The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-05 00:00:00

THE PAPAL BILL.

THE ADDRESS OF THE CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOPS AND
BISHOPS OF IRELAND TO THEIR BELOVED FLOCKS
UPON THE PENAL ENACTMENT WITH WHICH THE CA-
THOLICS OF ENGLAND AND IRELAND ARE THREATENED.
" Dearly beloved Brethren,—The approach of a sea-
son of trial and tribulation naturally calls forth the ad-
monitions of a voice that has never been absent from
you in the hour of suffering and sorrow. Though you
are familiar with its accents, and confiding in its assu-
rances, we feel that it will demand no ordinary exercise
of the docility and obedience which you have always
rendered to its instructions, to receive, in the spirit of
patience and conformity to the Divine will, the last
and hitter ingredient which is now about to be
poured into the cup of your afflictions. It is unneces-
sary to state that we allude to the penal enactment
against the Catholics of the three kingdoms that occupies
at present the attention of the Legislature. And yet, in
reference to the persecution of which this measure is
to be the instrument, as well as to the other sufferings
destined for the Church, may we not address you in
the language of the prince of the Apostles to the early
Christians—' Dearly beloved, think not strange the
burning heat that is to try you, as if some new thing
happened to you; but if you partake of the sufferings
of Christ, rejoice that when his glory shall be revealea
you may also be glad with exc'eding joy.'-1 Pet. iv.
The sufferings thus inflicted he tells you are necessary,
in order that the trial of your Lath (much more pre-
cious than gold which is tried by the fire) may be found
unto praise, and glory, and honour, at the appearing of
Jesus Christ.'-1 Pet. i. 7. Nor is the exhortation of
St. Paul on this subject, recalling, as it does, the touch-
ing reminiscences of the past, less appropriate and ap-
plicable to you in the present emergency: Call to mind
the former drys wherein, being illuminated, you endured
a great fight of afflictions. Do not, therefore, lose your
confidence, which bath a great reward. For patience is
necessary for you, that doing the will of Gad you may

