The Sun. — London, England, 1825-01-29 00:00:00

A DEFENCE of the PROTESTANT CHURCH from the ATTACK of the MODERN HISTORIAN of the -REFORMATION, W. COBBETT. (No. III.) Ma. EDlTOR—Pursuing the origin of the Church, I agree with this historian that it origi nated with Jesus himself, but by no means do I agree with him that he selected Peter to be the Head of the Church, nor can I account for any one who attempts to write a history of that period committing so gross a blunder. Surely he cannot be so ignorant as not to know the challenge which has been offered again and again by Protestant Divines to the Papists, to produce the authority (which they never yet have pro duced) in favour of St. Peter's select commission. Of that commission, they have repeatedly argued there is no foundation in the Sacred Oracles, no not even in the Acts of the Apostles recorded by St. Luke, who himself informs us in the preface, " that he had. attained ,a perfect understanding ID all things, and had undertaken to write in order the things which were surely believed among Christians." Nor is there a word said in any part of these Oracles to favour such a distinction between St. Peter and the other Apostles. Whenever the question of precedency among them came before their Lord himself, so far from encouraging any pre-eminence of one above another, he turns their " strife—who of them should be accounted the greatest" into a lesson of humility, forbidding any one of them to " exercise lordship as the Kings of the Gentiles" over the other, declaring - that " his kingdom is not of this world," and his immediate disciples or ministers were not chosen to exercise authority so much as to suffer like their Master ; in all humi lity not preferring one above another, but to become as little children, for whosoever should humble himself as a little child should be greatest in his kingdom." Upon which passage one of the earliest of the Fathers, so often quoted, remarks, that to those familiar friends who were contending for the pre-eminence, he commands equality with simplicity, exhorting them to be come as little children : and in another passage on a siriilar occasion, he expressly says—" Be ye not called Rabbi - (a term of distinction affect ed by the leaders among the Jews), for there is one Master of you, even Christ, but ye are Brethren." Protestants have been accustomed ever since the Reformation to quote these and other authorities, so plain and numerous, ag4inst any such pre-eminence in St. Peter, and have never yet been answered but by the autho rity of man, by oral tradition, which seems to take up the passage—" I am Sir Oracle, and Avilen I ope my mouth let no dog bark." It is true that some reliance has been placed upon j'articular privileges conferred upon St. Peter alone, which have been proved again and again to have been conferred upon the rest of the Apostles, and upon the Church at large in his name. There are a few texts also upon which they . rely us applicable to St. Peter only and his su premacy, which have been proved most unan swerably to apply to the other A postles, : and that, in as far as dignity was concerned, He is -only one among the rest. I perceive, however, that the Scriptures are • still again wrested to prove this favourite (loc i trine by this historian, though the texts have been so often put into their right and legitimate sense again by the best interpreters. That old -text which has been so often proved insufficient for the Papal Hypothesis is once more quoted in -its favour—" Thou art Peter,. and upon this rock will I build my Church." Whereas it has been ably urged again and again, that the very Pa pists do not agree in their interpretation of this passage, which has been understood also by the earlier Fathers in a very different sense ; .and that St. Peter himself could never so have understood it, or h- would not have been so moved with in dignation against the two brethren to whom we before alluded, for desiring to have the prece dency, if it were already confirmed to him be yond a doubt by this promise of his Master. Nor if the promise had been made to them in that _sense, would they have presumed so far as to .think of asking any more questions concerning a superiority which had been so recently and by .express mandate conferred upon another. The same has been said of the rest of the Apostles, who nraver could have been so weak, not to say pre sumptuous, as to contend for a precedency in the sight of their Lord, who had already consigned it over by his own word, pronounced before them all, to this Apostle ; and which, if he had ac tually consned, is it likely that upon those oc casions„ when " strife arose among them who should be the greatest," he would not have openly told them in such language, as was im possible to be mistaken, and such . - as must effec lually put to silence all strife and competition upon a subject which they seem to have had, as Jews expecting a temporal Prince, so much at heart. Bnt not only was Peter and the rest of the Apostles unaware of this interpretation, but they who came' the nearest to them in the Govern • meni of the Church, have never so interpreted