The Sun. — London, England, 1812-12-24 00:00:00

THE C_iIIIOLIC QUESTION. As this subject is of the 'ntmost importfince with' respect to: that Constitution, xvhich our an cestors-endeavoured to secure against the dangers that might ar-ise . from Pa?al. , ascendancy or even influence, antl l as the Roman Catholics Seem. re solved to; remove, if possible, every safeguard, wg deem it our duty to do all in our power, to encourage that teal, which at length appears to be ri'sing in defence of our Establkh;nent in Church and State.. We regret to find that many . . respectable and distinguished. characters among is seem to be wholly ignorant of the true nature -of the Roman Catholic religion, and, contrary to the avowed declaration of the Catholics their;-. selves, are disposed to believe that the Roman Catholic , religion has suffered such a change," through the progress of time, and the gradual amelioration of human-judonent, that man.) , of its more dangerous-tenets have- been discarded.— This, however, is a delusion-which 'might he at- tended in time with most fatal consequences. The Roman Catholic Priesthood, to Whom- their Laity look with implicit confidence, still contend for the infallibility of their Church, and of the de crees of its councils, but, what is of still more - alarming tendency, they still Maintain that << Faith is not to .be kept with Heretics to the prejudice of their church." Can it be possible that people who-rise above the grossest of the vulgar are in-' cline& to remove, those wise restrictions which our ancestors placed upon the pT:essors of a re ligion who maintain midi a position ? Will the Roman Catholics; -‘-hen any question arises Which they. may think tends to involve the welfare of their Church, suffer the Protestants to have any weight iii the decision ? No ; they course, judge- and- decide for themselres ; and' whatever compact they may enter into 'with Protestants, thc.y will treat .as empty air, it they,Should think thafan adherence to such compact would be pre judicial to their Church. We have been, led into these remarks bythc evident, the vital, importance of the subject, as it respects .our Constitution ; and - we are happy in the opportunity of,JnfOrcing ' our opinions by the fdllowing extract, from a well written tract, entitled, " The Necessity of Pro- testant Petitions against Popish Claims," which we earnestly recommend to every friend to this country andits happy establishment. " Die moment scents to be fast approaching, when the-claims of Popery, if not op?osed by the nation, will receive the sanction of a British Par liament. Soon after the assassination of Mr. Perceval, who was a most strenuous opposer of those claims, the following resolution was passed by the House of Commons :—" That the House will, early in the next Session of Parliament take into its most serious consideration, the state of the laws affecting his Majesty's Roman Catholic sub jects in Great Britain turd Irelands with view to such a final and conciliatory adjustment as may be conducive to the peace and strength of the United Kingdom, to the stability of the Protestant Es tablishment, and to the general. satisfaction end concord of ail classes of his Majesty's subjects:" A similar resolution was rejected in the House of Lc:als only by a majority of one. Since the late dissolution of Parliament, indeed, the above reso lution is no longer in force. The newly-elected House of Commons is in no respect bound by it ; but it cannot be denied that the passing of such a re s'alution by one House, and so near an approach to a similar resolve-in the other, are circumstances hich the Roman Catholics • way consider as omens of a most favourable and encouraging na • /ore. " It is' tree, the words of the resolution, AN hid) are so full of encouragement to the Roman Ca tholics, are qualified by subseqnent expressions, denoting, that the proposed adjustment must be • of such a nature as to he " conducive to the peace and strength of the United Kingdom, to the stability of the Protestant EstAblishment, and to the general satisfaction and concord of all classes of his Majesty's subjects." if we could be sure