The Sun.
London, England, 1823-02-07 00:00:00

111 X XING V. lIEVAN.

This was a rule, obtained by Mr. Campbell at the end of last
term, calling on Mr. Bevan, a Magistrate of thicounty of Rad-
nor, to shew cause why a criminal information should net be
tiled against him. It was then mated that Mr. Austin, a
who resided in the neighbourhood of Mr. klevan, had a right to
dear out a watercourse near that (,entionan's house, which he
had always exerted. On the 29th of August last his workmen
were so employed, when Me. :Bevan came and ordered a con-'
stable to take one of them, named Prubert, to the roundohouse,
where he was keptlor several hour) in custody, Mr. 'Bevan re-
futing to take bail. At the petty ;Sessions the Mall was die.
charged ; but a few days after, My. Bevan ord,tta the eon-,
stable to' take another workman, named Bolton, into custody,
anti detained hint for the day at a public .house.
Ir.l'nr.x.s:n and. Mr.Citoss showed caused again* the rule,
on affidavits, stating, that the workmen were proceeding to
-deepen the channel, so as to endanger Mr. limn a house ; that
a crowd of DO men were collected; and•that he.Was'assailed
with insulting language. Alarmed by these circumstances, he
'had done that which legally he could not justify, and was most
anxious tomake compensation to the parties who bad-antlered,
by Ids.error. •
Mr. -Tatiwrot:, for the prosecutor., -rejected all ofra. of
compromise, add was proceeding• to argue that thaconduct of
the Magistrate was wholly without excuse, when
The Con al' stepped him, lind nut4e, be, rule 4bs4lfAte.

CONSISTORY COURT OP ROCHESTER, FEfl. 6.

VENT "AWD BEST.

The arqunnent of Counsel in this long protracted envie was
concluded tuAlay ; his Majesty's Al)l7(iChrt and Dr. Plut.
'Amour, on the part of Mrs. llibst hiring been heard' re.
ply.--34dgment denrod.

FOIL THE SUN.

TO THE R. 1% 110 N.

['ORD VISCOUNT GRENVLEXE.

A CALM A PIMA L to the G001)11E1'0% nod CANDOUR
of-the PEOPLIIotENGLAND4,on the SUB.TEGTOr ;the
ROMAN CATHOLIC CLAIMS.

Continoad from TUE titrif cf. Tveigky lot 1'

Will the mere profession of the ftiniiatt Catho-
lic Religion be set forth as sufficient to justitythe disabilities
under which its professors labour ? 'At least; midi a Plecwas
not considered as sufficient at a time when that superstition wee
much more prevalent and formidable' han it is tit Present. To
avow and to act upon such a principle would be to violate tbOse
wise maxims. of toleration which have been saeCtioned by the
approval of the greatest Statesmen and 'Patriots in the best. of
times; and to afford a precedent for a narrow and grinding
scrutiny upon religious subjects that may be fatal to liberty ;
gal that is cettainly.elien to the spirit of the Caustitution. The
Ronan Catholics as a *co, it is said, must naturally desire the
ascendency of their own religion. And what sect must not
desire the same in proportion as they are sincere in their opi
Mons ? The point to be considered by the practical Statesman
is, not what they may desite, but what they can effect.....
And if no sufficient grounds,cen be stated to prove that
they are possessed of the' means of accomplishing the sub-
version of the ,Eetabliebed Church, it is beside the pur-
pose, and beneath the dignity of legislation, to visit them
with disabilities for their speculative principles. " 'The
Roman Catholics as :a sect, musrnsturelly deelre the " as-,
cendancy of their own religion." True : but would, the
naked annunciation of suave truism have been sufficient to
induce our ancestors to enact the laws under width that pros-
trate sect at present suffers? And if not, if it never could be
considered as a sufficient reason for bringing them in the first in--
stance into bondage, should it now be suffered to oppose any
serious obstacle to the equity of their emancipation'?
Shall laws, which were intended to operate as a violent an-
tidote to a disease that threatened the very exietence of the Go-
vernment, be continued after every alarming symptom has
disappeared upon this ground, that, although it has been cured
for the present, yet that it is necessary to prevent its recur,
rence for the future ? That would be, to use the language of
the faculty,to treat a chronic complaint as-an atsie one. :Or
rather, indeed, it would be to have recourse so he surgeon in
Me that peculiarly belonged to the physician. If there be a
ieratmcif in any part of the system to generaten similar disease.
Mat should be treated differently surely front the dimmte its4V
when it actually appears. To continue the metaphors we may
be obliged .to have recourie. tOldeeding or amputetton in the
one ease, whereas, aweetneeeof the blood,' wholesome regimen,
healthful exercise, may be found sufficient In the other. In
like manner, although the political disease when. it appears,
must be counteracted by severity, yetthe tendency to is may
be corrected by emollients. 'And time polio), of those who are
zealous for the continuaneeiof the Roman Catholic disabilities,
utter all the original causes of their enactmont have ceased, re-
sembles the conduct of a man, who, having applied a plaieter
to a wounded limb, and accomplished the cure of the pare
affected, obstinately perseveres in keeping it on, although the
wound -has been completely eicatrizedoind it is only cer-
tain that it must Ire productive of uneasiness and irritation.
Indeed thereare no two things which the tyro in polities is more
likelyto confound. with each other than the oeceelons which
give rise to temporary, and those which call for permanent eb.
actinents.,;.,4,adthegenius of the true Stateeman is differeneed
by nothing so melt from the meddling spirit of the political
empyric, us the power of distinguishing between them and,
signing to each its relative importance. Thc truly generous
legislator never has recourse to expedients but for pressing and
particular exigencies, and never continues the use of 'them
longer than the necessity of the ease actually requires. The
mere politician is only concerned for the accomplishment ref his
present enzymes, and seems equally ,careless and incapable of
distinguishing between the rule and the exception.
.ehe. one
constructs his enlarged and liberal measures for she healthful
and permanent meteor the body politic, and, like a view ply,
sician, relies much on the native vie medicetrix" of ihe sYt.
tem, and prefers assisting to superseding the efforts of nature In
endeavouring to throw off any temporary ailment. The other
acts as if he thought the system always diseased, and never
seems to think of nature at all but for the purpose of counter-
acting her operations, while the one would convert food into
medicine, the other isadministeringmedicing as food. '
Alas I how severely have the effects of a narrow and uni-
versal policy been felt in Ireland :I And with what_pernicions
dexterity. have-the penal laws, Which were intended to crueha.
dangerous 'faction, been directed against an idle ,superstitiOn,
until they have actually become the, means of Rertifying.ehe
prejudices and inflaming the zeal of its votaries; until a ridia.
culous partiality for the Pretender, which every day must have
diminished, has been converted into a deeply rooted antipathy
to the British name and influence ; and until a country, for five
centuries in connection with Great Britein, anti favoured be. •
yond all others in soil, situation, mid the genius of its inhabi-
tants, is in many plaenelitele more than a nursery for bevies of
the most inhuman barbarians.