this text as to- favour his supremacy ; which is -only the interpr'etation of some who have follow ed the latest in the succession, and have looked out for every support, however weak, that can give an air of plausibility to their arrogant pre- tensions. The more we examine into the spirit of the passage itself, the lower will their pretensions siiik in our estimation. I am aware that in the first age of the Reform tion this passage, in its literal construction, was made a strong authority for the Church .from which we separated; and that an appeal to •this. authority at that time, when we had only just emerged from the most -profound veneration for it, excited no little apprehtnsion in the minds of many pious Reformers, and caused a• variety of doubtS and conjectures, and plausible inter. pretatiotis upon it to take off its force. But since Christians have been able to examine into it coolly, and consider themselves quite free to obey the exhortation in the most comprehensive lati tude—to examine into the Reason of the Faith which is in them—they have not scrupled to go fairly and fully into the subject, and are not afraid to apply this text to St. Peter, which is so clearly addressed to him, as they cannot see the consequence deduced from this application, of Supremacy to that Apostle above the rest of the Apostles, much less the Supremacy of any of his pretended or real successors. They look, as in all such controversies they are bound, not only to the text but to the context, and to the occa sion on which it was spoken. It was spoken to Peter just as he had answered his Master's ques tion in a more direct and unhesitating a style than all his fellow disciples—being the first to con fess his divinity before them all ; and, there fore, he might appear to be the fittest of any to confess him, when he was gone, before the powers and principalities of the world. lie had already been distinguished with James and John at the time of the transfiguration, and on other occasions from his brethren in the Lord ; and after this his bold and en lightened confession, he is predicted to be the Rock, or the foundation upon which the Church was to be built—in allusion to his sirname— which prediction was accomplished as he was the first to preach the word to the Jews, wherever they were gathered together ; and the gate 3 of hell. or all the powers and principalities of the world, or even death itself could not prevail against it. But all this amounts not to any authority for pre-eminence in rank and character above the rest of the Apostles, nor can this promise of im mutability apply to any particular Church, as the Papists contend, which may arise in one age and sink in another, and yet the Catholic Church re main unshaken. From this many of its consti tuent parts may fall away, as may many indivi duals, even of the purer members, from these constituents, as parts of a rock may crumble to pieces and yet the foundation continue firm. The word shall not fail which has once been past, that notwithstanding the apostasy of some, against the Church at large, or the Catholic Church itself, the gates of Hell shall not prevail. The Church visible and invisible, or the holy body of which Christ is the Head, shall ever flourish, or at least subsist throughout all its trials from the world, the flesh, and the Devil ; and however it may to the outward sense in some ages of darkness, as in the age when Papacy was at its zenith, appear to be receding, and at others to remain stationary, it is still advancing like other luminaries of heaven in their spheres, under di vine auspices, from one degree of perfection to another, till it shall arise, like its blessed Founder, triumphant over death and the grave, in all its purity and sublime majesty, when he shall come with his best of angels to hail its spirit im• mortal into its native region of imtre)rtality. All this,however,by no means applies to any particular Church, or to its state at any particular period, much less to any individual who is set over it; who, so far from being either invulnerable or in fallible, can be only going on his way, striving (if he has any of the Christian spirit, or would be ready to follow the example of the Apostles, as he is exhorted by them) to " make himself perfect, and " to work out his salvation with fear and trembling." Even in the Churches which were founded by those Apostles we hear of many strifes and contentions among them, of heresies and errors,both in doctrine and discipline, which crept into the bosom of congregations to whom the principles of Christianity have been taught in its primitive purity. flow then can any other Church presume upon infallibility as distinct from all the rest which are established in the; world ; or any leader in it affect to think more highly than he ought to think of himself, and arrogate a pre-eminence which was never claimed even by any of the Apostles, and never allowed in the ages since, except in those ages when the Church lay almost dead and buried under a muss of corruptions, of idolatry, and super-tition. _ A PROTESTANT. I.To be c3ntinued.] MALTESE PAPERS. AIALTA, DEC. 29: His Majety's