The Sun.
London, England, 1825-11-28 00:00:00

[MORNING, HEItALD.J

The attempt made to inflame the minds of the
multitude in Ireland, by a report of. the revival
of the Penal Code against the Catholics, we do
not hesitate to pronounce one of the most despe-
rate efforts of a desperate faction—not one of
4horn who allude to the subject entertain, we

-will venture to say, the smallest shadow of be-
!ef in
.its truth. We can iina'gine nothing more

deliberately wicked than such a proceeding,
which is calculated to involve ignorant people in
an the horrors of rebellion, while those who deal
with such firebrands as in sport are ready to pipe,
I;ke Nero, over burning Rome. This is not the
oourse which men bent on fair and honourable pur-

poses would' pursue. It is rarely owe admit,that those
v:ho possess the ear of the multitude do not abuse
; but the fang is not the less inexcusable from its
frequency, and becomes the more flagrant in those
mho are themselves so feelingly alive to any in-

fuence of a similar kind which appears to elm-
:late from theiropponents. It is due to the pre-
" sent local 'Government in Ireland, as well as to
tne directing powers at home, to say, that there
never was, we believe, a period in the history of
bath the countries, when less of intrigue and ob-
' scure policy, or more of 'liberality and fair deal-
ing, entered into the views of Government, than
• bas been the case for a long time past, towards
Ireland. The Union, much as its policy may in
s'Otne reSpecte be questioned, broke down the do.
thinion-of Parliamentary borough intrigue, which
was till then the bane of that country, as it still,
hi some degree, is of thiS ; end though on the
Catholic Question a known and marked differ-
enceof Opitidn.e.iists, we verily believe that there
never was 'when honester or more en.
lightened •VieWs towards Ireland animated the
aeVernrilent ; and We are persuaded that
there its riot p'ineeting of the Cabinet on time subject
of Ireland which might not be held in the
open air, and in the hearing of all its inhabitants.
If tliis be the case, and we are firmly persuaded
that it is, to tell Chose who know no better, that
the Government. has designs upon public liberty,
Or that it wishes to retrace any of those steps of

liberality
,which itself or preceding Governments
liairO taken, is a:flagitious exercise of the influence
wheal. demafop.-ues obtain over their followers,
-which cannot be too warmly condemned or too
generally exploded. We wish not to meddle with
forms of faith, except as they affect public liberty

anti general tranquillity. The constitution of this
country is,and we trust ever will be,opposedto the

Roman Catholic Faith as that which shall have

any influence in the state. The people of England
wish-not to see Penal Lags enacted or revived
against any class of men for religious opinio►►s ;
ueither, on the other hand, will they consent to the
admission of those to political power who show that
they are inclined to bring back the hateful prin-
ciples of Popery with them. If the Roman Ca-
tholics wish to a►►joy the full benefits of the Con-
stitution, they must consent to enter its pale unac-
companied by their religious principles as political
ones. Let them wor,hip God in their own way,
freely►and sincerely ; but in proportion as Chris-
tianity in any of its forms really influences men's
minds, so is it unnecessary that it should be a
political engine. As such an engine, the liberties
and the principles of Englishmen are opposed to
it, and the Catholics have no more right or hope
to make their religion a step-ladder to power
and influence in the State than a man contami-

nated with disease has to intrude himself into a
society, which may, by his so doing, become ex.
posed to infection.

[BRITISH PRESS.]