Still, however , thanks to Providence, knowledge and "eivi.
lization arc progressive even there. Ilati as is the present state
of things, by comparing it with the condition of the country
formerly, it will be seen that A great advance has betn . nails";
and this, be it observed, has been exactly in proportion as the
system by which the country had been governekl, was changed,
anti the people were'permitted to taut the blessing,s of liberal
and parental legislation.
There are, it is true, some who tell-us that Popery is on the
increase in Ireland • anti that it is as necessary to be on our
guard against its gloomy and dangerous bigotry now as it
in the darkest period of history. Dot how is this gaunt:lit Sup-
ported ? Either by a reference to transactions which may *aim
explained on an opposite principle, Inanely, the ignorance Aral
the irritation consequent upon the system of exclusion under
which the Roman Catholics labour, and the ungenerous use
which their adverariea too frequendy mike of •their political
superiority ; or by an allusion to events which, if truly under=
stood, would be' considered as indications rtstlier of weakness
than of strength, namely, the revival cif the ireitiiiitiem in Spain,
and the restoration of the order of Jeseits throegheat Europe.
The former it is unnecessary to dwell upon at any length,
to those who are thoroughly acquainted with the state of Ire.
hind. It is very well-known, and very deeply to be lametited,
that the combined effect of the progress of knowledge anti-
penal statutes upon the better informed elutes of .the profess.
ing Roman Catholics in that country is inch, that they are
every day losing their respect for. the superstition in :which
they have been brought up, without, unhappily, gaining an at-
tachment to any thing better. It is now rare to find a men al
education or respectability amongst 'them priest.tielden, or
hood-winked by. their olergy. Viritheatt becomlng•Protestents,
they are ceasing to be Peplets; and have been driven, it is to
be feared, in too many instances, by the repulsive character
which the penal statutes make the ,Established Church, tee .14.
einnet into the. profession of open infidelity.
This is a great evil. Those who imagine that in an age like
this the Established Church,is only secure by looking with-an
angry and intolertint aspect upon till who differ *owe her, but
little understand' her character, etid pay but a very eiubiglious
compliment to her superiority. Truly it may be most mils.
ticaUy said of them, 4 they know not what Intuitive ofipirit they
are et." If ever there was a system of relLeion A:alculeted to attract
and engage the mind emerging front the darimeas ofsuperstitioas
or escaping from the bewilderment of fenaticism, it ts that for
whit+ we are indebted to the wisdom anti piety of our vent.
able Reformers. It just retains so much of spleodeur..stod
ceremony•as conciliates the seines witheut.diegostmg.tbe terlor
and evinces such a respect for entiquityas. eatisfloa the Coe-links
without offending the judgment. • 'Vim prechistre formulariet
in which its .devotfonal dilutions are. tenehrineii:..ate.eleYated
without ruysticiera, epirituel without vstrevegenee, And *flee-
'tionate without any irt(:ietent fitteiliarityt While in the tome
*nation of our ineompereble liturgy, the imagination is suffer-
ed to exalt *rid to sublimate the teatior4; yet is the reason never
for a .inonient eentroaled•ar over-raLstaTo4•ll3 its ibscen4tricy,
' but still- finds its highest exercise*
to furnishing elearrfaiderree,.a support•
" Not trsecherous t .e.minds excursive p‘Mitit,"
< To -.u- )