The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-10-08 00:00:00

THE Gann% MEETING aF LIVEItI'OOL PROTESTANT ASSOCIATION, The sanual. celebration of the formation of this association was held at the Amphitheatre on Friday last, pursuant to aaaouncement. The house, as on all former occasions of a simile, nature, presented a most brilliant appearance, being crowded in miry part, and seven-tenths of the auditory being lodides—who, in spite of the unfavourable state of the weather, would vulture from home to enjoy the delightful oratorical treat provided for theta. Great numbers besieged the doors as early as nine o'clock in the morning, and soon after ten, at which time they were thrown open, not a seat was left un occupied, with the exception of that provided for the re porters, tad these reserved for the clergy and others who were take part in the business of the day. A l arge ga ll ery was erected at the back of the stage, and was crowded with fair visitants. The clergy sat on chairs in front, intermingled with a few laymen. We noticed amongst them—The Revs. Dr. Tatter-Oval, HughM'Neile, P. Barker, C. W. Lawrence, A. Knox, J. E. Bates, R. P. Buddicom, B. Marshall, W. reMoon, C. W. Richard., Fenton, J. K. Connor, J. N. Pain, J. H. Stewart, H. S. Joseph, Fielding O uld, Prince Crawford, G. Mansfield, A. 'M`Co n chy, G . Stokes, W. Picton, E. 'Spencer, W: Pardon, W. Maynard, W. Bowstead, sad R. Davis, of Liverpool; Rev. D. James, Kirkdale ; Rev. J. C. Hamilton, Birkenhead • Rev. W. Rawson, Seaforth ; Revs. Dr. O'Sullivan, C. Plailoon, and Ross, Ireland ; kers. Ambrose Ldne, W. G. Mayne, and W. Hall, Man chester ; Rev. J. Lyon, Bolton • Rev. W. Furnival, St. Helen's ; Rev. Mr. Mackenzie, Wigan ; Revs. J. Wright and W. Power, Warrington • Rev. H. Forsyth ; Rev. D. Vaudrey, Nortlawich ; Rev. W. Badnall, Wavertree ; Rev. Mr. Hoskine, Chester ; Rev. Mr. 'Wright, Demerara ; Rev. J. M'Cormick, Leicester; T. Porter, C. S. Parker, William Jones, Edward Jones, Joshua Edwards, J. Rigby, Charles Boutfiower, David Hodgson, Samuel Holme, Shepherd, John Howard. Thomas Forsyth, J. E. Gladstone, Stewart, Coltsworth, J. lAtughton, Esqrs., and Dr. Jeffries, Liverpool ; W. Cheshyte, Esq., Manchester; W. Hall and John Clare, Warriegton ; E. Dalton, Esq., Secretary to the Lon don Protestant Association ; J. Hall, jun. Esq., Grappenhall. On the Rev. Dr. O'Sullivan and the Jun., Hugh M`Neile entering to take their places, they were most heartily wel comed by the spectators. The Rev. Dr. TATTNILSIZALL was moved to the chair, and briefly addressed the meeting as follows .—My Christian friends, I am sure I shall only be anticipating the wish of every individual in this vast assembly, if I propose that, as we are met together for a purpose in which the interests of true religion are eeeentially concerned, we open this meeting with prayer to Almighty God for his blessing. One circum stance, however, even before we unite in prayer, I wish to mention, and that is that we are, in the order of Divine Providence, this day ' eprived of the presence of one of our **ellen* and highly valued friends wham we expected on this occasion ; and it wi:i be, I am sure, a matter of deep regret tit every individual present to learn that the absence of our valued and 414114 respected friend, the Rer. Mr. Stowell, is occasioned by the loss, by death, of a dearly beloved sister, during the course of last night, I believe. I trust that every individual present will acknowledge that he has a claim on oar sympathy, and deserves an interest in our prayers ; and ender that impression I beg of my friend the Rev. Mr. Buddicom to open the meeting with prayer. The Rev. _kir. BUDDICOM having offered up an appropriate extempore prayer, Tee (HARMAN again rose, and spoke as follows :—My Christian friends—ln entering upon the discharge of the ar duous duties of the responsible situation in which you have placed me, I may venture to observe, and I am sure I shall be believed, when I say that it is at no small expense of per sonal feeling that do enter upon these duties ; and that I should altogether shrink from them if I did not feel assured that it is my blessed privilege to be permitted to look- up for assistance to Him Who can give grace in every time of need; and did I not also feel confident that the kindness, indulgence, and support of every member of this assembly will be continued to me during the whole course of the pro ceedings of the day. Under impressions of this kind, it is a matter of no small consolation to me that we have entered on those proceedings by an act of solemn devotion. We have been asking Almighty God to vouchsafe to us His grace and blessing that all our doings may be begun, continued, and ended in Him. I trust I shall not be deceived in persuading myself that the whole proceedings of this meeting will be ecnducted in a manner suitable to that in which they have began. The remembrance that we have invoked God's blessing and presence, will, I hope, continue through Out this meeting to exercise an influence on speakers and hearers, and I trust that the speakers will address themselves, under such solemn considerations with sincerity, seal, and earnest ness, to the subjects which are this day to be brought spe cially under your notice, and that you, my friends, who are to be hearers, will, under the same influence and considera tions, listen to what may be said, in the spirit of serious ness and candour. I think It right to make one remark in reference to those who may possibly dissent from the opinions entertained by the great majority of those who may be said to constitute the present audience. It is well known that we are assembled to celebrate the anniversary of a Protestant Association. There may be here present individuals whose feelings do not sympathize with Protestantism—individuals of the Roman Catholic persuasion. Such may be here. If so, I wish to cement [het they are among the most welcome of the audience—(cheers)--we wish them to hear what may be said, and we rejoice is their presence. We welcome them with all our hearts—we wish them well in the name of the Lord, and trust that they may hear truths which, by the grace of God, may he for their own present, future, and eter nal salvation. I think it,lhowever, desirable to remind them, that we are here eeet as the members of a Protestant Asso ciation. We are met here not for the purpose of discussion —not to propose questions to a general assembly, but, as a Protestant Association, on a leaner of business. I think it right to intimate to those here as visitors, and nut members, that they see not a part of the body to whom we are about to appeal to decide on questions proposed. It is to be expected that, being admitted into an assembly of Protestants, they will hear many things stated which will be different and opposed to the opinions which they have been accustomed to entertain, and much at variance with their own feelings; but I trust they will listen to them in silence, as they can have no right to be offended with anything they may hear, or to offer opposition to the sentiments stated. (Hear.) I think it not right to detain you long from the business of the day ; but I hope I may be permitted to makes one or two remarks, which, perhaps, will not be considered as foreign to the ob jects of the present meeting. I wish this, because it has not hitherto been my custom to take much part in the discussions which have excited some interest in the town. If, therefore, I express my opinion respecting the schools under the pa tronage of the corporation, I hope I shall not be thought to be travelling oat of my proper business in the sphere in which your confidence and kindness have placed me. (Hear.) Hitherto, as I said before, I have taken little part in discus sions of this nature, but have confined myself to the place in which the Lord ha.. been pleased to appoint me to labour in his vineyard, and for my fidelity in which I shall one day be milled to account. I now, however, take the opportunity to observe, that those who have hitherto taken part in this con troversy have been accustomed to direct their attention prin cipally to one particular part of this subject, and for the most part, in one particular form. The question has been. whether the scriptures are read in the schools or not. lam ready to grant that this is the first and .most essential of all the par ticulars to be inquired into ; but I take leave to observe that the question in this form, is in some and no inconsiderable degree open to misrepresentation or misinterpretation. The phrase itself is somewhat ambiguous, and persons who take part in opposition to the mode in which we wish the schools to be conducted, may plausibly maintain that the scriptures ere read in the school. The argument on one side—and many are led away by it—is of this kind. " Surely," say they, "if the Scriptures are read in any part of the schools, then the Scriptures are in the schools"—of course I am al luding to the Scriptures in the authorized version—" If the Scriptures are admitted to be read by a part of the children, then it is net fair to so- that they are not admitted into the schools." While, on the other side, it is contended that it mutest be justly said that the Scriptures are in the schools, while they are only used in certain sections of the schools. And the contention thus arising has had more the appearance of a dispute about words than a contest for principles. (Hear, bear.) I wish, however , to draw your attention to another view of the subject. I'ligious instruc tion is now, I believe, understood to be a part of the business of the schools. At first an hour was set apart, after the school had slimed, during which the ministers of religion might be admitted to give religious instruction. That hour . is now included hi the school hours, and religious instruc tion is therefore now acknowledged and understood to be a part of the system. Ministers of religion are now allowed to be present to teach the children during the hour—no hindrance is offered to them. But if such ministers are not present, it is a part of the duty of certain accredited, paid, tutlsorised teachers to give religious instruction. Therefore it is part and parcel of the business in the schools conducted lender the patronage of the corporate body. I shall now sup pose that there are so complaints of any inefficiency in the religious instruction. I take it for granted, on the contrary, that the religions instruction of Protestant children on the one hand, and of the Rolnick Catholic children on the other, is honestly, ettoiently, and carefully conducted. I take it also for graAttd, that the system is answering in another T „p e . c e the wishes of its advoeates—that it is doing what its asivooates have eft** assorted—that it operates to unite the cbildre* in the bends of fond and mutual affection. Now there are sonic particulars—l might mention many—in which the (ill Iren—if they have been carefully, efficiently, and honestly taught—hare certainly been instructed. One is —I speak now of Fratestaet children—the sole and all-suffi eient utediatorship of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Hear, hear.) I am guise sure that if educated on Protestant principles, they have been taught that there is but one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. If faithfully and honestly instructed, they have been taught if they look to ether ineslia.torship they are guilty of idolatry. Again, they have been taught that whoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved. This they have been taught, if they are honeatly taught. On the other hand, I wish you to look at the ease of the Roman Catholic ebildres. They, if honestly taught, have been instructed that prayers to saints are not only allowable, but cotrimend able. They are taught, if honestly taught, that a certain worship may be rendered to images, and that there is no salvation oat of the pale of the Roman Catholic thatch. (Hear, hear, hear.) I will suppose that these eitildrsa are brought together in the spirit of love and har mony, , and that they do ha fact love each other with a devoted affectiou ;—I will then ask what reflection, what nos:sits of reasoning and reflection ' must be carried on in the mind of a re fl ec ti ng Protestant child, or any person edu cated is this maw.