The Sun. — London, England, 1819-04-22 00:00:00

FOR THE SUN. it 0 NI AN CATHOLICS LETTER IV. mR.EDITOR--Having bisewn that the Toleration which was established at the Revolution was de cidedly 0 ,4 10.0 to the Claims now made by the Rowan Catholics, we shall proceed to consider whether such a change has been wrought in Row Catholic Tenets since that event, as Would any deviation from the principles then esta bli,lied. The Whig Advocates for the Claims positively assert, that a most serious change has taken place in Roman Catholic principles—that RontaulCatholics are become candid, ad mirers of Toleration, and Friends to Liberty. It is, how ever, soost singular, that while these statements are so po sitively made by their Friends, the Roman Catholics have evinced. no disposition to confirm them. On the cortrary, they have taken great pains to prove that their Church and Principles art "semperemleo►," and that absolute conformity to tie religious opinions of the ancient Catholics is their chief glory and pride.* With such declarations as these be fore our eyes, it is idle to contend that Roman Catholic Prin ciples are sufficiently altered 1.0 allow of the concession of the Clailtis thaw urged, or that the enlightened spitit of the age has so fir chastened and restrained the operation of such Principles as to render them conformable to the genius of the Luglisis Constitution. The Advocates of the Claims have very judiciously endea voured to treat the subject siruily in a religious point of view. The reason of this is (obvious ; since most of the religious pr4tOices entertained by Catholics are prejudices which do not directly interfere with the Civil Goeeruwent of the Country. A man may worship as many Saints as he pleases, way adore -the Virgin Mary, believe in purgatory, iudul gencies, and extreme unction, and yet be a good British subject. It is toot the holding of these docttines (however absurd; which renders restrictive measures necessary; but it is the holding of other doctrines which directly inter fere with Civil tioverumeot, that render Roman Catholics unfit subjects to he tru,ted with the administration of Civil Power in a Protestant State. it is a mixture of Civil and Religious Authority its the Romata Catholic Church itself, that has wade an exclusion necessary, and which still makes ench exclusion imperative. The doctrine of hyidlibi lily, as maintained in that Church—the authority of Getter-el Councils, and the Foreign Allegiance created by the supposed supremacy of the Yapal See, are the dogmas which connect Politics with the Roman Cat hone Question, and strike at the very root of the Constitution of F.ogland. These, then, form the kermel of this ;art of our subject, and I shad therefore consider them separately, having first established the fact tisat they are still bidden by the Menibets of the Church of Rowe. In order to do this, we have tmly occasion once more to refer to the " Pastoral Letter" of the Titular Arch bishop of Dublin. Dr. 'fray there tells us, that "it " is a fundamental. principle of the Roman Catholic Faith, 4 . 4 that the Pope or Bishop of Rotue is Successor to St. " Pater, Prince of the Apostles;" that " in that Sec, he " enjoys uy Divine Right, as a Spiritual and Ecclesiastical iopretiiacy, not only of honour arid rank, but of real ju " risdictiort and authority in the universal Church;" and that " Roman Catholics conceive this point as clearly esta iti the Scriptures, and by the constant tradition " of the Fathers in every age, as it is by toe express deci " tions of their General Councils, which they consider as " Ixfaflifile authority in points of Doctrine." Here then we have a plain authoritative recognition of the doctrine of tofetfiGiliey, of the authority of General Councils, and of the Papal Supremacy. It will now be for us to consider how far these receir ed opinietts affect the Civil and Ecclesiastical Constitution of this Country. The doctritte of as maintained in the Romish Church, iras been justly centidered as " the grand pillar of Rowan Catlistlie l Despotism• u t It has been surly declared to be a. incompatible a Rh freedom of research in religious mat ters as with the civil and religious liberties of the English People. It is well known how difficult it is in all cases to draw the line between civil and religious obligations, and this didieulty has hero considerably increased amongst the Mem bers of the Romish Church, by the extraordinary connection subsisting between Roman Catholic tenets and the domestic atlnirs of life. It has ever been the policy of that Church to irisinuate itself into the private concerns of families ; in the doctrine of auricular confession, it here finds a must power ful auailiary, and its Priests arc thereby made, in a great measure, complete toasters cf the lionour,t he properties, and the influence of their Hocks. Here, then, the dogma of It.