now difficult and inaccessible strong holds, that I want this wall of separation taken down. (Cheers.) When I speak of force, it is the combined flee of truth and charity that I mean---(;rumense cheering)— and it is becauseprecisely ancipat ionis l tt precisely b believe tobenri oLipaouse tent i agree that ree I with m the an Eui Duke of trellington'i n thi n ki ng th a t, ;f t.lla political distinction were done away, the re§filt would be the spread of Protestantism in Ilvelaud,(Loud applause.) —Had we beets suffered to mingle more extensively with oar 'Catholic fellow -subjects, and to company with them in the walks of civil and political business, there would at this day have been the transfusion of another feeling, the breath of another spirit amongst them; hor should we have beheld as now the impracticable countenance, the re- solute and unyielding attitude, of an aggrieved and out. cast population.—(Loud applause. )—I am sensible of one advantage which our opponents have against us, and that is a certain command over the religious feeling of the population. And yet lam not aware of. any publie topic on which the popular and prevailing cry ever ran so come ter as it does at present to the whole drift and spirit of Christianity. What other instruments du we read of in the New 'I e - stament for the defence and propagation of the Faith, but the Word of God, and the Spirit of God ? How does the Apostle explain the principle of its triumphs in that age when truth was so mighty to the pulling down of strong holds? It was because the weapons of his war fare were not carnal. He confined himself to the use of spiritual weapons, the only ones by which to assail the strongholds either of Popery or Paganism.—(Cheers ) The kingdom of God, which is not of this world, refuses to be indebted for its advancement to any other. Reason, and scripture, and prayer—these compose, or ought to com pose, the whole armoury of Protestantism ; and it is by these alone that the battles of the Faith can be successfully Fought.—(Cheers.)—lt is since the admission of into.. lerance, that unseemly associate, within our camp, that the cause of the Reformation has come down from its vantage ground ; and from the moment it wrested this engine from the Lands of its adversaries, and s began to wield and brandish it itself, from that m3ment it has been at a dead stand.— (Applau , e.)—We want to be disencumbered of this weight and to be restored thereby to our own free and proper energies. We want truth and force to be dissevered from each other—(cheers) —the moral and spiritual to be no longer implicated with th.! grossly physical ; for never shall we prosper, and never shall we prevail in Ireland, till our cause be delivered from the outrage and the conta- mination of so unholy an alliance. It is not because I hold Popery to be innocent that I want the removal of these disabilities; but because I hold, that if these were taken out of the way, she would be tenfold' more assailable.—(Cheers.)—lt is not because I am indifferent to the good of Protestantism that I want to displace these artificial crutches from under her— (laughter)—but because I want that, freed from ever sym p;om of decrepitude and decay, she should stand forth in her own native strength, and make manifest to all men how firm a support she has on the goodness of her cause, and on the basis of her orderly and well laid arguments— (Loud cheers.)—lt is because I count so much, (and will any Prc•testant here present say that I count too much ?) on her Bible, and her evidences, and the blessing of God upon her churches, and the force of her resistless appeals to the conscience and the understandings of men ; it is be.. cause of her strength and sufficiency in tht Li that I would disclaim the aids of the Statute-book, and own no de- pendence or obligation whatever on a system of into lerance.—(Cheers.)--These were enough for her in the days of her sufferings, and should he more than enough for her in the days of her comparative safety.—(Loud cheers.) —lt is not by our fears and our false alarms that we do honour to Protestantism. A far more befitting honour to the great cause is the homage of our confidence; for, what Sheridan said of the liberty of the press, adin't4 of moss emphatic application to this religion of truth and liberty. " Give," says that orator, " give to Ministers a corrup House of Commons ; give them a pliant and a servile House of Lords ; give them the keys of the Treasury, and the patronage of the Crown ; and give me the liberty of the press; and with this mighty engine I will overthrow the fabric of corruption, and establish upon its ruins the rights and privileges of the people." In like manner, give the Catholics of Ireland their emancipation ; give them a seat in the Parliament of their country ; give them a free and equal participation in the politics of the realm; give them a place at the right ear of Majesty, and a voice in his Counsels; and give me the circulation of the Bible, and with this mighty engine I will overthrow the tyranny of Anti-Christ, and establish the fair and original form of Christianity on its ruins. (The