The Express.
London, England, 1846-11-18 00:00:00

SURREY PROTESTAIiT ALLIANCE.

A meeting of this association took place last eten-
➢ug in the large room of the Horns Tavern, Kennington.
The room was well filled, the company consisting chiefly of
ladies. Col. Sir Digby Mackworth took the chair. The
Rev. Mr. Duke having opened the proceedings
with prayer, the Chairman addressed the meeting, con-
tending, by various arguments and instances, that
although knowledge had progressed, and the naiads of men
had become more liberal, Rome remains unaltered.
He then made tho following singular statement:—He had
been told by Capt. James Gordon that the speeches of Pro-
testants in defence of their glorious religion in the British
senate, were garbled by Papist reporters. He had been
told by that hon. gentleman, also, that the whole of the six-
teen reporters of the Morning Chronicle were Roman Catho-
lics (A voice : " And the editor too "), and that thir-
teen of the reporters of another morning paper were
of the same religion. He was also assured that
young men were trained in Catholic colleges to be reporters
for the press, with the view of enabling them to suppress
the speeches of Protestants, whilst they did ample justice to
those delivered by persons of their own faith. Was it not
time, then, for Englishmen to arouse from their lethargy ?
Was there not real danger to the people of this country?
When they saw the disposition of Lord John Russell to
endow the Irish priesthood, and Sir Robert Peel to support
him in his Irish policy, was it not necessary to open the eyes
of their countrymen to the real nature of Popery—to its
idolatry—its sinful doctrines, and its intolerant spirit ? They
must look to the intelligent middle classes, rather than to
the higher ; they must depend on the electors of England
more than on her aristocracy, for an effectual stand against
Popery. He was happy to say that Protestant Alliance
Associations were being formed throughout the land, and
that the people were beginning to arouse themselves ; and if
their Dissenting brethren would but join them, and all were
to act in concert, England would yet be saved, and (rod
would be honoured.

Mr. C. SHAW moved the first resolution, to the effect that
" the organization already adopted by the Protestant:: of
Southwark, for the defence of the institutions in Church and
State, be extended to the county of Surrey."
The Rev. HOBART SEYMOUR seconded the resolution in a
powerful speech, in the course of which he contended that
the Irish priesthood held the destinies of England in their
power, as proved by the fact, that every Whig ministry had
been broken up by, and every Conservative cabinet wrecked
upon, an Irish question, and urged the necessity of Protes-
tants combining throughout the country to oppose the pro-
gress of Popery, and instruct the lower classes, in order
that they might stand by the Protestantism of the country.
After referring at length to the idolatrous practices at the
festivals at Rome of which he had been a witness, and the
character of the Jesuits, the speaker alluded to the jesuitism
practised in this country, and stated the following case,
which had come under his knowledge :—Whilst on a visit to
the Rev. Mr. Merewether, in Leicestershire, a short time
since, a gentleman then inclined to tracterian principles, Mr.
M. told him that a leading Catholic convert in the neigh-
bourhood had written to him to state that if he would
privately conform to Romanism, it should be concealed, and
he might continue to hold his living as a Protestant clergy man
until it was convenient to declare his conversion to Rome.
He (Mr. Seymour) would declare the name of the Catholic
to whom he had referred [which, however, we refrain from
publishing.) (A Voice : The same thing has occurred at
Hastings—it is well known.) He had seen the letter written
by that individual, and it stated that there were thirty Pro-
testant clergymen who had privately conformed to
but who were still holding their livings, and would continue
to do so until it was convenient to declare their altered faith.
The writer then went on to invite Mr. Merewether to join
them, and pledged his honour to keep it secret. Such con-
duct he (Mr. Seymour) considered unworthy of a man, in-
compatible with the character of a gentleman, and inoon-
&latent with the honesty of an honest Englishman.
Mr. Joxes then detailed the operations of the parent
society, " The National Club," and read the rules, which he
said had been drawn up by Mr. Colquhoun, for the proposed
Surrey Protestant Alliance. He stated that upwards of
1000 persons had joined the society which had been formed
in Southwark.

The Rev. Mr. JENNER and other gentlemen afterwards
addressed the audience. The several resolutions having been
unanimously adopted, the meeting separated.