- fallibility roost powerfully operates; the Pritsts, in subordina tion to the Bishops, arc regarded as the local dispensing au thorities of that Infallibility, and by the disclosures necessa rily made to them in confession, therhare a wide field laid oven fur the exercise of their supposed jurisdiction. If n doubt were to arise as to whether any certain obligation were a civil or religions one, to wheal would a Roman Catholic apply fur a solution of the doubt, but to his Priest. Should the Pilest feel a diiliculty, to whom would he apply but to the Bishop; asot would not the Bishop have recourse to the Sovereign Poutia, were he to experience a similar difliculty ? Were Catholics admitted into Parliament, or into the higher Cruces of the State, they would frequently have to decide op.!' questions esseutially connected with the Protestant Es tablishment ; and could it be endured that were a doutst to cross their minds whether the point involved a civil or a re ligious obligation, that an appeal should be made in the first instance to an authority net recognized by the Constitution, and in the appointment of which the State is not even suffer ed to have a negative, arid iti the Bernier resort to a Foreign Authority at direct variance with the temporal power of the Government whereof the Roman Catholics would then form a part' Would not this lead to the most dangerous, the must frightful consequences ? All these apprehensions would be groundless , were a Romani Catholic permitted to reason on the justice or in justice of any particular Decree of his Holy Church ; hut this is not likely to he the case ; if it were xis, the manic of Roman Catholie would lie lost—the slavish chains with which his mental powers are now fettered would fuer their galling in teeny! ; he would become accustomed to think fur himself, and the splendour of that ratiom.l " Emancipation," which would be loilled with triumph by the true friends of civil and * Vide I'lowden's " Case Stated," and Dr. Tray's " Pas toral Letter," published 1793. T Vide " The Claims of the Raman Catholics considered, toh referrlice to the safety of the Estat4h3ticd Chinch, and I:igl►t>, ul liel4iuus Tuterativn."—tadell and Davies, relirions Liberty, Larst upon oar View with all its at- As, however, this cal never be the cast so lcng as the Doctrine of Infallibility is maintained, we can only lament that those who are otherwise every way calculated to assist their Conotty in 3 Legislative point of view, must necessarily be excluded front her Councils, iiiasmnels as they tuaiutairr a Doctrine which would produce an external iullueoce upon the discussions of her Legislature. A 11.0111 ii Si Catholic is not allowed to judge for himself—his lest is the keeper of his conscience ; and he may be obliged, under particular circumstances, however his better judgment may iodine him to the contrary, to adhere implicitly to cer tain din ections, and to repose his vindication for so doing upon the jujittiiisi/ity of his Holy Church ! Surely, with prin ciples like these, there could not possibly he a Rotaan Catho lic Legislature and a Protestant King, or a Protestant King, and a Roman Catholic Keeper of his Cimseience ? With respect to General Councils, their authority is cer tainly still recognized by the Roman Catholic Body. The Doctrine of Infallibility, which we have just been consider ing, r sts (in some measure) upon these ; but as to the ex tent of operation which is given to them by the Ro*san Ca tholics of the present day, there may he considerable differ ence of opinion. Most sincerely do I believe that several of the most objectionable Tenets promulgated by these Synods are not now liohleu. Every one, however, knows, that the must horrible and persecuting doctrines have been sent forth to the world in their Decrees, and it is clear from the Oaths of Supremacy that several of thew were considered to be in force at the time of the Revolution ; and I could have wished that instead of general questions having been put to foreign Universities with respect to this subject, the most objection able Declarations which remain upon record had been ex pressly specified, and an express Declaration of their being considered no Longo obligatory haying been insisted upon bring given by an authority capable of recognition by the whole Roman Catholic Body s. However, I ant content with