delivery of this splendid passage, which was given with prodigious energy, elicited the most rapturous and deafening shouts of approbation, which were thrice renewed. ) The politics of the question I have left to other and abler hands. I view it only in its religious bearings, and I give it as my honest conviction, and 1 believe the convic tion of every true-hearted Protestant who knows wherein it is that the great strength of his cause lies, that we have every thing to hope from this proposed emancipation, and that we have nothing to fear. (The conclusion of the Rev. Doctor's speech was greeted with renewed shouts of rapturous applaus4 which lasted for several minutes.) Mr. COCKBURN rose to move the petition to both Houses of Parliament, founded on the Resolutions which had now been adopted, and in doing so he would not trouble them with one word.—(Loud cheering, and calls to hear Mr. Cockburn.)—The gentlemen who hail drawn up the petition which he was about to submit to time meet ing, had addressed it solely to the sense of the intelligent, and not to the prejudices of time ignorant. If the taste of any present had been corrupted by the perusal of other pe titions of a different description in other places, they would be disappointed with the style of that which he was now about to submit to the meeting. Mr. Cockburn then read the petition, which was to the following effect, and which was received with great cheering : That in order, in some measure, to express these senti ments to the Legislature, an humble Petition be presented to each of the Houses of Parliament, and that the tenor of such Petition be as follows : The petition stated in substance, that the petitioners have heard, with the deepest interest and most cordial sa tisfactions of the measures which have been recently pro posed by his Majesty's Government for the relief of their Roman Catholic fellow-subjects; and feel assured that no other proceeding would have struck so effectually at the root of intestine discord, or so powerfully promoted the consolidation of our national strength : that at the same time these pleasing anticipations are not mingled in their minds with any disquietude or alarm for the interests of the Reformed Religion, as connected with the great measure now alluded uo ; but, on the contrary, they look forward to its results, in relation to these interests also, with the highest and most confident hopes of advan tage, being firmly persuaded that Protestantism has suffered, in credit and in moral strength, un der a system which has annexed penalties to error, and armed against the cause of truth the high-minded resist ance of a people only made more resolute in their princi ples by a sense of their wrongs: That the petitioners are stedfastly attached to the Doctrines of the Reformation, but are, at the same time, convinced that, for their pre ' valence in Britain, and their eventual triumph in Ireland, they must rely mainly on their own native evidence and force. They are therefore, the more anxious that, by the removal of all intolerance from the one aide, and all sense of oppression from the other, this great controversy may be freed from the provocations and heats of political asperity, and the question between Protestant and Roman Catholic reduced to a pure contest of opinion. The pe titioners therefore prayed Parliament to proceed with the aforesaid measures without delay. The Petition to the House of Lords is conceived in pre cisely similar terms. The StawciToa-GENERAL said, it was with the utmost possible pleasure that he seconded the motion of his Learn ed Friend to adopt the petition whtch had been now read ; for no man looking to the best interests of the country could contemplate the great measure now in progress, to which the petition referred, without the highest and most perfect satisfaction. Well might a Learned Friend near him say, that it recalled pleasing recollections to his mind ; that it recalled the names and the memories of many emi nent and illustrious men who had advocated this cause, and who had ardently longed for its success. It was a great addition, however, to the delight afforded by such re collections, to consider ttat, neither in former times nor no w, was the advocacy of that cause confined to men of an y party in the State. Great men of all parties had been its supporters. The cause of Catholic Emancipation had been pleaded by all the great men of our native land ; Ale. Fox, Mr. Pitt, Lord Melville, Mr. Sheridan, Grat tan, Plunkett, and Canning; and he asked, "Can there be any dread for the safety of Protestantism, or for the Constitution of our country, when all these agreed in urging the measures of Emancipation now brought for ward by his Majesty's Government? Those illustrious men were rivals in life; but they are now brothers in the page of history." He did not refer to those statesmen as mere ly implying the authority of great names ; but he referred to them, because the danger which had now arisen had been predicted by them all. It is near 29 years since Mr. Pitt told his Royal Master, in language too impressive ever to be f o rgotten, that if the measure of emancipation were not carried, the peace and the safety and the tranquillity of the e mpire would be endangered. Has this prediction not been verified ? It was not for the purpose of e.f . Jengthening the convictions of those who were present, but in order to guard the minds of some of his friends With Whom he general c?kncided in political sentiments that be polntef,i, put these great na m e s .' 