The Sun.
London, England, 1834-06-19 00:00:00

IRELAND.

(F the Dublin Evening Mail.
T)
A LETTERrom FROM LORD RODEN TO HE PRO-
TESTANTS OF IRELAND.

" Tolf3rmore Park, County of Down, June 13.
" Friends, Fellow-countrymen, and Brethren—lf ever
there was a period in the history of our country that de-
manded an effort—if ever there was a moment that called
for an expression of principle—if ever there was a crisis
of danger that could arouse us to a firm, decided, and un-
compromising series of unwearied exertion for all that is
dear to us as christians and as freemen, that period, that
moment, that crisis is arrived to the menibers of every
Prciestant Church in Irelatte.

" A deepfelt sense of this fact has impelled me to adopt
this mode of appeal ; not that I presume to intrude my-
self as one who has any claim to weight or influence among
you, save that which a sincere love for my native land, a
constant residence in it, an anxious desire to maintain your
liberties and your.religion, ought to give to any honest man
who sees them both in danger, and who warns you of the
calamities that may censequently ensue.
" I trust that the appeal of an individual may excite and
encourage individual exertion ; for in every sphere of life,
from the highest to the lowest, you are called on to take
all lawful means to avert the threatened danger, and to
maintain without surrender those Protestant principles
which we value and revere.

" But your exertions, dear fellow-countrymen and
brethren, ought to be the result of calm conviction, and
not the impulse of momentary feeling. Consider soberly
your danger—and deliberately, but systematically and per-
severingly, adopt your remedy.
" It is unnecessary for me to revert to the persecutions
by which that part of the Protestant church to which I
belong has been scourged. The total neglect of admi-
nistering the laws has inflicted the deepest distress
tuhpeoinr ourt
ecel et
iregny ,
hasand
htelemetm
ew htihc he oughte
hit
eon
th aevfe
their
sufferings : they have been heavily and unjustly taxed,
not to alleviate the burdens of the people, but to gratify
the resentment and answer the demands of the avowed
enemies of Protestantism in Ireland ; and these mea-
sures are all to be finally consummated by the issuing of a
commission which is to number the people,' to draw the
strongest lines of distinction between their religious opi-
nions, to point out the weakness of one party as victims for
another, to foment religious discord to the utmost, and
all for the avowed object of inquiring into the state of the
Established Church, for the purpose of reducing it to the
wants of the Protestants, and appropriating whatever may
be considered as superfluous to the quack policy of the
Minister of the day, even should that policy be the sacrifice
of the Protestant religion and the liberty we enjoy.
" Is it possible that the maintenance of the Protestant
Church is no longer to be regulated by its truth, by its ac-
cordance with God's holy word?—by its own intrinsic ex-
cellence ;—by its value, as affecting the eternal happiness
and the temporal welfare of mankind ? Is no reference
to be made to the Act of Union, by which it is identified
with the Church of England, as one in all things?--
Is there no Act of Settlement ?—is there no 'coronation
oath ? Are there no principles of truth—of virtue—na-
tional faith—of all that has hitherto been held sacred
among men ? And is one standard to be set up, which is to
supersede all these ?—by which the dearest interests of our
existence, our religion, are to be regulated—a standard
which no man that I ever heard of who called himself a
Christian ventured is set up before ? It is the spirit of
the age !!!' If, then, Irish Protestants, you ask me what
is to be your fate, and what is to be the fate of Protestant-
ism amongst
vu the
theeanszirrit of is found
ageunbdin ainnoirheelransimple
question
ng _ :
same authority that has set up this standard of legislation
has informed you that England and Ireland are to be to-
tally distinct in the measures to be pursued respecting
their religion. ' The spirit of the age' in England main-
tains the Protestant faitn ; 'the spirit of the age' in Ire-
land demands its destruction ; and whatever the spirit be,
good or evil—.
Bring with it airsfrom heaven or blasts from hell,"
it is to regulateEnyig ei a
England)
profess,d (according)thefo maintenance
t o
whichthe o policyu r
ancestorso f
thato f t h the
Protestantfirstavhave
bledmi-
nister
which we are called on strenuously to main-
es children.:whome
Presbyterians
ellhanrdisks and at all hazards, as the best legacy we
ftaaandtnh died,
which
e dothf „
lovoeam
cann my Protestant
respect—isof the n ortthha
faith, equally common and equally dear to us
coun-
trymen
bPamortohtng,cssotsattlen that it is become the toy of desperate 'bequoefa
whomt ahl toc
live,
dema-
gogues,t
the sport of reckless politicians ? Are there any
amongst us so blind as not to see the effort that is made to
subvert it in our country ? Are there any so debased as
to be heedless of the event ? Think not that Pro-
testantism has been indebted to the laws and institutions
of the country for its establishment. No. The laws and
institutions themselves owe their existence to the triumph of
Protestant principle. It was the faithful vindication of the
Word of God, as opposed to the superstitions of the Church
of Rome, that established your liberties and the blessings you
enjoy; and if you expect the maintenance of those bles-
sings, with the surrender of Protestant principle, you are
miserably deceived ! This is a tinie of danger ; opinions are
afloat striking at the foundation of all that is dear to you.
Let not the neglect of your petitions to Parliament, nu-
merous and cogent as they were, slacken your exertion in
haying your sentiments of complaint again and again, now
without delay, on the tables of both houses of the legisla-
ture. Let your gratitude be known in your Addresses to
hfsooryl dohni st
hbbeao
have
Protestant
expressionsef
aiding
fahi
tiasbn d avowedi
benevolent Ir e
alreland
dd
ient eit
ter
nmi
st ne thena -s
exampleo
his views.w ill
soonl trbuestsei nt
ytliztme mo
fe tar ompoelei st
ina
ge ofno;
andsott thi noi
eltnyu Kttmi supportingnenuagapnl
petition on this vital subject. I believe that the call will
be responded to by all that is valuable and respectable in
the country.

Protestants of Ulster ! being one of you, I can speak
freely. I know your strength, I know your moral courage,
I know your numbers. I have witnessed your devotedness
to the Protestant cause. Arouse yourselves to a sense of
your situation. Shut not your eyes to the danger. For-
sooth, the existence of Protestanism amongst us is to de-
pend on the spirit of the age !! !'
"0, whatever may be the spirit of the age,' may the
gracious Spirit of our God animate, guide, and uphold all
classes and distinctions of the Protestants of
‘lreland.
" I am ever, my dear fellow-countrymen and brethren,
your devoted servant and friend, " RODEN."

TO PREVENT DROWNING.—At this season
of the year, when so many accidents occur from per-
sons bathing, we think the following remarks may
prevent the loss of life :—Men are drowned by raising
their arms above water, the unbuoyed weight of which
depresses the head. Animals have neither motion nor
ability to act in a similar manner, and therefore swim
naturally. When a man falls into a deep water he
will rise to the surface, and continue there if he does
not elevate his hands. If he moves his hands under
water in any manner he pleases, his head will rise so
high as to allow him liberty to breathe; and if he
moves his legs as in the act of walking up stairs, his
shoulders will rise above the water, so that he may use
less exertion with his hands, or apply them to o,thF!
purposes. Persons not having learned to swim in
their youth will find the above plain directions highly
advq.ntageotp,