resting my decided opposi tion to the Roman Catholic Claims upon their acknowledg ment of a foreign jurisdiction—upon their disinclination to allow the English Crown a Veto upon the appointment of their Bishops, and upon the general hostility of their Church to Civil and Religious Liberty. But let me not be misun derstood Ido not intend to say, that a t hue may never come, when, under the influence of an aspiring and design ing Pope, aidel by an intrigwing Clergy, an use may not be made of the Dogma of Infallibility, to recall into action De crees at which humanity shudders, and which are now re posing in merited oblivion. Enough, however, is new recog ilized of these Decrees to shew, that the Roman Catholics, though our fellow-subjects, profess a Religion hostile to our own; and which, cial.istently with its own principles, must always labour at exclusive ascendancy. Enough remain of them to shew, that every that who professes the Roman Ca tholic Religion, must believe every Church except his own to be schismatical and heretical ; and we need ❑ot recur to au cient Councils to know that Toleration is inconsistent with the principles of the Roman Catholic Religion; since a re cent Decree of the present Pope has expressly declared the fact, and held it out to be as impossible for the Roman Cntbo• lic Church to ally with the Protestant, as it would be for Christ to form an alliance with Belial. This was contained in a Declaration to the French Government, whereby his Holiness refused his assent to an Ordinance published by them, on the plea that in that Ordinance certain Sects dis wain from the Roman Catholic Church were tolerated. Indeed any recognition of the authority of these Councils is incompatible with Enelish ideas of Liberty. The subjects of this Realm are not bound by any Laws except those made by its Parliament or its Convocation ; the Decrees of a fo reign Assembly (unless they be adopted by England as a part of her Le.r 7t47)1 scripts') can never be received as Lasys for Englishmen, and it would be an anomaly indeed, for a Judge UN a Bench to recognize an authority as binding him in an Ecclesiastical point of view, which did not equally hind every subject of that country in which he was an Administra tor of Justice I It has always been holden impolitic to lodge power in the hands of those who are not friendly to the existing Establishments of the Country in which such power is to be exercised. This, according to Mr. Hutue, was the great fault of James II.—" He certainly was deficient in a " due regard for the Religious Establishment and Ecclesias " tical Constitution of Isis country." Mr. Fox, in his His tory of the Reign of James, has also adopted this principle; and with these great authorities before us—the latter of which, amongst Whigs, [ should conceive would be indisputable; what a singular feature would be presented to our view, in a Roman Catholic Judge presiding at the trial of a tithe suit commenced at the instance of a Protestant Clergyman ? Would the Learned Judge—indeed could he—forget the De crees of the Councils of his Church on such an occasion as this ? It is true he would be compelled to act according to the existing Laws, but would he not be placed in a most painful situation, when charging . a Jury of his country to find a verdict for a plaintiff, whom, in his consienee, he must believe had 110 Ecelesiatical right to the matters in litiga tion ? In me next Letter, I shall consider the subject of fo reign allegiance, as connected with the supposed supremacy of the Pope, and remain, your's, &c. April 17, 1819. BRITANNICIIS. * In 1759, when the Roman Catholics first began to urge the measure of general concession, Mr. Pitt submitted cer tain qmeations to the Universities of Paris, Douay, Louvain, Alcala, Salamanca, and Valladolid, relative to the Pope's Power of absolving Subjects from their allegiance, and as to Catholics keeping faith with Heretics, &c. The Universi ties denied that these Dogmas were holden by the then Roman Catholic Church. FtkEs.-.--Last night, about I I o'clock, an alsrm- Mg tire broke out in the house of Mr. baker, Rosetuary-lane, which, in a short time, consumed the bakehouse, and considerably da maged the bsck part of the dwelling-house. On the arrival of engines, the flames were ex tinguished 'without further damage. This morning, near one o'clock, anotht•r alarming fire broke out in the house of Mr. Dudley, Brown's-row, Mile-end-road, which iu a short time consumed the interior. On the arrival of engines and plenty of water, further damage was prevented. Yesterday the Grand Jury for the County of Middlesex found true Bills of Indictment for wil ful and corrupt perjury againt five of the prin cipal witnet.ses produced in behalt of the Peti tioner, who were ex.anined bdare the Select Committee appointed to try the merits of the Election for Penryn. THEATRICAL REGISTER. Perfortrted Last Night. TITEATFIE itOYAL. DRURY-LANE.