that these wise and salutary conditions would s be insisted upon, previously to any final and con ciliatory adjustment being concluded, they would be no less calculated to inspire Protestants with confidence, than the words that precede them are to fill Roman Catholics - with hope. Tlie very in troduction of such conditions into the resolution must be considered as an admission, that no final end conciliatory adjustment- With the Roman Ca tholics ought to be concluded, unless it be eaten latedto produce the effects here described. Every paii of adjustment ought, therefore 'to be brought sniily to this test, and the utmost 'care ought to be taken to avoid any mistake, in an inquiry of, such importance : fOr deplorable indeed would be our condition if, after conceding all that is requir ed of us, our expectations of thereby promoting the peace and strength of the United Kingdom, the stability of the Protestant Establishment, and the general satisfaction and concord of all - 'classes of his Majesty's subjects, should cud in disap p sintment.' `The conditions here enumerated, as essential to any plan of final and conciliatbry adjustinet with the Roman Catholics, though three, in number, • substantially but two 3 - for, the peace and strength (4 the United Xingdonfdepend so much hpou the general satisfaction and con6ord of all clssses of his MajCsty's subjects, that whatever, conduces to the latter of these objects must tend topromot i e the former. The real points of in dairy here suggested, with regard to, any project of conciliation, are, therefor e,---=-First, would it 1a...c0w1:1 - wive to the stability of the Protestant Establishment.; and Secondly, would it he calcu lated to promote satisfaction throughout the United Kingdom i? "As to the,first topic of inquiry, it seems to' riots a, stumbling-block at the very' threshol:l of the proposed adjustment; for what - undertaking can, in the nature of things, be so ardtious as the "formation of a plan which shall at once -conciliate - . the - Roman Catholics, and conduce to thi safety or the Protestant Church ? The extreme difficulty of reconciling such incongruous interests is, in deed so nhvious 'as to supersede the necessity . of : . -expatiating upon this part'of the, case. Suffice. it . O say, that nothing seems less likely to be LONDON: Printed bv THom,4s W001;,-61No. Russ 11-court, lirydg - es-street, Covent4gard , _ . • tluin the hone of conducing to the stability -of a Protestant Establishment, by any the object of which is,to give encouragement and power to Popery. The other topic of inquiry, will be found ,to deserve very serious co:isideration Can any plan . of final and conciliatory adjustment be devised, which would conduce to the satisfa s ctiOn and con cord of all classes of his Majesty's subjects'? ,It is obvious that, in 1....10ti0n to the subject under consideration, his Majesty's subjects are divisible into two classes.—Protestants and Papists. These are the parties to be • satisfied. 'The latter are the claimants ; and it cannot be denied that they tell us very eNplicitly what is necessary for their sa tisfaction. They declare, unequivocally, that nothing prod tfee that effect, short of a remov, al of every disabilite and disqualification to which they are subject on account of their teligion.— They have been allowed the full benefit of religious toleration.---They enioy perfect freedom of con- SCICIIC6 worship.—They have been admit ted to very important civil privileges to . satisfy them, all restrictions whatever must be done away ; and they must be admitted to" equal participation, upon equal terms," with Protes tants themselves. ;It may, indeed, be reasonably dottled, whether the concession even Of their actual 'claims would afford satisfaction to the - Pa?ists. Experience has_proved, that it is pos • sibte to grant; and even to cceed, their utmost demands without prodecing that effect. This wtis the case in the year I TO; whensolennily :dl views to what is called complete email :. cipation ;—that is. to say, Ivhot they now sack : they specified tie objects 'which comprised. all their wishes, and with the attainment of which. they