'Those distinguishedpatriots were, many of theM gathered to their fatheea--and high as our feelings may be, in the jrosnect of the successful Imecom plislunent Of their patrmotic objects ) it could not but be patter of deep and painful rcgret, that some of their number had net been spared to witness the triumph of the cause to which they had devoted their strentuals anti splendid exertions. To one, indeed, the approaching triumph was the noblest monument that could be raised to his memory—and his friends would now loot' on the ac -1 coroplisinneut of hi,s wislivs as Borne consolation; and they would rejoice that his principles had triumphed, and that party contests had passed away. The Learned Gentleman seconded the resolution, and concluded his speech amidst much cheering. • The petition was then unanimously approved of, amidst loud and continued cheering. Mr. COCKBURN said, that some persons must he named to take charge of the petitions, and to transmit them to Parliament. He had further to say, that it was wished that the petition to the House of Commons should be put into the hands of Sir James Mackintosh, and that the petition to the House of Lords be entrusted to the Earl of Haddington and Lord Melville. The meeting approved of these proposals. Captain BASIL HALL-I am just returned from America (some one called out Captain Hall.) Exactly. In that country there is far less freedom than in Britain—less free dom of the press--less freedom of speech—less freedom of thought. And this I ascribe to the principle of their go vernment—universal suffrage, and the want of an esta blishedchurch. But I nave written my observations on the subject, and will tell you all about it by and bye. I concur in the present petition because the measure which it supports is calculated to secure the blessing of an Esta blished Church—and because it is to be accompanied with the abolition of the forty-shilling freeholders—and thereby to restrain the greatest curse in any country, a democracy. . The SOLICITOR-GENERAL stated that he had been re quested by Sir Walter Scott, who had put a written autho rty into his hand, to state that he regretted being pre vented from attending this meeting, in the object of which be cordially concurred. On the motion of Mr.WALICER DRUMMOND the thanks of the meeting were given to Sir Wm. Arbuthnot for pre siding on this occasion, amidst loud applause. Sir William returned his thanks for the honour done him ; and the meeting broke up at three o'clock, when a nnmber of per sona present went into the smaller rooms to sign copies of the petition. FOREIGN EXCHANGES ON LONDON. AMSTERDAM, MARCH 13.-12. o.—Two months, 11. 19 5-10. HAMBURGII, MARCH 10.-13. 934.—Tw0 months, 13. BU. BERLIN, MARC!! '7.—Three months, 6. 22. CHRISTIAN lA, FEB. 25.—Three months, 6. 18 ST. BETERSBURGH, FEB. 27.—Three months, 10 13-16. • Eby LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 17, 1829. We recommend the attention of our readers to he great Meeting, held at Edinburgh, on Saturday last, in favour of the Catholic Claims. For a liberal elevated spirit—for sound discriminating argument — for a perfect freedom from prejudice—&nd for an elo• quence of the very highest order—we know of no modern display (with the single exception of the late remarkable debate in the House of Commons) that is at all worthy to be compared with it. It is indeed a triumph for the generous intellect of the " Modern Athens," and more especially so, as it has been gained in a country, and over the honest, though erring prejudices of a people, whom circum stances have rendered peculiarly sensitive on the score of religious tenets. And what a triumph too for the cause of common sense ! What an irrefragable proof that there is an undying spirit abiding in justice, that will uphold it in the midst of persecution, walk with it unharmed over the waters of religious and political strife, and bid its agitated waves be still ! In spite of the indefatigable exertions that the bigots have lately been making in Edinburgh, and indeed throughout Scotland—in spite of their vile placards and incendiary appeals— inspite of their threats, persuasions, and promises of reward and patronage to those who would come for ward and sign Anti-Catholic petitions—in spite, we say, of all this, a Catholic Meeting has been held in the very heart of Scotland, in that very place where its voice is most influential ; and the cause of justice has prevailed. Well may Dr. CHALMERS exclaim, " Magna est veritas et prcevalebit !" We say nothing of the speeches delivered at this memorable Meeting, they speak sufficiently for them selves. We cannot, however, pass without notice the eloquent appeals of Mr. JEFFREY and Dr. CHAL. MERS. Both were admirable, but the