ship Martin, which arrived here on the 26th inst. from Smyrna, put into Hydra on the 111th, with a view to inquire into the cause of the detention of two Maltese brigs, the Ulisse and the Aurora, which had been employed as transports attached to the Egyptian expedition. It was found, however, that the Greek Government had already ordered their liberation ; and after taking out the Turkish troops and horses with which they were freighted, they were allowed to depart. It is sup posed they took a destination for Alexandria. Our advices from Smyrna are to the 13th instant. Four cases of plague manifested themselves on the 4th, which were traced to have been communicated by two persons arrived from Constantinople, who died ; the other two who caught the disease are in a fair way of recovery. The Pasha, with great promp titude, and with a feeling of .humanity worthy of remark, put the inhabitants in quarantine, from which wise and prudent measure the most beneficial effects resulted ; and the town was thus preserved from its further progress, as no other case of plague discovered itself up to the date of our advices. The Egyptian fleet having replenished their stock of water at Marmorice, on the coast of Caramania, are again attempt , ing to cross the Archipelago. They sailed on the sth instant for Patras, having, it is said, received orders from the Vice roy of Egypt to proceed to that place, which is blockaded by a division of 14 sail of Hydriot brigs and a considerable force of Greeks. A sortie has been made from the garrison of Patras, consist ing of about 1,500 men, principally cavalry ; they penetrated nearly as far as Gastouni, plundering the neighbouring villages and carrying off much cattle and many prisoners, men, wo men, and children. The Greeks and Suliots at Gastouni are said to amount to betwezn two and three thousand men, yet the Turks were allowed to return with their booty unmolest ed. It is supposed that the young Colocotroni connived at this sortie ; and it was even 'reported that he was afterwards killed in an affray with another Greek Chief near Tripolizza. Suspicion had also fallen upon the elder Colocotroni, he having declined taking any further command, under the pretext of requiring repose; but the Government had sent troops to take him and another Chief, with whom he is supposed to be in league. It was rumoured that Odysseus. had likewise been declared a traitor, and measures had been taken to prevent any thing being attempted by him against the cause of the Greeks. It now remains to be ascertained whether the Egyp tian forces can effect a junction with the garrison of Patras. HYDE PARK.—Pdblic curiosity was excited yesterday, by the preparations for erecting a Temple for the exhibition of the long talked of painting, The Battle of Waterloo. — The ground marked out is in advance of the statue of Achilles, viewing it from the Piccadilly gate; and to the west of the figure,- it adjoins the footpath by. the ride of Rotten-row,—Another object of attraction is the turning of the road near Grosvenor-gate. The Gloucester riding-house is ra pidly disappearing; and this long useless pile will make way for a plantation of young trees extending to the canal or boson. By this change Grosvenor-house will have .a distinct view of every object .in the verdant landscape which is already ap proaching.—The Esplanade on the smith side of the serpen tine river, is nearly completed. This has long been an object contemplated by the Noble Ranger. The gravel terrace, from its width, will no doubt become a fashionable promenade for the beaux and - belles in the summer months. THE GREEKS. (Front the Constitutionnel of Wednesday. ) ZANTE, DEC. 21. I had already announced to you the unfortunate issue of the younger Colocotroni's rash attempt, and of which he became the victim. After the death of that officer, Colonel Staicos, who had participated in his act of rebellion, was followed .by the Government troops. It is the same Colonel who, in 1823, first scaled the walls of Napoli di Romania. lle was arrested near Tripolitza, and conducted into the town, where he was tried by a Council of War, and convicted of high treason, and, notwithstanding his past services, his hand was cut off, and he was immediately executed. This example of severity will serve as a lesson for those who, because they have - performed some acts of bravery, think themselves authorised to trouble the public order to satisfy their ambition. Immediately after, the Government, having been instructed of the part which some discontented persons had acted, upon this movement of the younger Colocotroni, ordered a body of troops to follow them. These discontented persons are Landos, Delie Lanni, and Zaimis, born of families of proestos, who, under the Turks, governed the country ; they wished to have conti nued, even after the revolution, the abuses by which they en riched themselves ender the Ottoman Government. instructed by too long experience, the people, in the last elections, had excluded them from the Government, which pushed them on to the desperate enterprize by which they hoped to be able to re possess themselves of their