The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-05-04 00:00:00

••'.. .

Bishop of London !'—(lfear, hear, and laugh-
ter. I—And, in miler to prevent the one from
tasking, and the oilier from mcceiliog to such
prooosition, you think it nereasery to pass all Act
of Parliament—mill that Aet of Parliensent gars
to the disfranchisement of the Nohle 1)111:e'ri whole
race. The ductrilie to which I have allotted, sup-
poses tied kindness poisons mid irritates the maids
of the Roman Catholics, hot that injury :tad Op-
pression conciliate them. It supposes that in them
the ordinary feelings of haunter torture are reversed
—that they hug their chains with delight, but
would indignantly rebel against benefits and pri-
vileges. It supposes that the Catholic looks for
death, that he will fawn on death, when admi-
nistered by the hands of the common hang-
man. The argument at last arrived at that
monstrous proposition, when en attempt was
merle to justify a series of pains and penalties,
inflicted solely on account of the exercise of re-
ligion. 'rhos Christianity, instead of present-
ing au interchange of good work', become a state
of intolerant ferocity. It is net now a dispute
about church or no church—about I)eiiy or no
Deity; hut, though this is the fact, I will maintain,
that, if you attack the Catholic religion, you, at the
seine time, attack your own ! IVlieli you attack
Dr. Poynter, you, that moment, assail the Arch-
bishop of Canterbury. If that religion be destroy-
ed, it will let loose on Europe the deluge of ifili•
delity—and it will he ill vain for those who have
raised the storm, to go forth in their little hark', and
rebuke the overwhelming torrent which will bear
down in its course all religion and all morality.
In vain will they say, when the mischief has been
effected, We only intended to beat down the. Ca-
tholics—to deprive them of certain iiiibtical rights;
we had no idea of encouraging But
you will be answered by those who now mark your
proceedings-6 11'e do not credit your assertions—
you swore that the religion of Etirtrire was a hum-
bug—you all but used that Coaliat word—you
asserted that the Ittmein Catholic, of Eli:11100 were
so abominable a sect, that, of they were treated like
their fellow-subjects, they woutla ()eel biro the Go-
vernment—slid you swore so hard, and argued so
well, that you compered your own reltviour and
our priestitood!—(hear, lieur.)—When you pleased,
when it served your purpose, you resorted to inertia-
tion, with respect to Catholic Powers—hut, when
Your own fellow-subjects culled for atieedirm, you
treated them with negligence.' Is there, then,
that essential difference between the two religious,
which demands that those who professthe one. should
visit these who maintain the other with such severe
penalties ? Your own sacrifice, though it does slot
gu so far as transubitantiation, proceeds greatly
beyond commemoration. If the religion of Eti-
rope be totally false, it is not very clear that your
own can be perfectly t rue.—( Hear, hear.)---
If the Roman Catholic clergy are so abominable,
it is impossible that your own clergy can he en-
tirely pure, at least so pure es to deserve all the
emoluments they receive ! Considering these polio',
the Deist and the Atheist will demise your clergy,
on a principle of disbelief in their doctrines—
and others will dislike them equally, on a prin-
ciple of hostility. Ido not say, that the feel-
ings of the clergy leans to those acts which are
likely to produce such a result—but this I will
soy, that, if you let loose the power of defamation,
against the great body of the clergy of Europe,
you shake the character of your own, and with it
you assail the best interests of religion itself. 1 wish
to avoid every thing that may seem disrespectful to
the clergy of our ono establishment. As I never will
consent to heap insult on the clergy of other Coun-
tries, I would be the last Mall to otter it to those
of our own church. I lament their opposition to
the claims of their Catholic fellow-subjects sill-
eerily. I lament it the inure, because I respect
them--esid because the church is not the institu-
tion which I wish to oft bike so active a part on a
question of this nature. I heard reed, with eini.
cern. certain Petitions offered by the clergy. its
which, as 1 think, a number of false alarms were
conjured up—but, while I say this, I must observe,
that I feel a high respect for the clergy of my own
country—end, 1 believe, they in general feel a strong
disposition to concur in every thing that is kind and
benevolent, short of the granting of title question.
I love the mild government of the church of Eng-
land—it is a holy institution—it tolerates uo es. •
elusive -right—it con:bine* together the majesty of
God with the religion of man. But.my affections
are not so blindly fixed upon it, but that 1 can feel
veneration for the worship that preceded it. I like
the modest pastor—l like the erclital toof—.l like.
the venerable cathedral—l admire the pealing so.
them-1 love to hear the human voice employed in
offices of devotion—these advent iti iiii s circumstances
give a soul, as it were, to piety, and enlist the senses
till the side of salvation !—(fleue, heor.)—Tolent-
tion has ever been the distinguishing mark of
truly noble mind. The a isest, the most penetrat-
ing. and, perhaps, the greatest genius that ever
lived. I Mean the immortal Newlin', him I find a
Christian, trial a perfectly tolerant one. Ile, also,
who, inure than any mini that ever lived, un-
derstood the ramifications of the lannen mind,
end could trice it most accurately through all
its workings—the great Locke—he ulso was
Christian mid must tolerant. These great men
gave one glance at the works of God, awl that
was sufficient to imbue their mind with feelings
of unbounded philasithropy.—(Hear, hear.)—tired
ea
I have been in the doctrines of the Church of
England, I feel no ambition to destroy other
churches—and I call on those who may have a dif-
ferent feeling not to attempt the conquest of o parti-
cular rrlig , when, at the moment their object it
attained, they will destroy a great principle 01 right.
1 would riiihrr, with n View to rational human
prosperity, tolerate all teligtons—give to them ihr
same protectiori, in every respect—aid pay a
due and proper reveresice to all. 'Die severity
and mansion)/ of the contest have, I hope, ceased—
mid our own good sense, the initural leelnigs of
kinduese which we possess, and, Ocoee all, the divine
spirit of our rehe.un, moat produce that desirable
conformity which would establish a unity of action
throughout the empire, though not exactly a unity
of creed. It has been observed of lair, that we en-
cottruge the growth of claims by fresh (Interleaf-iris ;
the is to say, if the Homan Cathol.cs wormer those
civil lirlvelegrO, they will instal 011 it chin In the
Protretunt church ; or, in other word-, if you make
a Roman Catholic a Member of Parliament. lie
will latltt, ou becontiog a Mott-quilt *Moister—or