= is the corporation schools ? Would he not soy, " I was taught at the instance of the body who have the patronage of the corporation schools, that there is only one mediator between God and man," and other truths to which ellusieu I.es been made. (Hear, hear.) " These were the doctrines taught in which the interests of my im mortal soul era involved--that there is no other mediator than Christ, arid tieeugh him alone can I have access to the rather. What is true in my case, must be true in the cases of other persons. If there is no way but this of attaining salvation—if I can look to no other quarter for mediation, why do they not teach the same truth to others ? What is the reason why my dear school-fellows, whom I love as my self, are taught the contrary ? How comes it to pass that they are taught that it is allowable to look to other mediators? How comes it that they are taught to look to saints, and to ask for their intercession ? How comes it that they are instruct ed that it is allowable to bow down to images, contrary to God's commandment ?" This is the species of reasoning which a child instructed in Protestant principles would use. We may reverse the picture,—for you see I take it for granted that the Protesta n t c hild ren k now w h at t h e Roman Catholic childrim are taught, and that the Roman Catholic children know what instruction the Protestant children re salve ; and those who think that there would be secrets in this respect have not had the experience in schools that I have,—and notice the Roman Catholic child, who is taught that there is no salvation out of the pale of the Roman Catho lie church, reflecting on the circumstance that his Protestant sehoolfelkw is taught exactly the reverse. What would be the reflection of a child of either description, therefore, on one side or the other ? Would they not think that the views of the geatlemen having the patronage of these schools, and requiring'them to he so taught, were very strange views?— that they must entertain very strange notions of religion themselves ? They would say, " These are matters and sentiments which are not capable of being reconciled with each other, and it is impossible to believe both. (Hear, hear, hear.) They must believe on one side or the other ; and if they do, what unheard-of cruelty is inflicted— what unheard-of cruelty it i s to teach the other side, not for life or death in this world, but for life or death in eternity, what they knew to be a vain deceit? If they do not believe either, what are we to think of themselves and of their fitness for the office which they have undertaken?" That system, therefore, I contend cannot be a right one which lodges its abettors on one or the other of these painful alternatives. 463 . c (sr. • . E,z; • • P • I.*:.,(—"c';;—kt• :i2‘ (Cheers.) There is another subject presenting itself to my mind, on which, before I sit down, I would beg to say a few words. It is one of very painful interest. It is welkknown that of late some publications have issued from a place which we ought to look up to as the centre of all that is orthodox in religion. Publications have issued from individuals—l will not blame the whole body for the faults of a few—in the university of Oxford which are more than tainted with Roman Catholic principles. It is not too much to say that, in not a few cases, doubt and discredit are thrown upon the sufficiency of the Scriptures as the exclusive rule of faith and practice for the Christian—the authority of tradition is exalted beyond its proper limits—the right of private judgment, which is connect ed with the sacred duty of reading the Scriptures, is much un dervalued, if not in a great measure set at naught, and the great doctrine of justification by faith—the key -stone of all Christianity—is tampered with. This evil we - are surely bound to look to. I wish to mention this in connexion with another subject, which is also of much interest. We are at this time complaining— and we have a right to complain—of the degree of popish influence which has lately exhibited it self in the government. I look upon this as a subject of just animadversion. Now it is perfectly notorious that in va rious instances when members of parliament have vacated their seats, gentlemen have been chosen to succeed them of opposite views to the administration. In every case the support of religion—of Protestantism—has been the princi pal reason for the change taking place ; and it might have been thought that such occurrences would have served as a check to the popish predilections of the ministers of the crown. But, notwithstanding this, within a short period more than one individual of the Roman Catholic persua sion has been elevated by the government to situations of trust and dignity about the court or in the councils of the nation. Ido not pretend to have access to the se crets of men's minds. I shall not boast of penetrating the secrets of men's bosoms. I know not what are the actu ating or influencing motives on which these appointments are grounded; but I cannot help thinking that if remonstrated with, ministers could at least have a plausible answer to give. They might reply to those who offered such remonstrances— " What is it you fear ?" We might say—" Why we are afraid that the influence of the high station in which these gen tlemen are placed will be used to lower scriptural autho rity—to depreciate the scriptures as the rule of faith—to ex alt traditionary authority, and to tamper with the cardinal doctrines of Protestantism." The natural reply would be this— " Is this any thing more than some of your own accredited teachers are doing ? Is this any thing more than proceeds from one of your own seats of learning—only that these gen tlemen do it a little more consistently ?" Now I don't say that wrong in one place can justify wrong in another ; but I think that they .would at least have a plausible pretext for say ing—" Physician heal thyself;" and " Cast first the mote from out thine own eye, and then thou shalt see clearly to pull out the beam that is in thy brother's eye." (Great ap plause.) I trust the day is not far distant when the advo cates of sound protestant principles will do their duty in this respect, when we shall remonstrate against this state of things. I feel a degree of hallowed pride that in this diocese the clergy have a worthy example to follow ; and I will now suffer the business of the day to proceed, after merely drawing your attention to the remarks, on this subject, of one who has every claim to your love, esteem, respect, and venera tion, the Lord Bishop of Chester, who, in a charge delivered by him to the clergy, at his last visitation in 1837, observed— " Many subjects present themselves, towards which I might be tempted to direct your thoughts. One more especially concerns the church at present ; because it is daily assuming a more serious and alarming aspect, and threatens a revival of the worst evils of the Romish system. Under the spe cious pretence of deference to antiquity, and respect for primitive models, the foundations of our Protestant church are undermined by men who dwell under her walls, and those who sit in the Reformers' seat are traducing the Reformation. It is again becoming matter of question whe ther the Bible is sufficient to make a man wise unto salva tion ; the main article of our national confession, justifica tion by faith, is both openly and covertly assailed : and the stewards of the mysteries of God are instructed to reverse the truths which they have been ordained to dispense, and to hide under a bushel those doctrines which the apostles were commanded to preach to every creature." The CHAIRMAN then called upon the Honorary Secretary to read the report, which was as follows : THE REPORT. " The committee of t;eLiY;WolProtestant Association have much pleasure in meeting its friends and subscribers at the termination of another year. In the nature of the work in which they are engaged, or the principles on which they feel it their duty and their privilege to conduct it, no alteration has taken place. The circumstances which called the association into existence, continued to demand its active and unremitting exertions. " The committee rejoice in the conviction, grounded upon evidence the most satisfactory, that the operations of the association have been extremely useful. Attention has been called, with the best effect, to the real character of the Romish system, as distinguished from the professions of those whose interest and aim it is to conceal that character. The mask so skilfully worn, has been torn off; and English men in all parts of the kingdom, are now brought to see, that with all love to their Roman Catholic fellow subjects, the safety of their own free and scriptural institutions demands a return, immediate and decided, to the faithful cry of their Protestant forefathers—" No PEACE WITH ROME" as an ecelelastical tyrant. In the course of the year several new associations have been formed in England and Scotland ; and your committee would feel it a dereliction of duty, if they did not record anew their sense of the debt of gratitude due by this Pro testant country to those clergymen, whose unremitting exer tions have mainly contributed to the present awakened and awakening state of the public mind upon this, the all im portant branch of our national interests, the names of ROBERT M`GHEE, and MORTIMER O'SVLLIVAN, HENRY COOKE, and HUGH WIN:Ella:, are dear to the heart of every British Protestant; and they must be handed down to our latest posterity, as inseparably connected with either Eng land's last fatal struggle before her fall, or England's blessed escape from a second thraldom of the see of Rome. "'The committee have much pleasure in recording their sense of the seasonable and well-directed efforts, in detail, of the Protestant Operative Association, auxiliary to them in this town. The young men, in the management of that association, have manifested a combination of zeal, talent, and perseverance highly creditable to themselves and useful to their fellow-townsmen. During the past year, your com mittee have circulated about 20,000 hand-bills and 5000 tracts, and promoted and forwarded thirteen petitions to parliament, —one against any further grant of public money, to Maynooth College, .with no fewer than 4500 signatures ; five against breaking down the Protestantism of the Irish corporations,—and seven against the new education schemes, which have so roused the opposition and indignation of the country —one of them received above 6000 signatures, " The efficient manner in which these and si m il ar proceed ings have been conducted, have been chiefly owing to the intelligence, vigilance, and unwearied activity of their assis tant secretary, Mr. Joseph Crisp, whom they beg respect fully and warmly to recommend to the favourable regard of their friends and supporters. His office, in a central part of the town, affording a commodious room for your committee, and supplying ready information upon every topic connected with the present Protestant movement in the country, has been found to be a valuable addition to the previous arrange ments of your association. " In conclusion, your committee beg leave to remind their friends that all these proceedings are inevitably attended 'with expense, and cannot be efficiently conducted without considerable funds. Your committee, however, do not ap prehend any difficulty in obtaining the necessary supply, being fully satisfied that nothing more is required than to call attention to the subject. " In all their operations your committee desire ever to bear in mind, and to impress upon all Their friends, that the success of their work is not of man but of God, and that the ultimate object in view is the glory of God in the salva tion of sinful men. To this end it is that they desire to pre serve the admirable instrumentality of our Protestant scrip tural institutions, by which the glorious liberty of proclaim ing Christ in all his offices unto salvation, is effectually secured, with fervent prayer that his holy name may be honoured, and his saving truth promoted in every Christian undertaking, and that multitndes who are now destitute of his precious consolations may be brought to know and love and obey him, your committee resign their trust into the hands of their constituents." The Rev. Mr. BUDDICOM then came forward to move the first resolution. He said—l learn from that report that the committee entertain very great pleasure in coming before this meeting ; and if it be a source of pleasure to meet to gether for the furtherance of a holy and righteous cause—to meet together on high and hallowed grounds, and to see that the interest in that cause is not diminished, but rather on the increase, as is shown by the vast meeting assembled here this day, notwithstanding the unfavourable state of the wea ther and the fact of a similar meeting having been so recently held in a place which may be looked upon as one of the ex tremities or suburbs of Liverpool, then, indeed, have the committee just grounds for their congratulation. That re port observes that there is no change in the nature or prin ciples of this society ; and I say that there can be no change, so long as the object with which we have to grapple is sub stantially the same. And what is the object of this society, and what are its principles ? If I were to study any length of time, I could give no clearer or more comprehensive de finition of its principles than that contained in the report — namely, "No peace with Rome." (Cheers.) Anti why no peace with Rome? Because we find her putting out one hand towards the east and another towards the west—hold ing in one hand the grossest superstition by which the mind of man can be enslaved, and in the other the foulest and dead liest infidelity by which the heart of man can be equally en slaved—because we find her bringing those into unnatural use to work out her own scheme of mental dominion. (Hear) Many, in the simplicity of their hearts, may be disposed to think that such things cannot be. Why, sir, we have seen what extremes can meet, and where they