latter Gen tleman's was in the very highest order of excel, lence. Its powers of acute reasoning were only exceeded by the impassioned style of its oratory, which threw a gloss, a freshness, a novelty, we may almost say originality, over one of the tritest topics that has ever yet been worn threadbare. Were- commend this noble burst of eloquence to the p►►rticular attention of Dr. CHALMERS' late pupil, the Rev. EDWARD IRVING ; it will tend, we hope, to amend his faculties of reasoning, tame his extra vagance of diction, and enlarge the measure of his charity. While we hail with delight the glorious display of public feeling by the enlightened Meeting which took place in Edinburgh, on Saturday last, we can not omit noticing with deserved commendation the kindred spirit and intelligence manifested by the Public Press on that memorable occasion. The Caledonian Mercury (whose spirited report we have abridged) published a Second Edition, on Saturday evening, consisting of more than seven columns. The Edinburgh Evening Courant and the Scotsman also published long reports on the same evening, which do honour to the Public Press of Scotland. We take peculiar pleasure in thus pointing public attention to exertions by our Northern contempo raries, which would even reflect credit upon the en terprising ability of the London Press. Some years ago it would have taken three whole days to get up such long speeches, which now, by the spirit of emulation and improved facility in reporting, have been done in as many hours. While contemplating these things, we may indeed say that Saturday last was a proud day for Scotland. In another column will be found extracts from the ITlhaeny 'bi contain St. Petersburgh Jo urnals of the 20 Reporter of the 10 th instant, ary:l from t:4 Pebruary. tide Army in T ur k ey to the 25th of Januw inclusive, detailing some operations or 1,1„ minor ch arac t er , i n t h e way of re icergn official news from co* poitring, the positions of the Turks. Te Deunt was performed iA the. Winter Palace at St. Peters burgh, in axe presence of their Imperial Majesties and the Cotut, for the capture of Tournoul. A salute of 101 guns was fired, and the city was illu minated on the occasion. The French Papers( tue. barren of authentic news, and merely give currency to German reports. The mission of Count MATUCEWIEZ to this country is considered as one of great importance, and likely to lead to grave results. The Count, after having dis- 0- 4 !~1`; ~?' ,~~ 9I '. s • charged his duties at our Cotra 'to proceed to Paris, and then to Berlin. The discussion in the Chamber of Peers is upon the Project of Law concerning Duelling, the practice of which, under certain regulations, is to be con sidered criminal. We fear that no laws can prevent the practice, which must continue till the good sense of society perceive its folly, and the utter injustice of the aggressor and the aggrieved being placed on the same level. FRENCH FUNDS, MARCH 11.—Renter, Five per Cent& 103 f. 13c. 107 f. 90c. ; Three per Cents. 78f. 20c. 15c.; Bank Actions, 1830 f. FOREIGN FiJNns.-Neapolitan Rentes, Cer. Fal. 82f. 60c. 40c. ; Spanish, 71; Royal Spanish Loan, 801; In terminable Spanish Annuities, 49i 50; Haytian Loan, 522 f. 50c. Lisbon Papers to the 3d instant have been re ceived. The only article of news which they con tain is the announcement of the official blockade of Terceira. We apprehend that this blockade will prove as abortive as the attempt at capture, for Don PEDRO must long ere now have ordered some ves. sels of war to the assistance of that island. Since writing the above, we have received Lis bon GaztVes to the Bth. Don MIGUEL rides about on horseback, and reviewed the troops intended for the island of Terceira, (which► must first be cap- tired) after which his MAJESTY returned to dinner. 0 t the 6th March, seven of the accomplices in the conspiracy of the ex-Brigadier MoREIRA, were taken at noon from the prison of Leincier, and conducted to the Quay de Sodre, where five were hanged, and their beads cut off and exposed on the gallows. The two others were present at the execution. The Allgemeine Zeitung, of the 10th March, con tains the following indignant article from the Rus sian head-quarters at Bucharest, which is intended as a set-off against the Calumnies of the German Papers as regards the Russians. It will be per ceived that the writer underrates the power of the Turks in the same ratio that he exaggerates that of his own countrymen : BUCUAREST, P7B. 20. With equal surprise and indignation, we have read the absurd reports in some German Journals, and which have been copied into the :French, which manifest a total ion ranee of the preceding and of recent events. They repre sent the situation of the Russians as desperate, and an nounce that probably they will soon be obliged to retreat to the Pruth. They give a pompous description of the power of the Turks, and of their judicious plans. Lastly, they quote a pretended most insolent letter from the noto rious Tchapan Oglou to Count Langeron, in which he is made to put the Count in mind that he was once his (Tchapan Oglou's) prisoner ; the