The Press.
London, England, 1853-12-17 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

Congress, its genial appreciation of humour,
its keen and quick sense of the ridiculous, is
the conduct oil Miissippi, which has followed
the example of Pennsylvania. There is this
dilterunee certainly between the two, viz.,
that, whilst the latter pleaded poverty and
inability to pay her bonds, Ali.sissippi, which
is a rich State, repudiates in order to vindi-
cate t 1 principle, and to assert that the pas-
sions of a modority are superior to the law.
The High Court of Appeals had decided that
payment of the bonds could be enforced by
w

From the decision of that court there was no judicial
appeal, and therefore it was never doubted that the caeca-
tive anthmities wonid can•y out the decision of its highest
tribunal with alacrity and good faith ; but we have learnt
that one of those supreme judges whose term was expiring.
and who had been nominated for re•election, was defeated..
while it is asserted that the cause of his defeat is attrl-
bused to the decison he gave, compelling Mississippi to pay
her honest debts.

Such are the fruits of universal suffrage,
purified by filtration through that infallible
specific for all corruption, the ballot-box! In
strict keeping with the repudiation of debts,
America opens wide her arms to receive one
who was only enabled to reach her shores by
breaking his parole of honour. MITCHEL has
arrived at New York. where he has been attend-
ing dinners, making speeches, and holding
levese." The Queen of ENGLAND might have
hanged him,—he was only treusported. The
air of Bermuda disagreed with him,—he was
sent to Van Diemen's Land. There his word
was taken, that he would not attempt to escape
and he was comparatively free. The merciful
Queen be calla "a she tyrant," and talks the
usual quantity of bombastic nonsense that
distinguishes American and Irish patriots. It
is all in keeping ; the ports are properly accom-
modated to form a perfect whf,le—the repu-
diating States, the Congress laughing at the
defrauded creditor, the just judge ostracised,
the graceless convict received with open arms,
while words are listened to with delight that
full from his meauly-perjured lips. The
friend who aided his escape (a person of the
name of SMITH) said that, from the Australian
colonies he brought no gold, " but there
(pointing to Minim.) was his nugget." When
this nugget was first missed it was not very
highly valued—a reward of two pounds, "or
such lesser sum as the magistrate might de-
termine," beiug all that was offered for his
apprehension, Indeed, the authorities COll-
- at his escape—to trust his word being.
after the kindred conduct of IkleAonea, tanta-
mount to it; but it was as well we should be
rid of these contemptible convicts, and that
they should go forth marked with the brand
of broken faith.
But whilst we thus comment on Ame-
rican affairs we are painfully conscious that
the state of our own Australian colonies is
open to almost as severe criticism. There the
passions of a mob, whose strength consists in
nothing but numbers and physical force.—
qualities which they possess in common with
the brutes,—have triumphed over the law ad-
ministered by a weak and vacillating governor.
Nothing is more incontestable than the right
of the Crown to the gold in Australia—nothing
can be more equitable than that a small tax
in the form of a licence fee should be imposed
upon the diggers fur the purpose of defraying
the extra expenses of Government, caused by
the influx of many thousands of adventurers
of all classes from all parts of the world, con-
sequent on the discovery of the mines. Yet
the diggers, to the number of about 7,ooo,have
banded together to resist the payment of any
tax. They have met with success. The weak
colonial Government has bent and quailed
before, the storm of anarchy, and the treasures
of Victoria are pillaged with impunity by on
armed banditti. Here force must be met by
force, and the diggers must be quelled and
ruled by the strong hand, or the colony aban-
doned by England.

From the contenplation of these characteris-
tics of new communities—the dishonesty of
America, the just judge ostracised, the anar-
chical condition of our own Australia, Sc.—we
cannot but learn to be more contented with
the settled institutions of an old country like
England. where. if we have not the plenty of
America. or the gold of Australia, we enjoy far
more than an equivalent in that (Inc gradkion

SATURDAY,

of degree which ensures "the unity and mar-
ried calm of States," in the security of pro-
perty. the quiet of our homes. the reian of
order, awl the predominance of law.

ROMANISN AND ITS ACCOMPLICES.
THIC extension of Ultramontane influence
within the limits of the I3ritish empire is an
admitted fact, and its effects are sensibly felt
in our political combinations. Yet 110 autho-
ritative voice proclaims the necessity- for
defensive measures fur a reason so obvious
that it is itself calculated to increase instead
of allaying public disquietude. An Adminis-
tration which comprises every political variety
may be assumed to contain SoinC who are
hostile to Roman aggrandisement ; but their
comments are hushed. As the late session
disclosed, not a whisper is permitted in dero-
gation of the Interest by the adhesion of
which they acquired, and still retain, office.
The necessities of a Coalition have not only
increased the danger, hut have withdrawn
some natural facilities and aids to effective
vigilance.
The direct allies of Romanisin. including
certain organs of the Cabinet, exult in the
futility of all independent efforts to repress
the growth of an influence at the develop.
ment of which they are conniving; while they
have this pretence fir their assiduity :
" Organically the Church of Rome maintains
" the same relations to the English constitu-
" tion which it has held for centuries past ; it
" is still an independent quasi-corporation ;
" if it obeys a foreign and despotic authority,
"it has so obeyed from the outset; its secret
" machinery was never otherwise than secret.
" and its pretensions were never waived or
" mitigated : and now what new right have we
" to deal with it otherwise than ns an assoeia-
" tion for common religious observances,
" without political rights or title to our detri-
" went?" Here no account is taken of the real
or fancied securities we have successively
foregone ; of the auguries we defied, but
which are now proving themselves true ; of the
accumulating evidence that realities transcend
rights ; anal that this Roman Association which
we regarded askance is, without political pri-
vileges or recognised status, at this moment
the virtual arbiter of the destinies of Great
Britain.