ancient influence, now entirely de stroyed. They will soon undergo the punishment they have provoked by their conduct. The Greek Government at present feels the strength which the love of the people has given it; and after having first grant ed an amnesty to the factious, it is now resolved to employ that severity which will establish it still more. Patras continues to be closely blockaded by sea and land. The news of the raising of the siege, which has been spread for several days past, is false ; the departure of four ships which the Greek Admiral had detached from his squadron, stationed before that place, and which he has sent to reinforce the blockade of Coron and Motion, was the sole occasion of the report. Maurocordato had at first received orders from Government to come to Napoli de Romania, to take the post of Secretary of State ; but, on the news of the disorders which have broken out in Albania, he has received a counter order. His presence is judged necessary in Western Greece, that he may profit by any favourable turn that may present itself in Epirus. ( From the Journal des Debuts.) AIIssoLoNGIII, DEC. 12. An English frigate, which has just watered at-the entrance of this road, has transmitted us the fbllowing official news : " On the 3d of this month, the Greek fleet gave a final blow to the Egyptian naval force, off the coast of the island of Crete." In consequence of this victory, Admiral Miaulis Vocos has sent to Napoli, where they have arrived, twelve large transport ships carrying 3,000 black soldiers, disciplined in the European manner, 400 Arabian stallions, and so large a quantity of goods, that coffee has fallen to 50 paras (3y.) the acque (44 ounces) ; the acque of rice to five paras (seven farthings). Our fleet has pursued the remains of the squadron of Mehemet Ali till within sight-of Alexandria. After this expedition, a part of our ships returned to 11 yera. The President of the Executive Council, Conduriotti, who was there, immediately embarked a part of the garrison of that island, with a great number of Hydriots and Spezziots, who arrived with him at Napoli, that they may from thence bear down upon Patras. Salute, of artillery and rejoicings have every where signalized the issue of the most glorious of our campaigns. We know that in the last affair, independent of the taking of twelve transports, the Egyptians had fifteen ships and their finest frigates burnt. Generals Constantine Bozzaris and Sissinis have been called to Napoli by the Government ; it is thought that it is for the purpose of concerting the plans of attack upon Patras and Ne gropont. ( Front the Etoile dated Thursday. ) PARIS, JAN. 25. _ _ The letters from Trieste and Leghorn say that all the Cap_ tains of vessels coming from the Levant agree in stating, that the Greeks, after their last victory in the Cretan Sea, blockaded the Egyptian fleet in the Bay of Alacri, on the siatic coast. When they saw that Ibrahim Pacha was endeavouring to leave it, they withdrew, in order to entice him into the open sea. This manwuvre was attended with complete success. Ibrahim Pacha attempted to reach the coast of Egypt ; but he was intercepted by the intrepid illiaulis, who threw his fleet into total confu sion, after having captured above half the transports. SOUTII AMERICA. DECREE TO FAVOUR FOREIGN COLONIZATION iti G UATIM A lAA. Office Ville Minister of .State and Foreign Relations. The Supreme Executive Power has addressed to mo the following Derree:— " The Supreme Executive Power of the United Provinces of Central America.—lnasmuch as the National Constituent As sembly has decreed as follows, " The National Constituent Assembly of the United Pro vinces of Central America, anxious to promote the increase and prosperity of these Provinces, decrees the following Articles : " Art. 1. Every foreigner desirous of removing . to any of the United Provinces of Central America (consisting, at pre sent, of Chiapa, Costarica, Nicaragua, Honduras, San Sal vador, Guatimala, and Quesaltenango), will be allowed to do it, in the terms and in the manner most convenient to him. "a. Every stranger who, conformably to the preceding ar tide, shall transfer himself to either of the above-named pro vinces, shall be admitted by the Local Authorities, and shall be allowed to exercise, in full freedom and security, whatever pursuit, business, or occupation, he may choose, without ex cepting mining, since the laws which prohibited strangers from working the mines are at present repealed. " 3. Every foreigner, who, being already in either of the above-named provinces, may wish to become a denizen in them, shall declare that wish before the Municipal Authorities of the district in which he chooses to reside. The Municipality, in such case, will enrol, in the census book of the district, the name of the stranger, and that of his family if it can be ascertained, together with the motive for his procedure, his age, condition, and occupation ; and after such inscription he shall be consi dered as a denizen, and enter upon the period fixed by the Con stitution of these States for acquiring the right of citizenship therein, enjoying, in the mean