It seems the fate of Ireland io find its worst
.enemies in the forwardness of its most active
friends. In their Imperial Senate—the Ca-
tholic Association—Messrs. O'Connell and Shell,
with other distinguished Chieftains, contrived
to do as much evil to the Catholic cause
as the same number of actors could possibly
do in the same given space. They have made
it—or endeavoured to make it—a cause in
which every political adventurer may try his for.
tune. Mr. Cobhett, among the rest, stepped for-
ward,and was in his-elernent : wherever a crowd
of the desperate and discontented are gathered
together, his delight is to be in the midst of them.
Mr. O'Connell anti' his followers hailed their
new ally With acclamation—the whole conclave
were PrepaTed to worship him. As for Mr. Cob-
hett himself, he seemed to have crucified the Old
'Man, and to have.casioff all his old affections.
The subject of Cottage Economy was forgotten.
Even the eternal topics of turnips and straw.
plat gave way to the Reformation and the High
Mass. The Protestants—in his picture of them—
were no better than off-sets from the true stock,
and the Pope was the glory of the- earth. But*
unluckily, whether it was that he received no
share of the Catholic Rent—or from whatever
else—he on a-madden unbraced his drum, -and
would no longer beat up for recruits. Presently
this pious " Defender of the Faith" was pros-
cribed by the Catholic body as a traitor. Ope❑
hostilities ensued—he fell foul of the great
O'Connell, and the great O'Connell, in his turn,
fell foul of him. The weapons of abuse were
exhausted on both sides it beCitme a drawn bat-
tle, and the Catholics found out, when it was too
late,that they had courted the aid ofCobbett to their
cost, and that the only service he ever rendered
their cause was by deserting it. With an im-
prudence quite inconceivable by men of sound
mind, the Association next notified to England
and to Europe that they had put themselves un-
der the guardianship of the Jesuits ; and by this
Continental alliance they looked forward to the
ultimate achievement of their independence. In
the anticipation of their new power, they
aAsume to regulate the Protestant King of the
Netherlands as to the exercise of his dominion
over his Catholic subjects! Can any delibera-
tion- be, at this crisis, more preposterous
than this ? Assuredly, on the score of gratitude,
the present Champions of Emancipation are not
running the next generation into debt. But as
if the Catholic cause had not already suffered
enough from its auxiliaries, a new body of de-
fenders has sprung up. The emigrant rebels of
1798, and their descendants, have embodied
themselves into a Society, in New York, called
" the Friends of Ireland ;" and have published
an Address." to the Irish people," zealously re-
commending that Ireland should break off her
connexions with Great Britain—rid herself of all
religious establishments—and this being done,
place the liberties of her country on their true
republican basis. To the furtherance of these
salutary ends, they earnestly advise that " the
Catholics should make common cause with all
the Dissenters in England." They are told
" that they would then have the zealous support
of all unprejudiced Christians, and the power-
ful and enlightened body of English Dis-
senters, assisting and assisted, would aid their
triumph and partake their Victory." But
we can assure these " Friends of Ireland" that
the great body of English Dissenters have too
much of sound wisdom, of real virtue, and of tried
loyalty among them, to listen to any such mad
and foolish overtures. There is no hope of
enlisting them under the Catholic Banner.—
They area not ambitious to cover themselves
with that sort of glory. They estimate too
well the value of moral liberty, and of all
those blessings which follow in the train of
increasing knowledge : they have too great a
stake in the well being of that Constitution
which secures their freedom and of those laws
which protect their property, to intrigue with
any Irish faction for the restoration of Catholic
supremacy, or to seek to better their condition
by any share in the triumph.

A list of 13 Banks in Devonshire has been post-
ed up at a coach-office in this town, as having
failed. Vie will not repeat the names of the firms,
as we do not find any notice of such an event in,
the Wes.ern Papers which we have received.—
(Hampshire Telegraph.) _ _

The remains of the unfortunate Mrs. Wood
(who was murdered in such a cruel manner by
tier husband, as mentioned in our last), were in-
terred in St. Mary's burying ground on Sunday. A
great crowd of people, who commiserated her hap.
less fate, attended the funeral obsequies. With re-
spect to the wretched husband, we have nothing
further to add, than that his mind continues in
nearly the same state as before he committed
the horrid deed. t has been ascertained, that
he bought the coal pick the day before for the
very purpose to which he applied it.—(Notting-
ham Journal.)