The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-14 00:00:00

THE SUN,

WESTMINSTER COUNTY COURT.
(THIS DAY.)
IBITMILL V. )101.11X.
This wag an action to recover 25/. Bs. for the funeral
of the late Mr. Steele, and has been pending some
0. ``"'''time for the attendance of Mr. John O'Connell, M.P.,
`and Me. Reynolds, M.P., who had been subpceTied by
the defendant to produce all lists of subscriptions re-
ceived by them for the funeral of the "Pacificator, and
for the relief of his family. Mr. John O'Connell at-
tended this day to the subpoena, when it was ascertained
the amount sued fur had been paid into court.

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.
Yesterday morning. precisely at eleven o'clock, the
right Hon. the Lord Mayor took the chair in the Com-
mon Council Chamber at the Guildhall, for the special
purpose of giving to the members of the court an oppor-
tunity to discuss a motion by Mr. James Anderton, with
re`erence to the Papal aggression, and for the transac-
tion of the general business upon the notice paper.
The minutes of the last court having been read by Mr.
Woodthorpe, a report from the Prison's Committee,
brought up by Mr. James Low, in the absence of Alder-
man Wire, for sealing a contract for the completion of
the building of the new prison at Holloway was agreed
to, and ordered to be sent back for execution.
THE MINIsTILT AND THE PAPAL AGGRESSION.
The Loan MAYOR then rose and said that it was with
much pleasure that be had consented to call the present
meeting at an early hour, for the special consideration
of the notice given by Mr. Anderton on the subject of
the Papal aggression. He would suggest, therefore,
that the memorial be read, in accordance with the usual
custom.
This having been done by Mr. WOODTHORPE,
Mr. ARDERTON said that he rose upon that occasion
to propose the following motion, notice of which he had
previously given, namely:—
" That petitions be presented by this court to both
Houses of Parliament agaiu.t the late aggression of the
Popo of Rome, and for preserving the supremacy of the
Queen, and protecting inviolate the civil and religious
liberties of her subjects."
By virtue of the oath of supremacy which he, in com-
mon with all the members of that court, had taken upea
their induction into office, he felt bound to resist the at-
tempt made by the Roman Catholics to establish eccle-
siastical titles in this kingdom. That oath, to which he
adhered, stated that "no prince or potentate hath or
ought to have any jurisdiction in these realms" for any
such purposes as those contemplated by the Pope of
Rome.—(Hear, hear.) Therefore it was that he upon
that occasion had thought it proper once more to bring
the subject before the representatives of the city of Lon-
don in Common Council assembled. The question, then,
before them was whether or not the Popo of Rome, by
his recent bull, had or had not exercised, or attempted
to exercise, ecclesiastical authority within these realms.
—(Hear.) The question was whether these parties had
or had not attempted to deprive the Queen of England
of the authority to which that illustrious lady was
entitled by virtue of the puissant position site was
called upon to fill.—(Hear, hear.) He (Mr. An-
derton) thought he' should have no difficulty what-
ever in proving that the Pope in his late bull had
done so, or at least that he (the Pope) had attempted to
exercise ecclesiastical and spiritual authority in these
realms. If he proved this, he should consider that
he had entitled himself to call upon that court to ex-
press a further opinion upon the aggression to which he
had alluded. All they asked for was a common protec-
tion for their faith, and that he called upon the whole
of the members of that court to give, while they had it
in their power; and to resist the present impudent ag-
gression on the part of the Pope of Rome.—(Hear,
hear.) Doubtless they bad read, and unquestionably
they would remember, that " his Holiness," in that man•
datury document, had referred to Gregory the Great,
who had given instructions to the monk Augustine to
convert our forefathers. Now, what followed in that
case? Why, that in the train of the said monk there
was not less than forty followers or priests appointed to
bring the Saxons to Christianity. As it was in
.this
case, so it would be in the present instance. Pope Pius
IX. had sent Cardinal Wiseman to convert the people
to Roman Catholicism, and the " priests" would, doubt-
less, shortly follow him.—(Hear, hear.) Suppose they
were to admit this aggressive principle, what would
be the result two hundred years hence, when they
would all be in their graves? Why, their children
would have to fight for the faith of their forefathers,
while their children's children would blame them for
their want of dignity of soul and determination of man-
ner in the present critical instance. Mr. Anderton
having minutely criticised several points of the " bull"
of Pius IX., in the course of which he (Mr. Anderton)
denounced very strongly the appointment by the Pope
of archbishops and bishops having ecclesiastical juris-
diction in this country, then proceeded to say that he
would make no observation to the court which would
bear at all upon the religious part of the question. He
would only say that he was most anxious and desirous
that every man should enjoy civil and religious liberty,
and that all men should have the opportuuity of wor-
shipping God according to the dictates of their own
coneeiences.—(Hear, hear.) That he deemed to be every
man's right and privilege, as a man and a eitieen.—
(Loud cheers.) But while he (Sir. Anderton) granted
this to his fellow-citiaen, as a Roman Catholic, he (Mr.
