The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-02-11 00:00:00

CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND.

_

A justification of the proceeiings of this body was yes-
terday distributed to the Members of the House of Com-
tism", previous to the debate on the Bill for Suppressing
Unlawful Associations in Ireland. The document, it will
he observed, is issued by the stipendiary agent of the
Catholic Association.
The following statement is most respectfully submitted to your
conoideratioo, on behalf of the Catholic Association of Ireland.
Previous to the King's visit to Ireland, in Ameriet, 1821, cond.
notion was 'established between all parties in Dublin, with a view
to the reception of his Majesty in an accepiable manner. The
Catholics were the most active is effecting this measure. The 12th
of July haying intervened, the Orangemen, on that day, violated
their undertakiug. They afterwards made new professions of
conciliatory spirit, sod the Catholics accepted them. They again
violated this covenant t still the Catholics did not do one single''
act. or expires' one single feeling of hostility against them.
Upon his Majesty's departure from Periled, he was graciously
pleased to promulgate his parting admonition and injunction to his I
Irish subjects, that they should all live in good will and harmony.
The Catholics resolved to adhere most rigidly to the royal desires
That aflame document tau translated into the Irish language,
slid generally read from the altars by the Catholic Priests, letaillo
panted by their own appeals and advice in support of the nail
feelings therein recommended: it was also used as a reading lessen
in the Catholic schools, but the Kildare-street Society refused to
' accede to a proposition made to their tommittee to introduce it into
the schools subject to their controul. The Orangemen totally
spurned all conciliatory engagements, and ietumed to their forteer
career.
The arrival of the Marquis Wellesley. as Lord Lieutenant. in
December, 1821, confounded them exceedingly ; and it is umpteen
t ionable, that if he adopted proper means at that moment, he could
have effected a substantial settlement of all party feuds : but his
Excellency's first act was to confer a title of honour on the lord
Mayor, who had proposed the factious toast, for being present at
which Earl Talbot was supposed to have been removed from the
Irish Oovetnment.
This anal similar acts of the Government, gave fresh vigour and
hopes to the Orange party. They became more offensive and
outrageous than they had ever been before. The walls of the city
of Dublin were covered in many places with violent placards, an.
noancing, in the most oteprobrieue terms, the contents of their
newspapers and pamphlets, and ro act was left undore, that wes
considered likely to offend and exasperate the Catholics.
Still the Catholics remained eerfectly tranquil and inactive, in
the hope that the Irish Government would, at no distant day, afford
protection to them and correet those violent hostilities. The anni-
versaries of the Orange bodges, were, in many instances, marked
by sanguinary proceeding', more ferocious than usual. The
judges of the land denounced their illegality, and reprobated their
misehiceous operations. Nevertheless, they continued to act with-
out any diminution of fury, and Tate unmolested by the Govern-
ment ; boasting, as they well might, that they had their friends
and brethren Filing sonic of the highest offices in the State, and
holding seats in the Parliament ; at the same time that they had
nothing to fear from those who are entrusted with the nomination
of jurois. The Bill of 1823, concerning Secret Societies, did not,
by any means affect them, nor is it likely that it was intended to
do so. They were re-organized under its provisions, and in several
instances, either marched in military order to the magistrate, to go
through the form of taking the necessary oaths, or the magi-
strate attended on them in their lodges to comply with those
forms. The King's arms still were, and still are, confided to
them ; and so late as last November it was stated in a Belfast
paper. that " the Orangemen of the rifle. corps had permission to
attend" the meeting of those societies in that town on the sth of
that month.
The violent conduct of the Orangemen, and the unwillingness
or inability of the Government to controul them, coupled with a
sense of the just claims of the Catholic body being wholly disre.
grunted and unnoticed by the Government and the Parliament for
so long a period, it was considered right that they should at length
make some exertion on their own behalf, as well for the protection
of their persons, as for the promotion of their just and conetieu-
tiunal claims. Accordingly, a general meeting was held in 'the
tnonth of April, 1623, being nearly two years after the King's
visit, and a year and a half after the arrival of Lord Welleetey ;
during the whole of which time the Irish Catholics endured all time
indignities and dangers to which they were exposed, without mak-
ing any opposition or public complaint ; or convening any meet-