declare they should be satisfied pal of which 'was a very limited grant of the elective franchise. They obtained more than they asked. They reeeived the Ormons boon of the elective franchise, without any qualification V. hat= ever ; and the result ha 3 been the reverse of ,satis _ faction. Every concession made to them, has been convtirted into a ground f. fresh demand.f. In like manner, it is possible they may be restless and discontented, even though all they now ask should, be:eonceded to them. They may .even be encou raged •by the possession of political - power, to as pire, in Ireland, to an exemption front the Pay-, ment of tithes to a Pratestant Church—to the re covery of the'fbrfeited e:Ltates, and even to the as . cendancy of their own religion :—objects which arc known to be near their hearts ; and for the attainment of which, it Is natural to expect, that whatever, power may be put into their hands will be enyloyed; "But supposing complete satisfaction on their part to be the residt of a coMpliance with their demands, is it certain that sack au adjustment would prove satisfactory to his Majesty's Prntes tont subjects ? This is an inquiry which deinands our most serious and impartial con'Sideration. In= stead of any thing being; gained, an immense and irreparable loss would be incurred; on the score of general harmony and national tranquility, :if, in order to conciliate' the former of these classes, the latter should - be excited to discontent, on a suh'- ject so interesting to filch. feelings. "-That, the satisflction of Ptotcstants, as well as Papists, should he .considera as an indispen sable condition : in any conciliatory adjustment to be' made with the latter, is 'clearly implied in the resolution of the- House of Commons. And the same candid admlssion was made by Mr: Canning (on whose motion that tcsolution'was passed) in his - address to the electors‘;• on the iith day. of .the late eketion for Livetpool, when .he 'said,— ' There is no opinion that I hold more strongly than this,--that, to he settled happily, this great question must be settled peaceably, and with the concurrence and good-:will of all classes of the Protestant community.' "In considering this question, it is riot pos sible, and it would not be wise if it were* pqs sible, entirely to lose sight of the disgraceful scenes which occurred in the year I 7SO—seen-es, which afford little encouragement to hope that a compliance with the claiMs -of the Papists wilt afford general satisfaction: On that occasion the alarm excited by Popery :was altogether ground less. Nothing had been done, or sought to be done, in fin'-our of the members of the Chur - ch of Rome, but ‘vhat WM dictated by justice, and con sonant with the principles of the Constitution.— Nothing had been granted- to them but a repeal of lows, subjecting them to penalties on account of their religious worship. - Not an atom of po litical power had been put into their•hands ; nor had they advanced any pretensiOns of that kind. They now demand an unqualified adinissib'ility to ell situations of trust, power, and emolument, in the. State., .Nothing less than this will satisfy them: Reflecting' on the horrors which took place at the period allu-led to, and which filled all hearts with consternation, can we, ought-we, to divest. our minds of apprehension, lest ,a Compli ance with such claims, far from being satis•lac tory to nil classes, may prove destriictive of. pub lic t:-anquility. It is true, the outrages which then took place, were the wsiik of a frantic po pulace; and deplorable would be that state of so ciety in which the dread of popular fury were al lowed to supersede The dictates of reason and,-iiis tice. Yet, surely, when we are inquiring whe ther a particular measure is likely ti prove satis factory to all classes of.his Majesty's subjects, the feelings of the nitthitit;.le ought not to be . laid en tirely out of the account. It may be said; indeed, that the mUltitude were on that occasion excited by artful and designing men. True but the feelings so -Wrought .upon must have previously existed, 'otherwise there would have been no fuel to Wm , : up a flame ; iris not to be sup posed either that those feelings of abhorrence to Popery have becoMe extinct during the interv'en ing period, or•that agitators are now wanting to take every advantage which 'popular feeling can afford for the excitement of. distUrbance •and in surrection:.! • (To be continued.) • . ~ ,031.4 NIARRE'f, DE z . . 