The Sun. — London, England, 1827-04-30 00:00:00

CATHOLIC CLAIMS. CHI STER r Amu 27. :Some degree of excitement has been created for the last few days ia_this city, by the official announce ment from the Mayor that a public meeting was to belald this day in the Town Hall to petition Par liament against the Catholic Claims followed as this was by an anonymous but demi-Official notice, placarded all over the city, that the petition would be opposed on the ground that the meeting, though os tensibly called to resist the Catholic Claims, was really intended to express indirectly an opinion fa vourable to the retired Ministers of the late Cabinet. Between the parties it is unnecessary to express an opinion. The Requisition was signed by 33 inhabit ants of the city. It was addressed to the Mayor, as follows : " We, the undersigned inhabitants, request you will call a public Meeting of the Inhabitants of this City for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of peti tioning both Houses of Parliament against granting political poa , er to his Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects." The following is a copy of the placard alluded to : " FRIENDS AND FELLOW-CITIZENS, BEWARE OF TRAPS. " A Meeting is called for Friday next, to petition against the Catholics. And why so ?It is hut recently you were called upon to do the same thing, and the House of Lords has not yet deliberated on the subject of your former peti tion. Why then again agitate this delicate question ? Why again endeavour to inflame the passions of the inha bitants of this ancient city on religious topics already too ninth inflamed by those of a local nature? I will tell you the reasons, because hints have been given from a distant quarter that it would be acceptable to a party that have just been defeated in an attempt to controul the prerogative 'of the King, and who have yet always pretended to exclu sive loyalty. They are now (and it is time) unmasked ; they are seen in their true colours; but in their expiring agonies they are determined to do all the mischief they can ; and they believe one great method of doing so will be to obtain petitions any where, or in any way, against the Catholics. It will be their watchword, but do not be humbugged and made parties to a desperate intrigue. Rouse yourselves, attend on Friday at the Town Hall, and sup pm t your Sovereign's independence of faction. "Itis no religious question, depend upon it. It is merely a political attempt to recover place and power.— Rouse, then defeat this disloyal mameuvre of a few, for few only of those who bare signed the requisition are really in the secret of this wily machination, and instead of the cry of No Popery, substitute that of the King's Preroga tive and No Petition." At twelve o'clock the Mayor took the Chair, and baring stated the object of the Meeting in the lan guage of the requisition, i said he was ready to hear any gentleman who was willing to address him on the subject. RICHARD TTRWITT, Esq., the Recorder of this city, said that having latterly devoted some atten tion to it, he could now declare, without reserve, that upon principle he was opposed to granting an) further concession to the Carholirs. Before enter ing into a discussion of the Catholic question, he wished to advert to an anonymous publication, which intimated that the present meeting was held for party purposes, and was intended to express in directly an opinion upon the present state of the Cabinet. He would assert broadly that there was no such object in view, and he hoped the writer would come forward and support his assertion; but if he did not, the respectability of the signatmes to the requisition would, he hoped, sufficiently refute the charge. The quarter from which he first heard of it was totally unconnected with political or local parties; and he hoped the people of Chester would not believe that he would lend himself to such an artifice. Before entering upon the objections which be had to the Catholic religion, he would lay it down as a position, that all men, whatever be their religious tenets, should not only be tolerated in the exercise of their faith, but also have the protection of the Government under which they live. He maintained that the Catholics enjoyed that tolera tion and protection; but he denied that legislative enactments on no account should be applied to im pose civil disabilities upon particular sects. He then moved, That a petition be presented to Parliament against giv ing political power t o th e R oman Catholic subjects of these realms. Mr. MORREL seconded the motion. Upon the resolution being read, Mr. WILLIAMSON moved, as an amendment, That in the opinion of this Meeting, any petition on the subject of the Catholic claims, is, at this period, ill-timed, more especially as having a direct tendency to harass a Ministry scarcely formed, and in constituting which, his Majesty has found it necessary to assert his prerogative undermost unusual circumstances of unbecoming opposzt:on, This was read and seconded. Mr. JOHNSON ROBERTS said that he would put a question to the Learned Recorder : he wished to know whether that gentleman would support an ap plication to Parliament for the repeal of the Test and Corporation oaths, as fares they applied to Dissenters. There was a long pause, and there being, ap parently, no disposition to answer the question, Mr. Roberts repeated it, when The RECORDER said that he would reserve to himself the right of expressing his opinion upon that subject in discussion, and although his mind .was made up respecting it, he did not wish to be cate chised, and would therefore decline to answer the question. Mr. ROBERTS said the Learned Gentleman must be inconsistent with himself if he did vote for a repeal of these oaths, but he would merely say, in addition, that he would oppose any attempt to agitate the Catholic question at the present