meet—we have seen such things meet as ought not to meet, and in places where they ought not to meet. We have seen a minister of the crown bringing in with one hand the arch-apostle of infide lity—the underminer of all the sanctities and charities of do mestic life—the man who is making a crusade against all that is decorous, delightful, and holy in this world—this Asian, with one hand, we have seen the ministerintroducing into the presence of a maiden queen, and, with the other hand, a Ro.. man Catholic brought into the Privy Council of the laud ; and if superstition and infidelity are not opposite extremes, and if this is nut connexion, I do nut know what opposition and connexion are. No peace, then, with Rome. And why? Because Roinanisni is unchanged and unchangeable. It is the attribute of the Deity to be infallible, and therefore un changeable ; and to order, and to regulate, and to mix Him self up in all the circumstances of the world, and to be af fected and changed by none. Rome claims this infallibility, and therefore claims to be unchangeable ; and she mingles herself up in the whole course and current of all the circum stances pertaining to those to whom she can gain access, and still remains unchangeable, and must remain unchangeable, and as a reverend brother once observed, I believe in this place, always the same, and always the beast. (Cheers) No, sir ; there is no mutation in Romstnisrn. There may be re straining from without, but in her progress she is like the moon in her revolution, presenting different phases in diffe rent parts of her orbit, but the same energy still carries her round in the whole of that orbit unchanged and unchan geable. (Applause.) We have had writers, sir—the world has been inundated with theth from Bossuet till our own time, who have set forth the beauties of Popery to the Pro testants in France, and in this and other countries ; but they only looked at her through a bright and brilliant haze, first deceiving themselves, and then endeavouring to deceive us. An eminent writer, speaking of certain plagiarists, says that they treat other persons' thoughts as gipsies treat the children which they steal—deform them to make them pass as their own. Rome has adopted a similar expedient. She has pilfered from other quarters charity and beauty, and many other enticing matters • she has mingled the m u p in her own system, having first deformed and disguised them so as to make them pass as her own ; but this is one of those devices against which we ought always to be on our guard. Satan may change himself into an angel of light, but his purpose is still to deceive. (Rapturous applause.) Be ware, therefore, of false teachers ; for outwardly they are dressed in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Rome, politically, has had many mutations ; and even before the time of Constantine, and in that period to which St. John alludes, she had passed through several poli tical changes ; but Rome ecclesiastical is still the same, and must always remain the same, or, giving up the doctrine of infallibility, become nothing. No peace, then, with Rome. We have been a long time—a great deal too long a time—for bearing to look into the real state, and circumstances, and movements, and intentions of Romanistn. I trust, however, that this period of inactivity is passing away ; and I trust that in some degree this association, and kindred associa tions, will do for the Romish superstition what the poet tells us the spear of Ithuriel did to Satan—make it assume its proper form and appearance. (Cheers.) At the present time Rome is only endeavouring to deceive you with respect to her purposes and intentions, to lull you into security, just as the savage tiger, while a man might be admiring the glos siness of its skin, the beauty of its form, the elegance and freedom of its movements, and the sparkle of its eye, would imperceptibly creep and creep on until it came within the proper distance to spring, and then the unsuspecting ad mirer becomes a victim, and forms a meal for the ferocious and cunning beast. (Cheers.) Mr. Buddicom concluded by moving the following resolution :—" That the report now read be received, printed, and circulated under the direction of the committee, and that the following gentlemen be re quested to act as the officers and committee for the ensuing year."—[The names of the gentlemen proposed were read over.] _ JOiHUA EDWARDS, Esq., seconded the resolution, stating that he entirely concurred in everything that had been said by the preceding speaker. Mr. SAMUEL HOLME begged to make a slight addition to the report before it was put to the meeting. In doing so, he trusted it would not be considered invidious towards any of our local clergy, champions as they had proved thunselves in the sacred cause of truth ; but he wished the addition made, in consequence of the distinguished situation in which the reverend gentleman stood, as the uncompromising advocate of Protestant sentiment. It was, that between the names of the Rev. Dr. O'Sullivan and the Rev. R. J. M'Ghee, that of the Rev. Hugh M`Neile be inserted." [The name of Mr. M`Neile was received with several distinct rounds of applause.] The Rev. Mr. WNEILE then rose, amidst the most en thusiastic cheers, and said—Mr. Chairman, It is with very sincere regret that I find myself in the position which I now occupy. I allude to the circumstance of my appearance be fore you to move, instead of, as I had hoped, to second the resolution which I have now to submit to this meeting. We had hoped that it would have been moved by our dear and valued brother to whom allusion has been made by the chair man in his opening address, and whose letter, written at an early hour this morning, it now becomes my painful duty to read. [The rev. speaker then read the letter of the Rev. H, Stowell, announcing the death of his sister, after which he proceeded to say.]—The resolution Which /: have to move is as follows :—" That the events of our own times and in our country, bear too painful and conclusive testimony to the fact, so long disputed and strenuously denied, thattbe system of the papal power, erroneously called a religion, remains un changed, in all those features which render ,it dangerous to civil liberty." Now, in appearing once more, before an as sembled multitude of our fellow-countrymen, as determined and persevering advocates of Protestant Ascendancy ; we are bold to avow, and consistent in the avowal, that we are equally the determined and persevering advocates of civil and religious liberty. (Cheers.) In fact these things are in separable. It is only beneath the genial atmosphere, within the protecting fences, and under the fostering care of Pro testant Ascendancy, that the rich and lovely fruits of liberty, whether civil or religious, can safely grow. By all the Value, therefore, which.we set uPon, and cordially cherish for real liberty, true religion, for the noblest aspirations of the human mind, the most animating and unfette r ed undertakings of human enterprise, the freest rind holiest 'enjoYments of the human heart : by all the unfeigned affection which we enter tain and cultivate towards our country in her free institutions, her genuine and'fitll toleration, and all her highest interests both temporal and eternal,, we are honest advocates of Pro testant Ascendancy. (Cheers.) Sir, I feel assured a t h ear t this Moment, that every man who hears us, or hears , Of ui,' and whose good opinion is either desirable or creditable- 7 -- whether he can entirely agree in all the sentiments we utter or not—will give us full credit for pure, disinterested, pa triotic, and Christian motives in our unwearied exertions in this great cause. (Cheers.) With some who have not hitherto agreed with us, we earnestly desire calm and candid discus sion. It is time that we should understand one another better ; that they should no longer dismiss us and our say ings from all consideration as being too hopelessly intolerant to be entitled .even to a' hearing; and that we should no longer. look upon them as reckless reyolutionists or infidels, with whom it were waste of time to argue. There are, it is true, many points of difference between us, arid those of a very serious character : but there is one ,leading object com mon and dear to us, and to all that class of whom I now speak. We love our country, and desire her improvement. Let us then institute a dispassionate inquiry into this ques tion, whether Romanism, (I do not say the Roman Catholic religion, because I consider Romanism a temporal monarchy, cloaking its ambition, andcarrying on its conquests by means of a hypocritical pretence to religion,) in its unrestricted ex ' ereise of political power, be not a fatal hindrance to the im provement of our , ountry in her highest and best interests. (Applause.) There is, I grieve to say, another class of per sons, a small, , Lnd:l . trust a diminishing, but still a noisy class, with whom we, can, have no discussion. From these we can have nothing to anticipate, except the honour of wil ful misrepresentation and virulent abuse: Sir, I must throw myself on your'indulgence and that of this meeting, while I say a few painful but necessary words concerning this wasp ish section of the community. (Laughter and cheers.) They seem to me utterly incapable of . comprehending what Chris tian patriotism means. (Hear, hear.) Christian patriotism, the most touching, and next to the love of God in Christ, the noblest passion of the human heart ; the love, the undying love, of that country which protected the cradles of our in fancy, and encloses the ashes of our fathers ; the happy scene of childhood, when all was hope and joy; when innocence was in every heart, and pleasure in every eye ;. when every smile was bliss, ynd every thought was buoyant rapture ; when a father's benignant encouragement, amother's affec tionate embrace, a sister's softening and humanising com panionship, conveyed to the ripening character indelible impressions of philanthropy, associated for ever with the walks, the trees, the rivers, the mountains, amongst which the gentle influences twined themselves around the soul. Chris tian patriotism ! the holy romance of sensibility and virtue. " Breathes there a man with soul so dead, Who never to himself bath said, This is my own, my native land— Whose heart has ne'er within him burned, As home his footsteps he bath turned, From wandering on a foreign strand?" (Cheers.) Yes, sir, there are men who seem utterly incapable of any approach towards such sacred emotions, and who, measuring the possibilities of the human heart by the sordidness of their own experience, ascribe, not on documentary evidence, which it would be fatuity to disregard, but without proof, without evidence, without the slightest reason, to others, all the base ness to which they feel addicted themselves. (Cheers.) Such men are the pests of society, infecting where 'they move, and poisoning where they repose. Advocates for liberty, with loud professions, they practically erect them selves into a star-chamber of.censorship, and pronounce every one corrupt, ignorant, bigoted,. who dares to differ from their dogmas. There is nothing too .low for their praise, or too high for their abuse. (Much applause.) There is no safety from such characters, except in open, uncompromising hostility. A profession of friendship from them would be but a prelude to treachery. (Cheers.) Oh ! sir, it is an in structive lesson, and the moral of it should sink deep into every heart, that such characters invariably inflict more last ing injury upon themselves than upon any others. Let no man be weak enough to imagine that when he has tampered with his conscience, and made his sincerity a sacrifice to his interest or his party spirit, he can stop short when he pleases, and at any stage of his criminal career : for such is the mys terious constitution of our being, at once retributive and mer ciful, under the eye of Him whose wisdom and whose will we may not question, that no man can contract and dilate at pleasure the pupil of his moral vision ;—once begin to darken or invert this beauteous orb of universal justice, and presently it ceases to present any obstacle in the 'way of a downward disastrous course, and loses the capacity of discernment be tween even the brightest and darkest colours of right and wrong. (Cheers.) If we remit our exertions for our coun try until such men join us, or modify our exertions until such - men approve of us, never shall we conceive any thing of nobleness, or accomplish any thing of value. (Loud cheers.) Patiently acquiescing in the dark dispensations of Providence, which, for the present, render the existence of such charac ters inevitable ; and thankful that since they needs must be, we are happily entitled to their abuse, I would only further say of them at present, that so long as, with conscious guilt and consequent cowardice, they skulk behind the mask of anonymous slander, and (except through their printers) irre sponsible libel, may be quietly and contentedly despised, and passed by with that mixture of merciful humanity and incipient disgust, by which we are induced in our walks to withhold the foot which was ready to tread upon a reptile. (Great