receive the promise.'—Heb. it. 32-36.
"We deem it better, dearly beloved brethren, thus
early to prepare you for the magnitude of the trial with
which our holy church is menaced, both in England and
Ireland, than to seek to conceal and palliate its real cha-
racter. The object and tendency of the measure before
Parliament at present will be put in its true light by an
eminent lawyer, whom we have consulted on this matter,
and whose legal opinion we publish as an appendix to
this address. For us, suffice it to say that the measure
we are treating of tends to annoy, disorganize,
and crush the Catholic hierarchy; to annul its acts
of jurisdiction; to fetter and impede, as much as
possible, the exercise of that ministry by which the
truths of revelation are proclaimed, and the
mysteries and sacraments of religion imparted; and
grievously to injure, if not to destroy, those noble
charitable institutions which are the glory and the
blessing of the land, and which are maintained, as they
have been established, by the free offerings of the faith-
ful.
The blighting effects of this penal law, if adopted,
will be felt by the orphan that is now sheltered in the
bosom of Catholic benevolence, and by the destitute
sufferer on his death-bed, whose pangs are so often
soothed by the devoted daughter of charity, whilst they
are consoled by the Christian ministry that has called
those institutions into existence—by the power of that
kindling and creative word which it has been com-
missioned to preach.
"Nor are the grounds on which this measure has been
proposed more in accordance with truth than its objects
are with justice and humanity. We need scarely remind
you, dearly beloved brethren, that what has given
rise to the proposed enactment against us is the re-
establishment of the Roman Catholic hierarchy in Eng-
land. Our beloved Father, the Pope, desirous to pro-
mote the spiritual welfare of the Catholic children in
that kingdom—to give them increased means of spiritual
instruction to enable them to make greater progress in
every virtue, and to afford more abnndant opportunities
of providing for the eternal salvation of their
souls, determined to give them a number of
pastors more proportionate to their wants, and there-
fore appointed an archbishop and several bishops with
ordinary jurisdiction. As supreme pastor of the flock,
appointed by Jesus Christ, in the person of St. Peter,
to feed his lambs and sheep, both pastors and people, he
had a fully recognised Divine right to do so—a right
essential to his office—a right, without which he could
not maintain his authority over the universal Church of
Christ. We need not tell you, dearly beloved brethren,
that the Roman Pontiffs, from the earliest ages, and
in the times of the moat cruel persecution, exercised
this authority to its fullest extent, and that
all the churches of these kingdoms owe their
establishment to its acts. The episcopal sees of
Ireland can trace back their origin to St. Patrick, who
was sent to this country by the holy Pontiff, St. Celes-
tine, and it is our glory to be able to state that the
chain of the apostolical succession has not been broken
since that time in our portion of the Catholic
Church. The principal churches of England were
founded by St. Augustine and his companions,
sent by St. Gregory the Great to bring the glad tid-
ings of salvation to a nation that was then sitting in
darkness sad the shades of death. It was in virtue
of his primacy over all the churches, that the Pope ex-
ercised this right, and of that supremacy which made
one of the most ancient fathers, St. Irenseus, assert—
that every church, and all the faithful, should have re-
course to the Roman Church, on account of her greater
principality;' and induced St. Cyprian to consider' the
chair of Peter as the principal church, from which the
unity of the priesthood has arisen, and to which perfidy
cannot have access.'—Y. 59. Ad Petri catbedram,
atque ad ecclesiam principalem ad quam perfidia non
possit habere accessum.'
" But whilst exercising a purely spiritual authority for
spiritual purposes—far the promotion of God's kingdom
on earth—for the more ready administration of she sacra-
ments—for the salvation of souls, we can assure you,
dearly beloved brethren, that the Pontiff made
no aggression on any one's authority; that he did
not interfere, directly or indirectly, with the admi-
nistration of the temporal affairs of this king-
dom; that he did not, in the remotest manner, insult
the Crown or diminish its privileges; and we may
add, that he did not in the slightest degree intrench on
the authority, the revenues, or the territorial possessions
of other religious institutions. If an outcry has been
raised against his Holiness, it is not on account of any
usurpation or aggression on his part, it must have arisen
from a misapprehension of the nature of his acts, or it
must be allowed that it is directed to impede the exer-
cise of that divine and indefeasible jurisdiction, which all
Catholics are bound to acknowledge in the successor of
St. Peter, and the acts of which they must admit unless
they wish to incur the guilt of schism.
" As one of the effects of the penal measure now
pending over us would be to separate the faithful from
the supreme head of their Church, so also another con-
sequence would be to sever the priesthood from the
people. Do not allow yourselves to be persuaded that
this would not be a serious injury to religion. Would
not the flock be necessarily scattered if the pastors were
smitten? If the branches of the vine were torn from the
parent trunk, would they not necessarily wither? If
separated from its head, would not the mystical body
immediately languish and decay? There may be other
religious establishments which require no such unity
between the pastors and their flock—which, stript
of a sacrifice and almost of sacraments, and giving
an unbounded liberty to the interpretation of doc-
trine, demand little more than a nominal exer-
cise of the ministerial functions; but in the Catholic
Church the action of the priesthood is the vivifying
principle that gives life and energy to the entire body—
that follows the faithful from the cradle to the grave—
from the sacrament that gives admission to the church
to that which soothes and fortifies against the pangs and
terrors of death—that watches with assiduous care over
the sacred deposit of faith, and preserves it from the con-
, tagion of error. To destroy that principle, therefore, or
impede its action, is to inflict a fatal or a dangerous
wound on the body itself.
" Having briefly pointed out to you the real nature of
this penal enactment with which we are menaced and the
substantial injuries which it embodies, we implore of you,
dearly beloved brethren, to adopt the best and surest
means of defeating it—namely, the fulfilment of all
your duties, loyalty to the Crown, obedience to the
constituted authorities, moderation, patience, and,
above all, a fervent recourse by prayer to the throne
of the most High, who bends the hearts of
princes, and has in his hands the destinies of nations.
Implore of Him to preserve his Church, to guard His
chaste spouse, and to put to nought the designs of those
who would enslave her. Let us cry out, in the fulness
of our affliction,' Turn„o,God of Hosts; look down from
Heaven and see and visit this vineyard,' (Ps. 79). Do
not allow the boar out of the wood to lay it waste, nor
the wild beast to devour ii,' (Ps. 79). Inspire those that
would excite the spirit of bigotry and intolerance against
us with better counsels, and do not permit them to incur
your indignation. Give us help from trouble, for vain is
the salvation of man,' (Ps. 59).
" But whilst we exhort you to have recourse to heaven
in your afflictions, we are not to be understood as
if we condemned the peaceful exertion by those
legal and constitutional rights for the redress
of political wrongs and injuries which are the
birthright of every British subject. It is not,
however, necessary to make any suggestion on this
matter to you, as we perceive that you have already
r
commenced to petition Parliament, and to take ?tbeo,
legal steps to resist the encroachment on the linbeartrtnieostedt
the church with which we are threatened.
by you, those who represent you in Parliamf yento
urllrnot
only assert the independence and freedom o
the Catholic body are the ifillilt:cs ll
be an
gion both in England and Ireland (ifnor
btohteh ionetuernetsrtiseso)f,
but they will insist that Cafhol
erfea_th a
equality put
tyd
h
maintained on a footing of P
all the other subjects of heCrown, and that every
remnant of persecution
nothing but what is conceded
betooobtlhiteerrsa,teedn.d Wwee acsaknnfoort
be content with less than
in conformity to its doctrines and
we doubt that, whilst defending
discipline.p acti practice our go l g i
con%
your rights as Cathplics,t you will
fur p
it
t thbe in. -
terests of the empire alarge , or canno ein
accordance with justice or humanity to deprive so
mny millions of faithful subjects, guilty of no
offence, of their lawful rights; nor can it contribute to
the stability and welfare of the country to excite discord
and bad feeling among those whose interests should be
common; nor can it ever tend to encourage public
morality to enact laws which it must be the conscientious
duty of millions to evade.