moment, as such a course would only have the effect, and whe ther it was intended or not, it would have the effect of embarrassing the Government of the country at this important crisis, which he was most anxious to avoid, as he was favourable to a Ministry of liberal and general principles. The RECORDER (upon the amendment being put) said that the course pursued by the gentleman who supperted the amendment, was only an attempt to pass over the subject which this meeting assembled to discuss; and although those gentlemen denied any participation in the placard, they showed that they approved of its contents. He was surprised those gentlemen should not meet the question in which some of them felt such an interest. The petition was then adopted, and passed by a large majority. On the question of its being presented by the City Members. The Rev. Mr. BRIGGS, a Roman Catholic clergy man, offered hims e lf to t h e not i ce of the sneering, amidst mingled applause and disapprobation. He denied that the Roman Catholic church had any thing to do with the establishi ng or t h e rev i va l o f the Inquisition in Spain ; it was purely a measure of state policy, although ecclesiastics were engaged in i t. N o d ou bt crimes had been committed in Spain which would make every man shudd er , h ut they alone were responsible who . had comm i tte d them. Reverting to the reign of Elizabeth, notwith standing the insults and the injuries heaped upon the Catholics in that reign, they gave the most ms equivocal proofs of their loyalty, and an unanswerable Wument against the charge of divided allegian ce . hen this country was invaded by the invincible Spanish Armada, the Catholics were the first to oppose the invaders; and this, too, with their Ad miral's ship, the Santi.ssima Triniclada, bearing ni her that formidable animal the Pope's bull, which it had been asserted no Catholic dared to disobey.— (Applause.) The Catholics of that day did disre gard that bull; they said, " Queen Elizabeth is our sovereign, and her will we defend," and they drove the invader from their sheres.—(Much applause.)— As to the massacre of Protestants in the Irish re bellion, the learned Recorder could not be so igno rant as he affected to be upon that point. If so, he Mr. Briggs) would refer him to the report of the Irish House of Lords, declaring that the Catholics had no thing whatever to do in originating that massacre.-- It had been said that there was an extensive con spiracy by the Pope and the old Romish priesthood against the growing intelligence of the times and the liberties of mankind in general. He, as a Ca- tholic priest, denied that such was the fact; and upon the principle that every man is to be consi dered innocent until he is proved to be guilty, he claimid to be acquitted of this foul accusation. With equal solemnity did he deny that he was bound to obey every mandate of the Pope. If any such mandate were sent to him, requiring him to perform any act which his conscience as a Christian minister and his loyalty as an Englishman could not approve, he would spurn that mandate from him, and cast it to the winds.—(Applause and hisses.)—With re spect to the charge of not suffering the people to read the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue, that also was unfounded.—(Applause and much hissing.)— With respect to the charge of divided allegiance, the Rev. Gentleman challenged his opponents to show a single instance wherein the Catholics as a body had not been as obedient to the King as other subjects were called upon to be. He said as other subjects were called upon to be, because no Dissenter was called upon to acknowledge the King tobe head of his church; and, with this single exception, he defied any one to mention an instance wherein the Catholics had not been as obedient to the King as their Pro testant fellow-subjects, and wherein the gentleman, the soldier, and the sailor, was not, each, as for ward in the service of his country, as any of his Protestant brethren.—(Applause.)—Were the Ca tholics then to be stigmatised as disloyal, merely because they did not acknowledge the King to be the head of their church ?—(Applause and hisses.) —lf so, the 'same imputation would attach to the whole body of Protestant Dissenters, including the entire Scottish people, as well as a great proportion of the Irish; and the small minority of the esta blished church alone would be entitled to the merit of exclusive loyalty.—(Hisses.)—It had been said by the Learned Recorder, that the solemn declara tions of the Roman Catholic Bishops was not to be recorded—that it was only put forth for a particular purpose, and would be violated whenever it became necessary to do so'. He (Mr. Briggs) would not condescend to answer any man who should tell him that he was capable of violating a solemn declara tion. Upon his arrival in Chester a few years ago, he went before the then Recorder at the Sessions, and took the oath prescribed by the Irish statutes of 13th and 14th George 111. cap. 35, containing the following passage : " And I do declare that I do not believe that the Pope of Rome, or any other Foreign Prince, Prelate, State, or Po tentate, hath, or ought to have, any temporal or civil ju risdiction, power, superiority, or pre-eminence, directly or indirectly, within this realm ; and I do solemnly, in the presence of God and of his son Jesus Christ, my Re deemer, profess, testify, and declare, that I make this de claration, and every part thereof, in the plain and ordinary sense of the words, without any mental reservation," &c. Such was the oath, the Reverend Gentleman conti nued, he had taken in open Court, in the presence of his fellow citizens, and he thought it ought to be amply sufficient to satisfy every candid mind.—(Ap plause and hisses.)