The National Register.
London, England, 1811-07-28 00:00:00

i•RECISTER

BONAPARTE,'S CONFERENCE

WITH THE CATHOLIC AND PR OTE •TANT CLERGY,
AT ifitEDA.

An account has been puhlighed in the Gazette of Dorpt, a
town of Livonia, of an audience granted by Bonaparte to the
Catholic and Protestant Cleric: at Breda, on the Ist of May,
1810. •

" After Bonaparte had made the customary tour, lie said a few
words to the President of the Court of-Appeal, took a view of
the different Collegiates, and at length stopped opposite-to the
Catholic Apostolic Vicar. who, with his manuscript in his band,
complimented the Monarch in the name of the Catholic Clergy.
Majesty, however, did not deign to give any answer, but
asked, Where are the reformed Clergymen ?' Whereupon the
Prince of Neufchatel presoned them to the Emperor, and Mr.
Ten Oever, of the Vallooo Congregation, received permission to
address his Majesty. The discourse was short, ::rid contained
amongst the rest the following words : ' It is the immutahte
principle of Protestants, in every thing that happens, to : ebna see
Providence, and to render unto Caesar the things which are
Cresar's."lbe Emperor listened attentively tfi this speech, and
answered, ' You are right. I protect all religions. Protestants
and Catholics enjoy equal privileges in France ; it is but just,
that the Protestants in this department should have equal prero-
gatives with the Catholics.' His Majtety then asked Mr. Ten
Oever, Why, Sir, are you in your full dress ?' answered
'Fen Oever, that is the rule. Why, yes,' said the knweiror,
' it is the custom in every couetry ; but,' continued he, turtling
to the Romhn Catholic Clergy, who were not in their till dress,
Why have not you your Cassocks on? You tay you are Priests:
what are you ? Attornit s, notaries, peasants? I conic into a pro-
vince where the majority are Catholics, who in former tines
were oppressed, who after the Revolution acquired more liberty,
and upon whim the King, my brother, bestowed many favours.
I come in order to make you all equal to the rest ; and yoo be-
gin by forgetting the respect due 0 me, and complain of tl e op-
pressions that you sufihred under the form.:r Governmeuts.
Your conduct, however, shows how well you deserved them.
The first act of sovereignty which I was obliged to ex-Tcise, con-
sisted in the necessity of arresting two of your contumacious
Priests, even the •Apoduiic Vicar; they are imioisened, and
shall continue uoder. arresr. Oa the other hand, the foat words
I he-ar from a Reformed Priest, arc to unto Caesar the
thinks which are Crcsar's. This is the doctritie you ought
to preach. From that Gentleman,' palming to Mr. 'I en o..ver,
you ought to learn it. I have always met with faahl'al
amongst Protestant.; : never have I had occasion to con-plaie of
any of them. You have calumniated the Protestants, by repre-
senting them as preaching doctrines deo:genius to the state; but
the best subjects I have are Protestants. In Paris I an: partly
attended by then'.: they have free access to me: and here a
handful o: Brabant fanatics attempt to resist my designs. Had
I nor met in liossuet's doctrines, and in the maxims of the
Gallic-an Church, with pi incioles that :Tree with mine, and lytel
not the Concordat been received, I myself should have become a
Protestant, and 30 millions of people would have followeet my
example. But, what religion do you teach ? Do you not know
that Christ said, My kingdom is not of this world ;' and would
you interfere in my concerns? You will not pray fora Sovereign—
(probably the Catholic Clergy in these new provine es bad partly
declared that they would not receive any orders on stiritual sub-
jeCts from a temporal power : the order to pray for the Emoeror
'must he intimated to them by some spiritual sovereign.) You
want to be obstinate citizens : I have- the proofs of at in my
pocket. If you maintain such principles, your lot will be pu-
nishment in this world, and esternal damnation in the next.
You; said he, turning to the Apostolic Vicar, who had addressed
him, ' are the Apostolic Vicar. Who appointed you to that
office? The Pope :—he has no right to eto it. I create Bishops.
You will not,' said he, turning to the re. t, ' pray for the Mo-
narch ?—perhaps because a Romith Priest excommunicated me.
But who gave him the right of exconmunicating a Sovereign ?
Why did Luther and Caltin sepal ate thtmsebo s from the
Church ? Your infamous soles of indulgences caused them to re.
volt, and the German Priucescwould no longer bear your sway.
The English acted wisely in renouncing you. The Popes by
their hierarchy set Europe in flames. Perhaps it is your with to
re-establish scaffolds and racks, but it shall be my care you do not
succeed. Are you of the religion of Gregory Vil. Bomface VIII.
Benedict XIV. Clement XII.? I am not • I an; of the religion
of Jesus Christ, who said, ' Give unto Cesar the Wings which
are Caesar's;' and agreeably to the same Gospel, I give until
God, that which belongs to God.' I bear the temporal sword,
and I know how to guide it. God placed me on the throne, and
you reptiles of the earth dare oppose me. . I owe no nit of
my administration to the Pope; only to God- and Jesus .Christ.
You, perhaps, think me created to.kiss the Popei'fi 'slim& 10
only depended on you, you would cut oil Liphau-0,-Miditt,e4l

•
1r •
r
w.
•