Anderton) claimed for himself protection from that kind
of religious aggression which might deprive him, as a
Protestant, eventually of his immunities and privileges.
—(Hear, hear.) The present attempt on the part of the
Pope he could not but regard as an aggression, end cer-
tain it was that it was their duty to say to the Pope,
" Thus far shalt thou go, but no farther. --(Bear, hear.)
Was it not the fact that the Pope was brought back to
his throne, or rather to St. Peter's chair, not by the
power of public opinion, but by the force of French
bayonets?—(Cheers.) That was the man who sought to
coerce England—a man who would not remain where
he was for twenty-tour hours, had it not been for the
assistance of French bayonets. In illustration of the
arbitrary and intolerant proceelings of the Papistical
leaders in former times, Mr. Anderton read extracts
from one of the statutes of Henry VIII., in which it
was enacted that no woman, or artificer, or servingtnan,
or husbandman, should read the Bible or New Testa-
ment to himself or any other party under pain of one
month's imprisonment ; after which he (Mr. Anderton)
denounced most strongly the conduct of the Premier,
whom he said ought to have sent the celebrated " bull"
of the Pope back to his "holiness" at Rome, to deal
with as he (the Pope) might think fit. He (Mr. An-
derton) regretted the milk-aud-water policy of Lord
John Russell, and he trusted that every man in that as-
sembly would unite with him (Mr. Anderton), who
would shed his blood in defence of the Protestant faith
if required to do so, to represent fully, fairly, and
honestly, to the Commons of the United Kingdom their
opiuions upon this important question. He would con-
clude with moving that petitions be presented by that
Court to both Houses of Parliament against the late
aggression, and that the following shall be a copy of the
same :
" To THE ISONOERAPLE THE COMMONS OP THE UNITED
KINGDOM OP GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND, IN PAI.
LIAMENT ASSEMBLED.
The bumble petition of the Lord Mayor, aldermen,
and common council of the city of London, in common
council assembled, showeth—
" That your petitioners have witnessed with deep re-
gret and indignation the arrogant aggression on the part
of the Pope of Rome upon the Queen's supremacy, and
in defiance of her crown and dignity.
" That your petitioners are anxious to preserve for all
classes of her Majesty's subjects the full advantage of
civil and religious freedom mad equality; but they
humbly submit that a defensive measure is now indis-
pensably necessary to secure the independence and pro-
tect the rights of the Protestant religion in this country
from a spirit of Papal usurpation, insult, and ag-
gression.
" Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that your,
Honourable House will forthwith take such measures ae
may be necessary unequivocally to suppress the use of
territorial titles, and the exercise of territorial jurisdic-
tion, under delegation from any foreign prince or eccle-
siastic, with such other provisions as shall be necessary
to prevent any synodical action on the part of the Ro-
raish clergy, under colour of authority from the See of
Rome, and effectually vindicate the independence of
.the
Crown, and secure this kingdom from all interference or
dominstion.
i, And your petitioners will ever pray, &c."
Mr. J. `r. NoRRIS seconded the :notion. In doing so
, as the feeling was
favour
he did not think it was at all necessary for him to go
emuchvidenattiylength
iinto s
unanimous
0 us i
in argument
of the motion be
had the honour to second. He would, however, raise
his voice against that which he considered to be an at-
tempt on the pelt of some parties to abridge the rights
of the Sovereign, and to limit the liberties of the subject.