—lndeed, there were many en lightened Ministers and members of the Established Church who thought it no small reproach to their church that it was surrounded by pains and penal ties. If that church was founded upon a rock, why fear it If the doctrines of the Romish Church were so absurd and ridiculous, so blasphemous and idolatrous, as the Learned Recorder represented them to be, why not leave those doctrines to the good sense and superior intelligence of the British public ?—( Hisses.) The RECORDER said that the dissenters had been artfully mixed up with the present discussion, but he considered their claims entirely different. The Learned Gentleman then read some extracts from a Bull, we believe, of Clement VIII., in which the Clergymen were desired to call in the secular arm in aid of their own, to prevent the reading of the Scriptures, and also, from the same authority, one granting iudulgencies for incest, for a sum not more than twelve pence ; but imposing a fine of 100 ducats for reading the Bible. Procuring abortion was set down at 73. 6d.—(App;ause.) The Rev. Mr. BR IGGS begged' to ask the Learned Gentleman whether he gave creeitto - that Staleffie' —(Great confusion prevailed at this moment.) The RECORDER, after some hesitation, said, with great emphasis, " Well, I do believe it." Mr. HOSTAGE, an attorney, who is a Catholic, re quested of the Meeting to be heard.—(There was considerable impatience manifested when this Gen tleman rose.)—He said that after the language which had been applied to his religion, and to hirny_..lf, as a Catholic, he hoped for a hearing. He was grossly insulted and accused of perjury—language, which, if applied to him in another place, he would not reply to by argument. Here a scene of confusion commenced. The cries of " Turn him out!" resounded through the Hall, and some of the crowd seemed inclined to put their threats into execution, Mr. Hostage telling them to do so if they dared. The interposition of the Mayor could scarcely restrain the fury of the Meeting, and Mr. Hostage had to sit down. When silence was restored, The Rev. J. TIIORPE said, that whilst he disagreed with Mr. Hostage in opinion, he, as an Englishman, thought it disgraceful to the Meeting not to allow that gentleman a hearing. Mr. HOSTAGE resumed.---He said that the Catho lics were charged with believing in the infallibility of their Church. He was a Catholic, but he did not believe in it. And after alluding to one or two points in the. Recorder's speech, he said, that know lug the temper of the Meeting, he did not wish to provoke it by trespassing on their patience. The Rev. J. HOSKINS said, that it would appear from the last speaker, that the object of the Catho lics was to bring back the tolerant times of James the Second. And (addressing himself to the Ca tholic Clergyman, he said) that Rev. Gentleman has told us of the oath he has taken, and he also says that the Romish Church does not sanction the Inquisition. I tell him that I believe his oath as much as I do his assertion.—(Silence of astonish.. ment followed this declaration.) The Rev. Mr. BRIGGS rose, but the disorder was so great, that it was difficult to hear him. He said he disdained making a reply to the last speaker, and that, with respect to his Church, her practice would best refute the charges made against her. The Rev. Mr. THORPE said, that he came to the Meeting without any intention of speaking; but, as a dissenting Clergyman, he was bound to say that there was no connection between the Test and Cor poration Oaths and. Catholic Disabilities; and his aversion to Popery arose not only from the idola tries, but from her principles being opposed to civil and religious liberty.—(Cheers.) Thanks were moved to the Mayor, and the Meeting was dissolved. The Meeting was one scene of uproar, after the Recorder had first spoken and the petition was read. The petition was signed by numbers who were Present, and will remain for signature at the Com mercial Rooms. IMPERATOR.—The learned have been divided on the exact meaning of the Latin word Impe rator, from which we have derived Emperor, some asserting it merely implied conqueror, and cite that Cicero was saluted Imperator . on his return from hi s p roconsu l a t e . O t h ers affirm it to he only a title of sovereignty. Both are right in their affirmation, and wrong in their negation. Imperator had both those meanings, as is evi dent from the inscription on a medal struck during the reign of . Augustus—imp. Cavan Divt : A. Augustus Imp. XX. Its precise meaning may always be ascertained by its posi don in the phrase. When it means sovereignty, it precedes all names and titles ; or, in other words, begins the phrase : when, on the con trary, it designates victories obtained, it is placed after the name, and generally after every other title, as in the instance above cited.--Literary Gazette. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. F,RENCH PAPERS. (From the Etoile, dated Saturday, April 28.) PARIS, APRIL 27.—The responsible editor of the Constilutionnel has been summoned to-day be. fore M. Desmortiers, the Juge d'lnstruction, to make known the several testimonies which, accord ing to an article inserted in that Journal this very day, are affirmed to have disclosed the presence of agents exciting to the commission of disorders (agens provocateurs) in the scenes of the 18th and 19th of this month." " CONSTANTINOPLE, MARCH 25.