The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-04-08 00:00:00

GRAND DEMONSTRATION of PROTESTANT FEELING in LIVERPOOL IN OPP OSITION TO THE Proposed Aational Grant to Maynooth. MAGNA EST VERITAS, ET PREVALEBIT When the noble gathering of yesterday, the proceedings of which we are about to report, was first announced, there were not wanting parties, opposed to Protestant views, who were ready to scoff at the to prophecy th announcement, and t the meeting would be a failure, and we venture to say that there were not a dozen people in Li verpool sangu'ne enough to hope that it would so far sur- pass in numbers, respectability, and enthusiasm, all for mer demonstrations of Protestant feeling in Liverpool. Yet it did this, In all our experience of such meetings we never saw our spacious Amphitheatre so crowded in every pa , with enthusiastic auditors as it was yesterday ; and we only wish that those who sit in high places in the land, and dare to " lay the flattering unction to their souls," that the Protestant spirit of Liverpool, which contributed so largely to raise them to those seats, no longer exists to protest against their forfeiture of past pro fessions and abandonment of vaunted principles, had been permitted to contemplate that vast assembly—to witness the attentive demeanour of the faithful operatives who filled the gallery, or the enlightened ardour which re sponded to the various speakers from the tradesmen, mer chants, and clergy, who occupied pit, boxes, and platform. Of the numbers present throughout the meeting, we cannot pretend to give even an approximation to correct ness. We may state, however, that the Amphitheatre is calculated to hold conveniently 3000 persons ; and that it was uncomfortably crowded from first to last, There could not, therefore, at any time, have been less than 3500 present, and taking into consideration the numbers who went away and whose places were immediately occu pied, not fewer than 5000 must have taken part in the proceedings. In stating this, we are convinced that we are below the mark. We noticed the following, amongst a number of other clergymen :—Reverends T. Tattershall, D.D., C. W. Lawrence, W. W. Ewbank, John Jones, H. M'Neile, F. Barker, J. H. Stewart, D. D. Stewart, D. James, T. Nolan, J. Cordeaux, H. H. Higgins, Thomas Byrth, D.D., Fielding Ould, R. Davies, J. H. Jones, W. Fal loon, J. Baylee, J. R. Connor, C. J. G. Jones, W. Maynard, Drummond Anderson, S. Fenton, A. P. Irwine, A. E. Farrar, Thomas Irwine, A. E. Obins, C. J. Hamilton, B. A. Marshall, H. Hampton, C. Badham, H. H. Chettle, Joseph Littler, W. Morgan, W. R. Bunt, Evan Jones; Thomas Harris, and Thomas Dwyer. We observed, in addition, the following clergy of the neighbourhood :—Reverends J. Bromilow, Billinge; J. Crump, Prescot ; J. H. M'&uire, Manchester ; J. B. Meredith Parr, St. Helen's ; W. Coombs, Wigan ; V. Driffield, Whiston ; G. Creighton, Bury ; W. Cartlidge, Billinge ; T. Gardner, Stanley ; G. F. Green, Knotty Ash; T. B. Ingham, Rainhill ; R. M. Lamb, Over Dar wen ; Rawson, Seaforth ; R. Cope, Nantwich ; W. Pollock, St. Helen's ; R. T. Wheeler, Blackburn ; John Lyons, Bolton ; Jackson, Southport; J. H. James, C. Bisset, Upholland ; H. S. Joseph, Chester; W. Pur don, Aigburth. Amongst the thousands of the laity who were present, we noticed Lord Bangor ; Adam Hodgson, Esq. ; Alderman Horsfall, Alderman Crooke, Alderman Sands; Councillors Tinne, Tyrer, G. G. Hornby, George Kendall, Thomas Royden, Harbord, Glazebrook, and Parker; Messrs. C. Groves, Duncan Gibb, C. H. Hors fall, G. J. Duncan, Moses Edwards, George Beley, Thomas Porter, John Lawrence, Thomas Wilson, Charles Cotesworth, W. T. Keightley, Thomas Dover, John Grantham, James Robertson, R. A. Payne, W. Johnson, Major Dawson, J. H. Macrae, Gilbert Ker, W. Maples, John Howard, Thomas Muncaster, John Rigley, P. Leather, Dr. Gouthwaite, Thomas Green, George Mars den (Manchester), A. E. Fowler, Wm. Garratt (Church Bank), J. Walter, R. W. Preston, George Guest, R. W. Ashley, George Langtry, W. Rowett, Edward Jones, H. J. Webster, H. Bremner, Captain Brassey, William Jones, John Smith, Waln, J. W. I Gorden, On ti Mr. Al cher, George JAMES TYRER, seconded by CROOK, the Rev. Dr. Tatters of Mr 11 was the chair, unanim The Rev. Dr. TATTERSHALL, on taking the chair, said —The object for which we are assembled together this day, is far more ious than of a secular natu the case were otherwise,--if that erly to be considered as secular or object political than religious,—yet still, because I feel it to be the duty of every Christian to acknowledge God in all things, and whatsoever he does to do it to His glory, I should not be disposed to infer from that circumstance either that the object itself was wrong, or that those who feel their best interests to be deeply involved in the result ught not to assemble together .ne promotion of their desired end, or that, when so assembled, they ought not to seek divine direction, and the blessir God upon their -- But as ti for which we have met ch they wish to obtain, of g of Alaight le case really stands, considering that the object er is to do what the Lord may put in our power, to arrest what we cannot but con sider to be a great evil,—when we remember that that object is to maintain, to vindicate the honour of God, to .plosive religious homage of this nation to Him who is our exclusive divine benefactor—that which would be proper at all times becomes peculiarly suitable upon such an occasion ; and I believe, therefore, that I shall be consulting your wishes not less than acting ac cording to the convictions of my own mind, if I propose that the proceedings of this meeting be commenced with prayer to Almighty God for his blessing. With your kind concurrence, therefore, I will call upon my rev. brother, Mr. Cordeaux, to open the meeting with prayer. The Rev. JOHN CORDEAUX then offered up to the Al mighty a most appropriate prayer, supplicating the divine blessing upon the proceedings. The CHAIRMAN then rose, amidst much cheering, and addressed the meeting as follows :—As we have now risen from our knees, having been engaged in an act of devo tion, in the utterance of our desire for the blessing of God, and of prayer for the good, spiritual and temporal, of our fellow-creatures, I am sure I shall be considered as speak ing that which is suitable to the occasion, or rather to the position in which we now stand, if I express a hope that every part of the remaining proceedings of this day will be consistent with this commencement. I trust that all pre sent will, in their spirit and in their actions, manifest the sincerity of their prayers. I trust that this spirit will ac tuate and characterise both the speakers who shall address you upon this occasion, and also this vast audience itself, who are assembled together to listen to what is about to be advanced. I trust that the speakers will take for their motto, " Let the words of my mouth and the meditations o f my heart be always acceptable in thy sight, 0 Lord, my strength and my salvation." I trust also that every one present will give audience in a spirit of candour, and of attention and reflection ; and most sure I am that if such be the case, whether we succeed or not in the imme diate object of our assembling together, a beneficial result and influence will arise from this meeting, and that, at any rate, we shall have the happy consciousness of having done that which is right in the sight of God. (Cheers.) As you have placed me in the position which I now oc cupy, and in which I am sure I shall receive your kindest indulgence and support, I trust it will be permitted me to say some very few words—the detail must be left to other lips—explanatory of the nature of the present meet ing, and the design for which it has been called. (Hear.) We are not assembled, properly speaking, for the purpose of discussing the question for or against the proposed grant to the College of Maynooth. We have been in vited, and have assembled together, upon the suppo sition that our minds are already made up unon that question. (Hear, hear.) This is a meeting of . persons opposed to the grant now proposed to bo made to the Roman Catholic College of Maynooth. (Hear, hear.) Whether such a grant be right or wrong is not a question which will be proposed to this meeting. We shall indeed review, in some measure, the principles and the reasons which have already appeared satisfactory to our minds against that measure ; we shall then decide upon a peti tion to be presented to the legislature against it ; we shall also make provision for such presentation, and this is the whole extent of our present business. If any have come here under the supposition that the question of the grant itself, whether right or wrong, was a matter for delibera tion, such persons are under a mistake ; and I shall, I am sure, be permitted to observe to such individuals, that they are not, properly speaking, to be considered as con stituent members of this meeting. (Cheers.) We regard them as visitors whom we are most glad to see; they are spectators by whom we are most happy to be overlooked ; but we have no question to propose to them for the decision ; we are not come here 'even to entertain or to answer their objections; and, in fact, they arc here by courtesy, not by invitation. They have no part in the proceedings of this meeting except as a matter of curiosity or of information to themselves. (Hear.) Respecting the subject itself which is to