The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-07-15 00:00:00

FREEM.I.IONRY_IN COLOMBIA.

The Catholic priests in Colombia have been malting a
violent attack upon the freemasons, whom they elm' ge
with. sinning against almost et'ery law, divine and human.
The Colombian Papers, generally, have taken a warm part
in the controversy in favour of the freemasons; and it is
gratifying to witness the power which the press is already
exercising in that country. The writers enter freely upon
the discussion of the doctrines which the priests attempt to
force upon the people; and by this means the Catholic
system is brought at once to the test of rational argument.
From a recent number of the Constitutional Caravan° we
extract the following statements respecting the intrigues
that have been carried on in Colombia, with a view to the
establishment of the power of the Rounish priesthood:-
-` Senor Pim the first agent of France who appeared here, ar.
rived in this city in the month of September, 1823, enveloped like
the asp atuidss flowers and botany. This was the least of his oc-
cupations. however, and tired of feigning, he proved what he was
by his political conversations. and his favourite theme of the exile.
thency °fa crowned head in Columbia. He thus paved the way,
and in March of the following year, 3lr. Chassereau came :o te.
pine him, who doubtless hod the land marks well pointed out to
ham, since lie came on them at once, and entered into communise.
don with the heads of the Church. The compliments and main.
lions which he received from this respectable body are public and
notorious, whilst from the moment he put his foot on shore, he was
an object of suspicion to all usher classes of society. Evening rides,
and invitations in the town of Petare, were proofs of his polite re-
eeption among the higher ranks of the clergy : what need then of
more evidence? Mr. :Halm Drurt has openly avowed the secret,
that one of the chief mana.avres that ought to be played off for sub.
verting the Republic of Colombia, as well as the others of the new
world, lab gain the clergy end friars, on account of their powerful
!011ie:lee over tile people, aim are erroneously believed to be still
ignorant of what is expedient for them ; and we should be as
ignorant as the clergy think us, it we did not believe that 11.1 r.
Chassereatt came to move this engine. Successive events will prove
' this. On the 7th of July, of die same year, 11124, being the anni.
versary the Ihtal emigration of the patriots on the same day of
I the year 1814, caused by the inroads of the sanguinary DOWN, a
solemn service was celebrated inthe parish church of St. Paul, to
the honour and glory of Santa Rita, the patronness of impose:.
bilities. The funds of this ceremony were collected from the ohs.
limbic contributions of various devout women, all rank Royalist,.
The minion was preached by the Prebend Ramon Cominsoehn, is
his thundering style, drew a picture of the perverse habits of the
present day ; the decay of agriculture and commerce, ris compatil
with former times (the tittles of the Spanish Government of coursia
and finished by cursing the impious, heretical, and incendiary
Alasans. The public whom he thought to gratify, felt aggrieved,
and persons were not wanting to denounce the preacher to the le.
tentlent, who, having called him to his presence, and satisfied Into
or the sinister views which prompted his discourse, officially ral•
dressed the Vicar-General, in charge of the Archbishopric, for the
purpose of having him suspended from the ministry ; which was
accordingly done."
The artic'c goes on afterwards to state other attempts of
this party to disturb the puhl c tranquillity. The object of I
the priests is described to have been " the restoration of the
dominion of Spain, and with it the privileges of the secular
and regalar clergy, the Holy Inquisition, and the cross of
Isabel the Catholic." An insurrection was at last nrosoftea
at Petare, but immediately suppressed. One of the emai-
-1 rotors, Andreas Reyes, was disposed, previous to hit execu-
tion, to have given a full confession of his guilt, and to have
named his accomplices, but the curate of the cathedral,
QuINTIIIO, under pretence of administering spiritual com-
fort to the prisoner, persuaded him to forego his intention
of revealing his accomplices. The consequence has bete,
that Qui x TEIIO himself is now under prosecution. There
seems to be no reason to dread the influence of the priests
in Colombia. They have trial what they could do, sad
they have found themselves powerless against the new Go.
vernment. The press is successful in exposing the absur-
dity and injustice of their ptetcntions, and freemasonry will
flourish in spite of their opposition. In such a country as
Colombia this mode of association may be productive of
many bent the ; and we are glad to find that there are indi-
viduals bold enough to deny the extravagant claims Kg up
by the Rontish priesthood in the countries over which they
act as the ministers of religion.