—1 t is said that the Servians have opposed in arms the introduction by the Pacha of Belgrade of more than 500 of the new troops into the fortresses dependent on his. Government. Three new deputies have been chosen to go to Constantinople with a secretary. " The Muhurdar of Kosrew Pacha, the late High Admiral, had received the two tails as a reward for his zeal and aptness in learning the new military exercise. " The first regiment of new troops, 3,000 strong, besides 180 horsemen, is gone to join the,army in Rumelia. It has marched to Daoud Pacha, and has been reviewed by the Sultan. Another regi ment has come from Scutari, to take its place in the barracks of :Eski Serai. Three thousand men had previously marched to Larissa. A thousand men of the 2d Regiment set out on the 22d from E s ki Serai, for Daoud Pacha, with 12 cannon, in the same order, and with the same ceremonies, as the preceding. The Greek Patriarch has exiled the Metropolitans of Ephesus, Heraclea, Demotica, and Janina. Eight hundred cavalry horses have arrived from the principalities on the Danube. Nearly an equal number has been sent to the Government by different Pachas. " It is said that funds have been sent to Redsehid Pacha to mast 10,000 Albanians. " Ten corvettes and two brigs are at anchor off the Sultan's summer palace, and will sail with the first good wind, under the command of Natil Bey, who is appointed Seraskier of the fleet. It is thought he will go directly to Syra to land in that island, which is the entrepot for the commerce and the supply of the Greeks in the Archipelago. " On the 23d a fire broke out near the mosque of Sultan Achmed ; it did not spread far; the new firemen behaved with great zeal and discipline. " A deputy of the Servians is already at Pere, and it is said he has come from St. Petersburgh. " Six hundred and seventy Armenians who were married out of Constantinople have been sent to their families. It is thought that the same measure is going to be taken with respect to the Greeks."— Analysis of the Greek .lournals. " On the 12th of February (N.S.) there was an action at Stiri : the loss of the Turks was con siderable. The Greeks had only two men killed and six wounded. " On th , : 18th of February, the army of Omer Pacha, being surprised at Distomo by Karaiskaki, took flight. Some escaped to Distomo; others to Turcokhori. Omer Pacha took the road to . oropo. About the same time the Turkish garrison of Salons abandoned the fortress, which fell into the hands of the Greeks commanded by Panora, ao that all Western Greece is now free.—Gazette of Egina, Nos. 27 and 29. "Letters have been received at Hydra from Ge neral Rango, dated the sth of February. He stated that he had taken possession of Lesini Dragousestre, and St. Elie, and Acarnania, and forced the Turks 'to retreat as far as Mahalle and Candila.—Journal Of Hydra, No. 270. " Tir,l of waiting for the final union of the Ple nipotentiaries of Greece, those who had already gone to Egina wrote on the Ist. of February to the Ple nipotentiaries at Hermione, proposing them to choose a third place for the seat of the National Assem bly. They even sent six of the Representatives to come to an arrangement with them. " On the 6th of February, the Deputies at Her mione answered, that being the most numerous, any linvtrig fallen - on Milt town they invited them to come hither as soon as possible. The others answered that they did not recognize the majority of the plenipotentiaries at Hermione, as that was no proof that they were empowered ; they at the same time protested against all the acts of that assembly."—Gazette of Egina, Nos. 27 and 28. " On the 23d the Assembly at Hermione announ ced that that the Representatives of the provinces being finally assembled, it was going to commence its labours under George Sisini, as President"— journa,' if Hydra, No. 268. " The same declaration was made by the plenipo tentiaries at Egina, on the 7th of March, under Pa noulzo Notara, as President."—Gazette of Egina, No. 30. " On the 22d February there was a skirmish at the Piraeus. Many Turks were killed; the Greeks had two killed and seven wounded. " On the 4th March the Ottoman troops attacked the three towers which General Calierghi had made himself master of a few days before in the Mums. Both parties fought desperately from the morning till the evening. The Turks had 700 killed and 300 wounded. The Greeks had lost 10 killed and 20 wounded. On the 2(1 of March a proclamation of the Government was published, announcing the blockade of the ports of Trikeri and Mallo, as well as the whole island of Euham, with a view to cut off the supplies of provisions from the besiegers of Athens. The blockade was intrusted to the Hellas frigate, commanded by Miaulis; the Perseverance steam-boat, and the Ipsariot brig the Nelson, com manded by Capt. Dimitri-Papa-Nicoli. Some troops on board were to land at Oropo, where are the ma gazines of Redschid Pacha. The expedition was to be directed by the Bavarian Colonel Chares d'Hei deck (Heidegger.)—Gazette of Egina, Nos. 29, 30, and 31. " Karaiskaki, after having provided for the de fence of Western Greece, had marched towards Attica. Coletti of Talante had cut off all communi cation between Redschid Pacha and Volo, where the Seraskier has his magazines of wheat.—Journal of Hydra, No. 270. (From the Constitutionnel.) " Lisnos, APRIL 11.—The Ministry, it seems, have determined for the present not to publish the decrees of Don Pedro IV., brought by M. Abrantes. It is even said, t h at Si r W. A'Court has declared that he will take upon himself the responsibility of justifying to his Majesty this resistance. Sir Wm. A'Court is the same person who, first at Sicily, then at Naples in the years 1820 and 1821, and in Spain in the years 1822 and 1823, attended the funeral ceremonies of all the constitutions. " The documents, the publication of which has been refused, are, it is said—l. A proclamation by Don Pedro to the people of Portugal, which is stated to contain the following passag e :—' If the rebellion continue, I shall return to Europe, to head the faithful Portuguese, and make known to the whole nation the only path which honour and duty permit to be followed.' 2. A . royal decree, ap pointing five new Councillors of State. Dr. Abrantes, the titular Bishop of Coimbra, Pre sident of the Chamber of Deputies; the Archbishop of Elves, member of the Chamber of Peers ; Gra- Vito and Philip Fereira, Minister of the Interior under the former Cortes, all tried patriots, are the five new councillors. 