be brought more into detail before you by other speakers, I shall be allowed to express my own sentiments in the fewest words that I can. As all profess to be who are assembled here together, so I, as one of the number, am opposed in principle to the proposed grant to the College of Maynooth. (Cheers.) It is to my judgment, as I shall hereafter shortly observe a little more explicitly, a question between truth and error—(hear)—respecting which I cannot suffer my mind to remain at all in suspense. Suppose, however, any one should propose to me the question in this form, and say, " Why do you object to Roman Catholics enjoying their own religion ?" I answer, " I have no objection to Ro man Catholics enjoying their religion at all." If the religion of Roman Catholics be indeed a source of enjoy ment, by all means let them have the enjoyment of it. I say the same thing respecting every other description of religion that you can name. Let religious liberty be really religious liberty ; let religion be as free as the air—(cheers) —let every man, without opposition, without molestation or disturbance from any other, enjoy the privilege of wor shipping God according to the dictates of his conscience. (Cheers.) May the day soon arrive when the Roman Catholic priesthood of Italy, and of Spain, and of Portugal, and the Roman Catholic priesthood of every Roman Catho lic country, shall be able to stand up and face a vast mul titude of their countrymen, as I do now, and put on the same bold front in which I desire to appear here. (Hear.) Let, I say, the day—l pray it may be soon—arrive when it may be safe, when it may be consistent for them to lift tip their voice, if they can, ten thousand times louder than I can lift up mine, and when they can utter the same sen timents in their own lands, and say, " Let religion be as free as the air. (Cheers.) Then, "if you do not object to the Roman Catholics having the fullest enjoyment of their own religion, why you object t o th e i r h av i ng a college at 3laynooth ?' I answer, I have no objection to their having a college at Maynooth. Let them have their own college at Maynooth ; let them make that college for their own purposes as effective as they can ; let it be in the power of no person whatever to molest them in so doing. (Hear.) I will add another remark upon that subject. Whether those about me will agree with me clesiastical position—then indeed we eight fairly retreat from the magnitude of such a subject as not fitting for dis cussion in such a a meeting as this. (Hear, hear.) But I consider none of these is the question to-day—it lies within a much narrower compass—the question is, can we comply with the measure proposed by her Majesty's go vernment for the endowment of the College of Maynooth —a measure which we all feel to be of vast importance— (no, no)—or are we met on the threshold with that prin ciple which prevents our entering upon the con sideration of it ? (Hear, hear, and cheers.) I be lieve hardly any measure could have been proposed which is so objectionable in its object as the one now pro posed. If it be the duty of the government to provide for the religious wants of the country, and to maintain what it believes to be true and has established, I say, how are we consistent in endeavouring to educate, train up, and provide for a class of men whose duty, if they are honest, will be to make it the business of their lives to inculcate opinions at total variance with the National Church, and with the opinions of a great majority of the people of these realms. (Applause.) I ask, would any Roman Catholic government exhibit such inconsistency as this ? (Loud cheers.) I have read with considerable attention the debates in Parliament, the other night, and I confess, I cannot observe in them any vindication of this measure from the charge of the inconsistency which we impute to it. One arg u ment may be used in opposi tion to the views that we entertain, and in support of the grant of public money for the support of the College of Maynooth, namely, that it is supported by Protestant statesmen of very high authority ; but, on the other hand, I find those opposed to it standing as high as any of the statesmen to whom I have referred—men who take an enlarged and enlightened view of the subject, and who, being out of office, are less likely to come under the charge of unconsciously sacrificing principle to expe diency. (Hear, hear.) The first authority I shall refer to is the name of a man more familiarly known to states men of the last than the present generation—the Rev. Thomas Gisborne, the associate and counsellor of many of the most distinguished statesmen of the past gene ration, and the object of affection and reverence to many of the present day —a gentleman as well known as a philosopher as for his Christian ethics—as much distinguished for his liberality of sentiment, as he is for his learning and high principle ; a gentleman not likely to be influenced in his judgment by merely passing events, — indeed, he says he is fast verging to the grave, being up wards of eighty years of age. From a pamphlet which I now hold in my hand, entitled, " A letter to the Right Honourable Sir Robert Peel, Bart., respecting means of removing certain difficulties in the relative position of England and Ireland," I shall trouble you with a few ex tracts. In speaking of the union between England and Ireland, he says,— The Irish—intelligent, shrewd, brave, sensitive, inflam mable, jealous of the honour of their country and each of his own, impatient of an injury or of an insult, real or supposed— to dream of their accepting or of their tolerating an unequal and a degrading Union ! ! Bear with the Irishman a little mo ment now that he thinks, be it rightly or erroneously, that he has just causes of complaint against England—show yourself disposed to be his friend—he is placable, forgiving, grateful— bear with him a little—all his good qualities will come forth, and he will meet you as a brother meets a brother. But let the cup of equity in which the two contracting parties are to pledge one another to reciprocal fidelity to their engagements be filled to the brim. Let all the actual complaints and representations of Ireland be received with friendliness, and examined without feelings of prejudice to the bottom. Let such of her require ments as are unreasonable be temperately shown to be so, and therefore to be inadmissible. Let such as are warranted in fact and fairness be recognised, and redressed in their just extent and without delay. Let there be no symptom of that paltry and self-defeating policy which aims to scramble over a diffi culty by doing a little when much ought to have been done ; and plumes itself on having pared away the corner of a grievance when the whole mischief ought to have been extirpated." in it I cannot tell, but I would say—" Let there be over the Roman Catholic College at Maynooth no Protestant visitation." (Hear, hear, hear.) Let it be their own. (Cheers.) Let them conduct it fully according to their own views of propriety. Well then, " what is it to which you do object? Why I object to England, Protestant England, compromising her faith by supporting the Col lege of Maynooth. (Cheers.) Let the Roman Catholics have their college, and support it themselves as they may, but let not Protestant England compromise her convic tions of the truth as it is in Jesus Christ. (Cheers.) The question is one of truth and error. Is it consistent, I would ask, that out of the same fountain should proceed sweet water and bitter ? Is it fitting that we should pull down with one hand, as a nation, that which we are strong to build up with another ? Is conduct of this kind—can it be—agreeable to the mind and to the will of him whose essence is truth ? (Cheers.) England, let it be remem bered, considered as a community, considered in its col lective capacity, is not a community without a religious creed : it is not a vast society which has not adopted cer tain views concerning what is truth. The question of religious truth or error in England is not a matter of equipoise, is not a matter of libration, is not a matter of oscillation, like that o f a pendulum, from one side to the other. England has deliberately adopted a religious creed. (Cheers.) England has deliberately declared her senti ments and convictions, as to what is the mind and will of the Most High God. Having so done, it appears to me to be utterly inconsistent, that having adopted a creed, that having entered into a compact with an order of men bearing a sacred character, independent of English, or of any secular dominion whatever, having, I say, entered into a compact with that orde r f men by which they are required to teach according to that which she has herself agreed to receive as the truth—having given immunities to that order of men, and promised them aid, in order to enable them more effectually to pursue their work—having adopted such a creed, and requiring that creed to be taught, is it consistent that she should now resolve, tied that permanently, to teach (for he who acts by another acts by himself,) to teach a system subversive of that which she has pronounced to be the truth, a system which she has pronounced to be idolatrous, a system which she regards as subversive of the honour of God, destructive of the souls of men, and dangerous to the social compact? (Cheers.) As to any right of man to confound error with truth, what shall I say ? (Hear.) One