time, all the other rights inhe rent-to natural-born subjects; and conforming himself to the provisions detailed in the fundamental law for obtaining the special certificate of citizenship. . " 4. From the day on which any foreigner has become a de nizen in any district of these provinces, pursuant to the regula tions of the preceding article, he shall be capable, like every natural-born subject. •of acquiring any uncultivated lands, or any estates, in the district of which he is a denizen, according to the existing laws. " Every citizen of these provinces, and every stranger of whatever country may (even before he has become a denizen in the territory of these United Provinces), for himself alone, or by forming a Company, consisting of' not more than three persons,- enter into agreement for the purpose of establishing one or more new townships. In order to do this, he must lay the plan of such new township before the Government of the province in which wishes to found such an establishment. The Legislature of the province will cause a strict examination to be made of such plan, and, if it be found conformable to the laws in force, and to the provisions of this Decree, or altering it so as to make it con formable to them, may approve of it, and allow it to be put into execution, without requiring the projector to make any ap plication *to the Federative Government, although it must be submitted finally to the Fedral Congress for their further sanc tion and confirmation. 44 6. No contract for founding a new township shall be allow ed by the Authorities of any province, unless the contractor bind himself to provide for each township at least 15 families ; that is, 15 free married men with their wives. The respective provincial Legislatures shall prescribe a period in the contrac tor, within which he is bound to furnish the required number of families, under penalty of losing, in proportion,. the rights and favours granted in the contract, and of having the con tract entirely annulled, if he does not furnish the fifteen mAr ried couple. • _ _ " 7. As soon as ten families, at least, are present at the place appointed by the Government for the new settlement, they will proceed to the formal establishment of the township, by taking the oath of allegiance to the political constitution of the province, in presence of a Commissioner, selected by the pro vincial Chief, and proceed then to the election of the muni ciple officers in the manner pointed out by the existing laws. 8. The territory marked out by the Governments of the respective provinces, for such new settlements, must be wholly unclaimed ; that is, free from any rights of property . of posses sion, either by individuals or communities; accounting as such all land formerly the .property of religious fraternities, or destroyed foundations ; but in case that the appointed district should have any claimants, they will be required to appear publicly, and to prove such claim, point out the boundaries, and fix the land-marks. " 9. The present Decree assigns, in full property, to each married couple, contained in the number specified in the con tract of settlement, a space of land equal to a square of a thou sand rods each way, although it is not necessary that the land should be of one entire piece. " 1 0. Every urimairied person of either sex, who may enter upon a new settlement with the married persons specified in the contract, shall be entitled, provided they marry within the first six years of the settlement, to receive the same quantity of land mentioned in the preceding article. And if such marriage be entered into with the indigenous (that-igen:7s of the country, or with persons of colour descended from natives, the person so marrying shall receive a double portion of land. " 11. Further, the present Decree assigns in full property to the person contractin2,to form such new, township, a space of one thousand rods square, for each and every marrlNl couple, who may remove to the new setlement under. the conthact. " 12. The three preceding artierts will serve as a genNskba sis to determine, with precision, the interest in land offered to contractors for founding new townships, and to each of the set tlers, under the provisions of the contract, although exceeding the number specified therein. " 13. Every family or married couple, of whatever condi tion, which (not being included in any contract of settlement) may wish to join a new township, shall be permitted to do so at any time (defraying themselves the expence of voyage and removal) ; and if it be proved that they have made themselves denizens within the first 6 years of the legal establishment of the township, they shall receive, in full property, a portion of land double that which is assigned by Article 9, to a married couple settling under the contract, at the expence of the con tractor. Likewise, every unmarried man, becoming a denizen within the first 6 years, shall receive a portion of and 1,000 rods square each way, as mentioned in Article U. " 14. Every new settler will be held bound to occupy or cul tivate, according to its quality, the portion of land assigned to him, within the first 8 years after taking possession of it, on penalty of losing the Whole or part of it, according as he may have failed in discharging the obligation imposed by the pre sent article. 