3. A decree authorising the Continuance of the Session of the Cortes, to vote the laws necessary for the carrying the constitution into effect. 4. A decree creating several new Peers, chosen among persons who have recently acquired property and distinction in society, to balance the exclusive and interested influence of the feudal aristocracy. " It is also affirmed, that one of the most import ant arrangements determined on by Don Pedro, is to guarantee the Regency of the Princess Isabella Maria during the minority of the young Queer), and to secure a successor for her in case of death, in order to exclude Don Miguel from the Regency. It is known that there exists at this moment a formi dable intrigue, supported by foreign influence, to de feat this arrangement. Finally, it is said that Don Pedro has addressed a letter to his mother, request- LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, APRIL 30, 1827. The French Papers of Friday, with the Etoile dated Saturday, have been received. Their principal contents relate to Greek affairs, which, upon the whole, are in a prosperous state. The arrival of Lord COCHRANE must infuse unani mity into their councils, and impart some of his own decisive energy into their warlike operations. It appears that the Government, after some dissen tion as to the place of holding theLegislativeAssem bly, are to reside at Hermione, and to commence their labours under the Presidency of GEORGE SISINI. It is said that the Turks attacked on the 4th IVlarch the three towers in the Piraeus, which the Greeks had taken a few days before : the contest was maintained with desperate bravery on both sides from morning till night, when vie tory favoured the Greeks, who lost 10 killed and 300 wounded. The loss of the Turks was much more considerable, being 700 killed and 300 wounded. A proclamation had been published on the 2d March, by the Greek Government, declaring the ports of Trikeri and Malmo, as well as the whole Island of Eubcea, under blockade, in order to cut off the supplies of provisions from the Turks besieging Athens. This blockade was entrusted to the brave Mmums, who went with the Hellas frigate, the Perseverance steam-boat, and other vessels. Some troops were taken on board under the orders of the Bavarian Colonel CHARES, who was to land them at Oropo, and attack the magazinerof REDBCHID PACHA. The news from Lisbon, in the French papers, state the diplomatic affairs of the Kingdom to be in great, perplexity,. owing to the arrival of Dr. ABRANTES with the reported proclamations of the EMPEROR, but which, if correct, are not yet published. Until the Executive Government be sufficiently organised, there can be but little hope of effective measures being adopted, either to organise a system of internal order or external defence. The Portuguese Government is mixed up_with too much of the old leaven of bigotry and national prejudice to effect any salutary re form. Every thing that trenches on old popular habits, aristocratical privilege, or priestly power, must find few admirers, and far less friends. The people have been so long in leading strings that they cannot now do without them—their mental vision has been so deplorably darkened that they dread the light of knowledge, and it is the interest of their ghostly advisers to keep up the delusion, for so long as the people reinain ignorant so long is the influence of the Priests perpetuated. Extracts will be found in another column. We received, this morning, the Austrian Observer, of the 18th inst. It contains some extracts from the Universal Gazette of Greece, to the 10th of March, but nearly the whole have been anticipated through other channels! Colonel FABVI ER was convalescent. The Works [ of Art, at Athens, were i n much d anger f rom . the bombardment of the Turks. A bomb had fallen on the temple of Erectheus, and de stroyed it ; eleven persons of both sexes, one of whom was GOURAS, were buried under the ruins. The Parthenon had been previously destroyed by another bomb ; and the remaining monuments of antiquity seemed to be threatened with the same danger. A more detailed account is given of the battle of Distomo, in which the Greeks behaVed with great spirit. The Universal Gazette of Feb. 28 contains two reports from Karaiskaki and the Committee of Government. The first relates the entire defeat of the Turks at Diatom°, in the night of the 17th of February, where, being attacked by the Greeks during the night, they abandoned their camp, with the tents and baggage, and were pursued by the Greeks. Their loss is stated to be very great, but not exactly known. The other report relates the evacuation of the citadel of Salona by the Turkish garrison, in conse quence of the dispersion of the army at Distotno. Nothing now remains to be done, in order to complete the great work, but to deliver the illustrious city of Athens. "Ins or 6 days," says Karaiskaki, "we shall arrive with all the troops of the Government, now here to shed the last drop of our blood for the deliverance of Athens." The reports are dated Distomo, 19th and 20th February. They are fol lowed by a short account of a skirmish between the Pi ranis and Athens, the 22d February. We are enabled to contradict most decidedly a rumour circulated some time ago, that the Marquis of WELLESLEY had changed his opi nion on the Catholic Question. The enemies of Emancipation considered the circumstance as highly favourable to their views, and hailed the accession of so much talent to their side with a joy fully authorised by their consciousness of its previous scarcity. We never believed the story for a moment, but we have now the satisfaction of denying it on the autho rity of a gentleman thoroughly acquainted with his Lordship's sentiments, and who says that there never *as the slightest ground for such a rumour. The prospects of the Catholics