applause.) But should they- show themselves by name, within the precincts of British civilization, they must be crushed. " The creeping vermin, loathsome to the sight, And charged perhaps with venom, that intrudes, A visitor unwelcome, into scenes Sacred to neatness and repose—fix' alcove, The chamber, or refectory, may die. A necessary act incurs no blame. Not so, when held within their proper bounds, And guiltless of offence, they range the air, Or take their pastime in the open field. Thus they are privileged." Turning now, sir, from these blots upon the face of nature, these venemous remembrancers of our fallen condition, I ad dress myself to the question more immediately before this meeting. It is the permanent safety of our free, our truly liberal institutions, in this Protestant land ; and whether that safety be compatible with the unrestricted exercise of political power by the subjects of the Papal court. This question, the principle of which has been repeatedly and eagerly discussed in this country in former years, is now forced into renewed and practical agitation by the amount of political influence conferred upon the sworn adherents of a foreign POWER, in avowed hostility to at least our ecclesiastical independence. The transactions of the last ten years have thrown most in structive light upon the discussions of preceding years, and I know nothing more calculated to convey a salutary impres sion to tke public mind at this day, than a calm review of some of those discussions. The distinguished statesmen who took part in them, however widely they differed in some respects, yet agreed in this, that unrestricted equality of po litical privilege to Roman Catholics was wholly incompatible with Protestant, safety. Hence their unanimity for a time upon the subject of SECURITIES for Protestant protection, as indispensable accompaniments of Roman Catholic emancipa tion. I said for a time, because afterwards, party feeling and aggravated excitement overcame the ca l m sagac it y and pro phetic wisdom with which the subject was originally treated. (Hear, hear,) When first entertained as a great political question, its most sanguine supporters did not pretend to allege that it should be carried 'without effectual guards and fences around our happy constitution, from even the most remote apprehension of danger. When Mr. Canning sought for the suffrages of the electors of Liierpool, in October, 1812, he said, at the close of the fifth day's poll—" Gentle men, my views of what is commonly called the catholic question, have been so distinctly expressed on many recent occasions in the last session of parliament, that I should have thought they could not be misunderstood. I have always treated that question, not in is religious, but in a political point of view. I have considered it as a question of political expediency; and in everything that I have agreed to, and everything I have proposed respecting it, I have always, with crapulous care and anxiety, proposed to guard and fence from even the most remote apprehension of danger, that happy constitution in church and state under which we have the good fortune to flourish : and one of the great bless ings of which is, in my opinion, that, being itself secure and firmly seated in the habits and affections of the people, it enables us to be liberal without danger, to all who are within the reach of its influence, and to dispense its blessings to others without hazarding them ourselves." Mr. Canning, felt that guards and fences were necessary for the safety of onr constitution, and thought that by scrupulous care in the constrction of such securities, the happy consummation might have been achieved, of privilege extended, and liberty not endangered. On the occasion referred to, he added— " There is no opinion which I hold more strongly than this, that to be settled happily, this great question must be settled peaceably, and with the full concurrence and good-will of all classes of the Protestant community. I am sanguine enough to believe, that upon full, deliberate, and temperate discus sion such a concurrence may be obtained. I am sanguine enough to think that I see my way to such arrangements as might allay the discontent of one party, and quiet the scru ples of the other. To give to one party a triumph over the other, has never entered into my contemplation." (Loud cheers.) This comprehensive view of genuine political ex pediency, not looking at the claims or triumphs' of a part, but at the permanent and consolidated advantage of the whole, Mr. Canning had learned in the school of his great and wise political father and preceptor, Mr. Pitt. In the last speech which Mr. Pitt ever delivered in parliament upon this subject, he said— " I have never been one of those who have held, that the term emancipation' is, in the smallest degree, apdlicable to the repeal of the few remaining penal statutes, to which the (Roman) Catholics are still liable. Bitt; possibly, in my view of the grounds of expediency, I may- think_ it to be much more contra-distinguished from the question of right, than the honourable g e n tl eman (M r . Fox) dbes. He seems to consider that there is only kshnde of difference between, the expediency and the right ; whereas, in my view' of the difference, it is broad, evident, and fundamental. I consider right as independent of circumstances, and paramount to them, whilst expediency is connected with circumstances, and, in a great measure, dependent upon them. With regard to the admission of (Roman) Catholics to franchises, to the elective franchise, or to any of those posts and offices which have been alluded to, I view all these points as distinctions to be given, not for the sake of the person and the individual who is to possess them, but for the sake of the public, for whose benefit they were created, and for whose advantage they are to be exercised. In all times, therefore, and upon every occasion, whether relating to the Roman Catholic or the Protestant dissenter, to the people of Ireland or to the people of England, I have always, from a. due regard to the constitution, been of opinion, that we are b'ound to consider, not merely what is desired by a part, but what is bestand most advantageous to the whole, " I never thought that it would have been wise or prudent to have thrown down rudely or abruptly the guards and fences of the constitution ; but I did think,-that if the sys tem I had alluded to had been deemed proper to . be adopted, it ought to have been accompanied with tho se checks and guards, and with every regulation that could have given additional respect and influence to the Established Church, to the support and protection of the Protestant interests, and to the encouragement of every measure which could' tend to propagate, and spread the example of, .the Protestant reli gion." Neither of these great men contemplated Roman Catholic Emancipation as a party triumph, but as a national improve ment, to be so conducted and arranged as to secure in every. essential feature the permanence of Protestant , fiscendaney.. One of the arrangements by which it was proposed to accom plish this grand desideratum, was thus announced by LORD GRENVILLE'iR the House of 'Lords, in May,'lBoBa • " Much has been said of the influence of their his4ops, and great stress has been laid on the dangers of a (Roman) Catholic hierarchy. If you tolerate the Roman Catholic Church, which is episcopal, you must of courseallow-it to have its bishops. But; it i is unquestionably proper. iha4the crown should exercise an efectval negative over the apfoint ment of the persons called 'to 'execute those functions; To this the (Roman) Catholics of,ireland ; declare themselvei, perfectly ready to accede. Their declaration on this subject is an unquestionable' proof of their solicitude to meet the' kindness of their fellow-subjects, aiu to, accede .. ..lo any practicable means of removing even the most groundless jealousies. As such,Trejoice that it has been made, 'and I see with infinite satisfaction the just impression which it has universally produced. •Tomeit is not new. I always felt the propriety of providing for - this point." • " I have thus enumerated, however imperfectly, the vari ous mersures with which the great statesmen, of whom I have spoken, always meant to accompany the'proposal of the repeal of every civil disqualification which still attaches upon religious belief. Great and important. safeguards they were, in my judgment,' for the civil and ecclesiastical con stitution of the realm, &c. I know of no other means ade quakto such purposes." Lord Grenville introduced this subject with reference to Mr. Pitt, concerning .whose concurrence in this point, he . said, ".Our opinions upon this. subject were not only.in com ,plete. unison, but I may truly say they were formed together by hiuttial communication and unreserved confidence." Upon the special point so brought forward by Lord Grenville, and afterwards techniCally called the veto, M r . C ann i ng said, in his place in the House of Commons, on the 25th of May, 1810,7- " security, or engagement," you complain, " is offered on the part of the (Roman) Catholics.• , Their very advocates are obliged to come forward with censure against them, for withdrawing that security, which, on a former occasion, was proposed to parliament in' their name. The right hon. gen tleman (Mr. Grattan), who brought forward the motion, has indeed thought it expedient now to undervalue the former proposed Security , --for my own part,' I think that nothing less than the Veto .should be accepted by the government. That some such condition is absolutely necessary, no man will doubt, who thinks, as I do, that of any adjustment be tween the (Roman) Catholics and Protestants much conces sion and much ,conciliation must be the basis ; that such an adjustment, in order to produce any of the fruits of tranquility, happiness, and prosperity, which are expected from it, must not be a victory to one party or the other:— must not be consideied by one side as a successful struggle, nor. is a forced-concession to - rival by the other." • In April, 1812, Mr. Canning addressed the following digni fied counsel to the House of Commons : - " Whenever the . .legislaii . irel - A;llM — aice up their minds to entertain the questioni of Catholic concession seriously, ft will be for them to couple the boon with such restrictions and qualifications, and to accompany it with such provisions, as they think necessary for our own security. Enact what you think right : and then leave to the Catholics to accept or refuse what they offer on the conditions which you annex to it. If they accept (which they will), the work is done. If otherwise, you have the consolation to reflect that you have done your duty by them. Whatever may be the re sult,• you will have nothing to reproach to yourselves. Go as far as you can with safety to the establishments. Do not exact from them terms that are unnecessary ; but be rigor ous in imposing such conditions as shall free you from all real, I had almost said all imaginary, danger." Stirely; sir, all this bears testimony to the fact that danger was felt; and why felt, but on account of the ambitious and aggressive character of the Roman Catholic system, whose unrestricted exercise of power in the realm was clearly seen to be wholly incompatible with the permanence of Protestant independence, with all its lovely accompaniments of ge nu i ne tolerance and real liberty. (Cheers.) And how, I would ask, was that character of the Romish system known ? How, but by the authoritative, binding, unrescinded laws essentially inseparable from that system ? It was against the tyrannical genius of those papal laws that our great liberal statesmen felt it necessary , to occupy an antagonist position of Protestant s e cur ity. (Appl ause .) In 1813 Mr. Canning produced his scheme of securities, one clause of which enacted— " ll.—That persons receiving any bulls, &c., from the see of Rome, &c., shall send the same to the president -of the board of commissioners, who shall lay it before the board. • The board to inspect, and report t o hi s Majesty : innocent, the said bull to, be returned to the party, with an indorse-. ment signed by the secretary of state (or secretary to,t4 lord-lieutenant). Provided," that if the instrument wholly and exclusively to spiritual "matters, and such - as the person shall conscientiously think that be cannot subanit i it, to lay inspection, then' he shall make oath to that effect ; and in such case the commissioners may allow the itistru; . ment to be sent sealed to be inspected by,tlieseniot%-ecele . §i-„ astical coinmissioner o n ly, an d, on hi s repor t, the said in strument to be returned indorsed by him only.