came down from heaven to bear witness to truth— "to this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth." Can truth then be a matter of indifference or of trifling importance ? What has Christ done to deserve that we should disregard that which he came down from Heaven to bear witness unto? Wherein has he fallen short in his mercy to this nation since the day when she shook off error and received the word of God as the standard of all truth ? Has England since that day—the day of the Reformation—retrograded in the scale of na tions ? Has not the day of England since that period been the day of her glory—of her wealth—of her pros perity ? Yea, lam bold to express my conviction that never at any per' of English history were the prospects of religion it bright than at this day. (Cheers.) And is this the day for England to turn its back upon all regard for the truth ? Is England to tell the Saviour of the world that it is a matter of indifference whether she sustains—or whether she acts inconsistently with that which he came into the world to establish ? (Cheers.) There may be those, perhaps, who say—" This is all so much bigotry—this is all narrow-mindedness." Well, my friends, I am content with the imputation of such bigotry and such narrow-mindedness, for I have no am bition whatever to think my own mind, or the mind of any person so expansive, that the subject which it was the purpose of Christ's coming into the world to attest—truth—should appear to it a small matter, or And again : should not fill a large space in its view. There are e And le' every removal of a cause of complaint be accom panied with cheerful and sincere indications of genuine good however, and I confess that I have h a d m y own will. Equity itself losesits lustre when not graced with the misgivings on the subject when I was unacquainted ornament of kindness." (Hear, hear.) with the real state of the case, who imagine that He then proposes to Sir Robert Peel some very large this country is under an engagement to support the measures of relief, and amongst others some which would college of Maynooth. Most happily the truth upon that not meet with the approbation of many on this platform ; point has been recently elicited, and we are now fully but I merely wish to mention this to show that the writer aware that there exists nothing of the ki n d. (Cheers.) is anxious to promote the good of the Roman Catholics. Any step, therefore, to enter now into such engagement One of the measures he proposes is to exempt Roman Ca is altogether a gratuitous matter. Here, however, I yen- tholic property in Ireland, considering that there are ture to say, if the case were otherwise,—if there did exist, seven millions of the people in that country not members or there had been established, any engagement upon the of the Established Church, from all contribution to the part of this country upon some particular occasion, for national church. (Hear, hear.) I merely mention this certain particular reasons, to maintain a college of this to show the temper and feeling with which he writes, and character, I would say, " Let that engagement be adh e r e d t h at there cannot be a member of her Majesty's govern to." lam not disciple enough of Maynooth to think that went more desirous to meet the difficulties on the sub an engagement solemnly and deliberately entered into may ject than he is ; but now let us see what he says respect be dispensed with. (Cheers.) Such an engagement I ing the endowment of the priesthood : would therefore admit to put a termination to all con- "By some persons it has been proposed to allat an annual troversy on the whole matter. If such an engagement sum, from the public revenue, for the increase of the salaries of exist let it be produced, and I, for one, will say, " Let it the Catholic priesthood, and to commit the distribution of it stand." (Cheers.) But again, I cannot help asking, either to certain commissioners or to the Catholic bishops. From such a plan, under either form, I should find myself under the " Why all this exuberant favour towards the college of obligation of withholding my assent. * * I cannot but ob- Maynooth,—why should a college for the education of ject to being made an auxiliary in such a course of proceeding. young men for the ministry in the Roman Catholic cow- A grant of public money to the Roman priesthood as -uch would munion be supported by the country in any such way, or involve me in that course. The amount of my contribution in to any such extent as now proposed ? The Universities eluded in the grant would be trivial. But it would involve, England, Oxford and Cambridge, are not supported with it ql i i s al t lT ie wi p t r h in tlg p l le arif o es ‘ t vi s ii ug, l th c e a o n b n j o e t cti t v i e ab m le y pr c i o n n c c ip t l n e r ; en a c n e d the public money (cheers.) We do not go to the treasury Such a plan, «e are t Id, was heretofore in cont2mpl-tion, but and ask for twenty thousands by the year of money to pay was deliberately and peremptorily r,jected by the Catholic the expenses of students at Oxford, Cambridge, Dublin, hierarchy. Yet I must satisfy my conscience by protesting, or Durham (hear.) Why then is the nation to bear the however needlessly, against any similar proposition." expense of the education of people in a Roman Catholic And then speaking of the two churches, and any attempt college when it is not called upon to bear the expense of at coalition between them, he says,— young men studying in our own universities, and for the "Is it poss bie that between two such churches any coalition ministry in our own church ? This is a matter which I formed,sciablebe„iat stlgetmane/,crowiteiovnercasnpecbieoudsesiroafbplediticlaslitelopoes: confess I cannot understand. I am not to be told diency could any justify before God any attempt, or the agents in thatsuch support would not be more useful—that there the attempt, at such a coalition ?" (Hear, hear.) are not hundreds of young men of high talent, and of Now, if there be any gentleman more qualified than considerable acquirements too, among the lower orders, another by habits of thought,—by extensive reading and who might be useful as members of the sacred mi- long experience, and by peculiar habits of investigation nistry in our own church, for whom it would be easy to to form a sound judgment upon this question, I should find ample spheres of labour, whose services would be a say it is the writer of this pamphlet; and yet we find that benefit incalcuable, if funds could be found to educate this distinguished minister of our Church, anxious as he those young men at Oxford or Cambridge for the minis- is to do justice to his fellow Roman Catholic brethren, — try ? It may not be very well known, but there do exist anxious to make every possible concession that principle a few private societies, three or four through the country, will allow, without making any concession of religious which raise funds and appropriate them in educating pious truth,—we find him coming forward and expressing his and talented young men, who have not means of Vieir objection in terms as strong and decided as any gentle own, for the ministry in our church. There are private man on this platform can do. (Hear, hear.) Let us not societies for that purpose, and I believe the extent to then be told that this question is to be carried by autho which the Church of England is indebted to those rity, especially when a great principle is involved. (Hear, societies will never be known until the day when hear.) I shall only make one further extract,—it is from the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed. (Hear, Dr. Chalmers; he says,— hear.) But where are the thousands granted out of " Should the monstrous proposition ever be entertained— the national treasury to send young men to our En g li s h not to tolerate, for that is quite as it should b e —b u t t o en d ow colleges, and to support them in their training for the popery, let us hope that there is still enough, not of fiery zeal, ministry in the church of England ? There is no such I l p a u n t d of t o c a r l e m .4 nt t i; e resolute ou , theoutra , r a a n d e e withal nou g eV o i enlightened y ‘ n i c reactioni pin t he in thing. (Hear.) No such thing is proposed. It i s no t the revolted sense of this great country to resist and to over thought of, I have never heard of it at least, that it has bear it." ever been proposed to give a respectable endowment to (Loud cheers.) In this hope I have no doubt we all most some of the professorships in our English universities. cordially concur; but if it should be otherwise,—should Some of those professorships, even at the English univer- we be disappointed in our expectations, we shall at least sities, are poor to a degree that very few would believe. have the satisfaction that, in the exercise of a constitutional I will tell you one fact of this nature. I speak now of the right, we have raised our voices against a measure which endowment of the professorship of Greek in the Univer- we believe to he as unsound in principle as it is unwise in sity of Cambridge. Is this assembly prepared to hear me policy ; a measure which the minister of the Crown say the professorship of Greek at Cambridge is, or re- mainly rests his feeble vindication of on the principle of cently was, worth "only £4O a year" ? (Hear.) That was expediency. (Loud cheers.) The speaker concluded by the value of it; and