The Sun.
London, England, 1835-07-16 00:00:00

DUBLIN.

(rag 3,1 OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) -:
There is a good deal of political excitement in this city,
within these few days past, occasioned by the contents of
the London Newspapers. In the first place, the uncandid
criticism and personal imputations on the character of the
titular Archbishop of Dublin, Dr. Murray, indulged in
by certain Journals, in consequence of that worthy man's
Letter to Lord Melbourne, have excited among Catholics,
and all rational, and I may say enlightened men of every
sect, an indignation, which the respectable portion of the
press ought to be incapable of provoking. In the next
place, the line of tactique adopted by Lord Stanley and
Sir Robert Peel, against the Irish Tithe Bill, is causing a
good deal of speculation. But I shall defer any observa-
tions on this latter point for the present—not merely be-
cause it is in one respect the most recent intelligence, but
because public opinion has not yet decided on the motives
which seem to actuate these statesmen, in their opposition
to an essential part of a measure so well calculated to pro-
duce tranquillity in Ireland. Perhaps it will appear before
long, that they are connected with the lucubrations of
Printing House-square, and another similar establishment,
which are but preludes to the farce attempted to begot up
in a more western part of your metropolis.
Had the attacks made by the Times on Dr. Murray
proceeded from any of those obscure recesses, from 'which
some of the 200,000 unstamped publications are said to
issue weekly, we should not be surprised ; but when we
find such misrepresentations and sophistry in the columns
of a "leading journal," it is impossible not to incline to the
opinion of those who say that the "change in the Times "
is not altogether produced by the " m welt of intellect !"
Something more tangible and comprehensible than abstract
science and aura popularis is at present actuating the
councils of the" Fourth Estate." Otherwise, a respectable
Journal could not, in the face of the world, abandon its
former professions, and exclaim, " Good heavens! how
• have the wise of this generation, and ourselves, the least
wise among them, disparaged and condemned the wisdom
of our Protestant ancestors." Such was the language of
the Times on the 7th inst., proclaiming its own vaccillation,
after charging the Most Reverend Dr. Murray with false-
hood and perjury! ! And on what are these charges
founded? On the supposed or assumed contradiction be-
tween that Rev. Gentleman's Letter to Lord Melhourre,
and his acts, since he was elected titular Bishop of Dublin, in
approving of the publication of Dens' Theology. Never
was there a greater instance of the " suppressio veri '' and
wilful fallacy, than is to be found in the arguments in support
of this accusation. Because, forsooth, Dr. Murray denied
that he " directed" the reprinting of that work, while his
name appears in some Catholic publications as sanctioning
its sale and circulation, he is branded with falsehood and
perjury !! Is it not obvious to the most obtuse understand-
ing, that it is one thing to direct,
.and another to yerneit:?
The letter itself shows plainly, that its .writer was: Very
likely to permit the publication of.Dens' Theology, though
he would not direct, much less recommend, that every part
of it should be read, and adhered to by the Catholic clergy
For what does he say of the work in question ?, It "com-
prises a large mass of very valuablomatter, though contain-
ing some obsolete opinions wholly unconnected with 'any
article of catholic faith, and which opinions, it was well-
known, hardly any one, at the present day, would think of
defending." Surely, a book containing "a large mass of
valuable matter" ought not in the absence of more apprOved
volumes to be suppressed or discountenanced, becatiSe it
also contained "some obsolete opinions." If so, the best
books in the English language, among which I would place
the Bible and Blackstone's Commentaries, ought to be
suppressed, or the sale of them discountenanced: No.one
will deny that the former of these publications contains some
things, which if not " obsolete " are certainly " obscene," cr
unfit to be inculcated into the minds of those who daily pe-
ruse it. And it is well known that a great part of Black-
stone has become obsolete since Sir Robert Peel's Reform
of the criminal Law :—more particularly that monkish
chapter on the " Benefit of Clergy," which it was incum-
bent en all Protestant Law Students and Legislators to
make themselves acquainted with. until within these.few
years. Yet it would be a hard case upon the London book-
sellers, who have, perhaps, late editions of this work, in
which the obsolete parts are not suppressed, if the Judges
and Commissioners of the Great Seal were to withdraw
their names from everything which the booksellers might
think serviceable in promoting its sale. This case is per-
fectly analogous to that of Dr. Murray, and the other
Catholic Bishops said to patronize the publication of Dens'
work. These Reverend Gentlemen were not in existence
as Bishops when that work was first printed in Ireland, and
it would be unjust on their part to restrict the sale or read-
ing of it, merely because it contained some things unsuited
to the morals or improved knowledge of the age—at least,
until an approved substitute were found for it.
The best mode, however, of confuting those who ascribe
to Catholics modes of faith which they disclaim, is to
direct their attention to the following selection from their
principles, to be found in the ordinary Catholic prayer-
books. When the most unworthy means of propagating
falsehood for factious purposes are resorted to, these ex-
tracts cannot be uninteresting to honest John Bull, who
always likes " fair play :"-
4. It is no article of faith that the Church cannot err,
either in matters of fact, or in matters of speculation, or civil
policy, depending on mere human reason ;—these not being
divine revelations deposited in the Catholic Church."
And then, after explaining how Catholics regard the
Pope as head of• their Church, and showing that they
are not subject to him in any way inconsistent with their
duty to their king and country, and that no council or
consistory can prescribe anything inconsistent with the duty
and allegiance of a good citizen and subject in Protestant
dynasties, they say—
" As for the problematical disputes or errors of particular
divines in this or any other matter whatsoever, we are in no wise
responsible for 'them ; no ;are Catholics, as such, justly
punishable on their account."
" Personal misdemeanours, of what nature soever, ought
not to be imputed to the body of Catholies, when these mis-
demeanours are not justifiable by the tenets of Catholic faith
and doctrine. For which reason, though the stories of the
Irish cruelties or powder plot had been exactly true (which,
for the most part, are notoriously Misrelated), neverthless
Catholics, as such, ought not to stiffer for such offences,
any more than the eleven Apostles ought to have suffered
for the treachery of JUDAS."
" It is a fundamental truth in our religion, that no power
troncootnefriaitectiotius
on earth can license men to lie, to forswear, or perjure them-
selves—to massacre their neighbours, or destroy their. native
country, on pretence of promoting the Catholic cause, or reli-
gion. Furthermore all pardons or dispensations granted, or
pretended to be granted, in order to any such ends or de-
signs could have no other validity or effect than to add sacri-
lege and blasphemy to the above mentioned crimes."
" The doctrine of equivocation, or mental reservation, how
over wrongfully imputed to the Catholic religion,- was neve-
taught or approved of by the Church. On the contrary, sbnr
plicity and godly sincerity, are constantly inculcated by her a-
truly Christian virtues, necessary to the conservation of justices
truth, and common security."
These extracts are from the second section of the "
nd - since
Prin-
ciples of Roman Catholics," to be found in almost every
ono of the Catholic prayer-books printed in Irelad
the commencement of the present century ;
afford
together with Dr. Murray's Letter,
irrefragable proofs, that the imputation of .
,ry.
Clear and
. les" to Roman' Catholics at this moment, is.qo
.. p,
cip Prin.
' taken
to illustrate truth and justice;'-hut
...
prevailing
opinion
.
selfish purposes.- not
and
Such, at least, .is the opinion
' city, -and I therefore send it to yon as part and
in:;this
.parcel of "public opinion."
; hut cero-
. ,
...