-.—The BOSy Body: Martilot, 11r.IIarley Miranda, Mardyn. After which, Abuda TimaTal: COVENT-GM:DEM.—EVadDe : CitA racters by ,Nlr. Macready and Miss O'Neill. After Fortunatus and his Sons. I . * For LITERARY REVIEW, See the First Page—Far PARLLA mENTAItY PitocEcuiNGS, tce the Last Page. PRICE 0 STOCKS THIS DAY AT 3 per Cont. k s I.er Cent. Cons. 711 72 714;i 3 hei Cent SO 4 per Cents.. ....891Ai per Cent. Nary Ann. 103 i ELVt Bank lAing Ann. lR} India Bonds, :'Es. 38s. pr. Exch. Bills, 2d......5s 63. pr. Cons. for May 7e 711 MAILS. Atatvrv-1 Dublin, 1 Holland, I France. Due-1 Waterford, I Guarnsey and Jer.cy, I Sweden, I Hawburgli. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TOMORROW. Morning, 41 minutes after I.—Evening, G minutes after 2. THE SUN. gOLESI QUIS FALSUM AUDEAT ? LONDON, THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 1819. We received this morning the Paris Papers of Sunday and 'Monday last. The following are ex tracts : ~ CHAMBER OF PEERS, SATURDAY, APRIL 17. " the Order of the Day being read, for the consideration of the projet respecting tobacco, a Special Committee of five was appointed to ex amine it. '!'be Chamber separated without any fixed adjourninent. " CHANIIIEtt OF DEPUTIES. " On the Order of the Day being read for the Report of the Committee on the Second Projet respecting abuses of the Press, M. Cassai4noles, reporter of the Committee, developed, at some length, the reasons which had determined the Committee to recommend the adoption of the projet, with some amendments. " The discussion on the second projei was or dered to be opened on Wednesday. The discussion was resumed on the first pro jet respecting the Press. " The President read the Bth Article respecting outrages upon public morals and good manners, and stated the amendment moved by M.Chabron de Solilhae, to introduce the words upon the Reli gion of the State, or upon any other recognized mode of worship,' and the amendment moved by M. Benjamin Constant to strike out the words public morals.' M. Benjamin Constant withdrew his amendment . " M. Cliabron de Solilbac was beard in sup port of his amendment, which was opposed by 111. Keratry of Finistere, on the ground of the attacks made by the Members of different religi ous sects upon each other. M. Laine contended for the punishment of persons attacking religion generally, without reference to differences of sects, and proposed to substitute the words upon religion.' The Keeper of the Spits op iw,ed the introduction of any amendment with reference to this subject, maintaining, that in whatever form they introduced the words, they %vault! still interfere with the propagation of the religious doctrines of different sects. " M. de Solilliac withdrew his amendment, and that proposed by M, Laine was substituted in the discussion. " Upon this, after some further debate, the votes being doubtful, a scrutiny was demanded, the result of which was, that the amendment was rejected by a majority of 110 to 92. " The Chamber adjourned at half-past six, till Monday. " PARIS, APRIL 19.—Yestcrday, after mass, the Persian Ambassador paid his respects to the Princes and Princesses of the Royal Family. " The King after mass yesterday held a Court, which was numerously and brilliantly attended. The Prince de Talleyrand, the Cardinal de Luynes, several Peers, Marshals, &c, were present. " The Countess of Gotbland (Queen of Sweden) resides at present at the chateau of St. Joseph, a league from Marseilles. " The Count de Poss 6, who married the Prin cess Canino, daughter of Lucien buonaparte, has been appointed Resident Minister of Sweden at the Court of Naples. The Archduke Maximilian arrived at Vienna on the 3d instant. FIVE PER CENTS. Saturday GG f; 95 c. DVFP.RRED STOCK Of the 22d March, 1817, 84 f. 60e. 22t/ Se4q. 1817, 21'l March, 1818, SO f. GO c. 22(1 Sept. IRIS,. 22d March, 1819, 76 f. 70 s. CABLSRUHE, APRIL 13.—From the further infmmation acquired respecting the assassin of Kotzebue, 'bete appears reason to presume that Saud did not act alone from his own impulse, but that he was a member of a secret association. " Saud is narrowly watched iu the House of Correction at Manheim. It is said he will not make ally disclosure. It is still understood that he cannot recover. " STOCKHOLM, MARCH 23.