The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-03-14 00:00:00

GERMAN PAPERS.

ST. PETEISIOSOO, Fts•
It N said that the Marquis di Ribeaupierre will shortly set oat
for Constantinople.
The Carnival has not been AO ray this year as usual.
The value of all the merchandise exported from Riga last
year amounted to 41,06.5.700 rubles in paper. The Houses of
Mitchell and Co. and of Curti., Hay, and Co. were the
_greaten
exporters, the former to the amount of 9,800,557 rubles, the latter
to the amount of 6,316,379 rubles.
Ilaworra, /Utica 5.
On the first information of the late disa‘ters in this Kingdom,
his Alajesty was pleased to send to the Central Committee here
from his privy purse the rum of 2.0001. sterling, which have been
already received. This it exclusive of what has already been con-
tributed from his 512jcsty'a funds here, in money, besides corn
and wood.
A society of ladies, at the head of which is her Royal Highness
the Duchess of Cambridge, made • lottery of articles of needle
work, ac. of their own making, which produced the sum of
1,536 rix dollars. which has been given to the Central Committee.
A committee for the relief of our distressed countrymen has also
been formed at Halle, on the Seale, at the bead of which is Fro-
fame Niemeyer, Chancellor of the (Jul versity.
The town of Maiden has sent 1,000 rix dollars, and about 4,000
rix dollars have been subscribed at Frankfort.
DIIONTREIBI. FEB. 9.
In a great storm in the night of the Ist the sea rose over the bul-
warks on the north side of the Sand-street, and so undermined the
foundations of the house. that they must be pulled down. No
lives were lost, but the poorer class suiftred considerably.
EMMET:, Maacte 1.
The want of water is very severely felt here. The few cisterns to
which •he sea water did not penetrate are for the most pan empty.
Our skippers fetch Etna water from Halle. A pailful of rain
water costs from two to three stivers ; a pailful of the En a water
h-ntigbt by the skippers, one %titer ; spring water is very scarce.
The draining of the country goes on.very successfully, and only
the ins cot parts are now under water.

CASSEL. lllaucti
Our city has not been fur a long time in such a bustle as it now
is, where ari.ts and workmen oral! kinds are busied in the preps..
rations which his Royal highness has been pleased to order for the
celebration of the nuirr.Age of the Princess, his daughter, to the
Duke of Saxe 31einingen. An immense saloon is erecting between
the pic:ure gallery and the house of the Inspector, which, from the
Man, seems io he intended to contain several thousand persons.
All the civil officers havz received strict injunctions to provide
themselves by that time skit the proper uniform. Our two flegi-
ir.ents of Hussars will be equipped with the greatest splendour;
and four hundred servants in livery will be employed to attend.

EXCHANGES.

---. ..... ---.
El • aratznoss. MARCIII IL—London, 36 1 ; 2 Us. 33, 10.
PETE/113111611. FEB. 22—London. 9 29.32.

CATHOLIC EMANCIPATION

Mr. O'Connell has addreseed the following letter to the
Catholic Association in Ireland. It was read at the meet-
ing of that body on Wednesday last:—
London, 7th March. 1826.
Sta.-1 deem it a duty i owe my respected brethren of the Ca-
tholic Association, to state to them the hillowing facts, and to mix
with my statement some advice, which is certainly honest in in-
tention :
Fi.st—Tbe Bill for the suppression of the Association will be
read a third time this day. It cannot get the Royal Assent foe
some days--end it will not be in force or operation for ten days
after it receives the Royal Assent. I hope I shall be in Ireland
within that period, to assist in such an arrangement as may be most
suited to the dignity and the interest of the Catholic body, without
being in any. even in the slighcet degree inconsistent with that
dutifal and ready obedience we have always paid, and in every
fortune will pay, to the law of the land. Obedience to the
law is our first duty--our next is the peaceable and loyal pursuit.
by all the conetitutional channels left open to us, of that Miami-
pation which would not be the victory of party, but would be the
means of consolidating the empire, by making the people of Ireland
part and parcel of the common strength of the great British nation.
Secondly-1 am able state, that the cause of religious liberty,
which we advocate, is certainly gaining ground in this country ;
much of the opposition to us which I was in the habit of attribut-
' ing to bigotry, and to an old dislike to the Irish. Since 1 owe
here, I ant convinced I was in error, and that there is but little of
bigotry remaining, and still less of an anti-Irish feeling. No!
The opposition to us at present, such as it is. is occasioned solely by
an ignorance of the merits of our claims, and by the prejudice cre-
ated by Orange calumniators. I have perceived that it is quit*
sutfident to give an Englishman accurate btfbrmation on the sub-
ject of the oppressions under which we labour, and the extent of
the relief which we seek, to convert hint iron an opponent into a
steady and warm friend. The examinations before the Committees
of both litmus in this way have done great good; and our cause
is winning its way on the English mind, by its native merits. in
that friendly mode which is most desirable for the purpose of con-
solidating both countries in that cordial manner which would in-
crease the wealth and strength of both.
Thirdly_l have the happiness to state my conviction that the
Emsncipation Bill will pass this Session. I may be tno sanguine,
but that is my opinion. We can never be too grateful to Sir F.
Burdett for the manner in which he introduced the measure, and
for the unwearied exertions he has made, and is making, in our
cause. Mr. Plunkett, also, lam bound to say, and I say it wil-
lingly, Mr. Plunkett has shown himself most briny, and sin-
cere, and indefatigable, in this badman I cannot be deceived on
this point.-1 can pledge myself to tile people of Ireland that Mr.
Plunkett is doing all that man can do, and more than perhaps
any other man but himself could do, to carry this Bill.
Fourthly—l have further the great void:a:ion to state, that
it has been permitted to rue to draw the rough draft of this Bill,
in which I am engaged, and hope to have it ready on Wednesday
next.