are altogether so very flattering, that we cannot help expressing our conviction that the period of their triumph is not very distant. But we should be deeply grieved to see these prospects injured, and bigotry strengthened, by forcing the measure pre maturely upon this deluded nation. We repeat it, that the Catholic Question only wants fair play, which it never has had hitherto. The people of England have been panic struck by the false representations of timid or inte rested persons, for if they had not been deceived, they are too brave and generous to maltreat Ire land, for the sake of avoiding dangers purely ideal, or at best, coming barely within the verge of possibility. But bigotry will not now be at a premium, and Orange illiberality will be no longer the passport to influence and to power. Conscientious scruples may be respected, while their existence is regretted ; but there will be now no bribe to mislead the possessors of Orange prejudices, as to the intensity with which they feel them. It is also very satisfactory to think that Churchmen in Ireland are not so Anti-Catholic as in this country_ There are at least four of the Irish Bishops favourable to Catholic Eman cipation, and a great many of their clergy are known to have similar sentiments. Indeed, a .. j3 ' ipht _R_ey. VAthar,--In e.m.. a .tlje...)orioqt...Q.Kggi. districts, has. lately decl are d hi s conviction, that a great proportion of his clergy agree with him in wishing for Emancipation, as the best security for their own church ; and that when a fit op portunity occurs, he has no doubt they will join him in making an open avowal of their opinions. _ - As to the extent of the reformation now going on in Ireland, the truth, as in most cases, lies between the extreme statements of the opposite parties. The unfair advantage which the Anti- Catholics wished to derive from the circum stance, induced their opponents to ridicule, and to deny the conversions which undoubtedly have taken place, and are still in progress. The distribution of the Scriptures has had the natural effect of opening the eyes of the Irish peasantry to the errors of the Catholic faith, and to the cruelty of witholding from any of his creatures those momentous truths, f It showed v. l e l iediloy t t he oNfvuoerrr e l t l at e si d lkiel e ot e ot m g pr e e r riayntt altdonedt futurity, ut the blre l iy ;rl ,leio c clearly ia l irrnillteod .ee_nx t d il e e av D ou is r p p o r a e e s r u o m f p E tu ve o n u t s 6 ly in t a o y fi a x pp tl o ie in p t e f r o i r o b d ri w n • gi hi l c lg h into the bosom of the Protestant Church the majority of the Irish nation ; but it is highly gratifying to know that the spirit of reformation has been met by an increased zeal in .their vocation on the part of the Irish Clergy, and it is a strange fact, that in parts of the country were Government were blamed for building Churches without a Protestant population to fill ia t shnecomffne—gcrteengdoa congregation o nf i a l im e r r am a k r ee e as n t i h st,s e Churches finished, vawas owingtli an or bribery, the Catholic aalpi P dP r en i a e ro s at t nsbeyec.ahpnoWeorllihaeciNc'eul this ' just tranquillitygro u nd of ff Ireland,com pla complaint, and tae rebellions, i e irot l i n i e e i vss v! an,g or r hat t ratherthe chieflythe e between exe rt o s p o o; absence of law and justice, we trust they will still show themselves the friends of Ireland, by using no undue means to maintain that religion which they themselves hold to be the true faith, but which the meanest of their flocks have a per fect right to exchange for one which fair argu ment convinces them to be better and purer. In another part of our paper will be found an article from the Allgemeine Zeitung, pur porting to be the Protocol of the conferences of the 4th April, signed at St. Petersburgh by Counts NESSELRODE and LIEVEN on the one part, and the Duke of WELLINGTON on the other, but we cannot vouch for its authenticity. Jamaica Papers have been received at the North and South American Coffee-house, to the 12th of March. The following are extracts:— " It is stated that in the absence of the Duke of Man chester from this Island, Major-General Sir John Kean will be sworn in as Governor of Jamaica." " A letter from Port-au-Prince, dated the 19th of February, says—The Haytian Government has received their answer from the French, whieh proves unfavourable. It is said that the Secretary of State for the French Colo nies expressed much surprise to learn that any part of the Ordonnance of Charles the Tenth required explanation as regards the Salt duties, particularly as the Haytian Go vernment had acted upon it. The communication is said to give a pretty broad hint, that if Hayti does not fulfil the engagement, France has the means and will to compel her. The Fleche sloop of war is momentarily expected from France, and by her the ultimatum. It appears pretty certain, that this country is now considered as a French Colony. The people here are seriously disposed to repulse the French, should they attempt an invasion. The arsenal here was entirely destroyed by an explosion, ing her to come to Rio de Janeiro, to superintend the education of the young children, who have had the misfortune to lose their mother, the Empress Maria Leopoldinc." FRENCH FuNns, APRIL 27.—Five per Cents. 