a name in the literary world adorns moving, " That this meeting regards the characteristic that professorship as great as the name of Wellington in doctrines of the Church of Rome as in irreconcilable op the political world. (Hear.) lam speaking now of Por- position to the Word of God, and feels it therefore to be son, the great Porson, a name that will no more be for- a solemn duty to resist every effort to obtain for such a gotten than will the name of Wellington. (Cheers.) He was system the countenance or support of this Protestant professor of Greek at Cambridge, and he received £4O a State." (Mr. Hodgson resumed his se at amidst loud year. I say, then, that I object to the grant, and parti- cheers.) cularly in this point of view—as a permanent grant—to The Rev. W. W. EWDANK came forward amidst loud the college at Maynooth. (Cheers.) Perhaps some one cheers, and said—Mr. Chairman I wish to state in the will say to me " shall you, suppose that this grant should outset of the s ho r t s p eec h w hi c h Isbell have the honour to pass,—suppose it should become law, that the sum of make, that I hope to be c omplet e ly guided by th ose bl esse d £26000 a year be assigned permanently for the college of principles which have been so clearly stated by our highly Maynooth—be willing from year to year, when you respected and excellent chairman ; and though we are are called upon, to pay your proportion of the tax ? Will come here to-day to oppose the measure which has been not your conscience always lead you to resistance ? Shall introduced by the first minister of the crown in this you not consider it a grievance from year to year to be country, yet, I think, we can do this without speaking called upon to pay for that of which you conscientiously evil, or acting in a manner in the slightest degree incon disapprove" ? The remark I would make in reply to this sistent with our Christian profession. I look upon this question is this—" I object to the grant itself, and my great measure as involving a question of real principle conscience makes it my duty to speak now when no en- and though I quite agree with the chairman in the expres-: gagement has been made; but if it should appear to the sion, that even if the measure be passed, it would be legislature, judging by principles and for reasons contrary quite in accordance with my conscience to pay taxes, or to what I believe ought to decide them, if it shall appear at least my share, to the support of the state, yet if we good to them to assign such sum, or any other sum by the did not come forward on such an occasion as this, and year, either to the college of Maynooth or anything else, most solemnly protest against the unholy, un-Protestant, I shall feel no conscientious objection whatever to pay my and un-English measure, we should have the wrath of own share of such taxes as are demanded of me." (Hear, God on our heads. (Loud cheers.) Let me first of all hear.) I will tell you why. I go upon general read to you the resolution, in order that we may have the principles in this as well as everything else. Pro- subject more clearly before us. It is, " That this meeting perty is the creature of the social compact; it is the regards the characteristic doctrines of the Church of first principle of civilization '•it is the creation of law. Rome as in irreconcil ea bl e o pp os iti on t o th e w o r d o f G o d, That part of the produce of labour which the law assigns and feels it therefore to be a solemn duty to resist every to me as mine, that part which it assigns to any other effort to obtain for such a system the countenance or person or institution, belongs to that person or institu- support of this Protestant state." You will observe here Von ; and when my proportion is demanded from me, I that we do not speak against all the doctrines of the will remember that property belongs to the institution and Church of Rome. There are many doctrines which we not to me, and my conscience will require me as a matter all, hold together in common. We profess to have the of duty immediately and unhesitatingly to pay the de- same God, and the same saiiour ; but it is quite possible mend. (Cheers.) Conscience would operate with me in for certain doctrines to be held in addition to the great that way, remembering that lam not responsible for the fundamental doctrines and become so completely cha application of property by any other person than myself. racteristic, and so completely diffused through the whole As to what belongs to me, for the use of that lam an- system, as to make the system completely opposed to the swerable to God • lam not answerable for the use w hi c h wor d o f G o d. I thi n k th at i n regar di ng th e c h aracter o f others make of what belongs to them. (Cheers.) When- any individual we look at that portion of his character ever I have in my hand what belongs to others, that I that stands most prominently forward in all the actions of readily transfer to them, and let the responsibility of its life. We call a man an avaricious man, or a proud application to evil purposes rest where it ought. The man, or a passionate man, just in proportion as we see rev. gentleman then resumed his seat amidst loud cheers. avarice, pride, or passion obtain an ascendancy over some ADAM HODGSON, Esq., then rose to propose the first of the more excellent qualities which he may have in corn resolution. He said—Mr. Chairman, nothing could be plete subjection to these great master powers of his mind. more consonant with my own feelings than the sentiments So it is with the Church of Rome. There are some doc which we have heard expressed by our chairman at the trines held by Pope Pius the Fourth which are quite as commencement of the meeting, and I trust that the much in accordance with the word of God as the Thirty tone of feeling and expression which he recommended will nine Articles of the Church of England. And when we pervade all the observations which may be made to-day. speak of the Romish creed, we have a perfect right to (Hear, hear.) I can assure you it is not without very take its doctrines as indications of the character of great pain that I come forward this morning to offer any the whole system. What have we to do with the este opposition to a measure which professes on the surface of blishment of Maynooth, or endowing the College of May it an aspect of kindliness and good-will towards our Ro- nooth We are as a nation pledged to the support of the man Catholic fellow-subjects in Ireland—(hear, hear)— Established Church, but by voting any part of the public but our government have reduced us to this alternative, money for the endowment of the Roman Catholic College that we must either protest against or give a silent ac- of Maynooth, we are, in effect, establishing the Roman quiescence in a measure with which we cannot conscien- Catholic religion in this Protestant country. Now, we tiously concur. We might indeed well shrink from the task know that one of the leading principles of the Church of of lifting up our voice against such a measure, and leave Rome is the sacrifice of the mass. She holds that the simple the responsibility of it entirely to our rulers ; but if we are death of Christ is not sufficient for our salvation ; but of opinion that a great principle is about to be violated— that the sacrifice of the mass constantly repeated by her that the legislature of this country is about to commit an officiating priests is also necessary. We know that she act which shall involve the ineulcation of error in the en- holds it imperative on all the faithful to confess their dowment of the Roman Catholic priesthood (for I believe sins to the priest ; and she puts all the laity under that will afterwards follow)—then I think we should be the power of the priesthood. She holds the doctrine of faithless to the trust which the constitution of the coun- purgatory, and we know how difficult it is to persuade a try has entrusted to us in our several stations of life, if we man without the grace of God tolive at peace with the world. did not come forward to express in the strongest possible What is this doctrine of purgatory but that men should way, and in every manner possible, our disapprobation of be allowed to sin, till it has got such a hold on their the measure. (Loud cheers.) lam not insensible of the minds, that you may depend upon it, that if men believe difficulties which surround the whole question ; and if it there is such a thing as purgatory, they will not care was in what way we could best repair the wrongs done to whether they die with all their sins upon them and with- Ireland in times past—in what way we could best soothe out repentance. These are the characteristics of the her animosities and allay her agitation—in what way we Church of Rome; .and then there ie the great master doc could best inspire her sons with cordiality and confidence trine of all. When I was on the continent in a Roman towards this country, and remedy the anomaly of her ec- ! Catholic country, I sew that one of the characteristics was the worship of the virgin. In whatever church you enter you will see an idol of the Virgin Mary standing prominently forward, and therefore, we have a right to say, that the doctrines of the Church of Rome are wrong, and so characteristic of the whole system, that whatever good she has in her, still there is suffirient poison in it to prevent a member of the church and the votaries of her system from receiving