2 2.' Ships at Marect. . Ship's s;)1(1.. , Price. 34 Newcastle . . . 103. . . . • 48s. CI. I.o'-555. 3d 1 ',Cinders in.ELA.ND • DROGHEDA, DF.i.:.9.---Early on the 'morning or Monday laSt, Mr. Taylor, High Constable of the paiony of Daleek,. aided by a party of Po lice, succeeded' in aspprehending the nottd Offenders, viz. Carr, L',piccr, Shaw, and' Vinegar) (alias Morgan), at Rusn4ree;near.Slanei The villain: were discovered "cabin, re galing theinsuives, and made a desperate resist ance ; they fired on the Police, and.the latter iired on them : two of the former, we understand, wcre wounded -Hone in the breast, the other in the hand. The robbers were not, however, ()Ter come until severely wounded, particularly iCarr, who had an arm' broken in, the confiig. After being properly secured, they were pa into a cart, and conveyed under a strong guard to Navan.— Mr. Hamilton, the Magistrate, committed them to prison. It is Said that this desperate banditti robbed two men from the North, who were ,proceeding to the Fair of Navan, to purehase.cattle, of 1501. on Sunday evening. Our readers will recollect, Carr ,was the fellow who fired apt Mr. Garnett, of Ashcan), in his ear fiage, proceeding to this town, last summer. Re Was apprehended for this offence, and committed to Trim gaol ; from whenCe lie escaped •in dis guise, having 'exchanged clothes with his sister, who was admitted to see him. We have it from authority, that this diabolical , (Carr.) was the person who murdered the guard of the Galway •mail. Ile took a place on' the roof, and when his associates stopt the carri age, and the guard was preparing to fire, he in stantly turned round and shut hhn. We' consider it a great blessing to this part of the kingdom,, that gang are in custody. — There was no safety, even in day-light; for pas sengers travelling•through some parts of the coun t 7 of Meath. - - , . Meath and Louth will exhibit a melancholy picture of the depfavity of many of the lower or ders, at the ensuing assizes. -At Ti\rav:tn fair, on Monday last, We are inform .ed., prime cattle fell 30s. per head, and but few buyers for light Cows. NEWRY, 9.-- - -Last Fr idly, Morning Lord and Eadv Killmorey left with intention of g . oipg to their seat in the forth of England, via Dublin. Last. ni , ' rht, about seven o'clock, four men, three in sailors' dresses, the other with a red jacket,istbp ped the Warrenpoint .post-boy, about the middle, of the Park-wall, and robbed him of the mail, con, tabling the Rdstreor and Warren-point bags, for Dublin. On Sunday night last, some villain or villains unknown, entered the back yard of 1:r. Robert Guy, in Boat-street, . and _carried therefrom a quantity of leather. ItiSito,be.hoped the nume rous roberies that have lately t?Aen place in this town and -its vicinity, will 'induce the triter to:ll , ,lve a meeting of the inhabitants con vened, for the purpose of establishing a nightly patrole. On Sunday evening, nobert.M‘Garth and Te rence WAnulty, of this town ) , were robbed on the. road, three miles from N. ,s ivan, by three men, armed with biunderbussci, who took from them 130/. Extus, DEc. are sorry to be informed that two cows, the voperty Of G. W. Stackpoole, Esq. Were clifted on the lands of Edenvale, on Monday night.. It heartily grieves us to have to add another to the catalogue of crimes which have of late dis graced some p.rt. , of our 'county. On Monday night last, Some nefarious miscreants set fire to the dwelling-: - louse and out-offices a Mr. I'att Nihill, at \Velale-hill, near Ballinacally, which, together with a large quantity of corn, hay, and straw; were ent:iu;y co::-anned: .Mr. Nihill and family barely escaped with their lives,,as every arficie of furribure and wearing apparel fell a prey to the devouring element. , This is the -hird at tack 'mule on thiS Gentleman's life