The National Register.
London, England, 1818-01-19 00:00:00

Sehlen" whose words we have quoted, that " wherever
the Papists live, they have another King at Rome."—
We certainly can have no objection to their obtaining
all the privileges and immunities which that King can
bestow, but the Members of our legislature will, we
trust, ever bear in mind the many woeful examples
which our history affords, of the consequences result-
ing front a power lodged in such hands, before they
proceed to make any alteration in the law as it now
stands with reaped to the adherents and followers of
the Romish Church. The subject of the " Catholic
Claims," as they arc called, bears a peculiar relevancy
to a consideration of the meeting now under our notice.
That freedom of opinion in Religion, which we inherit
from the Reformation, and a toleration of the Papists to
the extent they demand, are perfect ly incompatible. The
followers of the Church of Rome, do not in any Coun-
try where their Religion prevails, allow this toleration
to an Englishman, or to a Protestant of any nation.—
The establishment of a Church far the use of the Bri-
tish residents at Libon, has lately been noticed as a
singular instance of tolerance in a " Catholic" Go-
vernment ;—a Government, by the bye, which holds
its existence throug% the valour of British arms, and
it was doubtless out of pure gratitude that the Re-
ligieux in Portugal, have, fur the first time, winked at
a proceeding so directly in opposition to their general
principles.—After this, we have no doubt that the Pa.
pLsts in this country, will not fail to boast still more
about the liberality of " the Catholics of the present day,"
who have even conikseentled to permit the English, in a
Country which they have rescued from a foreign yoke,
to worship their God in a way accordant to the dictates
of their conscience. This is truly a wonderful conces-
sion on the part of the Romani' Catholics" of Portugal,
and will not fail to be made the most of by their brethren
of the same fold in this Country, whenever the question
of their claims shall be again brought before l'arlia.
men t.

To the advocates of the claims urged by these pen.
pie, we would put the following plain question :—Will
your friends, the " Catholics," grant generally to all
Protestants in Popish countries, the same toleration,
the same privileges, which themselves already enjoy
under the Protestant Government in England ? When
they agree to this, their claims will, doubtless, find a
greater number of advocates, and perhaps he entitled
to further consideration than they have hitherto de-
served.—But, the cause of that Church is rapidly de-
clining, the eyes of the world have long been open to its
juggling tricks, its hollow pretensions. Mankind in the
present day are too enlightened to be led astray by the
dark-lanthorn of Popish infidlibility. We, therefore,
can have no doubt, that the saute spirit which led our
early reilmmers to throw off the yoke of Papal tyranny,
will induce their Jeseendants, in the present day, to
oppose the least inroad or innovation which these peo-
ple may yet have in view ; ter were they once to ob-
tain that power in the State, which is evidently their
aim and ol'ject (as they already possess religious free-
dom to the fullest extent), adieu to all those bless-
ings which we derive from the ltEronmAnox—fare-
well to the civil liberties of Englishmen, which would
inevitably become absorbed in the darkest abyss of
slavery and intolerance—that the vilest system of
priestcraft could possibly imagine or devise.

• The word Papist, will sound harsh to the ear* of some, the
softer appellation Homan Cothoti being now generally in use; hat
as the tinnier is the t rm by which these people are designated in our
Statutes and Ilistorieal Records, and as we arc not willing to allow
their pretoisions to Cathulkism, we trust we may be excused in a
predilection for calling persons as will as things by their right

Cot7vvr Mor NO.—SECOND CIIANGF.—Tbe :2(1.
change of Con...t t ikes ',lace this ilav ; and
in another tlirtiiight Feb. I), tl:e Co.:ri, -
:Oily to the notico alrea.ly .s out of Y,ourning;
making its duratiou tiu.c tuontla.