We have no occasion to dispute a dialectical
thesis which, by means of transactions now
pending, may be ranked with a disputation of
the schoolmen. The Gladstones and Roundell
Palmers are welcome to their logic while
events are occurring which put it out of the
pale of criticism. Under the present Minis-
try the English nation is a conscious appen-
dant of a lively Romanist triumph, which is
only not ridiculous because it is a facsimile in
petto of a present European portent, and may
eventually become alarming if we omit to
take timely measures on behalf of our inherited
freedom. For many other purposes we may lay
stress upon our insular position ; but the Pro-
pagandist movement of Rome must, even in
this privileged empire, be tested by its Euro-
pean accessories. It can only be regarded as
an affiliated branch of the great permanent
conspiracy against constitutional liberty, as a
ramification of the plot which degrades its
victims, and deludes its associates in the name
of sublime motives, which perturbs by its
doctrine the fountains of religious truth, and
paralyses by its discipline the course of orderly
progress.
It is no longer even possible to regard the'
foreign developments of this scheme as of
small importance to ourselves, for they are
forced upon our attention by its accelerated
end uniform progress. It is triumphantly
alleged that were BARONIUS now writing
his history he would date an ecclesias-
tical cycle from the last series of revo-
lutions: and the boast, though in tbe
mouth of Roman fanaticism, is well founded.
For the last four years (we may adopt the
words of the Nation) there has been Papal

DECEMBER n', 1853.

" aggression without pause. A complete
eeelesiastieal organisation has been ex-
" tended over the three great Protestant
" regions of the globe, where, for centuries,
" there had only been an irregular and in-
'. effective administration. England, Holland,
" and the United States have been organised
"in Catholic dioceses. In America the bull
• was received with the greatest equanimity,
'• and a Papal nuncio is at present welcomed
" with peculiar distinction in New York. In
" Holland there has been a long eorrespon
a• deuce between the Foreign Minister and
" Cardinal ANTONEI.I.I, regarding the seats of
" the different sees, and the phraseology of the
" Papal allocution ; but the new hierarchy has
" been constituted. In England we hail a
" pagan howl anti a still-born statute. It was
" the least that might be expected. England
" was the last land in her own dominions in
4. which Catholic sees were established. There
" are now ninet)• bishoprics or vicariates apos-
tolic in the British empire. But what the
• Church has gained by aggression upon Pro-
" testa nt states is hardly equal to her easier
" triumphs in concessions from Catholic
" states. In France the Gatineau liberties, in
" Austria the Joseehian laws, sire annulled ;
" anal a CORM/Mat has been conch►ded with
Spain, which the Count de MONTALEMBERT
"IWOIIOIIIICeS one of the most advantageous
" that the Holy See has ever obtained from a
" Catholic Prince: In the magnificent
• tnist which that great Catholic statesman
" has drawn of the position of Catholicity fifty
" years ago, aunt to-day, he only omits to en-
" force upon us the miraculous Met how
" much of it in reality dates from the retreat of
" Gaeta." In the whole of this statement there is
a substantial truth which is becoming every day
more obvious and important, that the game of
revolution has been played almost exclusively
to the profit of the Roman See, anti hats
animated it with the hope of recovering its old
dominion over the world.

Happily for us, our insular position, though
it does not exempt us from attack, or from the
necessity of observing the successes of Rome
elsewhere, affords us facilities for defence
which will be again available when the coun-
try is relieved front the incubus of a Coalition.
We are not as yet reduced to the alternative of
choosing between the enfranchised Radical
and the .Tesuit, of appealing to the bigot to
save us from the incendiary ; but we have time
and opportunity to take counsel against both
of them. The advance of Rome in this coun-
try is as yet chiefly confined to an active pro-
pagandism, of which we subjoin some striking
illustrations in a foot-note.* The figures are
taken from the l'abiet, and they show a return
of aHI churches and MO priests in 18:)-1 against
:0411 churches and 816 priests in 1811. 11 the
Cittleolic Directory be correct, there are at the
same time no less than 187 iniests itt the
pseudo dioceses of Westminster and South-
wark. It is by these agencies that Rome
is creeping upon us, and it is here that
we may meet her—by incessant zeal and
independent action, where these are availa-
ble on behalf of the ti uth, and by the
closest legislative regtrietions, which are com-
patible with the necessary toleration of
Romanists, on their acquisition of property
and proselytes. It is here that we see the most
effectual means of arresting their progress, and
means which we are entitled to use irrespective
of their religious errors. On the simple ground of
self-preservation we may reclaim any facilities

I++:,l. 104.51,

1843.

Pat

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Southwark l7 67 58 71 01 7; 71 71
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Salford
Shrewsbury 3O 33 39 31 33 30 314 411
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Birmingham
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