1•:,. Every portion of land granted by this law to the con - - tractors themselves, must be cultivated or occupied according to its quality, and the objects for which it was granted, within 8 years from and after the establishment of the township, on penalty of having all such part as may be uncultivated, held unclaimed and without an owner. " Hi. The Governments of the different provinces are hereby authorized to grant larger portions of land than those mentioned in the preceding articles, to such of the settlers as, within the required number of years, shall have cultivated and occupied their previous grants ; and, likewise, to such others as may have turned to the breeding of cattle, and require a larger por tion of land for the augmentation of their stock. " 17. Every new settler may sell freely, and at all times, the lands granted to him by this law, provided, at the time of sell ing them, they are in the state of cultivation oz occupation which the law points out : excepting front this provision the contractors themselves, who may freely dispose of the lands they receive tinder the contract the day they take possession, although they may not have been in any way occupied or cultivated ; and, excepting also, the families spoken of in article 13, to whom is given the same permission, with respect to the grant as signed, on account of having defrayed the expences of their removal. " 18. Every new settler is free, at all times, to return to his own country, or to remove to any place which may suit him better ; and in such case he shall be allowed, without any im posts, to withdraw all his property, and to dispose of such part of his land as may be in a state of cultivation ; as any part which remains uncultivated will be considered as common and unclaimed. 1:). Every new settler may, from the day of his becoming a member of the settlement, dispose by will (according to the existing laws) of all kinds of property belonging to him, and transmit to his heirs and executors the rights acquired by him over the land granted to hint as a settler, although it may not be cultivated entirely, and leaving his heirs, on taking such land, subject to all the obligations imposed on the testator him self' by the present law. "20. If any new settler, in any new settlement, die intestate, he shall be succeeded with the title of heirs ab-intestate, in all his proprety and rights, including those acquired over land (in whatsoever province it may lie), by the person or persons who, in similar cases, amongst the natives of the country, would succeed, by the common laws, to persons dying intestate: and such heirs shall succeed likewise to all the ligations and conditions imposed on their predecessor. " 21. Every new settlement shall remain free, for the space of twenty years from and after the day of its establishment, from the payment of any contribution and impost, by whatso ever denomination known. " 22. Every new settlement will remain free from all mono poly, and shall be allowed to pursue every kind of industry, including the importation of all kinds of minerals. " 23. There shall he allowed likewise to every new settle ment for the space of '2O years from and after the dP,y of its establishment, exemption and entire freedom from all kinds cyt' taxes, on the exportation, by land or sea, to foreign States, of every species of produce, and every other mercantile effect, the produce of its own industry, or of any other town in these pro vinces, and even of foreigners, it having become naturalized by its previous legal importation, without detriment, however, to the authority of the customs. " 24. The same immunity and freedom from taxes shall be enjoyed by every new settlement for the same period of time, in - the introduction by land or sea, at any part of these pro vinces, all national productions and saleable effects; and like wise they shall be entitled to introduce, free of duty, though of foreign manufacture, instrm - nents of iron or other metal, or of wood, proper for agriculture, and every kind of mechanical production and machine used in making the same, or employed in the arts or in mines. " 25. Every new settler may introduce freely, and without the payment of any duty or qualification whatever, all and every sort of ship or vessel, from any port, although of foreign make and construction, with tho obligation that such ship or vessel shall be registered, so as to become national, and the property of the persons introducing them. " 26. Every new settlement shall be bound to contribute to such expences as are purely municipal, necessary, and for the common benefit; providing, through its own municipal func-' tionaries the imposts it may consider proper for the discharge of such expences ; which imposts, after receiving the sanction of the Government, will be put into immediate operation. 