-' Persons-not conforming to these regulations, in lieu of all : pena4ics -by , existing laws, to be deemed guilty of a misdenipanour, and liable to be sent out of the kingdom." With the scheme of which this formed a part,•the warnje ; friends of the proposed concession expressed their satisfac- • tion. Mr. Grattan declared (May 24, 1813), that " he thmight. the clauses, containing the securities for the Protestant Es tablishment, PERFECTLY NECESSARY for the bill, vote for them as one of the same. Notwithstanding ) Olt , Dpif position of the Catholic clergy to those clauses (which had began to show itself on these points), h e must s'ay:fflaritY doing so, they were enemies to themselves, and to tlicikke tholic community, and they must take upon themselves the, consequences." By this statement of Mr. Grattan's We learn that the,sedut rities for our Protestant Institutions demanded by Mr. Pitt by Lord Grenville, and Mr. Canning, an d acce d e d to iisth.:" dispensible by W. Grattan himself, were opposed by the litd: man Catholic clergy I (Loud cries; of ".Hear, hear."). Here lay the secret spring of justice. The proposed veto would have operated powerfully, though not effectually, to keep the Papal Hierarchy in Ireland, where all subjects of the realm should he kept, viz., in subjectiou to the powers that be. One of the unchangeable laws of the Papal system, however, is, that not the king, but the great Priest, is supreme power on earth ; that " Imperatores debent pontificibus subesse, non prreesse." The veto was, consequently, rejected with dis dain by the ecclesiastics of Rome, notwithstanding Mr. Grat tan's approbation of it, and the following defence of it by M y. t Plunkett, who seemed at the time to be in a manner en trusted with the guardianship of the Roman Catholic cause in the House of Commons. Mr. Plunket said " he had paid the greatest attention to the clauses just proposed by the right honourable gentleman (yourself,) and he was happy to say, that the entire of the clauses as they noW stood had his most cordial approbation. He was rejoiced to see that the right honourable gentleman, had succeeded as well in the accomplishment of the two great objects of the measure, security to the principles and esta blishments of the Protestant, and also tn the free exercise of the opinion of the Catholic, at the same timethat he was ad mitted to participate in the benefits of the constitution. It was his opinion, that those objects had been most clearly and satisfactorily accomplished by the bill in its present state — that such securities had been proposed as ought to satisfy even the most jealous of the Protestants, as well as the most inimical amongst the Catholics." Notwithstanding this advocacy of the proposed securities by their best parliamentary friends, on the 26th of. May, 1818, before they could have known that the fate of the bill had been decided in the House of Commons,' their bishops held a general meeting, in which it was unanimously resolved, " I.—That having seriously examined the copy_ of a bill now in progress through parliament, we feel ourselves bound to declare that the ecclesiastical clauses, or securities therein contained, are utterly incompatible with the discipline of the Roman Catholic, and with the free exercise of our religion." " 2.—That without incurring the heavy guilt of schism, we cannot accede to such regulations ; nor can we dissemble our dismay and consternation at the consequences which such regulations, if enforced, must necessarily, protlace," Here, then, the Popish Ecclesiastics and the British Par liament were brought into direct collision. In thiS contest, it might surely have been anticipated. that Mr. - Canning's admirable adviceto the legislaturewould be followed. Enact what you think right, said the Right Hon. 'Gentleman, if they accept (which they will) the work is done: if otherwise, , you have the consolation to reflect that you havq.4one yapr, duty by them.—(Applause.) But no, Sir, nothing was enacted. Popish intrigue - pre-' vailed. Procrastination and agitation were ; the sacret..orders of the conclave. Disabilities which might have been re moved, could those ambitious ecclesiastics have consented to'' Protestant safety, were, still represented-,as intolerable r perse: cutions, and made the themes of impassioned and disaffected complainings. What followed is a •painful history. The Popish clergy held and managed: the secret-strings;, the Po pish and Liberal demagogues were their characteristic pup pets, and the English people were the deluded and defrauded spectators. English statesmen participated in the delusion. Everything in the Romish system which could awaken or keep awake their Protestant jealousy was denied—repeatedly, solemnly, and on oath denied. (Hear, hear.) Everything in the actual condition of Roman Catholic individuals, which could touch their symp a thi es a n d stimulat e theirgetierosifY of concession, was magnified. The game was-skilfully and sue: cessfully played. .Mr. Canning Mir self gave way,. repudiated the securities which a few years before, and in his better, be cause cooler judgment, he had peremptorily demanded ; and. threw the combined and irresistible power of his name, his station, his influence, and his eloquence, into the accomplish ment of the plans of the priests. He thought not, indeed, of the priests' plans. It entered not into his contemplation or design, for a moment, to help forward any mischief. In the unsuspecting fervour of hiS love - of liberty, he rejoiced to scatter pains and penalties to the winds. He looked upon the Roman Catholic sailor who had shared the dangers and the triumph of Trafalgar—Upon the Roman Catholic soldier who had toiled through thehardshikis of the Peninsular war, and joined to raise the shout of upon the field : of Waterlbo—and when he sswsuch a man, althdugh allied per-- haps to some of the noblest families, of Englaricla, ancient : aristocracy, debarred from the highest recompences of his services, and rudely turned back from the dobr of the senate.' house of his country, present indignation against the wroug : sustained by the individual, eclipsed even in the mind of Canning the more distant hat More important prospect of a nation's safety, and preyailed upon bins to forego the less. captivating but more enduring wisdom which bears with mi nor evils in order to guard againgt ilia greater; that calm and comprehensive statesmanship of which .we have seenbina . .so powerful an advocate while he was fresh from,the school of Pitt. The veto was abandoned, and the Romish bishops tri umphed in retaining the exclusiveness : of .their fealty to the Papal court. Sir, the oath of a Rinish'btsliop in this king dom, his oath of allegiance, as we must be permitted to call. it, notwithstanding Dr. Curtis'_disclaimer and,ing7nious de-. tinition; must be pronounced by every partial intjuirer,to be wholly and absolut e ly i ncompat ibl e w ith the rights; . honours, independence, and permanent safety of the British crown. The following is an extract frnin the oath :—" I will help them (the pope and hi s successors ) t o defend and keep. the Roman papacy, an d th e roya lti es o f St pft.er, f,aving : uiy or. der, against all men.' The rights, honoursl privilege§, anti authority of the holy Roman .church,. of 41tirtli.M4 tßiiiitoope and his aforesaid ,successors, I will. endeavour:o ,preserve, defend,-iiieVedee Now, let me first vindicate the title I have given this oath as an oath Offealty 'or allegianCe. ' Fidelitas, in the Latinity of the middle ages, is used in a sense precisely equivale n t t o that of our English word. fealty, of which indeed it is ob viously the original. An example or two from the papal school wilhplace the matter beyond doubt. ' When any one,' says the angelical doctor St. Thomas, ' is denounced as ex communicated for apostacy, his subjects are, by the fact, ab solved from his dominion and from their oath of fealty (ju ramento fidelitatis) to him,'—Th. 2 Secund, qu. 12, art. 2. Pope Sixtus the Fifth, in his bull against Henry, King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde, says, ''By the-authority of these presents, we do absolve and set free all persons, as well jointly as severally, from any such oath, and from all duty 'whatsoever in respect of dominion, fealty (fidelitas), and obedience.' Pope Clement the Fifth, in the Council of :Vienna, says of the emperor's oaths to him,—' By apostolical authority, and with the advice of our brethren, we declare that the oaths aforesaid are.and ought to be reputed oaths of • fealty' •(fidelitatis.) Clementin, lib. 2, tit. 9. Could the Pope and Council have meant that the emperor had taken an oath of canonical obedience ? The researches of our anti quarians have placed this .meaning of the term beyond dis pute. Spelman informs us in his Glossary, that by the feudal law the word fidelis was applied to three classes of persons 4 first, to all Christians, who were called fideles Dei, fideles Christi, or fideles Ecclesice, but more especially fideles Ecclesice : secondly, to the subjects of a temporal sovereign, Whowere stilled fideles regis : thirdly, to those who owed fealty to any person by reason of offices or lands held under him ; the former were _called fideles ministeriales, the latter fideles feudales. Thus it appears, that in feudal times the papacy, was regarded as a state ; and that when, in papal do cunients, Roenan.Catholicsevere called the faithful, the term was net apPlted to them as the professors of a certain form of doctrine s bitt as the liege men of the church." Allow me next to call your atention to what is intended by the roYaltiOof St. Peter.. The clause was inserted in the oath by the notorious Hildebrand, (Greeory the Seventh) and has ecerernained ever since. "The great aMbition of the Pontiff," says Dr. 'Geddes, " was to make all the powers on '&l'A :feudatory to the Bishop of Rome." By the royalties of St. Peter, he understood, and the Popes had ever since un derstood their claims, to _particular countries as feudal lords paramount : arid the Bishops, as Peers of the universal ; realm', are sworn to defend ; tee increase. and tOadvence the authority of their 7feudatory sovereign., (Hear.) Are these safe subjects in a Protestant kingdom? (CrieS of "No, no.") They may not be able to introdece all at' once, the asserted ,sovereignty of the liege lord : but if allowed to exercise their `functions without controul, they will always be able to excite disturbance, to organise' conspiracy, and otherwise to inter fere with Protestant tranquillity- and safety. This is the se cret of the dismal history of Ireland since the Reformation, and peculiarly and eminently so during the last ten years. You will presently hear from my reverend friend,, Dr. O'Sullivan, specimens of the conspiracy by which our unhap py country is kept in perpetual agitation ; and - before I sit. down, I desire to propose for your adoption the draft of a eetition, for further inquiry . uppn this important subject. If you desire to prolong the peace, to promote the improve ment, to protect the liberties and the literature of our coun try, and above all, if you desire to transmit to your children the glorious privilege so 'Ong enjoyed by yourselves, unfetter ed freedom to preach a n d h ear th e G ospe l , t o preach and hear Jesus Christ, the truth, the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person, manifesting in our na ture, the free, eternal, compassionate love of God to our race —Jesus Christ, by one offering of himself, once offered, the just one instead of the unjust ones, making reconeiliation for iniquity, that God may be just, and the justifier of every one that believeth—Jesus Christ risen from the dead, and in the truth of our nature exalted to the throne of the Almighty, far above all principality and power, and every name that is named not only in this world, but also in that which is to to come—Jesus Christ, receiving in his risen manhood the promise of the Father, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and pour ing forth the precious blessing upon the chosen members of his mystical body, the predestinated Objects of Jehovah's saving grace—Jesus Christ, the Lord of Creation, the second Adam, the Judge of the quick and dead, returning in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, to break, as a potter's vessel, all the combinations which the craft and sub tlety of the Devil or man worketh against him, and to estab lish, in judgment and j us ti ce , th a t everlasting kingdom, the sceptre of which is a right sceptre—if you would secure and perpetuate this glorious liberty of preaching, a liberty which dominant Romanisni never did, and never will tolerate, then join in our labours, strengthen our hands, and cheer our hearts, and swell our numbers, in stedfastly maintaining the only safeguard for all our blessings, and not ours only, but the blessings of the whole nation, PROTESTANT ASCENDAN CY ! (Enthusiastic and prolonged cheering. The reverend gentleman concluded by reading the petition which he had previously alluded to.) The Rev. ANDREW KNOX seconded the resolution.