He regarded that as befog the fitting time for the Court
of Common Council to approach the bar of the House of
Commons upon the matter of Papal aggression, seeing
that of late it had presented such a peculiar phase. He
thought that that was the period for them to assert their
rights and liberty s as Protestant Christians, and to
struggle against the attempts made for ascendancy by a
hierarchy confessedly Roman Catholic. He believed,
and he spoke it without hesitation or reservation, that
many of the evils which had come upon them in this
matter were to be attributed mainly to the sleepy con-
duct of those who had been placed is warders of the
Protestant faith.—(Hear, hear.) It was the fact that
these men had been feeding upon the glebe of Pro-
testant profit while they had been the most active of all
other persons in leading the way to Popery and its
mummeries.—(Cheers, and hear, hear.) In order to
show to the Court the significant evils connected with Pa-
pistry, he would take them back to the reign of the se-
cond Henry in the year 1190, a period which, as the chro•
nicler Hume, afterwards corroborated by Dr. Lingard,
had been marked by signs of the most serious character
and portentous of the most fearful results both to the
regal and the civil authority, in consequence of the dic-
tatorial spirit of the Church of Rome. And this spirit
continued for many years; and even so late as 1750 the
same principles were manifested in Paris, and the same
effects followed, showing that Catholicism, as professed
and practised in the Romish Church, is the same as it
always was, and as it always must be.—(Hear, hear.) il•
exponent of either did not appear there as the
as best they might; all he wished to 1.0 was the purity
Pro-
testant or Catholic opinions; these he left to live or die
of their practice, and he had no doubt but that practioe
which was most pure would be beat sanctioned, and
meet with its deserving meed of slimes's. With regard
to the influence of Romanism, when tried by this teat,
he would refer them to an extract from one of the re-
cent works by Mr. MaosuLsy, who had stated that, in
eprheymeiconslt
misery,drectwfhe
iltl'st in neigh-
there ex-
the neighbourhood of Rome, where the immediate in-
flistiteendcmes!onftalli. otmorapnoirsinanwi
bourhoods where Protestantism reigned might be foetid
mental vigour, philosophical industry,
.and healthy phy-
sical development.—(fleet, hear.) Let them corn-
pare the country round Rome with that round the
city of Edinburgh. and they would find the facts
the same. So it was in Holland and in Ger.
many. In Switzerland, how different both in appear•
ance and intellectual development were the Protestant i
and the Boman Catholic cantons—(Hear, hear)—and in
Ireland the fact broad and palpable was still the sense.—
(Hear, hear, and cheers.) Lot them look at the recent
period of 1848, when Europe was from one end to the
other of her continental border racked with intestine
oommotion. Even in Rome the Pope could not sit se-
curely even in at, Peter's particular chairs--(Loud
leughter)—while in England every ugsn was pFoild, to be
in a position to defend his Queen and his own liberties
by being sworn in as $ "special coustable."—(Hear,
1

bear.) For one he was determined to adhere to the
faith of his forefathers, and therefore it was that he se-
conded the motion, and implored his fellow corporators to
support the same.--(Loud cheering.)
Mr. they're said, that at the risk of being " alone in
his glory," he would undertake to move " the previous
question," inasmuch as he thought that the motion did
nut go directly to the point required to be met. He was
not one of those who was favourable to the doctrinal
tenets of the Church of Rome, but he was in favour of
" civil and religions liberty " to all classes of men. He
thought the motion was exceedingly vague; and as re-
garded the fears entertained by some as to the assump-
tion, by the Cardinal or the Pope, of ecclesiastical titles,
no harm, in his opinion, would arise from that. He
thought it absurd for people to object to Ni-
cholas Wiseman's being made Archbishop of
Westminster, while John of Tuam was allowed
to call himself an " archbishop."—(Hear, hear.)
Lord John Russell bad proposed a Bill, a very little
Bill, and finding afterwards that even that less not sa-
tisfactory, he (Lord John Russell) had struck out of it
the very clauses of any value in i', because they were
the only workable ones it contained.—(Hear. hear.)
What had been the result/ Why, that neither the very
liberal Earl Fitzwilliam in the one House, nor the not
very liberal Robert Harry Inglis in the other, could say
less than that they were, both of them, disgusted with
it.—(Hear, hear.) He contended that the tendency of
the opposition to the 'wawa was in a great degree to
give °fleet to the establishment of a Catholic hierarchy,
and hence in a great degree had arisen the present op-
position to the existing movement.—(Cries of " No, no.")
He believed it was SO. or why was it that ?shiner Gibson
sod John Bright had been scouted? Why, it was be-
cause they bad seen and felt this, and therefore they had
voted against the measure.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.)
