The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-06-02 00:00:00

DRITISII C.-17'1101,1C ASSOCIATIOV.

The Annual Meeting of this Association was held yesterday at
the Crown and Anchor Tavern, and wax very respectably, although
rot numerously a:tended. There were present the Duke of Nor-
folk; Lords stall rd and Ile Clifford ; the llonourabtra Mr. Jerm-
ingliarii, Mr. Clifford, Philip S.ourion. and ledward Pelee; Sir
ward Blount, Sir William (leveed, Sir Edward Smyth, and Sir
Henry Tiehboume ; with several gentlemen of distinction.
At two o'clock the Doke of Nottinaw took the chair, aril pro-
carded to address the Meeting. Al:hough they bad not appeared
before Parlianicut this year, yet be congratulated therCatholics
that their cause was not declining. Notwithstanding the strange
taps of hergeant Wirth. and of a gentlemen who We a candidate
for Stall:my (Mr. Wilks). yet he tuts convinced that the cause
was hot retregtoling. Alach grand had been effected by the circuit-
thin of trots and pamphlets, which explained their intentions, and
conciliated opini ins ;of chit he could speak from experience. He
had seen a letter from a gent/omen of the name of Fisher, of St.
lee*. who stated that ail in that county had been averse to the Ca-
'Wirt, tint that a great change to opinion had taken place ; it iintl
been thought expedient to have an exposition of the tenets of tile
Roman Catholic Cicrgy, systematically drawn up; and it was one
object of the present Meeting to take that exposition into email-
, &ration, and to unction it by adoption in smelt a way as to inereatie
its elfal erect on the community.
The Report of the Committee was then read.
The Dim. EDWARD PETHE, in moving that the Report he
edopted, felt it his duty to make some observations. Ile coligratu-
-I,ted the Cathaca on the disappearance of prejudices, of which his
Noble Friend had adduced one instimce, end he could offer many
more. The tracts which they (Inseminated l•ad contributed in di-
ininisn opposition ; but still more had been effected by their Male-
ration and calmness in answering the attacks of their enemies. (Ap-
plause.) Ile exhorted them to persevere in the eante temperive
course, and to set an example of the conduct which they wished to
be observed to„„rda them. Ile would how make two remarks,
which were elicited by the Report. In the first place, it had been
deemed inexpedient to have the Catholic gitestioa discussed in rm..
liament this year; the petition was presented, but they had left it to
the discretion of those tried advocates who had so often before sup-
ported the Catholic Cause in Parliament to postpone the discussion,
if it appeared expedient to du so. 111 the Second place, with regard to
the declaratioo of their Pirate-Apostolic, it was to be hailed with
pleasure, as a document containing a direct negative to all the ten.
sores anti charges which had been heaped on the Catholics through-
out the country. The British Catholics were charged with enter-
taining a pretended right to the properly of the Eatablished Church
in Loglancl. But what was the reply of the Catholic Clergy to this

chime t They said. "We consider such • charge to be totally
without foundation ; are declare that we entertain pretensions to no
suet claim. We regard all the revenuei and temporalities of the
Church Establishment as the property of Clone on whom they are
settled by the taw of the land. We disclaim any right. title, or
pretension with regard to the came." (Applause.) No word.
could more explicitly declare the falsehood of the accusation. lie
congratulated the Association on the reduction of its debt. and
hoped that the Secretary would be ei:abled to renew his exertions.

lie begged to psy his iribdte to the ladies who 11441 came fotward
to further the objects of .he Ativvistion. lie wnjkl again ceirjure

the Catholics to persevere in the mutterate course 'stitch they bad
begun. Their moderation would hosure them the support of a free
and independent Prras—of the great, good, and wive, es well u
liberal ; and what was the most nrcesvary of all to their ultimate
success, the good opi.sion of the people of England.
Mr. Quist seconded the motion. Althouh there were not so
many present as he had expected to find, yet' he did not despair,
an much did he enclitic in the sense of justice prevailing in this
country and its the increavingenlightenment of society, slim he had
no more doubt that the present generation would see the Catholics
tree, thatithat summer st.uld follow spring. He would not despair

offer the frequent diactpeduna the question" had undergone in the
House of Commons. where the down of hope had enlarged till it
filled the whole horizon. lie could not despair. while he %AM the

nobility of their Hotly stationed in their proper place, antl occupying
the vanguard, (Applause.) dignifying the Meeting with their pre.
settee, and cheering it with their approbation; or while he saw there
the flower of young nobility preparing to follow in the tracks of their
fathers, ■nd to guide the Citt:witca in their temperate, though
ardent, ar.d he trusted indomitable, pursuit of freedom.