—Car ried unanimously. The Rev. MORTIMER O'SULLIVAN, D.D., rose amidst vehement and long-Continued applause. He s a id,—M r . , . Chairman, the course which our proceedings have taken embolden me to commence with an abstract proposition. Human affairs have been, of late years, so ordered as to exemplify a truth which was previously demonstrable by reason, but which, had it not become seen and felt in the incidents of life,•would not have been acted on or received. The truth is this :—if, in -a Protestant country in which free , : ~, institutions and a representative government generate politi cal parties, there be a considerable body composed of persons belonging to the Church of Rome, the existeece of that body constitutes or introduces a new principle among the elements of political Calculations,- deranging all forms of reasoning which have been ;constrected independently of this new ele ment, arid nullifying all conclusions to which they may have conducted. - Plainlyehbwerer,' as this important truth has been manifested in ethe tecentepolitical•eransacticns of our own cotintry e there are ema rly among .us who still refuse to confess it.! DUncialftl 'Ol'aftY ( Of thoieadventurers, whose pro mises and iironheeies were once so; fatally alluring, what are the parties into} which geliticiens, in this. country—or rather into which out totinti'yeeen' generally—are divided, and 'they will narneithenekoryptueiceording to certain -recognised dis tinctione, r, evm,in avowed objects, such as whig and con servativ4, radteartind - clArtist. Ask hini whether there is e nnt e elee e a Roinate Catholic party ;—hel will, probably rebuke you for the ihibeeeliteeehich has prompted your inquiry, and will tell you' that'do stiegparty exists—that members of the „Chen - ph of Romero:4d* found in each of the other parties— :therenunehers in esetq being much greater than in any other— [Zeet that, irte a party carrying out a particular design, they i geeeed,to exiSeat 'that golden epoch when they were left, as a particular party, nothing. to,deinand or desire. And yet they sare in error. Roman Catholies, arc to be found in all parties ; e leut e yeetsre !far 'es' Rcerlianisin prevails, it constitutes a party Whichlegirrele ellcenelib e eetions into which men maybe thrown, i n nOOther light than as,they'conduce to promote it s i n t eres t s . Let me notVe'satigtitieeT to Speak disparagingly of indi vidual Roman Catholics... No man is more ready or inure glad than I am to aCknOWledge the high qualities of many p ers ons in outward . donuexien with the Church of -Rotor. But thet eheych el esne e syerem, has a peculiar .character. It has 'ire= 4w . , T i l proper affinities and its pe cu li ar p o li cy . It s peeseseie,evrtetteonefilit'rti in a nation has a paramount power, „ w e, p ffeer eeeeeders. oppositio n f ru itl ess , t o a bid e i n sub `isiiisidtr 4nd repose. 1131 d, when the house is divided, and i p ee te eeere ilirii6WitiViiilly balanced, then Romanism makes it e , msset tee.mt e ; e lt e ettaches itself to the weaker side, pro vided it can re* that the stronger, and provided also it )fiesasullat Mitil'ecifistitetedeffstich Materials that it will cone e sertl i teebo the ittAeument ofßome. .. Such has been its poli c y in Eng s tand e ,,obeervaet always of its own interest, wat c hf u l t o itekedleb ntletimilbielni'at advantage; until it has erected itself . a power in.thelralm. i'l'he• British ministry,-in that memo rable boast, .}?as . eoefessed itself an instrume n t to wor k it s will foe RdinaniSift. I trust the details I have to lay before you may-exemplify-.this, truth. I turn from it to other mat ters; and leaveit witleyou, with the evidence yo u s h a ll h ear :to-der, and With that evidence which truth seems to bear about it. (Loud - cries of -Hear, hear," and cheering.) And here, sir, I have to crave your indulgence and that of the meeting to smile'"remarks not properly, perhapS, belong ing to,the subject of the resolution, but called for by obser vations in that address from. the chair, which was listened to with a delighted and 'deserved attention. I speak, sir, of the opinions set forth inswhat are called' the Oxford tracts. If there be differencebetween us in this matter e as it is perhaps the only subject on which we are likely to be divided, I will hope, for the many in which we are one, that you will hear me with indulgence, and I am indeed not without a hope that although, at first, you may question. the soundness of my views, you' will find them, on fuller consideration, not ob- , jectionable. I would say, sir, with respect to the Oxford system—" Be of good cheer." We live in days when great principles are •ootheir trial. '(Cheers.) The empire of the sword has had its hour, and seems to have passed away.: We are living under the dynasty- of opmion. (Loud cheers.) In an age like this, `it is' surely well that all great prin ciples which are entertained among men shall be plainly sta ted, anti, when they, are erroneous, shall be strongly and discreetly 'cotribatede" And there is such a controversy now. On the 'one side are - eminent men, earnest to assert the pure succession of the -Church, lovers of antiquity, carrying their admiration so near - the 'region of passion; that they will love the object of.„their veneration, even with its defects. On the other side are, high men also, lover s o f t ru th, b u t so offended with' he" errors chargeable upon writers of an eient.daysethat . they, forget or disregard the claims of an tiquity itself upon their respect and affection. Between the two parties--the truth, will be cleared a n d es tabli s h e d. The lovers of antiquity will learn that that which they truly value is widely distinguished from the opinions and practices which ancient men have recommended, and they will qualify their admiration. Those, on the other hand, who, in their zeal for the truth, slight the testimony of antiquity, because Many false and superstitious notions shelter within it, will learn that, nevertheless, there was much important truth for which we are indebted to those who were under a holy direc 'titer in the Olden' ante. And thus,' by the lights reflected from the one side and the other, a spectacle of wonder and thanksgiving- and . praise will be disclosed. We sh a ll . -see erroneous opinions, nnedifying ' practices, and gross and drivellingeineerstitions circulating among men, and distinct and exetee i tiobove them,—the authority of a saving . faitheethe authority of a creed. We shall seen men; iti their privete capacity--when under the government of their own will, extrevagaet ; -erroneous e absurd—and these s ame men , all Steadfast and eelf-controlled to guard the sacred 'deposit :of the faith: • - (Cheers.) We shall see thein'in their studies, and their discourses, and their books, too often savouring Of what was light, and frigid, and fantastical, and we shall then; see thein, these same men,-assembling together to pro claim the paramount authority of the formulary which con tains the summary of saving faith, and admits neither error nor perplexity, 'and we' shall 'sec them even abridging their own liberty, in order to protect :against themselves this pre cious deposit. (Applause.) Surely, Sir, this will be a gra cious and edifyin g spectacle; and froln the manner i n w hi c h the controversy nte e heen taken use-I, strongly hope this spectacle will be realized. Thankfel then, deeply thankful, should wehe that in his gracious providence the Lord has permitted those disputed opinions to be brought out at a time when the Christian world is sufficiently sensible of the difficulty and danger to Welcome their truth—and when Chris tian knowledge and zeal , are- advanced enough and strong enough to combat successfully their errors. (Cheers.) And now, sir, thanking you and the meeting for their patience, I turn to the subject of the day., The resolution which I shall have _the honour to move, is similar in spirit to one which was recently confided to me at a great Protestant :meeting in a neighbouring town. - Upon that interesting occasipn e time did not.permit me to conclude my argument. With yoUr permission, sir; and that of this great assembly, shallc by a suppleniental statement, complete the case of the Noemanby administration in Ireland. Before I enter ueoh the second part of •nly Statement, how ever,- Ismanid' beg to correctAwo errorseor rather•to supply two deficieecies, which have been noticed in reports of the former.' One is with respect to the conduct held by the Irish gstirchiitnerit towards the iLord Chief - Justice of the Counnoo Please-r,, apether iP•t l 4 ( '•Odence given by stipendia ries of the government, respecting the cond uc t o f t h e Irish landlords.' Ore thrformer Subject I have'only to add, that the edurnnieneeaereprial of which the -Chief Justice pro vided himself with a copy; wes not the first communication with which he had beeteinialtdd. - " •I cOnceived,'•'• the Qhiet 4usOee says in his evidence, " at the time I sent that letter, th a t a pract i ce was growing up which ought to be cheCked. - Very recently before, there had been transmitted-; to me a memorial, conta i n i ng what struck me as a very unwarrantable libel on the administra tion- of justice, and - that was also signed by a parish priest, and I, on that occasion, felt it my duty to remonstrate, ! &c. • my reply to Mr. Drummond, on thi s occasion, I ex pres,sed my astonishment that a memorial should have'been submitted and received by -the King's representative, con taining an unfounded slander on the administration of jus tice, by casting imputations upon a highly respectable jury ; „and when Ifonact another .parish, priest forwarding to the lOrd-lieutenant An, insolent slander on m e as a . j u d ge , I did itoinTiVe that ti is called Tor a . stPonger tone of remonstrance." Otter Astitiolcy I have•to.supply- is of evidence on the el . :induct of landlords. As it was upon the management of property in Tipperary government had commented so se verely, I selected the Tipperary stipendiaries as the witnesses to show that those mischievous commentaries had been un just ; and also to show that in thus taking side against the landlords, the .government was siding with Roman Catholic priests. e - _ I read from the evidence of Cahill, Esq., sessional crown prosecutor for the county of Tipperary,— " Do you recollect the dinner given to Mr. O'Connell, at Thurles, in November, 1838 ?—I remember the dinner. " Was Mr. O'Ke e f e mur d ere d on t h e 28 t h of October ? He was. " Do you recollect any speech made on that occasion by a Roman Catholic clergyman ?—There were several. " Do you recollect a speech made by Mr. Laffan .on that occasion ?—I do. " Do you consider it true that these expressions were used by him, There is no man who abhors the crime of murder more than I do, but I know that those murders and outrages are the offspring of oppression. Yes, my lord, it is easy to give a country a bad name, and say it is disturbed. I can tell your lordship that there are savages in broad-cloth as well as in frieze. It may not be believed by men like your lordship, who have kindly hearts in their bosoms : but what would your lordship think of the man that. would go to the cabin, turn out a woman on the eve of child-birth, and who was afterwards delivered in the open air ? What, my lord, must be the feelings of the husband of that poor woman? Such scenes my lord, are not of unfrequent occurrence in this country ; and is your lordship astonished that there should be reprisals ? " Do you remember that speech having been made by Mr. Laffar_ ?—I cannot be called upon to state the words, and I believe there was some dispute about the words subsequently, but the speech was something in that way," &c. This evidence will be found at page 1149 of the report. Mr. Cahill is candid enough to express his opinion of the speech. " Do you, as a public officer, consider a speech of that kind, delivered by a clergyman, represensible or not ?—I dis approved of the speech when I heard it. Considering that Mr. O'Keefe had just been murdered in the town, and was to have been a steward of that dinner given to Mr. O'Connell, do not you consider that that speech had a tendency to excite crime ?—At first I did not know that Mr. O'Keefe's case was alluded to when I heard the speech commencing; I subsequently thought that it was, and I thought it very wrong." Such is Mr. Cahill s opinion of the priest's speech ; now hear him on the landlord's conduct—hear him when ques tioned as to that charge which had been preferred by his government, the charge of a wholesale expulsion of tenants. I read from page 852. " Are you aware of any wholesale ejection of tenants in Tip perary by landlords ?—No ; I have known many persons ejected, but I never knew of any wholesale ejection. " Do you know of any very hard cases of ejectment ?—I am not prepared to' state to your lordships any particular hard ships. Of course land is like other matters. Men have be come insolent, and have got into distress, and have been pressed upon, but I know of no tyrannical or unnecessary oppression." I shall content myself with two citations from the other paid official of the government in Tipperary, the stipendary magistrate, J. Tabelean, Esq. At page 749 I read— " Indeed I must say the landlords of property in Tippe rary do exercise their rights with very great consideration, from every thing that has come under my observation." At page 753 I find— .. .._ " lioyou know of any'case in Tipperary, since you have been there as a police magistrate (about seven years), of what may be called a wholesale expulsion of cottier tenants on any estates ?—I do not recollect any instance in my part of the county. " bo you know of any case in which the landlord, with the object of improving his estate, has removed from that estate those small tenants of whom you have been speaking in a body ?