The Sun.
London, England, 1813-02-05 00:00:00

It it net, whether they shall have full toleration ;
they haVe it already.. It is not whether they shall
be protected in their persons and property ; they
are under the protection of the same laws as the
rest of the King's subjects;---but: whether they
shall unconditionally share in:every part .of politi-
cal power.
That some qualifications may be required for
'admission into the exercise of particular parts of
political.power will hardly he denied, since it is
a principle that runs through, almost every branch
of our Constitutional Law. That religions opi.
nion may be a proper qualification, should not he.
brought into discussion, otherwise it may he ne-
cesbary to defend the propriety of requiring the
Soveteign himself to be. ProteStant ;T-biii4be true
point to be discussed (from which ground the ad-
vocates of the Catholics should not be suffered to
shift the question), is this, the Necessity and
.Safety of making the change, and which can only
be established by some great change of circum-
stances.

"r 1 'hat, then, is this great change ?-11as the
Ronian."Catholic religion changed its tendency
and its great leading characters ?—luildious im-
putations against that religion, (which can only,
produce 'irritation; where mutual kindness is so
desirable,) should be carefully avoided. Whether
the principleimf:i dispensing and a disposing pow -
et., and of keepingfaitlewith heretics, now,* ever
did exist, peed not be discussed. flow fir the
abuse of such a pretension might take place to
Mead the low and ignorant, ybe out ques-
tion ; but against the enlightened Cathidic,7--
against the higher order of that persuasion, the
iinputation of such principles muse be unfounded.
Particular tenets tit the Religion, such as Trims•
-
sitbstautiation, the warship of the Virgin, and the
like, are still less wateril in considering this, ques-
tion, which is to be exaiiipled in a political, and
not in a religions point or view.
But the political tendency of the religion to ar-
bitriry power and intolerance, and its'leadirig cha-
racters, namely, the dominion .of the Priesthood
over the flock, and the autlority of the Pope ovet
the Priesthood ;—Are these qualities changed
and, while they exist, cao these ckzirns be safely
admitted ?

What is this power of the Pope ?----an
city of the most extensive kind, vetted in a Fo-
reigner, not under the controul of the-State ; and
that Foreigner (whatever be the character of the
individual. who, at present, fills that station)
Must be, as long' as Europe remains in its pre-
sem condition, .a mere instrument in the hands of
France.

The influence of the Primthood over the Flock,
is also licar?y' without limit ; it is not confined
to religious instruction, but extends itself into
all their civil, their social, and their domestic
concerns, I'he tendelley of rods an influence, un-
der such an authority, has shewu itself in all past
times. .

The existence of clangers from these circum-
stances has been, so repeatedly admitted by the
bet 4 hien& of the Catholic cause, that it seems
unnecessury to enter into.a disctission of it. By
the best friends of the Catholics are )Meant, not
those who are endeavouring to mislead and inflame
thcol for views of their own, but those respecta-
ble Members of tore. ;two Houses of Parliament,
who, at different times, have brought forward and
supported their petitions. They have been sensi-
ble- of these dangers, and have distinctly and re-
Peatedlyailluitted their existence. sioni passage
or two from the celebrated Letter of a noble Lord
entitled to high respect, the Chancellor of the
University of Oxford, will serve to prove' the as-
sprtioit.
•

1.4 With the jug and salutary extension of civil
riglita.to your body, must be combined, if tran-
quility and union lie our object, other extensive
and complicated arrangements-44 dne proyision,
must be nettle for the inviolahle mair.tenance of
the civil and religions establishments of the Unit-
ed :Kingdom ; such at least has always been my
own declared opinion. "
Among these measures I pointed out the
proposal of vesting in the Crown an effectual Ne-
gative on appointment of your Bishops. 'That
suggestion had previously been brought forward
in the Houseof Commons to meet the just expec-
tortimo, not of any bigotted or 'inteveifteti cham-
pions of intolerance, but of men of the pureit in-
tentions and most enlightened jtidgment—men
wiiling to do all justice- tip the loyalty of -your pre-
sent Bishops, but not unreasonably alarmed at
.any passibility by which futictio*s of such exten-
sive influence imght: hereafter be.conneeted with
a foreign interest hostile to the.oatiquility of your
Ovary : a danger recentry very ,much increased
by:the captivity anrldeposal of the head,of yam.
MIMI, by the seizure of his dominion', and by
the degimod attention of that hostile Poyernment
to assume in future the exclusive nomination of
his successors."