Mr. BLOUNT. the Secretary, then entered into a brief statement
of theaecuants of the Association. The annual charge of a Oak and
apartments 'rue 2401.; every meming, including advertisements,
cost 251. • and the preparation of every petition to Parliament cost
1001. lle then proceeded to read some letters, which chewed the
grind resulting from the exertions of the Association. Titter levers
chewed that the Catholic cause was gaining ground ; the contrary
night appear to be true; but a great distinction was to be made
between public opinion and public prejudices. Ile would cite one
Instance in proof of his assertion: at a meeting of mechanics in the
town of Birmingham, a 'him time ago, at which 400 were present,
the question of Catio •'c emancipation was put to the vote, and
only 13 voted against it. (Applause.) A few years ago, such an
incident was impossilie. He was sorry lie was obliged to proceed
to a business by no means PO pleasant. He alluded to an aitack
which had been made in one of the public prints on bard Arundel.
It had been stated that he had turned away a set rant, because he
was not a Catholic; if his Lordship had done in, he would Lave
acted like toe Protestant gentlemen of this country. who refused to
take Catholics Into their service; but in truth the charge was a
manifest falsehood, and was made, not on Lord Arundel. but on
every individual present. Such charges always tell back on those
who made them ; but lie would tirocerd to mention ode cireum-
mance : there was a Noble !eon' trot then present, who had large
estates in the enemy if Limerick, in Ireland, and all whose tenantry
were Protestants, yet tnet Sable Lord had never dismissed any of
his tenants hecatise they were Protestants. Ile also regretted tht
the pulpit, fruit which notlihig ou,:lit to proceed but words of pc3c.,
and charity, had condescended to libel and traduce the intentions of
the Catholic body.
Mr. LonDY observed, that the Secretary had omitted to men-
tion the effects of one 114: tract —s Serninti on Faith, Hope, and
Charity, which bud at once gained over 200 converts to the Catholic
cause.

The motion was then put. and carried unanimously.
Lord DE CitFronD rose for the purpose of proposing a vote of
thanks to the Carlndic Prelates who had drawn up the declaration.
He was not disposed to despair because the :Bering was not nu-
merous. 'I hough nothing appeared to have been done during the
last year. yet in reality much had been done. Though prejudices
might appear to be against the Catholics, yet there was a silent
progress in their favour, as had been well stated by his lion.
Friend. The declaration which he held in his hand had arisen
from the necessity of refuting calumny. He regretted that neces-
sity, because he regretted that their oaths, and their blood shed for
their country, were all In vain. But it was their duty as Christians
to bear els with patience : they had truth on their side, and would
necessarily triumph. The preamble of the declaration contained
his own sentiments; he should not therefore enlarge upon it.. Ile
would conclude by exhorting the !Inman Catholics never to give
up their civil rights. Some called them concessions, and not tights,
but he believed them to be rights. (Loud applause.)
Lord STAFFORD seconded the motion.
The resolution was then read.
Resolved,—That this. General Association respectively receive
the declaration of the Catholic Bishops, the Vicars Apostolic, and
their coadjutors in Great Britain, as an exposition of our principles
and doctrines on the subjects to which it refers ; and hereby tender
to their Lordships our most sitvare thanks for the pron.ptitude
with which they have framed and signed it, in order to meet the
urgency of our present circumstances."
Dr. Cot.r.ties that the declaration wart irrevocable. it was
nos so much a declaration of the Vicars Apostolic of Great Britain
as an authentic repetition of tenets, sanctioned by ages, which had
clan the sanction of the Irish Hierarchy, whose declaration was in
respects similar. The time, mole, and form, of the declaration
might be subject to the revision of higher ecclesiastical authority ;
but the substance of the doctrines was irrevocable. Witch a

