The Sun.
London, England, 1807-04-23 00:00:00

To THEEDITOR OF rtrE sniv:

[We beg leave to recommend the following Letter to the
particular attention of our- Readers. It comes from an old
Correspondent, whose reflexions and arguments are the re,
cult of good sense, knowledge, and experience, and it holds
forth an example of candour which is rarely to be found in
those who enter upon political discussions at 4 period when
the spirit of Party is so prevalent and acrimonious..l

SIR,

From an intimate acquaintance with the general
disposition; habits, and" prejudices of be-Officers 111(1
Men omposing the Royal Navy, obtaitred,by long
service 'and .minute observation, I cangot but cpo-
gratulate all ranks in the Unit pd Kingdom, from the
Sovereign to the lowest "of Subjeas., the_ Pro-
testant and the RoMan 'Catholic, the Dissenter,
of whatever denomination, and the Jew, for the
happiness, safety, and interest of all are equally
concerned, on the decisive check the efforts of the
late. Administration to introduce the free eicercise.of,
tty Roma, Catholic Religion into our Men of War
has experienced.. How men of such general.; know-
'WO as the late Ministers are supposed to be, could
Soblindly mislead themselves as not first to cbllea
the Opinions of every Naval Officer of rank' whom
they could suppose capable of giving them a just
idea of its: pra&icability and consequences, is asto-
nishing. Had. they taken this very necessary pre_
liminary step, they certainly would have been told,
that' the result-must produce feuds, animosities, and
increasing deep-rooted jealousies, which would strike

'at the very existence of our Navy; and prOhably an-
nihilate that•great bulwark of our national defence ;,
.or, if not annibila;e it, transfer its power front pro-
teaing.the -Protestant to the'prote6tion of the Ro-
man Catholic interest. It must be considered, that
the Protestant Established Religion of the Country
is so interwoven,- andforms go • Complete an union
with the State, and with its -politial views and in-
' terests, that. nothing shore of first doing away tha:
Union call avowedly admit any otherßeligion to a full
and unrestrained participation' in places of power,:of
trusti-andbf state confidence. And the arguments
against the admisSion of Roman Catholics to such
important situations,n must be allowed to' be far
strOnger and more conclusive than any that can be
urged against • those sects: called Dissenters ; for the
latter vary only in their mode, the 'substance is the
same; they only endeavour to become, or suppose
themselves to be, more ortlibdox, pure, andsincere
in their religious opinions, and 'to come nearer the
simplicity and divine precepts of our Saviour than
the Established Church ;• therefore a competitiOn
for political power forMs no part of their avowed
principles. But the Roman Catholic is a religion
of great • power; its influence extends over t%5 o-
thirds of the Continent,of Europe;. it wits the Esta-
blished Religion of this Country, and has been de-
',lived of its political power through Protestant in-
fluence,- which has succeeded to, still does, and
it is to be hoped always will retain, possession of
that power. lithe Roman Catholics ate again ad-
mitted to an unrestrained share of that power, and
a free unconstrained exerciseof their religion, they
must know very little of human nature indeed, who
suppose they will ,top any thing short in their
views of obtaining the summit and the whole of that
power which they, formerly and originally possessed.
We will now examine how for the measure pro-
poSed to Parliament would have accelerated those-
views. •

Every Man of War forms in itself a complete
System of Government, the Captain being the
Ruler, who is vested with almost an absolute com-
mand over petty officers and men, and
share of controul over those Officers possessed of
established rank. He is in his Ship, except with
Oose officers, the sole dispenser of rewards and
punishment, and consequently possesSes a decided
influence over he minds and habits of those serving
under him. Now' the avowed purpose !of the Bill,
as stated. in the. House, was to indUce the younger
branches of Roman Catholic 'families of rank and
wealth to ethbrace the Naval Service, and no- doubt,
very'great nurnbers would- immediately have done
soi- but what would -have been the consequencQ?
Why, a race between two religions, 'who should
obtain the greatest share of power and authority,
Their merits, as officers, would, no doUbt, be equal,
but till time gave an,equal share of,p-atronage 'and of
"political interest, the Catholic would, if not pro\-
inoted or rewarded agreeable to the opinion of his
own merits, attribute his failure to the superior in-
fluence of the Protestants; and thus rancour, malice,
and envy would be generated between them, which
would never cease to exist till one party becomes
totally in vassalage to the other. In a few „years
many of our Men of War and Fleets 'would most
probably, have been commanded by Roman Catholic
Captains and Admirals, and their zeal,' courage,
success against• the , and experience in the
service, being equal to our own, would bring them.
into notice, and being incorporated with us, justly,
entitle themlo seats at the Admiralty Board, and to
honours, titles, and rewards, which' would 'flake
them aspire to seats in both Houses of Parliament,
and Which could not consistently be denied them
when in possession of such power as commands of
the Navy confer, and of such claims as a conspicuous
defence of their Country entitle them to urge. The
ultimate result of their thus ascending Must be ob-
vious to every unprejudiced mind, and requires no
comthent. - •

•
Let us now take a view of the feuds arid irre-
gularities which the introduuion of Roman Catholic.
worship- into our -Navy must have occasioned, and
the consequent punishments that must have ensued,
to restore discipline and good order. Protestants are
apt to view with ridicule the celebration of mass,
and other ceremonies of Roman Catholic worship,
but the Catholic observes them with reverential awe
and enthusiastic ardout., and persuades himself that
he and those
,Only of his own religion can obtain
salvation.: Erom such difference in religious prin-
ciples, and an allowed equal privilege Of excerciSing
them, what harmony or good-will can . result ?
would not the frequent complaints from the com-
mon men to the Captain, of their interference with
each other in religious matters, be attended with
punishment atier punishment,' to-preserve order and
decorum ; and would riot such .punishment tend to
strengthen_ the opinions of both parties, instead of
reconciling them, and thus stifle a breach, unwise-
ly introduced • among, them, till some untoward
circumstance's Occur to admit the flame 'to burst