The Express.
London, England, 1865-05-31 00:00:00

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC OATHS BILL.

(From the nista.)
Mr. Newdegste alone of his party was zealous
yesterday In ataistabting that "settlement of 1829" ol
which we have heard so mach. He really believes it Deem-
_

wiry to guard against those who maintwin the legality of
aseaseleation, and who, though not the whole Ronde!"
body, are an weirdo section of it. He would resit
the 171tramostme faction which threatens the government
of Name by maintaining an oath which none bat •
liberal Roman catholie can take at all. He would,
therefore, keep up the renunciatory and declaratory
as well se the promissory part of the oath. But the rest
of his party, though they show almost equal distrust, are
for omitting the purges that relate to murder and equi-
vocation, and would retain only those which are supposed to
defend the Irish church. We congratulate them even on
this advance in liberality, but ws caeout suppose that the
House of Commons will make each • melees diadem-
hon. It would be far better to abolish the special
oath entirely, to provide one form for everybody,
and to leave to the catholic,' the same liberty of action
with aspect to all the institutions of the kingdom
as is possessed by the churchman, the dissenter, or the
Jew. If there be an argument which should weigh more
heavily than any other against the Irish church, it is that
for its maintenance an anomalous declaration by every
Roman catholic member, to the effect that he will not vote
according to his conscience and belief on • question which
he fully understands, and respecting which he has formed
decided opinion, is pronounced to be necessary. An este-
blishment which requires something essentially at variance
with the duties of a representative stands condemned by
that very fact. If the conservatives wish to remove this
reproach from the Irish church, they will no longer oppose
the =mire which the House of Commons has twice sp.
proved by large majorities.
(From the /Forming Herald.)

In his able and exhaustive speech yesterday Mr. Newde-
gate has proved that, however lightly some may speak of
the danger of relaxing this pledge, there is too much reason
to fear that there are men of extreme views and aggressive
instinct" who would be prepared at once to take advantage
of their freedom. Kr. Newdegste quoted the leading organ
i• the liberal press as having roundly declared in
1859 that the experience of thirty years he proved
that the emancipation of the Roma catholic. was
• political blunder, and that Irish bishops, with
their followers among the Irish rabble, gave their single
and undivided allegiance to the Pope. He quoted Dr. Mas-
sing, now titular Archbishop of Westminster, as having
delivered himself in therms gear of an uncompromising
declarative of war agent Reglish protestantism. "I
shall not say too much," said Dr. Manning, "if I say that
we have to subjugate and subdue, to conquer and to
rale an imperial race. We have to do with •
will which roles throughout the world, as the
*ill of old Some ruled in ancient times. We have to bend
or to break that will which nations and klagdouis bays
found invincible and inflexible." Forewarned is forearmed.
We cannot be blamed if we choose to do what is as lies
to prevent Dr. Manning and his friends from beading sisal
breaking us. While we ►re not among those who would
regard the removal ci this oath as • death-blow to oar
constitution, or even as seriously imperilling the exist-
mos of our protestant church, we may think it ad-
visable to retain it in some form or soother, if only to
prevent such a catastrophe se a religious conflict which
would so bitterly embroil us with minims of oar fellow-
subjects whom we respect sod tees, sad with wheat we
most ardently desire to live at peace. The mod of this
oath, as was well said by Sir John Pskingtoo, " wi l revive
the angry feeling between Roman catholic sad protestant•.
which at all Owe is to be dispreested, but mere so at the
present than at eay ether llama" It will be better, in this
case at all eves* to follow tits geed old rule of quitta nos
moven.