He denied that the " mama" in the country had had
the opportunity of fairly expressing their opinions on
this Bill. It was true that the " drum ecclesiastic"
bad bee' sounded in the cases of Sheffield and Bir-
mingham ; but in the former place the promoters had
dared not come to a public meeting on the question,
and in the latter town they met with scarcely any
patronage. With regard to the proposition, he consi-
dered it to be inexplicit, unnecessary, and out of place,
most likely to be mischievous, and prejudicial even to
those who desired to promote the object contained in the
resolution.—(Hear, hear.) He thought the best way
was to let the poor, puny measure of the Whig Premier
alone, for certain be (Mr. Gilpin) was that it would
shortly be transferred to the tomb of " all the Capulets,"
the common receptacle of so many " Whig" abortions.—
(Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Gilpin) would exhort the mem-
bers of that court to cast aside their fears with regard
to the probable influences which it was predicted would
arise from this " Papal aggression." What they had
to do was this, to send forth their missionaries to pro-
mulgate the truth and to spread around the world edu-
cation and sound principles.—(Hear, hear.) They need
not then be afraid of bishops' miters, nor of altars, nor
crosiers, nor silk aprons, for the truth was "mighty,"
and it would " prevail." Any attempt to overthrow it
would prove futile, for as well might man, by his insig-
nificant masonry, attempt to produce a result which
should prove equal or superior to the " everlasting
hills.—(Loud cheers.) He would, therefore, move as an
amendment, " the previous question,"
Deputy PEACOCK seconded the amendment.
Mr. ELeiorr regarded Pow) as being the sworn and
bitter enemy of intellectual advancement, as one of the
remnants of the dark ages, and highly dangerous to the
moral, political, and social condition of the people at
large. Mr. Elliott concluded a most eloquent speech
amidst loud applause.
Mr. JONES and Mr. Bowxa then addressed the court.
Deputy PEWTRESS, who warmly supported Mr.
Elliott's view of the subject, said ho would give perfect
liberty, both orally and otherwise, to the Roman Catho-
lics, so that they might disseminate the doctrines con-
nected with their religious faith; but if ho found, that
either the system they followed or the practice they pur-
sued was likely to interfere with his rights and liberties
as a Protestant Christian, he should feel it to be his
duty to ask the Government to project him against such
an unfair advantage.—(Hear, hear.) The Ecclesiastical
Bill brought in by Lord John Russell he (Deputy Pew-
tress) considered to be * most absurd thing—a mere
futile piece of legislation, which would be repudiated by
the House, and unanimously rejected by the country at
large.—(Cheers.)
Mr. Gowen( said it appeared to him that the Corpo-
ration were at the present moment where they were when
they petitioned the Legislature on the subject of the
Papal movement a few months age. Although the Bill
brought in by the Minister was far short of the feelings
of the community, yet the principal clauses of that in-
effective proposition had been removed to gratify the
wishes of a few individuals whom the Government con-
sidered it advisable to please, in the teeth of public
opinion.—{Hear, hear.) Ho believed that what had
taken place in consequence of such a course would
have a salutary effect upon the Church of England, the
advocacy of whose cause by Lord Eldon he well remem-
bered, prophetic as it was of the dangerous incursions
of the Catholic priesthood. He felt convinced that the
most wise proceeding the Court could adopt would be to
address her Majesty, praying that she would dissolve
Parliament and give the masses the opportunity of re-
turning men able and willing to support their privileges,
especially those privileges which were connected with
their religion, and were attacked by the Pope of Rome.
—(Cries of " No, no," and " Hear.")