fact, however, is this, Tchapan Oglou did not take Count Langeron prisoner, but the latter, in the year 1611, took Tchapan Oglou prisoner, with 5,000 men, the remains of an army of 22,000, after 52 days blockade in his camp, and repeated engage ments. TI e Russian; \lila at retreat to the Pruth, and are i o more afraid of the Turks than of the newspapers. The Turks have at present iii their fortresses on the Danube some wretched Asiatic cavalry, which, for want of fodder the horses, is scarcely able to act, and infantry cons pos:ol of the inhabitants of the towns and villages, w h o desert whenever they have an opportunity. In Wid din they have a pretty considerable force, in eluding some regular troops, but the defence of Little Wallachia is confided to an excellent General (Baron Geismar), and to brave troops who have already supported him, and who, in case of need, can receive re inforcements from Count Langeron, under whose command he is. Tchapan Oglou is at Nicopoli, and dues not venture out. On the 21th Jan. Count Langeron caused the fortress of Kale to be taken by storm, which lies under the fire of Nicopoli, being separated from it by the Danube, which is 400 toises broad. He ordered a battalion to cross the frozen Danube in the night, near the mouth of the river Ozman, to take a new redoubt eight hundred toises from Nicopoli, to throw the guns into the Danube, the ice not being strong enough to bear them, and to burn thirty vessels of the Turkish flotilla which lay under the protection of the redoubt. In this manner the Rus sians reply to the calumnies of the Journalists. VIENNA, MARCH s.—Metalliques, 961; Bank Shares, 1,092. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.) FROM LLOYD'S. PLYMOUTH, MARCH 15.—Wind E.—Sailed the Laura, Rush, for New York ; and Cecropa, Bendixon, for Ter ceira. FALMOUTH . , MARCH 15.—Wind E.—Off Port, the Rapid, Huntley, from Calcutta, sailed the 24th of Oct. Arrived the Stanmer packet, from Lisbon, sailed the 3d of March ; and his Majesty's cutter Vigilant, from Lisbon, sailed the 9th ; Thomas King, Williamson, from rara ; and Fox, White, from Vostizza. YARMOUTII, MARCH 16.—The Alfred, Barubrougb, of Sunderland, whilst at anchor off Hythe, the 9th inst., was run on board of by the Hyndham, Sarjeant, for Sr. Vincent; the former bad the foretop-sail split and bowsprit injured, with other trifling damage. VESSELS SPOKEN WITIL-The Peter Proctor, Terry, from London to the Cape of Good Hope, 2.9 th Jan., in lat. 5. long. 21 ; the Liberty, from Liverpool to Pernam buco, 30th Jan., in lat. 5. long. 24., by the Rapid, arrived off Fahnouth. THE FUNDS.-(THIS DAY.) CITY, TWRT,e R 0, CLocr. This has proved another dull and 'uninteresting day in the City, but as the wind has sh.wn a tendency to come round to a more favourable quarter, we may shortly expect advices from the Westward, which are now most anxiously looked for by the mercantile part of the community, who have suffered much inconvenience from the protracted arrival of their advices and remittances. Consols opened at 871 for Account, and there has been no alteration up to the above hour ; for Money, 871 ; Four per Colt., 1014 India Bonds, 46 8 ; Exchequer Bills, 52 3 pm. The Foreign market appears to be equally devoid of business; Mexican Bonds are, however, a shade lower, 23 ; the Northern Stocks remain stationary a kigh prices, taking into consideration every attendant cirenmstance. In Shares there is nothing new to report, nor any altera tion in prices. Three per Cent. Consols, S7l; Ditto, for Accour,i, 87 i; Four per Cent., 1014 ; India Bonds, 46 8 p ot . ; Exchequer Bills, 52 3 pro. FOREIGN.-13,r4zilian, 61/ 4-; Buenos Aga, 33 4 ; Chilian, 21 ; Colombian, 18 ; Danish, 6 ; French, Five per Cent., Io7i Si ex. div. ; Threr: Per Cent., 7S ; t3reek, 13i 14 1 ; Mexican, Five per Cent., 20; Six per Cent., 23 Al rer"vian, 13 1 .1 ; Portuguese, 44 4- • Russian, 941 5 ; Spanish, 91 t MlNEs.—Auglo 77 . 1 5 die. ; Brazilian, 31 3 pm. ; Bolivar, par ; Colombian, 214 221 dis ; Real Del Monte, 120 3"-c, per share ; United Mexican, 2Si 274- dis. TWO O'CLOCK, ,:onsots are 87 -A- for Money, and 871 for Account ; Mexican, Six per Cent., 22i. THREE 0' CL 0 CX. Consols for Account, 87k His Majesty will hold a Coune;', to-morrow at 'Windsor. . The Duke of Cumberhi:oct returned to town about 1131f•past one o'clock yesterday afternoon, from a visit to his Majesty, at } .as Palace at Windsor. Ihe Prince,:, Augusta and the Duchess of Gloucester vi'jited the Princess Sophia and the Duchess of Kent ye:„,,,,:day, at their apartments in the King's Palace, at I .lensington. _ Prince Lieven, the Russian Ambassador ; Prince Po!ignac, the French Ambassador; Baron Bulow, the Prussian Minister; and Count de Ludolf, the Neapo— litan Minister, had a long conference with the Duke of Wellington and the Earl of Aberdeen, at the office of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Th e Primate of Ireland visited the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday. The Right Hon. Gentleman went out yesterday afternoon in his close carriage, for the first time since the commencement of his i n disposition Friday week.