consolation from that deformity in her religion. (Cheers). I confess that I was most deeply grieved by a passage in the speech of the Right Hon. Sir Robert Peel the other evening on this question. he said, amongst other arguments, if such weak as sertions can be called arguments—he said " Amongst other things, if we refuse to endow this college we shall actually deprive millions of our fellow-subjects of the consolation and the spirituality of religion. (Cries of heir, and hisses.) For a minister of a Protestant state to enunciate such a statement as this ! He might have said, as we believe that there are many good men amongst that body, but he ought not as a consistent Protestant man to have said that popery was able to give the slightest possi ble morsel of consolation to a dying man. (Loud cheers.) There is another point upon which I think much mistake prevails. You hear men say that they believe that such doctrines are true ; and that others believe that contrary doctrines are true, and that they do not know which is best. This is a common argument, that the word of God is too difficult to be understood. But are we to be told that we cannot know whether there is such a doctrine as the sacrifice of the mass ; or that when we are plainly and distinctly informed that " there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus," wa are also to recognize the mediation of the Virgin and the saints? (Cheers.) Surely the word of God was made for plain and simple men,--so plain " that he that runs may read"—and though I think that there are difficulties in scripture that cannot be fathomed by our weak faculties, yet there is not one that affects our salvation that we cannot comprehend. We can therefore say that these doctrines of Rome are irreconcileable with the word of God, which says that the way to salvation is through Christ Jesus. But there was another argument used by Lord Sandon—(hear, hear, and hisses)—in his speech some time since before the introduction of this measure. In stating that he intended to vote with the government. he stated that it was the duty of the government to make the College of Maynooth as effectual and as learned as any of the great foreign universities. I think those were his words. Now, last year, it was my fortune to he at one of those great foreign universities—the university of Padua—a college not only celebrated on the continent but in England, and it is most interesting to see that in the accounts of that university, the names of parties from England, who were sent to study at that famous seat of learning. What has been the result of that better education of priests? I be lieve that the Romish priests are there educated, as well as the Roman hiererchy are educated there, and they are sent to their flocks and obtain such an amount of secular learning as is necessary to make them efficient minis ters of the Romish Church. Now what effect has this had upon the people ? This is our object. The object of the government is not to educate the priests, but by the edncation of the priests to act upon the great mass of the Roman Catholic population of Ireland. Do we find through Padua or Italy that the common people are better instructed in secular knowledge, such as that which the priests have been permitted to obtain? Has it opened their minds to the gross absurdities of popery? (Hear.) When I was visiting that university, I bought, merely as a curiosity, a small Italian book containing a true history of the life of the famous Romish priest, Saint Anthony of Padua, and I looked at the book only the other day, without any reference to this meeting—l perceived that it was printed at the university press, and issued under the sanction of the bishop himself. This book is intended for the education of the people. This is what they learned at a first-rate foreign university, to which Lord Sandon wishes to assimilate education in Ireland.— The powers of Saint Anthony are universally believed by the people, and I can assure you, for I have seen it with my own eyes-1 have seen them kneeling at the shrine of Saint Anthony for more than an hour together, praying before the saint ; and above the shrine are the following most blasphemous words :—" Come to me, all ye who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Shame.) And to give you a specimen of the instruction that is given to the poor ,people of Italy by the bishops and priests :—Saint Anthoti? came to the large town of Rimini in order to permit the people to hear . . him ; but as few attended him, be went down to the sea shore, and inasmuch as the men would not hear him, he collected together a large congregation of fishes (laugh ter); and it is here in this book recorded that they all of them, with their heads out of the water, listened to him in the most patient manner (laughter)—that the sermon of Saint Anthony was against heresy, and the fishes would of depart till the saint had given them a blessing (laugh ter); and the consequence was, that it had such an effect upo-i the men that they were all converted to the faith of Rome. On one of these occasions one of his hearers said he would believe transubstantiation upon the condition that the mule which he rode would leave his fodder to worship the Host when he came to him ; and accordingly when Saint Anthony came he left his meat, and went to worship on his knees. (Laughter.) This Saint Anthony of Padua was then a great popular preacher, and his church in Rimini was crowded. On one occasion a woman had gone to hear him preach, leaving her little child at home. When she came back, after hearing the saint's sermon, she perceived that her child was actually in a large pot of boiling water which was placed on the fire. She immediately seized it and caught it out, and, to her wonderful astonishment, in consequence of her having heard St. Anthony preach, she found that the child was not in the least degree injured. These are the strange stories published by the learned Bishop and Priests of Padua for the instruction of the people of the country. Allow me to read an extract from :a letter of Pope Gregory, written against the Bible Society of Lon don. He commences his letter, which is addressed to all the Bishops of the Roman church in this country, in this manner. He says : "Amongst the Principal machinations by which in this our age the Anti-Catholics of various names endeavour to ensnare the adherents of Catholic truth, and to turn away their minds from the holiness of the Faith, a prominent position is held by the Bible Societies. These societies, first instituted in England, and since extended far and wide, we now behold in one united phakinx, conspiring for this object, to translate the books of the Divine Scriptures into all the vulgar tongues, to issue im mense numbers of copies, —to disseminate them indiscriminately among Christians and Infidels,—aud t s o entice every individual to pursue them without any guide." He says in another part of the book, that in this happy country England they perceive that Bibles have been placed in the hands of the Roman Catholics, and the letter declares that it is not the rule of the church that the laity should read the Bible without instruction, He says That Bibles published in the vulgar tongue, should be al lowed to no persons but those to whom the reading of them was judged likely to be productive of an increase of faith and piety." And if they find a poor man who puts all his faith in the Church of Rome he may be allowed to have the Bible, but to such persons as are of inquiring mind the Bible is not to be allowed. And then he says : fill" Let us commend to him with all the humility of fervent prayer of which we are capable, our own cause and that of the whole flock and of his own church ; invoking also the most pious depreciation' of Peter the chief of the apostles, and of other saints, and especially of the most blessed Virgin Mary, to whom it is granted to exterminate all heresies throughout the entire world." Now, this is a deliberate letter from the head of the Romish Church, and I will only, in conclusion, exhort you to remember what the Pope says concerning Eng laud. It is to that country to which he looks as the source of all this heresy, and the source of these bible so cieties, and the source of the true religion that is damaging popery. The reason why he wrote this letter was that they had established a bible society at Rome under the very nose of the Pontiff. (Cheers.) There was a society in America for converting the Roman Catholics in Rome ; they thought it best to begin there first, and, in con . . sequence, the Pope published this letter against what he conceived to be a system subversive of the word of God. I look upon this period as a crisis in our history. We have been contending with the Pope of Rome. From our early history you find that by eur sovereigns we contended against the Pope of Rome, and now, by the blessing of God, we are, in spite of all our disadvantages, a Protestant state. We are a Protestant state yet, and the reason we come forward is that we may retrace the false steps we have taken, and resume our proper position. It is as tonishing to read the speech of the prime minister—it is most painful to read it—to see a man like Sir Robert Peel bring forward a measure calculated to trample upon the rights of a great portion of the people of this nation—to see a man with his high intellect endeavouring to carry this measure without a single shred of argument ; but, at the same time, it rejoices our hearts to see a man come forward before the parliament, knowing there was an op position ready to be put forward to all his arguments, he acknowledges that he had acted contrary to Protestant principle, and, therefore, as there was no going back he must go forward. The rev gentleman concluded amidst loud cheering. The Rev. J. HALDANE STEWART said—l have been requested to second the resolution which has been so ably proposed for your adoption by my friend Mr. Adam Hodgson, and I can truly se) that it is with ve r y p a i n f u l feelings ;hat I have complied with this request ; flr it is so contrary to that pleasant path in which it is my privi lege to walk—that of leading on the sons of God to glory, rather than taking part in the contentions in which our great Enemy seeks to involve those who bear the Chris tian name. I may say also that I have as little taste for mere political subjects as I have for controversial ones. But it is that I do not consider the cause on which we are assembled at this time as being of a political nature, but as involving most important spiritual interests, that in coming forward to-day to express my sentiments on the proposed grant to Maynooth, I am acting in strict accordance to my duty to our blessed Saviour, whose I am and whom I de s i re t o serve . (Hear.) One of the offices entrusted to us is this—to be watchmen ; and to lead us faithfully to fulfil this office, the Lord has given this striking charge :—" When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts and set him for their watchman ; If when be seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet and warn them, then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet and taketh not warning, if the sword come and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. But if the watchman see the sword and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned, if the sword come and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand." You see, therefore, that I am only fulfilling my duty_as offered up this prayer—that when the walls of Babylon fell, they might fall empty ; or that God would give that grace to all connected with the Church of Rome to attend to his solemn charge—" Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." I say, therefore, that it is with no want of charity that I mention our dangers. No; if I could show a kindness to a Roman Catholic, I would readily do it ; and it is love to their souls, and to those of my Protestant brethren, which ever influences me. I might with great propriety adopt the striking words of the prophet Jeremiah—" We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed : forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country, for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies." Allow me to state some few of the reasons why I believe this grant to Maynooth to be so replete with danger. And, first, there is the danger arising from a spiritual connection with that apostate church upon which God has in his word de nounced such heavy judgments : for, in applying to the Church of Rome the heavy judgments denounced upon Babylon, I am sanctioned by one of our greatest philoso phers—l mean Sir Isaac Newton, in his Commentary,— and by the most learned, sober-minded, and enlightened commentators, from the days of our Reformers to the present time. (Hear, hear.) Permit me here to refer you to the 14th chapter of the Revelations, for in a meet ing of Protestants, whose religion is the religion of the Bible, upon a subject like the present, a reference to the word of God will, I trust, be well received. (The rev. gentleman here read from Rev. xiv. 6-11, and then conti nued his address as follows.) Here you observe, first, an angel proclaiming the glad tidings of the gospel ; this followed by another, predicting the fall of Babylon ; and then a third, denouncing more distressing judgments upon any one who should have any communion with her. Nor are these solemn denunciations—bearing in mind the character of God as a jealous God, who will not join his glory to another—at all surprising ; for time would fail to enumerate in how many ways the Church of Rome dis honours God. (Hear, hear.) I will only mention two or three. First, its veto against the Bible, preventing a layman from reading it, except by the permission of a bishop or inquisitor. This is one mode by which it dis honours God—a dishonour which we, as Protestants, must deeply feel ; for ob, bow different is the character given of the Bible at the coronation of our Queen ! Per mit me to read the words : " Upon the presenting of the Hcly Bible, which is taken from off the altar, and delivered to the Archbishop, who, with the rest of the Bishops, shall deliver it to the Queen, first saying these words to her— one of the Lord's watchmen, when 'I make known to this large assembly the dangers which threaten us. in this proposed grant to the College of Maynooth. (Cheers.) In stating these dangers I shall be as brief as possible ; and if, in doing it in plain language, I may seem to some uncharitable, allow me to say that it is by no means my intention, nor the spirit in which I desire to speak; so far from it, that I feel nothing but goodwill towards those who are unhappily members of the Chuich of Rome. It is God alone who has made us to differ. Indeed, sir, I have been accused of too much charitableness, when I "Our gracious Queen we present you with this Book, the most valuable thing that this world affords. Here is wisdom; this is the royal law ; these are the lively oracles of God, Bles sed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this book ; that keep, and do, the things contained in it. For these are the words of eternal life, able to make you wise and happy in this world, nay, wise unto salvation, and so, happy for ever. more, through faith which is in Christ Jesus; to whom be glory for ever. Amen." A second dishonour is that put upon our Saviour by the sacrifice of the mass. I might add to this, third, the dishonour put upon God by the idolatrous worship of the Virgin Mary, and their will worship to saints and angels ; but enough has been said to shew that when God de nounces such heavy judgments upon the Church of Rome and upon those who wilfully hold communion with her, it is not without a cause. His word is maligned ; his Son is dishonoured ; and his holy name blasphemed by idola trous worship, and that in his holy temple. (Applause.) I appeal to you, then, Mr. Chairman, and to the nume rous assembly here present, that when it is proposed that our Protestant country should unite itself to that church by endowing a college for the purpose of teaching these blasphemous and idolatrous doctrines so dishonouring to God, if there is not a reason for the watchmen who would perform their duty to sound the alarm, to call upon every true Protestant throughout the land to exercise his privi lege, and to make known to both houses of parliament how much his conscience is wounded, and how heavy a blow he considers it to be to his relieious rights, to call upon him to pay men for teaching doctrines which his inmost soul utterly abhors—doctrines which rather than acknowledge, his pious forefathers willingly submitted to be offered up as martyrs at the stake. (Hear, hear.) If anything could add to the unreasonableness and impiety of making such a grant, it is the time which has been se lected for doing it. It is after the Lord, in bis tender mercy, has given peace and quietness to the land, which, less than two years since, was at the very point of open rebellion (hear); and this, as is well known, very much occasioned by those who received their education at this college. (Hear, hear.) Oh ! what a sad return, my friends, to the goodness of God, for the happy deliverance of our sister land, to endear and patronise the very m en who, by their unscriptural doctrines, malign his word, dishonour his Son, and blaspheme his holy name! One of our senators, in a truly Protestant spirit, lately ob served, that our Protestant colours were still at the mast. head. He then added, that so long as a single shred of the old flag lasted, he for one would endeavour to nail it to that mast, and would fight as unflinchingly for it, and under it, as when in brighter days it waved unbent and untorn over our empire. So eve, I trust, my beloved friends, who have had the honour of being like a break water to stop the entrance of a scheme which would have excluded the Bible from our Protestant schools (cheers) —I trust that we shall stand by our Protestant colours to our latest breath, and never cease to cry " No purga tory—no prayers for the dead—no invocation of saints — no bowing down to a wafer—no worshipping of the Vir gin Mary !" (Loud cheers.) The Lord is our God, and he is our king. Him will we serve, and him will we ho nour. His word is a light to our path, and a lamp to our feet. This God is the God we adore, Our faithful, unchangeable friend, Whose Son is as great as his Father, And neither knows measure nor end. Praising him for all that is past, and trusting him for all that is to come, I beg to second the resolution moved by my friend. (Applause.) The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution to the meet ing, which was carried unanimously. The Rev. THOMAS NOLAN, of St. Barnabas', rose to propose the second resolution, and was received with rounds of applause, followed by Kentish fire. After the