The Express.
London, England, 1851-03-20 00:00:00

(A Voice : " ell make a powder monkey of Itusaell.")
lie feared that contusions now would maunelethe liberties

of all 71;tioneOf British Christians. (Cheers.) The
Bishop of London sadly misconceived the feelings of the
people of England if he thought his letter to Lord Robert
Grosvenor would afford them satisfaction, for the people
would have real and nut mock pmtestantisin ; they would
not submit to bishops blowing hot and cold. (Cheers.) He
moved a resolution to the effect, that the meeting par-
tkipated in the feelings of indignation expressed all
over the country at the aggression of Rome on the Queen's
prerogative and their liberties, and, having been lid to be-
lieve that a bill, proposed for rebuking such intolerance and
restraining such aggressions iu future, would be brought in
by In r Majesty's government, was greatly disappointed and
surprised at the bill now before parliament, which, in the
state the government proposed to re duce it to, contains nol
power at all to prevent the encroachniente of Rome upon
the throne and constitution of England; and could be re-
garded in no other light than us an unworthy concession to
Home end a mockery of the religious feelings and fears of
the protestant people of this country.
The Rev. Dr. ARMSTRONG seconded this resolution.
He remarked that the spirit of Englishmen had for (Tutus
rk." revolted against the domivation of Rome ; and for this
Ireuson, that wherever Rome had held sway she had shown
herself to be the bitter enemy of liberty. 'Tile protestants
of England must now tell the l'rime Minister that they
would not submit to imposition; std as the Pope had said
that "he, in the plenitude of his power, appointed an
Archbishop of Westminster," then let British protestant,
say that in the plenitude of their power they would not
have kim. (Loud cheers.)
The resolution was carried by an overwhebuing majority.
EDWARD FARMER, Esq., proposed the second reso-
lution, to the effect, that the meeting, highly prising the
inestimable blessings of liberty of conscience, would give
the same liberty to all others, and allow of no coercion or
restraint upon inky man in the worship of God ; but that
their knowledge of the character of popery, as a great poli-
tical system opposed to the liberty of mankind, and seek-
ing to bring all men under the despotic sway of the l'upc,
obliged them ti refuse to papists what they claimed as their
right, being convinced that full liberty granted to papists for
the development ut their religion by the use of their
own laws could end in* nothing but protestant bandage.
Mr. Farmer proceeded at some length to show that popery
was a political system, ready and anxious to suppress tali-
glom' liberty in England and all over the world. It was a
system opposed to all social happiness, as was proved in the
time of King John, when 100 priests, guilty of the most
atrocious crimes, meta. allowed to go scot fr..-, because they
were not subject to any other law except the canon law. It
was fearful to think that, according to the eweu law, men
were absolved from their oaths a hen these oaths clashed
with the interests of the Romish church. The speaker then
referred to the manner in which the Earl of Shrewsbury's
niece had been entrapped into what he called one of them:
dens of infamy—a nunnery —at Taunton, in Soniersetshire ;
he also referred to the birth of a child which was alleged to
base taken place within the last few days in a nunnery not
far distant front Clapham Common. (A Voice, "Its false.")
Mr. Farmer concluded by saying that he believed the report
of the birth was perfectly correct. (Applause.)
The Rev. Mr. HULBERT seconded the resolution, and
in doing so said the bill now before parliament was worse
than the l'ope's bull, for, whatever good was in it origi-
nally had been extracted. The protestants of England
wouid neither give permission to the Pope to create a hier-
archy in this country, our, now that he had created the
hientrehy. would they permit it to stand. (Cheers.) He
contended that the omission of the second clause from the
bill virtually annulled the first clause, awl rendered it not
only inoperative but a positive insult to the Queen. If the
people of England rose as one man. the necessary clauses
would be inserted in committee, or if not, there muse be a
dissolution of parliament, and then the people would
settle the question. (Loud cheers.) The parliament would
be made, in a constitutional manner, to do th, it duty ; and
relying on the cause of protestant truth, and beina willing
to act and to suffer, if necessary, the protestants of England
would prevail. (Renewed cheers.)