" But whilst exerting yourselves to impede an unjust
measure, recollect that the man who outrages the peace
of society and violates the law not only offends against
the moral code, but grievously injures the cause that he
supports, and strengthens the hands of his enemies.
Based upon the eternal principles of truth and equity,
the cause with which you are identified cannot fail to
succeed, when advocated by means which are consonant
to its justness and holiness, and such, dearly
brethren, are the only means which we feel convinced
you are disposed to employ. beloved
oiViailoYer temporiry 00;11140o the Cbwr°4 PI"

I--...........
have to endure—whatever combats to sustain--...
her ulti-
mate success and triumph are placed beyond the pos-
sibility or doubt. We can appeal to the experience of
oighteen centuries. The powers of earth, the wisdom
of Greece and Rome, error, heresy, schism, infidelity,
have been successively leagued ageinst her—like the
Divine Master, she has been placed as a sign to be
contradicted ; but whilst all human institutions
have fallen away around her and disappeared, she has
always continued her beneficent career, ever triumphant
over the assaults of her enemies, ever fresh in the vigour
of youth, ever unchanged. How vividly has the royal
prophet predicted her destiny in her great type of the
elder covenant, ' Often have they fought against
me from my youth, let Israel now say. Often have
they fought against me from my youth, but they
could not prevail over me.'—ps. 128. And every
day bears testimony to the truth of the fire touched
lips that said of her—' No weapon that is forged against
her shall prosper, and every tongue that resisteth thee in
judgment thou shalt condemn. The children of them
that afflict thee shall come bowing down to thee, and all
that alsneered thee shall worship the steps of thy feet,
and shall cell thee the city of the Lord, the Sion of the
Holy One of Israel.'—ls. IL, 14.
" Fortified by those glorious predictions and, still more,
by the most consoling promises of our Divine Redeemer,
that ' the gates of hell shall never prevail against his
Church,' and that ' He will be with her all daye, even to
the consummation of the world,' we exhort you with
the apostle, dearly beloved, to bear your trials with
patience and resignation, and 4 not to love your confi-
dence, which bath a great reward." Wherefore lift up
the heads which hang down and the feeble knees, and
make straight steps with your feet, that no one halting
may go out of the way, but rather be healed. Follow
peace with all men, and holiness, without which
no man shall see God." But may the God of Peace,
who brought again from the dead the great Pastor of
the sheep, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the blood of the
everlasting testament, fit you in all goodness. that you
may do his will, doing in you that which is well pleasing
in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom is glory for
ever and ever. Amen.' Heb. x. xii. xiii.
" f Paul Cullen. " t Nicholas Foram
" f D. Murray. " t Francis Haly.
" t M. Slattery. " t Thomas Feeny.
" t John,`Archbp. of Taam." f Charles Mac Nally.
" t P. M'Gettigan. " t Laurence O'Donnell.
" t Cornelius Egan. " f E. Walsh.
" t John Ryan. " t William Delany.
" f Patrick M'Nicholas. " f John Derry.
" f Edward French. " t J. Murphy.
" -t James Browne. " t Francis Kelly.
" William O'Higgins. "t Milesius Murphy.
" John Cantwell. ‘' 1- William Keane.
" G. S. Browne. "1). Vaughan, Vicar-Capi-
"‘ Cornelius Denver. tular of Killaloe."
" t Michael Blake.
1