enthusiasm of the audience had subsided, the rev, gentle man proceeded as follows :—Mr. Chairman, the object of this meeting is too important, the time too precious, and the statements of those who are to succeed me too valua ble, to justify my making a long speech, much less to delay you with a lengthened preface. Accordingly I proceed at once to the subject of my resolution. After reading which he went on to say—The terms of this resolution, and the wishes of those who have assigned it to my care, demand that I should enter somewhat historically into the origin, objects, andeffects produced, by thisinstitution of Maynooth during the half-century that has elapsed since its first in corporation. Your presence, sir, in the position you oc cupy, as well as the presence of those by whom you are surrounded, is proof in itself that we are not assembled for any narrow or bigotted purpose ; it is not to support a party, but to maintain a principle even at the expense of party ; it is not upon a matter of mere passing interest, but of vital and enduring moment, that we are brought together to-day. It is because we believe the stability of our venerated institutions to be endangered, the Christian character of our country to be fatally compromised, and the Word of our God to be foully dishonoured by the pro posed measure, that we have called you together to protest and petition against it. (Hear, hear.) It is not a vain thing for you, brethren ; it is your life." Let it not be supposed that there is any unworthy or envious feeling on our part towards Ireland, or the Irish people : ill would it become one of her own sons to stand forth to exert any influence which your kindness may have conceded to him, for the purpose of chilling that genial current of generous Christian sympathy, with which you have always listened and responded to the tale of Ireland's miseries and of Ire land's wants. No, sir; it is not the amount of the grant proposed against which we protest : for were it to be ap plied to any good purpose we would rejoice and be thank ful for it : it is against the principle involved in the grant at all, that we protest (hear hear), and it is the guilt con tracted by it in the sight of God, at which we tremble. (Great cheering.) True, our erring fathers incorporated, and from time to time supported it from the national trea sury. Are we then to become partakers of their sins ; nay more, to repeat again with aggravation the very offence that we should rather confess and forsake. My friends, a much closer light of truth has been mercifully vouchsafed to this our generation, than prevailed in this country in the days of those that consented to the foundation of May nooth. We may say, " the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now God commandeth all men every where to repent." It is because we know the genius of Romanism to be opposed to the Word of God and subver sive of true Christian liberty; it is because we are prepared to prove that the College of Maynooth bath failed in every object that it promised, and disappointed every hope that led to its establishment, because, after a trial of fifty years, it hath neither improved the theology, nor mitigated the intolerance, of Romanism in Ireland, but rather aggravated the very evils it professed to assuage, neither elevating the character of the priesthood, nor improving the condition of the people : because, moreover, there is not a shred of national contract to be found pledging us to its support. On all these grounds, we are assembled in the face of God and man to protest and petition against the measure, that would perpetuate it as one of the fixed institutions of the kingdom. (Cheers.) Let me beg your attention while I go back briefly to its origin, and rapidly trace its progress, pausing only upon one or • two of the chief events in its history up to the present time. The restless spirit of Romanism in Ireland throughout the last century, and the exquisiteness with which it adapted its policy to its circumstances, is now tolerably well known. Here I would beg to explain the meaning in which I use the word "Romanism"—viz., the system of policy contrived at the Propaganda, and carried out by its executive, the priesthood. 1 speak not disrespect fully of the millions of Irish Roman Catholics, nor yet are the young men educated at Maynooth to be blamed : had they been better taught, doubtless they would act differently from what they have done and are doing. But we must blame the culpable remissness of the state, that has paid no attention to the doctrines in which those young men are brought up who are to exert so mighty an influence on the destinies of that state (hear, hear) ; and now we protest against the further guilt of affording increased facility for the spread of principles, many of which, when developed into actions, the state herself is bound to punish as crimes against the law. (Hear, hear.) Prior to the establishment of Maynooth, in 1795, candi dates for the ministry in the Romish church were edu cated in the various continental seminaries. It is need less now to add more than that the spread of republican and democratic principles in France, at and after the period of the French Revolution, were considered dan gerous to the loyalty of young men exposed to the influence of them ; and so the preamble of the act of 1795 sets forth— " it is now become expedient that a seminary should be established for the education exclusively of persons professing the Roman Catholic religion." This distinction I have drawn between. Romanism itself and the members of that communion, both of the higher and lower orders, it is of importance to observe, both in order to obtain a more accurate knowledge of the system April R, 1845. and its worki ng , an d a l so f or t h e purpose of exoneratiag ar gef the Roman C a th o li c l a it y f rom t h e i mputa ti on of ea_ o iri which really we do not make against them. The neef;ths of this distincti on a pp ears even at t hi s ear ly stagei . proceedings about May noo th. O n th e au thority °I, Emmet, Es q ., i n hi s "E ssay towar d s a Hi s tory ; r ' land," and " Pieces of Irish History," by ak iio• M'Nevin, Esq., we are informed that in the est o `' o o ment of this institution the intentions of the o_ur t he Catholic laity were overreached, and the intrigues of Roman Catholic bishops successful. It appears Ora be first intention was that a system of education sh °° 4 o oi. arranged so as to be adapted to all religious perstil", t he For this the Roman Catholic laity were anxious a` ops i, time, and to this their bishops acceded, and made c derable offers of pecuniary aid ; one of them efe e ,r o r posed the outline o f a p l an, an d a com mittee_wt ec io pointed to enter mor e i n t o d e t a il , & c. H ere Mr. M ' (himself a Roman Catholic) writes— ctatie°s' "But while they were indulging enthusiastic eXPe. obi there is strong reason to believe that the Cathrlie had privately stated these proceedings to the admia' s O S of and given it the opti on e ith er t o permit the mem bers _web religion to establish a popular system of education , pit, might o m r i gthot assist s b t e the conducted prelates e n withti e itsto the inti satisfaction ooo oe anti r o e f s t o h t t e " ceo l .A establish one over which they having entire control,,w so manage as to make it subservient to every which government might wish to derive from such an e ' t oo tion. On these latter t erms a b arga i n appears to 11, trhG a ' e tha concluded; all co-operation b e t ween the pre l a t es and -00 was destroyed ; and .the gen tl emen who were P rePe popular plan were assured that they might desist froth labours, as an arrangement had been ma le for Catholic . un def tion, which should be solely conducted by the bishoPst ht. e the auspices of government and the sanction of parliara e . o tb 6 It may not be ge-;erally remembered that uP 1. 1 , 0 $ year 1817 the College of Maynooth include ( ' s' po A seminary for the education of laymen. We hale O r arrived at the obj ec t s a i me d at, the a d van tag e g a r mised to this country by the establishment 01 or nooth—first, to neutralise the danger of Continent e „ t the cation ; second, t o secure t o t h e B ritish governmfirsis facility of ascertaining and controlling the P ri°cl iboli c° ~ which the fut ure t eac h ers o f the Irish Homan tt, se to were to be inst ruc t e d. (H ear. ) I do not now P 3,011 ask whether th ese were a d equate objects to warrant pro, a course, I pro cee d t o exam i ne how far even thes'fierff mises were realised i n th e wor ki ng of the syste m' let it he obs erve d th at ne i t h er the spirit nor the le:eer:l act of parliam en t con t emp l ated anything in the e" were endowment by the state, of Maynooth. Trustees s o to empowered to receive su b scr i pt i ons and donations, at so' purchase and acquire land not exceeding £l,OOO the!' num, but no state support was ever hinteo ger (Hear, hear.) The memorable words of Sir Artbn,r,otla lesley in a debate in the House of Commons, AP, r 't this 1808, are on record :—" It never was intended that al institution of the College of Maynooth should b e r i g iol; expense of the public, as would be seen by th e ° i79 l ' memorial presented to the Lord Lieutenant in „year' (Hear, hear.) And on the sth of May in the sat s t the Chancellor of the Exchequer said,—" In th e R t iog i r Ae tsnbtan s p hha t gee f eemacforo n ioi tieai otraein c ri shticenemle e ses