Alderman Cot au, in answer to an allusion which
had been made to his conduct in the ward of B6hops-
gate, as to the enforcement of the payment of the tithes,
stated that he was in the habit of attending to adjudicate
in that extensive district in order to promote the econo-
mical convenience of the inhabitants, and to facilitate
the collection of a very moderate amount of tithe, which
had been accepted in lieu of a much larger claim by a
former incumbent.—(Bear, hear.) With respect to
the matter immediately before the Court, he was
determined to make every effort of which he was ca'
pable to uphold the Protestant religion. It appeared
to him that the question was now, shall the Reforma-
tion stand?—(Loud cries of " Hear, bear.") That
was the question at issue. Ho would say, that if
Romanism were to obtain the ascendant, by and by not
a brick of the churches dedicated to Protestant worship
would be allowed to stand.—(Hear, hear.) For his part,
he would do all of which he was capable to get rid of the
dishonour which was reflected upon the character of the
Sovereign and of the people she governed by the issue
of the Papal bull.—(Cheers.) He would ask those
around him to make inquiry in the offices of merchants
in the Italian trade on the subject of the treatment of
the poor Jews who were unfortunately located in the
dominions of the Popo.—(llear, hear.) They would
learn that the persecution of that people rivalled the his-
torical cruelties of former ages. He hoped the Lord
Mayor would soon give the citiaens of London an op-
portunity of testifying their feeling upon the projected
measure, by calling together the livery in common hall,
to tell her Majesty's Ministers that they would not be
satiafied with any measure that was not calculated to put
down effectually the aggressive interference of the Pope
of Rome.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. ANDERTON, in reply, expressed his earprise at
the manner in which Mr. Gilpin had mot the proposi-
tion, for he believed that the Quakers were more in-
debted than any other body of Christians to the over-
throw of the Roman Catholic religion in this country.
He felt confident of the necessity of the measure he pro-
posed, and so he was assured every one would who be-
lieved that if it bad not been for the Reformation this
country would be now under the influence of the Pope,
instead of being blessed by the most tolerant religion
known in the world.—(Cheers.)
The question was then put, and the amendment wap
lost by a vast majority, about a dozen hands having been
held up for it. The original motion was then carried
amidst cheers.
Upon the motion that the petition be adopted,
Mr. BOWER moved, as an amendment, that the follow-
ing words be inserted after the word " ecclesiastic " and
to secure the rights of private families from the unfair
influence of the Roman Catholic priesthood, too often
exercised at the bed of the dying."
Mr. R. LiMISEIT JONES seconded Mr. Bower's amend-
ment, or rather addition to the petition. He could not
forego the opportunity of expressing his admiration of
the language used by Earl Fitagilliam, a few nights ago
in Parliament, when speaking of the tendency of the Bill
in the Rouse of Commons to expose the Legislature to
contempt.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. Loy thought it would be injudicious to point at
any particular transaction in a petition intended to ex-
press the general feeling of the Corporation, and that if
they meant to make specific objections, it would be
necessary to introduce a great variety of matters of
which it might not become them to treat.—(Hear.)
Mr. HoLT thought it would be advisable to name a
committee to draw up another petition, which might bss
better adapted to the views of the great body of the
Court.
etairstieconanitscsulated to convey adequately to Parliament
Mr. Deputy Low said the petition, in its original
form,tthheesnwi
madeof theto the
amendment Corporation.
b y Independentlymr.
li o
whe
considered that it would be prudent to avoid the use of
any language capable of being construed into an allusion
to the case pending at present in the Court of Chancery.
Mr. HENRY BLAKE suggested the reading of the whole
petition, with the amendment annexed, and commented
upon the difEirence between its original and its amended
form, to the prejudice of the latter.
Alderman SIDNEY approved of the addition proposed
by Mr. Bower. In France the law prevented any death-
bed interposition by priests for the purpose of obtaining
legacies, and it was but right that in England similar
protection should be afiorded.
The amendment was then rejected by a large majority,
and the original petition was carried amidst acclama-
, mations.
It was then agreed that the Sheriffs should present
the petition to the House of Commons.
A discussion took place upon a petition presented by
Mr. R. L. JONES from the Rev. Sir John Page Wood,
rector of the parish of St. Peter, Cornhill, for the assent
of the court, as patrons of the living, to a lease of pre-
mises in the parish being granted for twenty-one years at
lid/. per annum.
Is was urged that the incumbent was a pluralist, who
left all the duties of the church to be performed by his
curate, and never showed himself to the parishioners
except when he applied upon the pecuniary matters
attached to the living. It was answered, that with the
performance or non-performance of the clerical defies
the bishop of the diocese, and not the Common Council,
had concern; and that the report of a committee could
not affect the question in any way.
By ono member it was argued that some advantage
might arise from referring the petition to a committee,
and it was stated that is consequence of some agitation
in a neighbouring parish some time ago, an overgrown
pluralist had thrown up his City living, and it everitually
got into the hands of a reverend gentleman who per-
formed the duties of his sacred office so admirably that
the congregation increased sixfold.—(llear, hear.)
.•
The petition was ultimately referred to the general
purpose' committee.