27. It is prohibited all persons from introducing from abroad into the new settlements established in these provinces, slaves of any age or sex whatsoever; such slaves becoming free by the very act of introduction into any of the new settlements. "28. The Government will take care, through the medium of the Envoys from this Federation of Central America, that the present la .shall be communicated to foreign Governments, and that it slag be made public in the place of their respective residences, charging such Envoys with the employment of all means which they may consider necessary to its earliest, most prompt, and punctual execution. " It is communicated to the Supreme Executive Power for its fulfilment, and that it. may be printed, published, and cir culated. " Dated in Guatirnalr., Jan. 22, 1824. " FERNANDO ANTONIO DAVILA, President. " JOSE ANTONIO ABlll ITIA, Secretary. " MANUEL BARBERENA, Deputy Secretary. " To the Supreme Executive Power. - 44 Therefore; we command that this law shall be held as complete, and that it be observed in all its provisions. " The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs will consider himself bound to print, publish, and circulate it. ." National Palace of Guatimala, Jan. 25, 1824. 44 TOMAS O'HORAN, President. " JUAN VICENTE VILLACOSTA. " JOSE SANTIAGO MILLA. " To Citizen Marcia' Zebadua. And, by order of the Supreme Executive Power, I com municate this law to you, for your better knowledge of it, and In order that it-may be circulated and published throughout the district withinyour authority. And for this purpose I send, at the same time, the requisite number of copies. " Guatimala, Jan 25, 1824. 44 ZE BADUA." COUIL ROYALE OF PARIS. SOLEMN SITTING.-CRIMES OF THE PRESS. Le Sieur Legracieux has been condemned on an accusation of the bad tendency of some articles inserted in the Courier Francaise; he being the responsible Editor, alid contumacious, to three months imprisonment, and pay a fine of 2,000 francs. From this sentence he now appealed, proving that he left the Courier and had gone into the country. Without admitting the doctrines as to tendencies laid down by his advocate, the Court sustained the appeal. The Court then decided ,rn the appeal of M. Barba, a bookseller, who had been sentenced to pay a fine of 500 francs, and be imprisoned one month, for having re-printed a romance of M. Pigault Le Brun, entitled, M. de Robeville, 'which was held to be an outrage to public morals. His appeal was eloquently supported by M. Dupin, jun. who rested his claim on the fact of the work having been long unnoticed by the Magistrates.—The Advocate-General thought this no reason for allowing a reprint to go forth to the world, as it was a book which mothers would carefully keep from their daughters' hands, and husbands from their wives.— The Court, paying due regard to the sincerity of M. Barba, who was not aware of the immoral tendency of the work, which has already gone through five successive editions, also sus tained his appeal, discharging him from his fine, but ordering the suppresssion of the romance. Accounts from Sweden speak of the •appear ance of a great number of wolves this winter, at Ilernesund, in the province of Angermania. FOR THE SUN. POPERY. 1 1 ,1 a. EDITOR—Every circumstance tendir•g to illustrate the nature and principles of Popery, now deserves a most minute examination, since the great question is shortly to be tried, whe ther these principles shall or shall not have their influence among those experienced and approv ed principles of our Constitution, which are the admiration of the world. Every man who values the interests of his country, nay, every man who values his own personal interests, is hound to in quire whether the character of Popery has. changed with the age ; whether, as we are per petually told by its advocates, the burnings and rackings of Mary had their origin in the ferocity of a savage period, and not in the spirit of the faith which they are called to aid, whether the roun ders of Latimer and Cranmer are no more to be charged on Popery than that of Servetus on Protestanism ; whether the advance of civiliza tion and learning has shewn the cruelty and ab surdity of religious persecution, and the profes sors of all religions understand this perfectly well ; or whether, on the other hand, cruelly and intolerance are inherent in the very nature of Popery, exist as it may, either in sympathetic darkness, or surrounded by tl►e light of civilizae tion and humanity. Popery proclaims itself unchangeable and iii• fallible : what it has done, therefore, it will jus• tify ; and what it justifies, it will repeat. And in order to prove that the Papists are not aware of a truth so generally admitted as the unreasores ableness and unchristian nature of religious per secution, we have only to look at the Holy In quisition, existing up to our own times in almost every Popish country ; to the cruelties inflicted in the same countries and the same times on per sons who ventured to withhold their veneration from waxen and wooden divinities; and to a circumstance which has only just occurred, and which has not, perhaps, been sufficiently noticed, considering its great importance at ti►e present time. It seems, that a law is now agitating in France by which