100 f. 95c. ; 3 per Cent.. 71f. ; Bank Stock, 2,025 f. ; Rentes de Naples, 78f. 15c. ; Royal Spanish Loan, 58if. LORD COCHRANE. The following letters are extracted from the Gazette de Lausanne, dated April 20 : FROM LORD COCHRANE TO THE GREEK GOVERNMENT, WRITTEN SHORTLY BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE. " Your Excellencies—l have the honour to inform you, that I shall set out in a few days. I shall sail on board one of the vessels which have been given by the European Com mittees to the Greeks. I come as an Admiral in the service of Greece, and I desire immediately to aid your great cause. For this purpose I wish you would send forthwith to Kydra, or to the Road, authority for me to hoist the flag of your country. _ 4 ‘ I shall only touch at Hydra, without disembarking, for I. will not set my foot on your shores, or present myself to the Government at Napoli, until after I have endeavoured to render the Greek flag tri u mphant. _ I beg that you will direct the brave Miaulis to prepare two of his best sailing vessels, well armed and provisioned for two months ; and I should wish that they might be ready to accompany me upon my arrival, in order to enable me to act immediately, and to prove to Greece my devo tion to her cause. " I am, &c." FROM LORD COCHRANE TO ADMIRAL :MAUL'S. " Brave Admiral,—l expect shortly to be off Hydra, and to commence directly my operations for the service of Greece. I particularly wish to find ready on my arrival at Hydra two of your best ships of war, provisioned for two months. This is of so much importance, that I have just written respecting it to the Government. Be so good, brave Admiral, to anticipate its orders, if they should not be quickly forwarded to you, and rely on the high conside ration and esteem of him who waits impatiently for the moment which shall enable him to share your laurels. " I am, Scc." FROM ADMIRAL MIAIJLIS TO M. FYNARD. Sir,-1 received your letter of the 19th of December. Inasmuch as the presence of Lord Cochrane is necessary for the military operations of the Greek navy, it is equally as necessary that the wants of the fleet under the com mand of that intrepid officer should be attended to. Your indefatigable zeal has happily provided for those wants, by a convoy of provisions, specially destined for that fleet, and you have thereby given us a new proof of your wise fore sight, and your great activity in the service of our unfor- tunate nation. " I thank you sincerely for your kind expressions, and for the confidence which you have shown towards me, in choosing me one of the commission for the inspection of provisions. Both Admiral Tombazis and myself take all pains to prove ourselves worthy of the choice. " It was with this design that we represented to our esteemed colleague, M. Geese, the actual state of our affairs. We told him, that, on account of the disturbances which had lately happened at Hydra, we did not consider it desir able to establish in that island the magazine of provisions ; that we thought the Isle of Paros, where we are residing, much more advantageous for that purpose ; that it was de sirable that the Noble Lord (Cochrane) should steer his course direct to that island, as he would find these the ves sels and all the necessary supplies, with the preparation of which I have been occupied according to the order of the Government; and that we should have, therefore, the pro visions under our immediate inspection, whilst, if they are placed at Hydra, we could neither superintend their distri bution nor be responsible for their safety. " We have considered it necessary to make this expla nation to M. Gosse, but he did not think it right to allow any deviation from your instruction., until the arrival of Lord Cochrane, who will himself decide on the most ad vantageous course. This is the situation in which we now stand, hoping that it will not be long before the noble Lord appears. -" The certain news of his arrival has reanimated the hopes of the Greeks. They look for him with open arms. I am at present occupied at Paros, in preparing two vessels for •t}ie; secret expedition which Lord Cochrane meditates. I feel a glorious pride in co-operating with this illustrious Admiral, for the safety of our country. " I am, &c." 1311 rk sthelt Consols, 3 per cent ...... Gov. Stock, 3% per cent.... 88ji Ditto, New 4 per Cent. Gov. Deb. 3 per cent...99%7i Royal Canal Stock Grand Canal Stock " City Deb. 4 per cent 88314 Ballast Office Deb. 4 p. ct Royal Irish Ditto ` r National Ditto lO Patriotic Ditto Hibernian Bank Provincial Ditto 2 04 Royal Irish Mine Imperial Mine Mining Co. of Ireland Commercial Buildings 4, 4 Ire*, i „ .401111 0 .4,VIViMaiaj, W, - 3334. on the 3d instant. The _quantity of , powder in( it r i i„ the conflagration took place, `was s aid t o b e 4,00 0, Several persons were killed, among them Count Da til The President had a narrow e sca p e , as he, onlY..),',C__Awt arsenal about ten minutes before it blew i,l. The Pr was intended to be shipped on board the brig Jean P' for St. Jeremie. Immense quantities of every kind Government stores have aLso been destroyed." Dutch Papers have been received to the 2 91 inst. The following is the only article worl extracting—it is commercially important ST. PETERSBURGII, APRIL 12, N.S.—The ice JO O river is in a very precarious state, and we daily expect i t ' break up. Amur. IS, N. S.—The ice is in motion this rnornirt and the bridges are taken away. AMSTERDAM, Aran. We understand that his Majesty has resolved, that the advantage of commerce a great distinct and nati° l ' entrepot shall be established in this city. R The three vessels in whi c h the troops sth i a r t ß l l a L 2 te/;I! this place embarked for the East Indies, sailed from tl Texel yesterday. AMSTERDAM, AMU. 27.—Exchange on London, 12 two months, 11 94 to 11 95. The Norval, CONBRO, from Bengal the Bt l of December, brings the following piece of In telligence " By private letters from an English Gentleman rteid►ol in Ava, of the date of the 4th of October, it appears the Mr. CRAWFURD, our Envoy, arrived at Ava in the end ° September—bad been extremely well received—bad see l the Chief Ministers, and that the KING had appointed early day far an audience." The Marchioness of Queensberry packet sailed Vera Cruz on the 6th or 7th ult., and from the Hayman , on the 18th, for Bermuda and Falmouth; she m a y WO quently be hourly expected. ISLE OF MAN.