—I do not know any instance of it in that district of the county. " Have you heard of it in any other district of the county ? —I cannot say that I have." Already, sir, I have endeavoured to show that, in the case between the government and the landlords of Ireland, the government have, to the same extent as we have been enabled to examine their case, been found in error. They have not only abandoned their charge against the landlords, but have by their own witnesses, it may be said, disproved it. They have also confessed themselves, or shown themselves in error with respect to the amount of crime in Ireland. Their own returns show that it is augmented fearfully during the period of their government. On the other hand it has been shown, that by their expressions towards landlords, and their con duct towards judges, jurors, and witnesses, they have ap peared hostile to the rights of property and the administration of justice. I now proceed to consider their conduct towards the magistrates and police—that great force for the arrange ment and discipline of which they have claimed such praise from the nation. How has government conducted itself to wards this great force? Has it been zealous and watchful to insure and promote its efficiency? Has it shown a due sense of the trust reposed in it by a generous opposition? Indeed, to hear the manner in which government and its advocates speak of the police-force, one would expect a care for it little less than superstitious. It seems the idol of our present rulers. We might almost expect to hear of some of those advocates discarding all complicated formularies of faith, as they have discarded the bible from the schools, and summing up their faith in one col,prehensive proposition, " We be lieve in the police.”—(Laughter and cheers.) How have they acted towards this force so trusted in? It is said that they have made it the convenience for lodging some partisans and favourites and that they have not been careful to protect it from being abused by the introduction of unworthy mem bers. Ido not mean to trouble you with many cases of this description. I shall select a very few from the many which were offered to me, and choose those only i n which govern ment, by its organ, has pronounced an opinion, and explained the circumstances or the principles by which its conduat has beer. determined. I shall take them from Mr. Drummond's evidence : • You say you only heard a rumour that he had been con cerned in smuggling ? Just so. - Ditl'yOu wake inquiry for the purp ose of ascertaining the fact when you heard the rumour? No, I did not. When it was mentioned to me, I was told itwas likely to he a subject of inquiry before this committee, and, therefore, I thought it ps well that nothing should be done until the result of that inquiry was known. The snore massa call me, the more I won't come. (Laugh ter.) .Mr. Drummond thought it likely the parliamentary committee would inquire about the matter, and therefore he thought it better to leave himself unable to answer. A satis factory witness ! But - Mr. Drummond thought this.thnbet ter course. It is not for us to impugn his judgment: - it may have been the better course —better for the witness, but if better for the governmentthat •he came to defend, bad was that. better—bad for the government—and bad, very bad for the forsaken individual upon whose reputation he seems to have pronounced the contemptuous sentence, the less that is known of him the better. [The rev. doctor then proceeded, at considerable length and with great ability, to analyse the evidence of Mr. Drum mond. He then alluded to the dismissal of Col. Verner, in conseqUence of his having proposed as a toast " The battle of the Diamond." He next adverted to the celebrated speech of O'Connell; beginning " Men of Carlow, are you ready?" After commenting w ith muc h f orce upon t h e evi dence of Capt. Vigmiles, in reference to the above speech, he proceeded to notice the treasonable expressions contained in O'Connell's speech at Tuam, in January 1836, in which he .• 66 said--s- I made the experiment for five years to conciliate the Orangemen—l might as well attempt to tame sucking tigers, for they are More ferocious in their nature, and more sangui nary in their actions, than the beasts of prey ; and I have ar rived at the conviction, that the attempt was useless, and that we Must treat them as we do other felons In society. (Hear and cheers.) And first we want to keep out the tories. You all know that if the tories return to power there is no hope of justice for Ireland—(hear, hear)—no proposal of improving the state of the country. We have had the bitter fruits of tory administration in seven centuries of op pression. Let the enemies of my country brand me as they please with a desire to shrink from danger where my God forbids: but they.mistake me if they think, should they at tempt to carry their threats of violence into execution, that I would be backward in the struggle to prevent my country from being injured afresh. Ido not say it lightly, but I as sert in the presence of my God who is to judge me, my con viction, that there exists among the tory party in England and Scotland, a conspiracy to put down the Catholic popula tion of Ireland, as well as those liberal Protestants—and thank GOd there are many—who join their Catholic brethren against the machinations of that conspiracy." The rev. doctor after describing, from the evidence of Captain Vignoles, the nature of the consultations held by the law officers on . the subject of the above treasonable expressions, thus proceeded—] And of this nature was the consultation : " I promise to give you, dear Titty, My brooch and my bonnie black hen, Gin ye will advise me to pity The lad I love dear, my Tam Glen." Burns. Yes, sir—could we form a written statement of the profes sional consultations, this, I have no doubt, would be its elm racter I can almost fancy the process. Our Scottish fellow subjects are of a deeply poetical temperament. I remember once travelling in company with one well known and much loved by many here—James Edward Gordon. I had long known him as a strong wrestler for the truth—a man of vigorous understanding, keen sagacity, and reasoning powers of high order. I did not know that he had cultivated' the lighter graces of literature in his course of study. I was un deceived when I accompanied him into the scenes of his early life. The power of the hills came over him, and his mind and memory t urne d ou t th e i r treasures—snatches of old border minstrelsy, anecdotes of romantic adventure, bursts of bold patriotism, and golden gleams of poesy, all came out in generous profusion, and taught me that u n til th en I h a d not known my friend. (Cheering,) Mr. Drummond may have his hidden poetry too—and I can conjecture how it mis , led him.. -When he heard the charge against Mr. O'Connell, he resolved to be severe. That gentlen an was a magistrate. He iesolVed to learn what magistrates should do, and how they should be treated. He sent for Burns' Justice of the Peace, and that fantastic nobody, within his chambers, who has Wrought mischief so often, remembered his frolicsothe voca tions on this occasion, too, and 'sent him Burns's Poems. (Great Laughter.) At first Mr. Drummond did not clearly understand.; but when, in turning over the leaves, he fell upon the song or story from which I 'have quoted—he inter preted the allegory, and was counselled by it. The maiden consulting - her sister as to a marriage of the heart or reason was Lord Normantly between the claims of justice and of Mr. O'Connell, and the consultation with the law officers ended in proper form, with a recommendation "to be pitiful." (Laughter and cheers.) If conduct like this were charged upon a government in any country, no matter how peaceful or well-ordered it might be, such conduct must provoke much alarm and discontent. But when you take into ac count that this is the conduct of a government sent to super intend the interests of aeountry in wllich there has been de tected a most foul and • formidable conspiracy, extending through the whole length and breadth of the land; that this government has been found assaulting, by its acts, for I again set aside motives, the administration of justice, the rights of property, and the best means of preserving peace, what follows but that its excesses and supineness acquire a character of increased enormity, which• fills the minds of all who contemplate it with augmented alarm? Under any cir cumstances, sir, it would be fearful to contemplate a state of things in which the acts of a government seemed hostile to the laws they were to administer, hostile to the institutions they were tinder a solemn obligation to protect. How is the evil enhanced, if this irregularity prevail in a country fear fully disordered—a country in-which a conspiracy to effect some lawless purpose of unmeasured, but of formidable mag nitude. by crimes and atrocities of almost unexampled wickedness, is found to have spread itself out, one might almost say, throughout the whole frame-work of society ! It is now, sir, proved to demonstration, that the country in which government, by its acts, was holding up the land lords as objects for the hatred of the people, and introducing measures for the discouragement of the Established Church, and lessening the authority of the judicial b enc h , and open ing facilities for the escape of offenders in their trials, by its regulations respecting the constitution of juries, and its en couragements, negative and positive, for the subornation of perjured witnesses, was a country in which a conspiracy of this fearful character was organised and widely extended. It is sworn, sir, that this conspiracy meditated, meditates, the overthrow of the Church establishment, the extirpation of Protestants; the establishment of the church of Rome, and the separation of Ireland from Great Britain. It is sworn, sir, that the conspiracy accepts as members Ro man Catholics only, and such, too, alone, as are protected against the danger of Protestant companionship. [The Doctor then read from a sworn attestation, as handed in by Mr. Drummond, and found in his evidence, several passages in proof of the exclusiveness of Ribbonism, from which it appeared that this secret confederacy was composed of Roman Catholics only. Mr. Drummond's admissions fully ,the established this point. It furth er a ppeared that.. est°a Cs' temperance societies are sometimes exclusively M i ta- see tholic. The Rev. Doctor the n conc l u d e d as follows : J:, allfi' I would ask whether Mr. Drummond's exp l a nation i j a iel e cient ? Is there no purpose to b e guar ded by this ' t o ur avoidance of all Protestant participation? Judge for testi. selves. Almost every witness who was examined gev e _s e li• .molly, on oath, of his beli e f th a t th e Ribb on conspiracy .06,, tates the destruction of the Protestant Church and the e , el; pation of Prote s t an t s . M r . D rummon d. a lmost al °2 : ts ue. presses his unbelief. Which of the tivo persuas i o ns]; jos Judge of them by an incident i n th e q uestion, whi e nig sot . both sides acknowledged. The Ribbon conspiracy , su e admit a Prote s t an t t o ,become a member. Of this of s e , picious incident the b e li e f o f th e grea t majority of W ood s nesses furnishes an explanation. Is Mr. Dr unun cs escf opinion that this is merely the " humour" of the c en t , - little or the times to be weighed against it ? There can be scle Well '' doubt, according to the laws of philosophising, to we,' t sir. the balance will incline. Do you desire to know wa , ,a e foe O'Connell thinks of Ribbonisrn ? I shall read a Pa s ' a is2s:' his evidence befo re a p ar li amen t ary comm ittee, la P es o " Do you know at what time the Ribbon Association ill in Ireland ?—No, I cannot say when it began; m y own tn: v iselr is, that it is a continuation. of the Defender immediately ensued on the original formation o f the ,V je ll Association in the north (which association Mr. 0 poi of admits was formed in 1795, three years after the outs, the the Defenders had attained such a height as to ataeecoo, legislature and government of the country,) and w i l e s or necting itself with the French revolution, looking a'' is l a nd. plete revolution in Ireland, and a separation from En e v er The Defender Association was at first confined to the i,sl; classes, but had the bad feature of being almost e,,,i e , l s Li s s iie Catholics, as the Ribbon system is exclusively I, a" - s ecl• Such is Mr. O'Connell's stated opinion. His error I' o2 ' o o systoli ~ ,f asg s, , ing the Orange Society, I cannot afford time to exPq,„e error fully ; but I ant not disposed to think that he was .