fifthly—That this Rill, if it shall, as I do firmly expect, pass
Into a law, will put Catholics and Protestants on a level as to
Civil rights—excepting the succession of the Throne is the pre.
sent Protestant family, which no person amongst us ever desired
to see altered, and in which, as at present limited, we heartily
concur—and except the offices of Lord Chancellor of England and
Ireland.
Sixthly—There is nothing sought for or desired in the way
of socurity, ivcomistent with the doctrine or discipline of our
Church. This part of the business is taken up in a way fuU of
kindness and good sense. It is felt that. to give an Emancipa-
tion Bill, which, instead of conciliating would increase imitation
and jealousy, would be mere folly-;tad, thtrclore, the securities
sought for are sought for in their proper place—namely, the affec-
tionate gratitude of the Irish people—and in such an arrange-
meet as sill make the nomination of our Prelates essentially
domestic and national, without trenching upon the Canonical rights
of the Catholic Church. The allegiance of our Dignitaries,
wie!' was never doubted, will thus be placed within the view
of the law, but noticing at all of Veto, or Vetoistical arrange-
ment, is sought for or desired. Those who are supporting the
Bill at bo'h 'Odes of the House are c3afuined in putting it for.
ward in the most cordial anJ sioisfac!:ry say. in short, oar
Emancipaticm, if thus ()Luton:. will be jut wltat all liberal Pro-
testants as well as ourselves have deabvtl—tamely, wxcoNDI.
TIOXAL

Seventhly—lt is proposed to make a provision, by the Bill, foe
the Catholic clergy—•un.h • yrovision as would give them the
means of doing acts of charity, instead of being almost under the
necessity of obtaining it. But it is imt intended, by such provi-
sion, to alter or affect the existing jurisdietion of the Catholic
Prelates in Ireland ; neither is there any new oath required, or
say thing but what the most conscientious Catholic can desire. In
short. if we are now emancipated, we shall he so in the true spirit
of British generosity, and in a way to make every Catholic In Ire-
land pour nut blessings upon his Protestunt follow-subjects. I do,
indeed, think, that a nee era is arriving fast, when religious din.
'elisions will cease with religious disabities.
Eighthlf —lt has been suggested fir some time past, by many
Members of Parliament connected with the Government, that the
elective franchise, in conntirs, but not in cities, should be raised
from 40s. to 4/. or 101. It is not to be raised in cities, because in
cities the Corporations can nuke poor freemen; and therefore
the counteracting qualification will De left low • besides in cities
there ore none of those overwhelming large landed proprietors who
can make a host of poor freeholders, and traffic upon them as if
they were actual slaves. The quantity of perjury and crime pro-
duced in counties by the present system is enormous ; and the pre-
ponderating influence which the 40s. freeholders give to great land-
holders over the resident intellect and honesty of • county, is quite
nigh tMI. Ent my own part, I really think that raising the quali-
fication to 6/. or even to 101. would add to the Catholic influence in
Ireland ; but, however that may be, it is rot necessary to be in any
haste to form an opinion on this subject,d as before any measure of
this kind is adopted full time will be given tor deliberation, and
far consulting the sound sense of the Irish peoMe.
Ninthly—lt is intended to give the Emancipation Bill a lint
reading in about a week, and then to have it printed for circulation
in England and Ireland; and we shall have full time to deliberate
on it in all its clauses. The second reading will he after Easter.
I wish 1 did possess any Mtiuence in the Catholic Association_
I wish I deserved the confidence of my beloved countrymen—if I
did I would use it just to this extent—to implore that neither the
Association, collectively. nor, if possib:e, any individual belonging
to it, would give any opinion upon the change of the elective
franchise, until the Bill wax printed, or until my arrival amonirt
you. Indeed, I mean to carry with me the printed Bill after its
first reading. I know something. I think, of human nature, and if'
I can judge from symptoms of the times, Emancipation is cer-
tainly at hand.

I lave made it great sacrifice in coming here—that ascrifice con-
tinues--; wish it were tcn times u great. Ido not boast of it ;
but I hare been amply reoxr.pensed in the strong belief that the
Deputation has done good. The Gentlemen who compose it, and
especially our Chairman, Lord Killeen, deserve, I tutnk, eternal
gratitude.
There is one other most clieee.ng circumstance. I perceive a
kind and generous fieling amongst the Irish Members who
hitherto opposed us violently. Believe me that they are worthier
and better men than our passions allowed us to think. I ace the
begim•ing of better days—of mutual oblivion of the past—of me-
tual affection, and real so/ permanent conciliation tee the future—.
I hope I may say
" Erin, Oh, Erin. tby winter is put,
And the hope that lived through it
Shall blossom at last."
I have the honour to be, Sir, your most faithful servant.
DANIEL O'CONN&LL.