-The Mails for this Island will be del *patched from Liverpool every Monday and Friday or itj the 9th May next, and after that day every Monday, W nesday, and Friday, until further notice. The letters received per the Jamaica packet morning, furnish very unfavourable accounts of the crops in th a t I s l an d, part i cu l ar l y i n Sugar and Coffee, oceasiorleg; by the heavy weather they experienced in the month 0 , November last. Extract of a Letter from Cartbagena, dated the 20 Feb.:—The Colombian vessel Colombia, 64 guns, cog , ' manded by Commodore Chitty, is ordered to prepare for in' . mediate service, to join the Cundimarca,tat Puerto Cabello' The Boyaco sloop of war will also proceed thither, if they can muster men for the two ships. Report says that an expedition is preparing against the island of Porto-Bie n; to sail from Puerto Cabello, and that the islanders Ar e ready to receive the Colombians as friends. THE FUNDS -(THIS DAY). CITY, Twelve o' Cloak. The British Funds have not had any important feature all the morning, an,4 the market wears rather a heavy 11 3 : pearance ; the fi rs t pr i ce o f C onso l s were 82 j 3, at wbic,r rate they r ema i ne d f or some t i me, b ut have gone to 821 The premi um on I n di a Bonds and Exchequer Bills maintais. their price, the former being 60 70, the latter 44 5. day is settling day in the Foreign Funds ; Mexican Bon d " are steady at 698 Colombian opened at 331 but bar e since been 334, buyers, arising more from the st a te of re count than any further intelligence favourable to th ese ,. Bonds, and as a ll h opes o f a remittance are given up fr°w. _ A this quarte r , th e hi g hl y respectable Broken who affeew' insurance on the long looked for speCie ordered by It Hurtauo some months ago, are this day cancelling the sao at Lloyd's, on which, from the first, so farfrom any intere t being expected, the Underwriters secured a small per centsge' as a remuneration for their trouble in case such a measur e should take place on anticipation. Shares remain in most pitiable condition, and if a sale takes place of ever ° trifling importance, it is blazoned forth. Three per Cent. Consols, 821 ; Ditto for accoun t, 821 4; Three per Cent. Reduced, 82k a ; Three and! half per Cent. Reduced, 884 4 ; Four - per Cent. 99 • Ind ° , Stock, 246 7; Bank Sto c k, 203 4 ; E xc h equer Bills, Ag 5 pm. ; India Bonds, 69 70 pm. FOREIGN FuNns.—Brazilian, 63i ; Buenos A.Yre e , 571 8i ; Colombian, 1824, WI ; Danish, 611, 1.; 'Franc Five-per Cent. 'l'ool ; 'Prench Thre e p er I t. 71 ; Greek, T6l - 1 ; Mexican, h per Cant., 57 1; • Ditto 6 per Cent., 694 4 ; Peruvian, 32 ; • Portugue ee ' 784 i; Russian, 90.1 i; Spanish, 121 13. Es.—Anglo Mexican, 40 374 dia.; Real del !'.ont o ' 85 90 pm. ; Tlalpuxahea, 20 2Q4 pm. ; United Mesciel°' 13 12 die.. Two o' Clock- Console are 823- buyers, with scarcely any busirur; India Bonds have touched 71 pm. ; Exchequer Bills tO without variation since the morning. The foreign settle ment appears be passing off smoothly, and no alteration can he quoted in Colombian or Mexican Bonds. THREE 0' CL 0 CO. Consols, 82A, the price; Colombian Bonds' 32k; Mexican Bonds, 68k. FOUR O'CLOCK—CLOSING PRICES. Consols 82i 3 Danish Bonds 61i Do. for Ac. 82i 3 Greek Do. 1825, 16i Brazilian Bonds 63 Mexican Do. 1825 64 Buenos Ayres Do. Peruvian Do. 29 Chilian Do. 331 Russian Do. 94 Columbian, 1824, 324 Spanish Do. 121 We call the attention of our readers to a segueat Chester, which needs no comm en t. THE ARRIVAL OF A H EBREW AmBAsSA " nd Ambassador Morocco. to our G oerr" inn DOR.—Mr. Macnin arri ve d l ast week from Mc". gadre ro a m "O theite Em peror The above gentleman h as b rought wi t h him six ' Alv bian horses, an d several mules, as a present to his . Majesty, G eorge IV. from the Emperor; a lion and li oness, which were intended fo r his 'M a j esty, di ed on the voyage. The' above e o t f , gentleman has resided in this country before as a merchant. A gentleman .was asked by a friend " why 11 , e , always called Lords Eldon and Co. the Ex'S . —" Why, I am sure (said he) you cannot call them the Y's."—rteise.) The Hon. J ames Sin c l a i r , M.P., i s a rrived at the Buck's Head Hotel, i n thi s c i ty , in order to take the comm a nd of th e D epot o f th e 92d Re giment.—Glasgow Herald. We learn from a W ex f or d paper , that, n con sequence of the ch a ll enge o f th e Bi s h o p of Ferns, the Rev. Mr. O'Neill, P. P. of Ferns has in vited his Lordship to a controversial discussion. —Dublin Patriot. The trial of Mr. Sheehan, one of the Pio prietors of the Evening Mail, at the prosecu - - tion of Mr. Glynn, another partner, came on to day, and Mr. Sheehan was acquitted. —Dublin Patriot of Thursday. The Rev. John W. Eveers, R. C. Curate of Carrick• on-shannon, has received into his church nine converts from Protestantism._ Waterford Mirror. TELL IT NOT IN GATIL—Frail is the me mory of a statesman, and short are the steps in this country between resignation and oblivion ! , : ia H rte e r al A tli ss o e f m L b o l3 r , d o l: Itehle -Will our readers believe us when we inform it tne A d N is p eUs s s H io E n .: them, that at a dinner of the Magistrates, Con stables, and other civic functionaries of Ports burgh on Monday, the ville ' was proposed, and, after some Ri rejected rEpisc ! T ! i - I,Oll S s co od t elF s y ni L a a l o i. lo,3l) mAy Corporation was held in the Assembly House, e purpose e g year, w h e n Al ttrehileected to fill th e o ffi ce of of electing the dL\C‘eiervirili'dilciaain:°ANl-flisatlycirgeeoreersn.t't for the ' r h e nam e s of the following; Gentlemen were sent up to the Board as Can didates for the office of Sheriff, viz.—Sir Richard Steele, John Leland Maquay, Fisher, Hoyt°, Dejoncourt, Roose, Woods, and Scott. Th-- Board in a for minutes inforMed the Com mons that the election had fallen upon Sir Richard- Steele, Bart. and John Leland Maquay, Esq.—Dublin Evening Mail.