it will be death with torture, the right hand being first cut off, to insult the sacred Wafer! - And this is the 19th century ! It matters-little whether this law is passed or not : let us only reflect what must be the state of men's minds iii a country where it is possible that the expe diency of such a law can be a question at all ! Let us ask, whether in this, or in any Protestant country, an enactment of a similar nature could, he heard of. The man who could dare to utter such sentiments in our Parliament, would he sent to bedlam, or expelled society. Shall sve exchange our Constitution for this ? Shall 'We permit principles like these to have the slightest influence in directing i►.? Put it to your common sense, People of England ! Let us awhile compare this law of an infallible church with our fallible maxims derived from the bible. Granting for awhile the atrocious blas phemy, that a piece of flour and water can be the body of that adorable victim who ,was offered once for our sins, let us see how our Lord him ser,f defended his person from insult. When the Samaritans refused to admit him, and " James and John saw this, and said, Lord,. wilt thou that we command fire to come down frorir Heaven and consume them, even as Elias did ?' He turned and rebuked them, and said, ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of for the Son of Man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.' " (Luke ix. s=l.}—And Peter, who, by the admission of the Papists thew(' selves, was at least as great as any Pope, was severely rebuked by his Master for drawing h 9 sword to protect him. Taking, therefore, -the Popish belief in its fullest latitude, nothing but the infallibility of the church can satisfactorily explain why what gave so great offence in the person of Peter, should, in the persons of his suc cessors, be an act of pious devotion. But looking at the question as rational beings, would it not be . much better to allow the mealy Divinity to vin dicate its own cause, as it has done before, than to punish with death and torture those persons whom the flour in its wisdom has thought fit to spare, and who, therefore, we may presume, ought to be spared still ? Let this specimen of the Popery of the 19th century be compared with that of darker ages and thence be it determined whether Popery has changed with the times. BRITANNUS• FOR THE SUN. MR. EutTott—l have read with much satisfite• tion, in your Paper of the 22d instant, a letter from C a ptain NicuoLs, in reply to mine of the 14th, in which he states , that in alluding to the harbours on this coast, his Report refers only to vessels embayed between Portland and the Start, to leeward of this port; and that in the observations which it be came his duty to make in the Reports referred to, he had 1 119 any intention to detract from the character, or impeach the general utility of Dartmouth Harbour. But he will, am sure, excuse my friends for having urged me to take notice of that Report, when I again quote the word, " Such harbour (Beer) " is much wanted, as at present there is no place of shelter " along the whole coast from Portland to the Start Point,,ana " vessels embayed between these points in strong South' " Easterly gales are exposed to hazard." Allow me, Sir, to avail myself of this opportunity to assure Captain NiciroLs, that my friends are quite satisfied with thq explanation he has given, and to thank hint for the handsome manner in which he has done it. I am, Sir, your most obedient, A. 11. HOLDSWORTI I 7 Dartmouth, Jan. 26. Mayor of Dartmouth. FRAcAs.--Margate is as notorious for the squabbles which take place among its inhabitants, as it is for • the salubrity of its air and beauty. of its situation. We regret exceedingly to detail one which happened last week. On Wednesday a meeting of the Commissioners of 'the pavement took place in the Town Hall, and the Reverend Mr. Bayley was in the Chair. There were present besides, Messrs- Jarvis, 'Wright, E. Taddy, NlTkite, Lansell, W. Adams, and J.. - ChatiCellor (the elders of the town). The report of the GSS Commitee was received, and shortly after a dispute arose between Dr. Jarvis and Mr. Taddy—the former supposed the latter applied the epithet "liar" to him, upon which he instantly struck Mr. Taddy a blow in the face with his cane. Much con fusion followed, as may be naturally supposed, and Mr. Taddy (who is upwards of 70 years of age) retired, after the indignity he received, and declared he neither did, nor intended to applY the offensive epithet to Dr. Jarvis. The Rev. Chairman attempt ed to makepeace, but without effect; and subsequently a meeting of several respectable inhabitants took place to endeavour to re , concile the parties, but which, we regret to hear, likewise ter minated unfortunately. We shall abstain from comment, con' tenting ourselves with stating the affair as it occurred ; n or should we have done. even this, had we not found that it will afford matter for the gentlemen of the long robe. Age, at Margate, does not seem either to ool.the head, or unnerve the, anti; hut there it is, we su pp ose , all owing to the salubrity al the air !—(KeQI Herald.) .~