and.property and what renders the circumstance truly astonish ing is, that no reason is, or can t e assigned for the commission, of the diabolical deed. ~:fhe da mages sustained, on this last-o'ccasion, 'we arein formed, ekceeds six hundred pounds. I ,Ve sincerely hope that the Gentlemen of that neighbourhood, and of the county at_large, will take the matter into their tunt serious consideration, and leave no means • untried to check such alarming pro ceedings. OdThursday night, the 2(ith ult. a constable, with a party of the. Acton Yeomanry, and John . Shevlin, .a private in the Coldstream Regiment of Guard's, no on furlough -to .his native country, went to Cfuebeg, near Tanderagee, in the county of - Armagh, to apprehend a deserter from the new levy ibilelfast, in which town be had been guilty of lolly, irthid, 'Near to his 'father's houSe, the villai; - 1 fired at and desperately wounded John •Sh - cv - lin la the arm, SO that it was necessary to remove him to' the Military hospital in Newry;, the night being extremely dark, the villain effected his es cape. On the next morning . -the .Rev. Thomas Carter, Rector of the . Parish of ibillymore, with that . zeal peculiar to him; accompanied hy a party of the Tanderagee cavalry tod Ae . ton infantry, searched the country for him, for sevet almiles, but without wecess.j In the storm on Sunday night, the brig Ema nuel, of. Colchester, burthenl26 tons, laden with timber, on her voyage from London to Dundalk, was totally lost on the strand of Carne—her crew 'and part of the cargo is saved, TLk.—MIC quantity of this exhilarating be verage, drank in the three kingdoms, is mostasto nishin:. s.:Fivery three inonthS the East-lonia Com pany put up six millions (ii pounds NVeight to side., noheit 300,000 Ibs. • Congou and Cinnpoi . t . :4,500,000 • 'Skiliciwni; and Petiou ) Singlo and Twanht-: ¶350,000 ,Ilys4n sk - - . 100,000 . • 1F,,,, , i :230;000 or twenty-four millions 'Of pounds per,Anhurn ! capablc of making - nearly ten thousand iniltons of cups of a decoction, whiCli one mi - tared yea'rs ago ivns . ,:inkuown hi England, hut now . almotii univer sally drank. , ; y'; and Published by WILLLI . 7.I AUMIGEII sours, sow rite Pinter T.A)ior, fnr the -1 4 7Thiar. (DoSt POLICt OUr young inert, of most respect able appearance, - nained Lefont, Jones, Atkinson, and Nicholt, were yesterday charged with a riot and assault, committed on the preccedktg night in' ' Fleet-street. From the testimony of the patrole and watchmen, it appeared that these young imen. 1:01 the moment of their entering Fleet -street, from, i;gaii, to evince: a, strong dispositlea to fun, which they commenced by surrounding and striking a person named Holden. The pa trole, kAtracted by the scuffle which ensued, proached them, and begged they would walk ou quietly, but either not knowing who he was, or. not dispo:,ed tp acknowledge his authority, oue'of them struck. him in the face. This led to further scuilling, and at length other 'watchmen homing up, the offenders, after a desperate struggle, were conducted to the watch-house, which for some time became a scene Of indescribable, confusion. 1t length, however,by dint ofmain stregth; they _were safely lodged in the Compter. he young' men, in their defence, stated that they bad beers dining at the Crown and AnchOr Tavern, and on their way thrOuglf Fleet-street they were surrounded by a gang of prostitutes, front whom thef were attempting to extricate themselves when the watchman came Jur- -anti if he received a b!ow at all, it arose from the rough manner in which he seized Mr. Lefont, who imagined at that moment that he was a pick pocket. Alderman Woo D reprobated their conduct in the strongest manner, and not without urgent t;oliel tations fram.,some of their friends', was induced to suffer thtin to retire, - to see if they - could urAe their peace with the persons aggrieved—and after some time they weye allowed to be c:ischarged„ upon an understanding that t . )ie , shocld give IliL. to some charity in the ward -where they had com mitted the offence. - Bow- STR T .