The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-12-25 00:00:00

,k as made to the paucity of signatures to the Ptti.
ion, it *mill hire been but candid to recollect the
4sper•ions that were thrown from time to time lIIPOII
tit thole persons who did not agree in the fashionu.
i);e notions on the bullion question. They were
t'alletl speculators and sharpers, because they disep.
prGreil of n measure which they looked on as ini•
po;ine, slid by which they lord been nearly ruined.
The Petition was then laid on the table, and or-
.l,red to be printed. . .

Nlr. SCARLETT brought in a Bill to remedy cer.
13111 inconveniences in local and exclusive jurivdic-
!mos, which was testi a first time. and ordered to
•,e read a second time on the 15th of February next.
The Ctialtext.t.na or liir Fxcitrut•Ea brought
tin Parer* rr►lrrent.g the dui) which were
.aid on the tsble.

The House adjourned at liall-pa,t *even o'clock
Thuraday neat.

CATHOLIC MEETING.

On Saturday last a meeting was held at D'Arcy'r, I
Essex-street, Dublin, fur the purpose of arcing.
tog the mo►t effectual means 'of obtaining sign; w
hires. to, end forwarding the Catholic Petition to
both Mores of Parliament.
otvILN tYCONOR, Esq. was in the Chair.
Mr. O'CONOI9, on taking the Choir, expressed
winch surpriee air., regret that the Petition should
be isithheld so long. At a moment when the li-
bend and enlightened Sta►esmen cf the Empire
sere unanimous in their approbation of the meri-
torious demeanour if the Cetholics of Ireland, it
WO, surely, a poor compliment to their kind stud
generous intentions towards then', that any relax-
ation should take place nil the port of the Calm.
her, in promoting their views by their own neces-
sary 'unions. They should avoid shewing any
apathy cm so important an occasion; mid, above
all, they must c onvince those great men, their
stalely and zealous advocates, that they have a full
coutidence in their good wishes. and the justice of
the country, that their veneration for the British
Constitution, and the laws emanating from it, fully
entitle them to a participation in those blessings,
which they ore so eminently calculated to bestow
ou all members of the community.
Mr. O'Goastasi observed, that the reason why
the General Petition was at present so backward
woe, that some of the parishes of the city had, at an
early period, held meetings on the subject, which
were eery numerously attended ; and if followed up
with the spirit with which it had commenced, would
certainly have been the most eligible mode of pro-
ceeding. Each parish studio. a particular Peti-
tion numerously signed, would give the most
powerful weight to the general one. But an over-
weening delicacy, Le believed, on the part of the
leading Catholics, in wishing to avoid all appear-
once of adding to the alarm so highly created by
meetings in the Sister Countries, cast a damp on
the jest intentions of the many ; and that mode,
which had on all former occasions been properly
and beneficially adopted, was, for the present, front
this consideration relinquished. For his part, he
could not suspect that their meetings would add,
ie. the slightest degree, to the alarm of the mo.
ment ; but he could not forbear giving his best ap-
probotiets to the good sense and prudence of the
Gentlemen who thought otherwise.
Several Gentlemen expressed their sentiments,
and all agreed in opinion with the Learned Secre-
tary, Out such must have been the impresrion that
half gone abroad, and prevented the Catholics, as
usual, from holding parochial meetings. Several
thought it was the wisest and most conciliating lice
of conduct iii the present slate of the times.
A number of Gentlemen were appointed to ■t-
teud at the time of Divine Service, at the different
Chapels, to obtain signal tares.
Leiters from the Earl of Donotionsioan and
the Right Henn. HENRY GRATTAN were read, iu
which throe elistiuguished personages assured the
Esel el VINGALL cud the Committee of their
best anti most zealous suppint, and the early intro-
duelion al their claims to the notice of the Legis-
lature.

ADDIZESS

TO THE PEOPLE OE APAIN, THE PATRIOT GUER..

R 11.1.44, As 1) THE SOLDIERS AND SEAMEN OF

THE EXPLDMON PagPAILING AT CADIZ,

Peopt.► OT SIPAIN!---Your younger Brethren of tee Pro-
•:;,ets of Y.:., zit, la desire to speak to yon in the spirit of
6:merrily and a peace. Simple Republicans themselves,
they yet resp. et all the ranks which they now address ; fur
to Spain all ranks have, in happier times, illustrated the
national glnry, and the people of Venezuela cherish its re-
ollerlions less than the proudest Castilian. They are
the el.i:,lrru of the Colonial, you of the Mother Country ;
nod it is the futtdmineutal, t►e eternal law of such relation-
ship, which they would here suggest to your soletun cou-
tett-ratio! .

It isY
iu political as in physical nature, when the infant
becomes relatively stronger than the patent, it assumes au
imilepen.lent existence; and the physician who should destine
the chill ut.str to separate from the bosom of its mother,
would not act inure madly than the pulluiciau who should
destine the Cotiny to be an eternal dependency of the Pa-
ient State. All history illustrates the truth of this -
tom ; and, iu the present case, no parallel can be so close
as aim of B. ttaiu sad her American Colonies. The greatest
naval power ahith the world has ever beheld could not re-
t.iu the .ti.,;lu-Arnerican Provinces in subjection.
.tuJ what *wild be the resale of such a connexion, if it
could be rendered perpetual? As the family, of which the
sl.ldriu nisi r become independent of the parent, but are
11d414.1.11,i.d i'uouu a daily decreasiiix pat risnunial inheritance,
snake* uu asdi ante in opulence, but sinks below the multi-
puma tali nt auJ skill of its neighbours: so the Colony and
Mother Count' y, wb:ch are fettered by one political system,
are reeipsucally embarrassed and weakened. Colonies, on
the contrary, are like children, most valuable only whets the,
b' come eu.it bAudent. Of these truths the colonial system
ul Waal,' Alain alforda a memorable proof. The revenue
rho Is that kitigulows derives fruits North American commer-
cial mien:untie is vastly greater titan it ever derived from
North ASII4/ lean taxation. • .
'lle mouses which attested Britain and Spain ia these
colonial wars, simiisr iu one respect, have been utterly dim r-
ent iaauutimr. Both have been excited by national whit—
tles finite source, woes well employed, of many Knurl awl
may useful achievemeals. But in Britain, as in Spain,