utopsti ftoottltmtrha:yhurioßl hardly e e tiaanaelmfrnopyynottl C dtimoprdtecmlb a oehyawi t a:dute)tn h esr:mhoecxa o sydepi en l imiceocirh i ehoad e noesoeaoerw s et.artnlathi s O ,gitsuosw n oei hplsnn l a y ptcas htoslol asked hm:te heottanimhearld fromto have their the er ow college'u to (Hear, hear.) Let not the modern advocates of f t bes 6 ff r e restrictions, inasmuch as Dr. Doyle, in his exani l fies the a v e tm i c hes t t severity. im e ovo e y e ce n e gncr n h a aoi i ltinsoyi Maynooth th lh no f a 2 W t r th s s h a oe c i e at t aphjesPi appears r e tie s renta fr a p om to t donation de ) m While a a t r t dhr b lea Y Bsdv e sl e , x4 — ob"ne u , woet p honh oetegno(fiaavltpiceBiptnel but td t ua artxel with it is ios(h amount weosrars,e ;0 :1 : eoe l ortio i minated, up to 1826, in which the evidence was tr bes l4 tioning. The report just mentioned contains th e d conclusive evidence we have on the principles a Pi o gai'l ceedings at Maynooth. The royal commission e et; into Maynooth was issued in the year 1824. ,9t26, dente of professors, students, &c., was taken in„cl,°,,,'' result of which is contained in the report in my u,„" r ;ort`',; dered to be printed in June, 1827. I must beg ' ri vet) dulgence, Sir, for a passing moment, while I ,_,:obie, e , briefly somewhat upon the character and possiuw t he of this report. The interval that elapsed between c the' suing of the commission and the commencement u'erjef" labours was sufficient for Maynooth to set itself il o tic 4 and when the evidence only of friends to the ins o tsifr is recorded, we are warranted in saying, that it 101 all that ca n b e sa id or advanced in its favour; thclocieet is no appe a l f rom any inference legitirnatelY. ie or' from the facts stated, or opinions avowed in thi s re jeo Of this large book the report itself only occaP rie ge pages, the remainder is devoted to the appendixes 6° ,, o esi ri i through which one must wade, if he desires to B '," g el himself with the subject. The Appendix No. 7, contains a communication from the Cardinal re e f gn i the Propaganda to the trustees of the College e i , o roil nooth, with their re pl y to the same. Now, Oilav giyrb% i this, t is curiou s , t o say the least, that it in the original Latin, without any translation, tutee the preceding Appendix No. 6, containing the S ' gi r o &c., is both given in the original, and also a ccord yo with an accurate and authenticated translation. is Or have not finished the first sentence of the letter fr e eeo Propaganda, before you discover that you have I/ 410;i voured only with a part of that correspondence. 'to the oh first letter from the trustees of Maynoot h fe sea college is suppressed, for the correspondence P n ' g commences with a reply to an application Ci ud g x- n d du i the reply) for instruction as to the principles 3- 0 0 1,6 trines to be inculcated in that college. It is reeo ‘ , l3/ „ 0 ed, then, strenuously, in the communication rr o " r oesl 6 Propaganda, and as cordially adopted in the aek° o f !.,‘ ment from Maynooth, signed by the president bo rTi college, Dr. Hussey, and ten Romish bishop s ' tea f, date November 17, 1790, th at A ugustine, i n terpre os te Thomas Aquinas, is to be foll owe d as a gu id e and tffee, the (Hear, hear.) Bear with me w hil e I rea d an ex,t,rerf a celebrated work o f thi s f avour it e d octor, called angelic doctor," in the Church of Rome : o ti Sccunda Secundce of Thomas Aquinas. giOS,ef Q. 12. A. 2.—" Wh e th er a prince, on account of hi s th at , from the faith, loses the dominion over his subjects, s o Or e ' are not bound to obey him." In answering the question, the writer quotes 0 0° Ir e gory VII. : abs, ° o ol " We, observing the laws of our holy predecesso rs, patl" by apostolic authority from their engagements qt ae f e alti r l e o' these who are bound to persons excommunicated, to to_,iy by the obligation of an oath, and strictly prohibit the_ i ;: e OP" der any allegiance, until the excommunicated a l° or faction." But apostate s f rom th e f a i t h , as also heret i cs , are eSC° ,d• municated ; and th ere f ore A qu i nas concludes as el ;c er o As soon as any o ne i s d enounced by a sentence o,le ,municated municated for apostacy, hi s subjects are, ipso fa ct 'bi ll from his dominion, and from the oath of allegian ce / they were boun t to him," t (Hear, hear.) Whether heretics are to be -0 Q. 11. A. 3 : a i l "The church does no t i mmediately condemn, --bat co o• and second corre c ti ons, as the Apostle orders o f hi ~; this the heretic be f oun d st i ll obstinate, despairing ,„,0 4; version, she provid es f or t h e safety of others, by him from her communion by the sentence of excoal e ot t and further leaves hi m t o th e secular judgment to 0 07 nated from the world by death." i/ 0 But it may be said, th a t although Thomas A l 4, it Pei o cr,, have been thus r ecommen d e d and adopted in" v ers ; ' not follow that he h as cont i nue d i n such f avo ur e o o t llk and that the work from which I have quoted n i „ e p ae o gis , among those recomm en d e d or re f erred to. il l ' o f ' 0 : / of the report, the Rev. C. M`N a l lv, pro f e ssor j e ethics, &c., is under examination, and ansWe r f o oaill(o,,l' The authors or works to which I have occt' sl tbto, ferred, or from which I have read extracts, an ewr',, J o' lowing : St. Thomas Aquinas, of whose Secufw a ra roe e ;o o I have often spoken in terms of the highest ° es ti° O f f tion, as being in my opinion one of the best yotit o cte, ethics." From the extract I have now read ~.I °, o h or t eo l brethren, you can judge for yourselves of t " - poig rat of the work, and must, at least, admire the ( c u e , st e ip o f with which Maynooth has adhered to the pi e as Al e s given to the Propaganda, of following Thona_ ol p o re as a " guide and master." (Hear.) Other vi ce t°,'", this kind are easily to be had, but time warns r oas 0 0 '10 ceed : however, the example now cited is of c 0 '03 1 4 inasmuch as the avowed object of the 0° 20 ' 041 0 0 stated in the report, was "to ascertain the , e,, e s ts4 Church of Rome, on points connected with t . '„ the ol!, ties arid relations of Roman Catholics, either w to ia s ou o , or to their fellow-subjects," in order to ast er OVA amount of allegiance might be expected fri So e g o eft e i jects of the Pope towards the Sovereign ° Let the " angelic doctor "be heard in rep ly' c loc i t hir i and laughter.) So much at present for th e o 0f,,4 1 ji taught in Maynooth, and for the inculcati°td i",;o o r i increased facilities are secured and perpetr re tar eo o l , bill now before parliament. (Hear hear.) the e if ol to the professed advantages to be 'derived t° ~.e , I I „ o o from Maynooth--neutralising foreign labi al:l- 0d "j; curing to the government a superintendenF e n artegs 4 l over the character of th e e d uca ti on t o be loop s e d cording to the bargain of the bishops when theerof tie from the laity, and won over the governmen; o art to T h enier Collegeo w l vi eowfs. Maynooth R eferr i supplies p t e t s h the at I find— candidates annually for holy orders. It same Inr s ee t s a e n . rt i td : U t t! l fl dts 4 eighty or ninety are annually required throug h Besides the priests educated in Maynooth, we atio n CO ( that about 129 student's are in the course of e a t d• o r seminaries in Ireland. The greater part of these, a s sres' e ft , ot others are at Kilkenny, Tuam, Waterford, ao u fo r th appears further that there are about 140 students the et to Catholic priesthood, now at different colleges °. n . ttiO j d Seventy of these are at the Irish College in Part s a fl in Rome ; and the remainder at Salamanca, Li sb 0 0 ) 3 1 1 ent private French seminaries." before,Thus youhe besides s there much is d o nearly m es t a i e s much ed oe at foreign c pper o:erertroff: not pretended that the government have re se 11 ,0(, gaining information or controul. But w' t es 70i`ot Maynooth itself, is the government cogoiz tui r ied o so o l 4 ,ef, raised of the proceedings and instructions ca r i7 99, t e t e its walls ? By the act of incorporation in w o, n oi e , the judges and leading law officers of the or° oe sPr ro Oiol with some of the Roman Catholic bishops, the gof e r V r o' trustees, with considerable powers, for at l ea be and superintendence of the college. In a ll t o t° l o l ,, however, another act was passed remofiq„,the i bo,„viiP testant officials from the trust, and advanc'7.; 'soy) ; honorary post of visitors, leaving thencefoto‘f tha a tifi e o stantial controul of Maynooth in the hand e vo rec e er olol bishops, or at least Roman Catholics, wi lhe O l d°, as the future trustees. From that period It 00 5 ' has bad no official knowledge of what o otioir taught in that college, about which such large _ e dg promisessir, I have a n t. d i ken low professionsgrou ground were f a made rgutn a e t n t rs iai t 7 .4l o l : .„ ii : e pled rather with the political inexpediency ;,i 0 10`„ 0 1 , 4 4 and. Is ta 01 than with the high principles involved ve w a l' But I think it of consequence, that this 'OO 0 1 1 / question be taken, because it is on low go" 0 0, ( 11 0$ 2 of expediency alone, that anything lik w e e t c b a e n sh e re ' s , ol; support is to be derived to it; if then think I have shown,) even on their own P h as be„ory 8 0 Maynooth, when weighed in the balance , _ r coo' wanting, it is not too much to ask for Yu" THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.