- as the When he represented the Ribbon and Defender System fog' ' same. Both meditated revolution and sepa rat i on from 0 1- land. Both avoided parti c ip a ti on w ith P ro testant' it it is .. I both being exclusively Ro man C a th o li c , CORteMP lat 7l i efe i 5 natural to suppose, only Rom an C a th o lic objects• eerie another testimony which I should wi s h to place oo h e d e see that of Mr. Barrington, a C r o wn P ros ecutor. I O Ol and am still, under a s t rong impression that he had sta fat' evidence before the Committee in 1825, his knowledee.", so ~ i , ; oath to prosecute and murder Protestants ; but inasO o se ', that gentleman has recently stated that he was not aequ a po sii' - with any such oath, I shall not place my remembranee;,,slei, tive though it be, against the deposition of so resPe e te - ro lea' gentleman. Do you wish to knove what Dr. Doyle o ft wog j the Ribbon System ? He pronounced it " ..A. dark an • eos , ,I 0 . conspiracy against all that is established by the vc;'` Vow in a country that should be more dear than life. es cor s you know the species of seductio n to w hich the con s P l 4S l l yielded ? " Faith in prophecies." " I have been the le4 informed," he writes, " that during the course of esssy year, when great numbers of you, yielding to our r rselc e strances, and those of our clergy, had withdrawn P i n d e, from these mischievous associations, you were prevai le i 4 0 to return to them, excited by some absurd stories. o ' s V prophecies, . and which were disseminated among, designing and wicked men." The prophecies to,.` l ' i lisrll' Right Rev. Bishop alluded, were those called m in t Ole' Pastoriei, which conveyed an assurance, that at a Fs e , l o. 1825, the Protestants of the empire were to he sle' e (" Hear, hear," and loud cheers.) I need not recite I°tsis, the testimony in his speech on th a t i m p o rtant trial f° o l- , ba d bonism--a trial with which, it a pp ears , Mr. Drunon.ocrthe not made himself a cqua i n t e d—t es ti mon y to the en eilisog the extirpation of Protestants from the country we,,s it ,e the objects of the Ribbo n conspiracy. But I ihia'„lsse il l important to cite that n o ble lord's testimony in hirdecie" . parliament during the debate on Lord Wharneliffe s . t ssi stun : I quote from the Mo rn i ng Ch ron i c le of Augn ,el9t, AD,' ~ " Having been for forty y ears i n public emPlon having been assured th a t s ecre t soc i e ti es ex isted in , es ebe he must say they had never ceased since 1798. T he - s elf nery established by the United I r i s h men was the coLa l „ t col: went, and that machinery was found so conve nie iioo o 7„ carrying on such societies, that it had never been ahaiesela' The society of 1798 was formed o r i g i na lly by the P tu g o al • of the north of Ireland. It was not formed by t he Cillb e s i Catholics." Now, however, it appeared that Rom an ,d lire lies had attained a maste r y over th e ma chinery , at"ilerty acquired a monopoly of conspiracy and insurrection.there 0 then, is evidence abundant to establish the fact tha t , y of and has been for many yea rs i n I re l an d, a cons:pie:oo4o elusively Roman Catholic, and designed to effec t P ei soalt which, if we may judge of them f rom the crinses i s s e II; to bring them to pass, must be mo m entous. ~'llles'j. government conducted itself in this difficulty : t s e. hear.) Former governments b a d t o s t rug gle with It tbel • far less favourable circum s t ances . Th e y h a d net with P e ', the party which it was fashionable to call the peoPl e ' r ots,' had not the cordial friend s hip an d su pp or t of the ( 1 ) , wo r neither had they so powerful a n arra y o f police, a n 01 ,6 strates, and legal auxiliaries. Neither had they ati s f P ar. ,,f tion in parliament such as would waive the politic s so ds „i to promote the national good, and strengthen the % % c id', antagonists, because thus they promoted the wel' o nsel i i , the country. All these advantages the present en' ,esi i , possessed, and with them also had what grace there ii,.tllll, concession. Yet what have they done? It ael' ea ':' e s °A evidence of their best and most trusted s tipendia tl- ;iov't under their administration of affairs, the R:bilon eo n s 'is lie has made fearful progress. Former governments e°"eleoti eradicate, but they restrained it. The present g over tle wba ti endowed with powers unprecedented, have failed to e o se, their crippled predecessors accomplished, and have P p ri er r a r a il l t the evil to spread more widely aqd to become n' a s c- diffe rooted in the country. They tell us, no c louts` story. Mr. Drummond assures us that the Ril. racy is a scheme of some of the publicans in Ire' mote the sale of their beer. He admits that it source of evil—that it causes disorder and 'aim' fatal as is the effect of its activities, its origin aft ing head is to be found in thi s con f e d er acy of Pelyidus corpo, - Perfidus ! Magical, rather, should be called, when he can impart to his beverages the sobriety, the passionate sobriety make men keep his secrets. (Laughter and chi what a spectacle does Mr. Drummond's represer before us ! Under the administration of a goy' sensed of unexampled powers. Ireland has - into a state of insecurity, and crime, and disord spiracy of foul and formidable character aggravi and augments the danger ; an d thi s cons piracy, governed by a few poor se ll ers o f a l e , i s able ingenuity and to defy the w h o le artillery of No voltaic battery can ill us t ra t e th e powe rs S ment has set in array a g ai n st pl o tt ers an d evil (iL Or , three ale-sellers are ingenio us enoug h to contr tion by which all the powe rs an d energ i e s of go' defeated. (Hear.) The conspiracy defies them have not been able to destroy or analyse it. B' that Mr. Drummond has been thus deceived, or grounds upon which he rests forthe justification of • _.. 0 e . They seem to he pri nc ip a lly, th a t th e governiee_.„l not succeeded in explori ng th e mysteries of the bt u t o e 0 6 1 acy.- Forty-seven cases ofribbonism were bro",.4.osKil the notice of the present government, and only one " lined be crated to conviction. Various witnesses were e sll ' i t i o o lc o. mean various approvers, and from their communieellielool, government have not derived full and convincing il",i i i I c o li Many explanations may be offered to account for, :,0 , - of success, without discrediting the great truth w t `; o l,cr i l ,,,' witnesses failed to establish to Mr. Drummond' s s P „is 4 l ' r , to Approvers may have come forward to baffle or Pe r t4 ali," o l , Approvers may have been di scourage d who wer e mil t jit testify to matter of much importance. Approv er '' e vd e .id luntarily, half reluctantly, may -have been able t° 1 6 noo scrutiny by which Mr. D r um mon d or his offic l3 o lll 6 ol them. And, sir, throughout the entire country a Poe °_ e t lit may have spread which w o u ld e ff ec t ua lly diecouragedesirci of information that the Iri s h governmen t does 11(4 asp ic suppression or the full exposure of the Ribbon e° e 0 b (Hear, hear.) 1 b. - • o' Such a persuasion has been disseminated; 1 0 1 °0 1 stated in evidence, with respect to the apparent ° P_A ls9 ii‘elYi r io Roman Catholic priests, and it is not altogether "; t he ', 1 ,0 a similar delusion has been propagated respectinv,„ot•V government. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) The rev' b o rtie'l ii! went on to speak of the alliance between the go ve ,ife4r . the present day and the Church of Rome, as 0 1 c0 00° , 1 1 ,0 ( the appointment of Mr. Sheil to the office of P',.. 1 1 e 1 011 !1 ,01 He, however, though he might disapprove 0 1 t 'bile.' le 1(7 propriety of such an appointment, would not, " c cl igab, 0 1 the law of the land th a t Roman Catholics wer e a , 30' 0 0 ~ such appointments, com pl a i n o f thi s e l ec tion• nt he f er e complain of Mr. Sheil's being sent in, but of 1111 " i iele i rl'', out to do. If the report of the St: James's C4 ' 1 1.11-!P e tic ° ' correct, Mr. Sheil, whe at the late election for 00 0 5 0 t' was proposed by a priest, distinctly stated, at the, te , e 4 ° P ., tl' ° that he was indebted for the high honour Nllo'6ol'olll' to the priests. The representative owed his eleetlboooq., priests ! (Hear.) The speaker quoted part of t o . l 0 ill i fi! , able gentleman's speech, and asked whether tha t ,coo l ,r r e ; braggadocia and blood-thirsty threatening of 0 fo rlr ej b. , into the language of a gentleman. After sw" e „pcl ll ` _ 4 l marks on the same subject, Dr. O'Sullivan e" 6 0' proposing the resolution, which was as follows ' 0 „ tbe t ' l l; ) 1 ' That the countenance and support give" 401 ble ° V , ' system by the British government, under the ' O IIY r t ioo o I taken impression of that system being fundainen 0, 0'6 oa j , Whether we regard that support in the direeL c i a ati , t o 11 4 Romish instruction at Maynooth College, in ''''' 40 ° 4 0° 4 our various colonies, or the in firect advantage.oolo'_g 0, ,: Romish priests, by such an arrangement of Ott e h v.. t er ', as tends to exclude Protestant clergymen, ar e su -s c °l !( P t ie° l' : only to justify, but loudly to call for the s trenn°: , 10 1), action of all who design to perpetuate the Pe a `' 0 , and religion of England." ,do re do l : The Rev. FREDERICK B ARKER Seconded' which was adopted without opposition. t he it ~. 0-4. At the suggestion of the chairman • 00 o , s 4 ,, The Rev. FIELDING OULD moved the adoPt i ..l„; e ite..os ~' tition which had been read by the Rev. Mr. 3-I ,.. A r ied P 1 ; ,,ti gentleman seconded the motion, which was ca- ' 4 ' l c O. re' i clamation. oh' o s° 1 The Rev. CHAIRMAN announced that the a ai a which had been made in the course of the eve ni ' L itl :j)e I .. ti to £B5. 1. I 1 0° .a l o il li On the motion of M r . M'N e il e , sec onded bY se a 4 1 Esq. a vote of tha n k s t o th e c h a i rma n was P as: ,5 ~ ov; - ' : acclamations. •, ~,-rs• pj p r ' " Praise God from whom ail blessings no'' , t o . ' PI" by the vast assembly. The meeting terminated a ool ee t , The collection made at the doors ainounted 'f te r 0 1 ' 4 , .' being £l5 more than was realized at the Manch e ' ell' er --", i r i e s LABOUR-SAVING SOAP.—The foliowaig l ic h ',ri l e r p making the labour-saving soap caving t i n e, i l/l 'i r e, l cellent article for washing and of I :l '2't - o 01 , 1 11,e ) ceipts for snaking it have been sold for from ‘ l O O O ll O , or and the soap seven cents. per lb. : but it can I s o 5 .0 1t b ill for about two cents. Take two pounds of v oter' r h t pi' pounds of yellow bar soap, and two quarts of .0 i l oil e , ,1 1,1 soap in thin slices, and boil all together for t . s% , f o r 0 .701., , i,.1) strain it through a cloth, let it cool, and it'' tl , es in t .' il 4 'i tij rections for using the soap :—Put the clot,.° „ t terhee t .tif night before you wash, and to every pail „ ° ,;: v c il 'erf e % you boil them add one pound of soap. x • 111 b` ' ii'°' rubbing ; merely rinse them out, and they ` c " 1 5 1.... 51 1.' clean and white.—New York Pa )er. re voo' . t e u R t i E o v n I , have for a few weeks past occupied some sil i : lhare h ' 0 0 ,,rtV, VALs OF RELIGION.—In i the religious " o il"' lb ;: Paisley has this week taken a silla'". t . a ls, -,,igP t hi,,' ous meetings in connexion with these re4 o l4oe l/ je, held nightly during the present week. 0 "1 o a IP; P e l le m we e r e e ti c n o g i s sel g u e e n te e d ral br y meeting was held in Martyrs' Church, a" e s 0 ' t i k o rs'' evenings in the High Church. The serv e l' ilie;jef the Rev. b ponderance of attendance being on the 1 1 ‘ 11. , cla' t ter,' w ell at , , e , t d r' With the exception of an invitation to suf il e a t i, t ° , l ; o° o l o ,, main after the more public services were e' ° - . - iii s iro e t ° oo'i r i ellenlr.veliruyrns, Yr•i o d:si t . , po o l ; e pose of conversing with ministers or e idr .'-ree '4, l ° nary religious meetings ; only they the services did not differ in any materialcae4jaeralve a , l e tr i st! were (: ".. as .4;P cs O ,O IJ protracted. On Wednesd night there b_..` for, bei?!, ~, sobbing on the part of a female; but this, 7 0 ,,:st ri iiii. 1 . 0 aware, was the only instance of any 01 " 11 ift le,j oj served on the part of the audience.—Paisl,o the e s l ak, Rear-Admiral Sir James Alexander Gortr' c ivil o l e o ' , 10, commissioner, assisted by Mr. Wsdker , t ,,,, e i . 0 '0: 0 ( 1 :0 1 has completed his inspection of the ha rhy r epal l e ,yrily between the Thames and Portsmouth, P oe 10 , ,,,,1, iP making his report to their lordships as t ° . o trY, si ps ' fil proving the communication between this e ° ; t 0 S" Vol by steam-packets, and of affording ,bolter s i te r e t tress during contrary winds and .2tortns. .. t tlie: F e j °.i , MARVELLOUS CURBS.—It appears that tlll?i'ot'i',l.p Gardenstone took the pains to inquire 0 . 11 ,,, c , on. 147 5 1 4 .1 who had actually attested marvellous en . l Ti g a fil l i itli°,, 9 more than two-thirds of them died Sh ° ,j i j bY P 0400 ; c0 1 been cured. Sir Robert Walpole was k,"' n e v rete Ll i as I' si'' medicine, Lord Bolinbroke by a man "-to'n by ° r P him of a cancer in his faCe, and Winni n gA e atil quack, who physiced and bled him to rheumatism.—Atlas. rqa fe It ch Youi bt, u'„opt ibbon ra' reland " ftfal ;#4,4-91/1 Kis 3,1 a'7 % ! \ \' ra r .' )l l Irec t. ° and i tS 110 1 ' *,j, of ale -s n o e We r /ant•riO oe`, o lll w hica cheers.) hio to ;e tat or „sentAlcd He r e ," ar , - 0 1 ', ,:; ns F).l 'to fr'11)1311e 0 , r l ( ' ti r o, t , l ea e rst r e . .: gover n yhich g°4iool cir, 2Ra Pi v or e )vernalea,,,i still. it 30t 0 6 , ' , 114 E r w hat 8 ." . 1 .00 • J iliS ~/ °P joie .