ing, even for the purpose of petitioning Parliament for the repeal or
n.itigation of the penal code.
At the general meeting, it was recommended that some assecia-
don should be formed to counteract the machinations of their
enemies, and to promote their claims to legislative relief. And
this was considered the more necessary, because all the favour and
patronage of the Government continued to flow through and to their
opponents, almost exclusively.
Upon this recommendation, a number of Catholic gentlemen
commenced the formation of the Catholic Association of Ireland,
on the 23 of April, 1823. The members =Mil, at present, to
about 5000, comprising die Catholic nobility, clergy, and gentry,
and the mom opulent farmers, manufacturers, end shopkeepers,
and a great number of liberal persons of the Protestant and Dis-
senting churches, including Peers and Members of Parliament.
Their names, and the rules and regulations of the body, have been
published in the newspapers.
Their proceedings have been directed uniformly to the correction '
of misrepresentstions, the protection and viedieation of humble
individuals of their own body, as they are willing to do for persons
of any other communion ; the preparation and forwarding petitions
or memorials to the Government or Parliament for relief, the col-
lection of information upon the state of euucation, and the promo-
tion thereof; but never, in a solitary instance, to the aggression of
others, nor in opposition to the Government.
It became obviously necessary to provide some fund, and by the!
institution of a form of contribution, under the designation of the
Catholic Rent, in the month of February, 1824, an opportunity was
afforded to persons of all ranks, to furnish a practical proof of the
justice or injustice, as it might be, of the observation often made,
that the great body
sof the people felt no interest in the question of'!
Catholic Emancipatura. 'I his opinion must now be set at rest for
ever.
The Catholic Rent has been hitherto devoted to the payment of
fees and Miler charges incidental to the attendance of counsel,
agents and witnesses, upon five or six trials or enquiries before the
constituted authorities of the land. No instance can be adduced of
the slightest collision with the Government, or with any of its
members or officers. On the contrary, there has been, generally, •
perfect concurrence with them. But it cannot be overlooked, that
if some few such interpositions may have been used by the Go-
vernment, since the application of the Catholic Rent to those pur-
poses, it would be very difficult, on the other hand, to name any
similar instances, as having occurred prior to the farmation of the
Association ; a portion of it has also been expended in the payment
of rent, and other expenses of rooms for meetings, preparing peti-
tions to the Legislature, &e. The only considerable SUM applied
to any purpose whatsoever, was the appropriation of 500/. to the
purchase of books. for the education of the children of the pea-
santry. The whole of the money expended by the Association out
of Ireland passed through my hands, and amounts at this day to
421. .sr. 10d., of which 261. 18s. 7d. was paid for ativertieing, in
London papers, the resolutior s of the last general meeting of the
Irish Catholics, and the remaining 151.7 u 3d. was expended in
several trifling disbursements. The amount in Bank is under
10 0 fOl. ; whereas, the contribution of a single penny from each
Osmotic in Ireland, would amount to 25,0001.
The Catholic Association of Ireland, in its rules anti regulations,
precisely similar to the hundreds and thousands of Bible societies.
and other association!' and clubs, throughout Great Leritain ; and
it concurs, in its objects, almost entirely with the "Protestant
Society for Protection of Religions Liberty," and the " Anti-via.
very Society," both established in this metropolis, and engaged in
diligent operations. There rem, in point of tact, more public ex-
citement connected with the trial of the late Rev. Mr. Smith, the
missionary, in the last year, than hae,been produced by the Catholic
Association since the commencement of its labours, about all the
injuries, persecutions, and murders inflicted upon ntenibera of their
communion, by Orangemen and policemen, throughout Ireland.
It is not asserted, even by their most bitter enemies, that the Asso-
ciation has done any thing illegal, or any thing unconstitutional, or
any thing secret ; or that any one violation of the public peace has
been produced, directly or indirectly, by that society. It is, per-
haps, worthy of observation, that these persons nem are most loud
in their complaints against the temper of some individuals of the
Association, are themselves most intemperate in their unfounded
imputstions, and seem to proceed upon the principle, that the op.
preesors, and not the oppressed, should alone be admitted to cam-
plain.
It is respectfully suggested, that reference may be usefully made
to the Petition of the Catholic Association presented to the House
of Commons by Sir Francis Burdett, on the 17th of last June.
Fenntary, 9 1825. ENEA MAC DON N.L: LL.