-Yesterday Joseph - Smith, - a" boy about 13 years of age, was- brought httnre NAacs, tilt; sittini Magistrate, charged -- %%-ith louiously stealing- a watch, chain, and seal 4, thc property of Joseph Hart, who keeps an eating house near LL'inbeth Church. • It appeared that the prisoner was in the ha'hit of dining at the, prosecutor's house. On he dined there, and after. he was gone, the.ivateli, &c.•was missed from hanging over the fire 'phim. On Monday afternoon the prisoner offered the. watch, &c. to pledge. at Mr. Lane's, the pa,.7n broker, in Holborn,, when he• not giving a factory :account as, to. how he became poss. v ,i s iA of it, was detained ; lie then &aid hls aunt gave it to .him; which proved to he false., Yesterday the prosecutor attended, and identified the: pro perty. - priSoner was committed for trial at the net assizes for the county of Surrey, . UNION-ITALL.—Samuel Brook was cht-ds:_?,-( - _•.d by . Mr. Shipman, a gardener, residibg, near the lanthropic Society, St. George's-fields, with stopping him-in the public road, and. attenap ‘ ting to rob him. It appeared that about nine o'clock iu the.evc- . ing of Monday, Mr: Shipman was contiag the toad, near the Waggon and Horses, ktt New ington, when the prisoner came up, collared him, and threw him on the ground, he then attempted to draw his watch out of his pocket, litzt Mr. man resisted and called loudly. for assistiince, when the prisoner finding he could not accoaiplish his purpose endeavoured to escape but was inter-. cepted and secured by the patrole. He was fully committed for trial. CORN-EXCHANGE, DEC. 23.—The hazy state of the weather for several days past 'has prevented any fresh arrivals coastwise ;. the Il'heat din re— mained front Monday was dull of sale at the last quoted prices; the Oat trade isiti the Same situa,-, tion it has been in for several weeks ; thrlev anti er prices ; in Rye,. 'Tick e, no alteration Tick - Old ditto Small ditto Feed Oats - Fine (140 - Poland ditto - Fine ditto Pota.toe ditto - Rape Seed - - Fine Flour - - Seconds - - Malt support their forint. Beans, and Boiling Peas Wheat - 805.905. 955. Fine ditto - - - t nye Barley - - - - 445. 595. New Ditto - - - 645. Malt - - 925. 102 s. Fine ditto - - - toss. White Pease (boil.)110s. 120 s. New ditto - - - 1 Ss. Grey ditto - - -78 s. H. New ditto - - - - iIS. 31. --s. --s. 335. ,!44. - CRg, - 6'0:.701. 10`;s. nos. IV,s. BIRTHS.. On Sum lay; the 13th inst. the Lady of William Saunders, J. of C hapel-Areet,'Groivonar-pla:e, ,of a Son. On, the 17;11 f,di:Onloi,: the Lady of George Har ley- Druninwii;l, 14:sq. \l. P. ofit • On . Tuesela,, 11rs. John . Aldred Twining, of a Daughter, MARRIED. On - Taesdav, at St.. Cleurgq!s, Bloomsbury, \VHF,4th Brom- Ecq. Solkitor, Gray's-inu, to Ca!lA•rine, dmi,9,liter of Taylor, Esq. Territce, s Tottenisliu Court-road. DIED. • On Saturday, the 19th inst. at her house at Uxbridge, Mrs. Bencroft, wi4r)w of James Bet:croft, ESq.-aild eld4t dangli%.T of John 'Rich, Esq. late Patentee of Covent-garden Thea:re, in the Stith year of her age. . On Monday, the 14th inst. Philip Gibbcs:, Esq. eldest son of Gihbes, Bart. and brother-in-law to the Sveakcr of the Douse Of Commons. On the IZ"%th inst. iNlaria, third daughter of John Pardoe, Esq. of Low TUstml, E,F•ex,'agA one year'and eiglittnunti.s - and on Sunday ial;t.,Matilda,-youn2;est child of the sane, aged eight months ; both front the effects of the hooping-eough. • On the 17th ins.t. at his house in LoWei- Phillunore-place, Mr. J. Collet, in the 71st year of his ap„ - ,e. On the troth inst. after a lung and painful illness, Mrs. Awl derson, of Royal-place, .11argate. Lately, aged 50, Mr. A: lierridge, wheelwright, and lord of the Wagguu and Hones public-housi:, St. Martin's, StaiLford. PRICE OF STOC KS 'YESTERDAY. Ohl Ann. Excheq: Biils, aid. per day, - par Ditto, per day, par, 4s. pr. om um; . iniperi4l 3 -per. Cent. • Cuus.'cor 19th Jan. 64 61162 Bank Stock, Navy r per,Cent. shut Irish 5 per Cent. 4 por Cent. 3 per Cent. Red. GOtil.Gol 3 per Cent. Cony. Mint Bank L. Ann. 155 7-IGths India Bonds, 7s. 9s. dis. HIGH. WATER, AT LONDON BRIDGE TO-MORROW. Morning; minutes after 7. Evening, 27 minutes aflec 7. th Molton-street, Grosvenor-square, oust be addressed.