Mr. THWAITES said he would not move any amend-
ment to the resolution, but, believing that any legislation
on this question was vicious in principle—(Hisses, in
which the remainder of the sentence was laSt.) Was this
their toleration? (Hisses) Was this their Christian
feeling? (Hisses.)
The CHAIRMAN and the Rev. Mr. CeRLINO called upon
the meeting to give Mr. Thwuitesi a fair hearing.
Mr. THWAITES then went on to express his belief that
the Roman catholic church was a great political system. !
Ile was opposed to the insidious attack of the Pope, fur it
parcelled out the people like sheep; but when the state'
favoured any religious establishment, there was an end to
thorough Marts, Ile was for saving to the Popes of Itome
and London that nu ecclesiastical body should trench upon
civil rights. (Cries of " Question.") Ile would not insti-
tute a contrast between the churches of Englund and Home,
but he hoped that both would practise love, and then they
would come into court with clean hands. (Question.) He
entered his protest against legislation on the subject of the
Roman catholic religion, but he was willing to assist in
preventing that religion from obtaining civil power.
Mr. BONE supported the resolution, contending that the
circumstances of the case demanded legislative interference
but that the mangled bill now before the house would bC
utterly worthless for any practical beuefit.
Mr. TOWNSEND (a chartist) denied that the masses
were in favour of legislation ou the subject of Popery.
I (Hisses and laughter.) After several inehictual attempts
to proceed further, he moved, as an amendment, that the
meeting believed the best way to put an end to Popery was,
not by acts of parliament, but by spreading the gospel, und
enabling every man to think for himself. (Great uproar.)
Mr. CLAItKE seconded the amendment, amidst a per-
fect hurricane of disapprohation and deafening cries of
"No Popery'" He was compelled, after a very length- '
eased effort to make even a sentence heard, to resume his
scat.
The amendment was put and lost, and the resolution was
carried by au immense majority.
The Rev. Mr. CURLING proposed the third resolution,
to the effect, that, with the feeling expressed in the forego-
ing resolutions, the meeting was called upon to petition the
legislature (instead of accepting the mutilated and useless
bill of her Majest)y's government) to pass a measure which
should forbid, under sufficient penalties, the titles and ju-
risdiction now claimed by Romish teat 'dashes, and from
carrying out their system by means of their execrable canon
law in this country: and the resolution also went on to de- '
Blare that the meeting also felt it to he its duty, for tho
peace and welfare of society, and for removing dangers
which become greater every day, to call upon parliament
to suppress Jesuit houses, to inquire into all conventual es-
tablishments, and to withdraw the aid given to the Col-
lege of Maynooth ; and that a petition, founded on these
resolutions, be presented to parliament without de-
lay, and that the members for the borough be
written to by their constituents to support its prayer.
After referring to statements made from time to time
iu parliament by Lords Canals, Brougham, and others,
the reverend gentleman said—The talk of a Roman
catholic about liberty of conscience had about as much effect
on his mind as when & thief talked about honesty. (Laughter
and loud applause.) When protestants gave up everything
then popery would be satisfied ; hardly even then, for he be-
lieved that if the Pope gained everything he would, like
another Alexander, weep because he had no more worlds to
conquer. Ile also believed that popery was as persecuting
as ever; that if she possessed the power England would be
converted into a slaughter-house' and that it was as neces-
sary to enact penal laws against her as it was to bar a
dwelling-house against the ingress of burglars and mur-
derers, for she was a grand conspiracy against the lives and
libertiesof mankind. (Great applause) An act of parliament
so strong and plain that no Jesuit could evade it,was therefore
absolutely necessary for the protection of protestantism ; and
the penalty he would have was, that if Dr. Wiseman and
his co-bishops infringed that act, they should be removed
from the country. (Vehement applause.)
Mr. HOW AltD seconded the resolution ,which was carried.
The petition to the Howie of Commons, which was an
echo of the resolutions, was here read mid agreed to.
A vote of thanks to the Chairman was then passed, and
thy vast assemblage separated shortly before eleven o'clock.