—A strong and e%' tensive fortress is to be constructed in the centre ofSvreclen, between the Lakes Venern and-Yetter, twhich is to serve ns a general magazine and place of retreat for the Swedish army, in case or a re, verse, and as a bulwark against foreign invasion. • We have - received BostOn Papers to the 26th ult., and , Charieston to the 14!h ult. (From Tice Palladium of the 19th March.) Captain MORE, at Not folk, %% Ito left St. Barg, 4th February, reports, that part of 13tw's 3 Squadron, under Commodore JontE, consistiog of • one 20-gun ship, an 18-gun brig, and 4 la r g e schooners, were continually crnizing bct wecn Sc' Martin's and St. Bartholomew's, wiainst vessel' bearing the American Flag, occasionally an at the Five Islands, and were very successful. The day before Captain M. sailed they sen t into St. Earts,'a Guineaman having 200 slaves, an d a bars, quantity of gold dust and ivory, on board ; she "- chased six hours by the whole Squadron , and was captured by the brig Arab. The brig Rer thiic i a 2 . ll° formerly from Baltimore, under the Artig an v run into St. Barts, where she was seized an d s° : by the Government ; she was purchas ed by " c Agent of JoLtE, and being fitted in a so P etiQr style, was to sail the same day t o take in bc armament at the Five Islands, and P i " I" Squadron there. Captain M. was brought to by the Squadron, and treated with politeness. COMMERCE OF CHlLL—Letters from St. Jae de Chili state, that in consequence of the success' ful operations of the Patriots in that quarter, trade has revived in e surprising manner ; it enorneratell'a among other articles, that would command f prices and ready sales, India Cotton, g,,°`l6 low and middling qualities, German, Freo.:ll, Irish Linens, and Cabinet Fm nit tire. c n RiS 4 New YORK, MARCH 22.—Americans Dangeons.—Captaia S‘k lONE, who arrived in this port, reports, that the following Americans °e ► l . : III : prisoned in the Castle of St. Juan de Loz , ' et c , CEO: ; SAMUEL CALVIN, of Connecticut ; En wAB LAROQOI3, 01111 AUGUSTUS DUKEL, of ; JAMES LOVEGROVE, of the State of New V°rk and PIi!LEP Clizaor:, and JOHN AlljA , place of b:rth not recollected. Accounts from Aux Cayes contra dict the that M'Gattcott's troops bad all deserted fro g him ; that some of his sailors bad, b ut none° his troops ; two transports of troops w ere 10 4 ‘ outside, and that I\l'Gaticoa bad gone to 1".( ' au-Prince. report (From a Boston Paper of Me 17M alt.) THIS NAVAL DEPOT.—We learn that the Nslv' i Commissioners have combined, in the establish ment of the Grand Naval Depot for the Sou lber3 G Section of the Union, two distinct sites---°1; port as a fitting, repairing, and docking-yard' 1 c Burrel's Bay as the building-yard. The 19t tc place is in the County of the isle of Wh ite ' s il o the south side of James River, and 3 13 ° °t , miles distant from Norfolk ; it heads th e i°11 ; bar, which extends from the Warwick S li° 7 b g the Bay of Hampton Roads ; is almost a s t "' l4 , oo course, and the depth of water is sufficient 'O, ships of the largest draft ; at every point nec ro4 ,. nary to erect works of defence, nature " 5 P vided a foundation of solid rock, and ti's trance may be so fortified as to render it ' 11 ' 1)2 w is, ble to an enemy. We presume no pub si s T • o p will be commenced there until after ne 7° ' of Congress. ve it STOPPAGE OP SPECIE PAYMENTS.-"' re have from the best authority, that all the . ent-c ts Banks have suspended their Specie l' 4 Y lTje" o 49 and we are further informed, tha t these 133thc will not resume the payment of Specie . 0 11 Ohio Banks shall have done so , Tbis loftoren3tl may be relied oth e J ane SOUTHAMPTOI4, APRIL 21.--Ar t ' V-d Of the i l°rie pilot-boat, from Sea, with the Purser o Company's ship Buckinghamshire , from China and St. Helena. with diSPNliell One of the most interesting communieatl°l/1 which the Foreign Journals have lately enn tttilv. the ed, is that which states the intention of peror of Russia to emancipate the Peasnn trY of i bis his dominions. Such an act is worthyo greatest Monarch, and it will hand down the "an! of ALEX ANDna with hon our to the latest poster" as the P ea ty. '[his is indeed EMANCIPATioN ; l santry in Russia have hitherto been in s tate ° the most slavish humiliation ; but to apply tbg term to the Claims of P o p er y is to abuse and t° profane it. The Papists are , in point of gelig°"' as free in this Count r y as in the most bigntte6 Roman Catholic St ate, and if they were t ° sub , i wit to the tests required by our Constitution, 4I absolutely n ecessar y for the security 01 the Brit Throne, and the preservation of the PrOtesttia r