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE WEEK.
(From the Registrar-General's Return.)
It appears from the return for the week ending last
Saturday, that the mortality of London is now greater
than is generally observed at this period of the year.
The deaths, which, as shown in last report, had risen
from 1,036 to 1,213, have undergone a not very consider-
able decrease, the total number now being 1,148. In the
ten corresponding weeks of 1841-50 there is no instance
in which they equalled this amount, the two highest
numbers which nearly approach it having occurred in
1845 and 1849, when they were respectively 1,133 and
1,138. The average of the corresponding weeks was
1,035, which, if corrected for increase of population, be-
comes 1,129; and the 1,148 deaths of last week show an
increase of 19 on this latter result.
A comparative statement of the mortality at different
periods of life shows that the present increase affects
both young and old, but especially persons in the middle
stage of existence:—

Average of
ten corre-
Deaths last Deaths In the spondlng
week. previous week. weeks
(184140).
From birth to 15 503 501 452
15 to 60 383 413 339
60 and upwards 258 299 241
In the zymotic or epidemic class of diseases, the total
number of deaths enumerated in the present return is
223; whilst the corrected average is 211. Small-pox
was fatal in 19 cases, measles in 36, scarlatina in 19,
hooping-cough, which still predominates in this class,
and considerably exceeds the average, in 66. Diarrhoea
numbers 17; while to fever, which happily has declined,
31 are ascribed. Two children, three persons of middle
age, and three who had turned sixty years, died of in-
fluenza—being more than the usual weekly number at
this season.

Ages.

Of the 19 cases in which small-pox was fatal, 12
occurred under 15 years of age, and the remaining 7
between 15 and 47. It appears that in four of the cases
recorded vaccination had been performed, and that the
ages of the patients were respectively 13, 21, 36, and 47.
At 4, Cottage-row, on 23d February, the servant of a
brewer, aged 21 years, died of confluent small-pox (13
days), pneumonia (16 hours)." The registrar adds,
from information given by the brother of the deceased,
that "he had been vaccinated when young, that it took
remarkably well, and the cicatrix was still visible." A.
case of "confluent small-pox, unprotected," which
occurred to a female servant, from Poplar-road, of
the tkge of 22, proved fatal at the Small-pox Hospital,
Holloway.
Amongst the various kinds of diseases, those which
affect the organs of respiration continue to bP most con-
spicuous, and they amount in this table to 281; in that
of the previous week to 277; whilst the corrected aver-
age is only 215. The la:aiity of bronchitis has increased
from 119 in the preceding week to 131 in the last; that
of pneumonia from 98 to 104. Bronchitis has been much
more fatal than in any corresponding week, having fluc-
tuated in the last five years between 71 and 112. The
mortality of consumption has been also aggravated in
some degree, and amounts to 146, a greater number than
has occurred in any corresponding vet ek since 1845.
The widow of a soldier died in the Charing-cross sub-
district, at the great age of 104 years. She had been
married three times, and had been a widow 20 years.
The births of 784 boys and 807 girls, in all 1,591 chil-
dren, were registered in the week. The average of six
corresponding weeks in 1845-50 was 1,479.