doctrine was preached, taught, or promulgated, by an Episcopal
authority. without any reclamation on the part of the Church, it be-
came, or rather it was proved to be, the doet.ine of th it Chuteh, and
no utthority of the Church could condemn it, lie would retoark,
that although they assumed no right as a lay body to lodge of the
doctrines issued by an Episcopal authority, yet that it, all matters
of a civil nature they were all competent to state their tenets with-
out any reference to the clergy.
The resolution was then catried unanimously.
Lord Csorrotter then moved that the Address of the Roman
Catholics to their Protestant fellow-countrymen should be read.
It was read accordingly at full length ; after which his Lordship
one to propose that the Address should be signed by the persons
then present.
Mr. Lunme thought that the Address might be improved by
some verbal alterations as well as by some additions. He though
it might be advisable to add some account of the laws de herdic°
combinendo. He would therefore move to refer the Address to an
adjourned Meeting, next Thursday.
Mr. Wire begged leave to offer a few observations to the Meet
ing, on the intended motion of Mr. Luddy. The principal utility
of the declaration would he lost, if it were not dispersed previous
to the election. The Parliament was shout to be dissolved, and
new writs were in preparation; if they waited, theteffire, a week
longer, they would lose their object. That consithration, it
appeared to him, *decided the question of adjsurnmeot. With re-
, greet to verbal alterations, they also might prove a fertile source of
difficulties and delay. He should opo use the motion altogether.
The Hon. E. PETRE and 3lr. ROSSON expressed themselves
adverse to delay.
Mr. Fit eerc it was of opinion that it would be better to revise
carefully a paper which appeared to be of some moment to all,
but which contained several objectionable passages ; but his prin.
cipal objection to the indecent hurry which characterised the pro-
ceeding (disapprobation) was that the haste was urged principally
by the person who drew up the Address.
Mr. BLOUNT begged to interrupt Mr. French, merely to ask
him who drew it up ?
Mr. Fnescu—t` I do not think myself bound to answer that
question, but I will any that it is not yours."
Mr. BLOUNT—" Then I am sorry to say that it was I who
drew it up (great laughter), and I will feel obliged to any gentle..
man who will offer any alteration."
Mr. FRENCH was happy to find thatfit was drawn up by a sin-
cere friend to the Catholic cause. There were some itt whom he
could not place the same confidence:
Afler a few observations from Doctor Cott INS and Mr.
Mr. Luddy's motion was put and negatived.
Mr. LUDDV then endeavoured to effect • postponement till
Saturday, but was equally unsuccessful.
The original motion was then put and carried.
Mr. BLOUNT then proceeded to read over the names of the
Committee for the ensuing year.
A motion of Mr. LIT /MY'S., that the meetings of the Committee
should be open to any member who night cheese to attend, was
agreed to.
In consequent,e of sore- observations of Mr. French on a mem-
her of the Committee (Mr. Siliertop), the meeting becams a sent*
of the greatest ufro.tr and disorder we ever witnessed. The Chair-
man reprobated Mr. French's cuoduct in the severest teens; and
some motions arising out of the discossian, he refuotel to put them,
declaring that he was disgusted with the conduct of the meelog.
A motion for the expulsion of Mr. French was submitted, but was
subsequently withdrawn.
After tranquillity was in some measure restored, the thanks of
the Association were voted to the Secretary, Mr. Illount, who
briefly returned thinks.
Lord DE CI.IFrORD moved the thanks of the Meeting to the
Noble Cbaiiman, Ilia Grace the Diet*. of Norfolk.
The Duke of NORFOI.K•W Is highly gratified with the opprobar
tion of the meeting. lie hoped that they would meet again untie
better auspice., and th it what lied taken place this day would be
fOrgtV/en. (Applause.)
The SEcaEretnir called the attention of the meeting to the
book which was lying open for subscriptions, and in which about
XX, was subscribed.
The meeting then broke up.

NATIONAL ACIIOOI. SOClETY.—Yesterday the fifteenth
Anniversary Meeting of Oda Society was held at the School-throne,
in Baldwin's-gardens, Gray's Inn-lane. Thee were present his
Grace the Archbishop of Canterhury (who presided), the Biahopo
of London, Durham. Exeter, ant. Gloucester, the Deart„of Peter-
borough, Archdeacon Barnes. Mr. Justice Park, L,rd Calltorpe,
anti other diatinguished individu LI.. The Annual Report was
rel.', by the Secretary, Dr. %calmsley, by which it appeared that
there had berm within the last year, an increase •of 114 Pchnuls,
containing 1.5.000 children, to the numher already under the super.
insentience of the Society ; making altogether 2 .200 schools, and
s
330,01141ch,ltieen. who were educated nccording to the system of
wed Church.—
thel Archbishop of Camerhury expressed his great oat is_
faction at the progress of the Society, and at tit? betadits which
were clerioeti by the rising generation from the extensioo of Dr
Hell's system. His Grace expressed a hope that the admirable
ispifolirean ce tin the principles of the E tablisi
simplicity of that system would not be departed from. as it was
upon a close adherence to principle that the uniformity necessary to
the succeos of the Society depenued.—The Treasurer read the An-
nual Aettount, by which it appeared that the Society have 10,0004
handed property, independently of their annual income.