The Sun.
London, England, 1835-07-08 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—Afford me space far afew lines. lam so assailed in
the Newspapers that have little inclination), and less leisure,
to defend myself ; beside=, in my opinion, frankly, Le jeu ne

cant pas la chandelle.
But a paragraph, said to be copied from the Times, is
" going the rounds" of the Irish Newspapers. It attributes
to me to have shown disrespect to Divine worship by a Pro-
testant Clergyman; and what appears stranger, certainly un7
usual to me, is, that the facts are not violently distorted in
order to make out the charge against me.
Allow me to make such of the public as take an interest in
the matter, conversant of the real facts-1 then abide their
judgment readily.
I attended the funeral of Mr. Cobbett to the church-door.
The body was taken into the church to have the usual prayers
said over I did not go into the church. I never join in
worship with any persuasion of Christians but mine own. This
may be called bigotry ; with me it is religious principle, con-
fined to my own mode of action, not obtruded upon any body
else. _ _

When the coffin was taken from the church to the grave,
respectfully- attended it to that grave when the body was laid
down the Clergyman began prayers, again I left the grave,
and, without disturbing any person, retired to the church
porch, "remaining uncovered until I had reached thejorch,
where I found a large group of persons with their hatSt on.
We were then out of sight of the Clergyman, and out of hear-
ing of the prayers, and I then, and not till then, put on my
travelling cap.
I certainly did not intend to show, and I am certain I did
.not show, any disrespect to the devotion then going on. lam
quite incapable of showing disrespect to any Christians engaged
in prayer.
It may be asked, why then did I not join in those prayers ?,
My answer is ready—Because I claim for myself that which I
insist upon for every other sect and party—the free exercise in
my own religious observances.
Liberality does not, in my mind, consist in softening down
or giving up any particle of one's own religious opinions. It
consists, as I think, in being anxious to afford to every other
person that which you claim for yourself—the free and the
strict observance of his own religious practices, however re-
pugnant they may be to your's.
There is the case of Captain Aitcheson of the Artillery—
a case which I consider to be a disgrace to British military
authority, and indeed to the British nation. It is a crying
'injustice, which loudly ;calls for redress. His case is just this :
He was ordered to fire a salute in honour of a procession of the
holy sacrament.. He felt that it was joining in an act of worship
—and it was so—of that which his conscientious belief told him
ought not ,to be worshipped. He does not believe in the real
presence. Well—l do believe in the real presence with 'the
firmest and most undoubting faith. He refused to fire the salute
under those circumstances—l approve of his conduct. As a
man of conscience, he could not do otherwise. What is the
consequence? He is stripped of his commission without any
recompense, and left with his family in deep distress. I ho-
nour his consistency. I have more than once advocated his
case before Parliament—and I do hope the British people will
one day or other be roused by a sense of wrong done, though
it be to a single individual, and insist on justice being done to
a conscientious and honourable man.
The Catholic is bound to pray for all men. He is bound
to pray with Catholics only. This is my principle of action
—I asserted this principle for Captain Aitcheson—l do as-
sert it for myself. If I had shown any—even the slightest
--disrespect to Divine Worship by Protestants, I should
atone for it, in the most public and satisfactory manner I pos-
sibly could. I did not do to—l only asserted my own prin-
ciples. •
Let those blame me who please, and'amongst them perhaps
-may be found some of the most constant and practical bigots
of the day. For myself, I repeat, I only assert for myself
fully and completely that which• I am equally ready to assert
as fully and as completely for others—perfect individual free-
dom of religious observance.—l have the honour to be,
Your very obedient servant,
DANIEL O'CONNELL.

July 7th.

,PENRYN ELECTION COMMITTEE.—After hear-
ing the arguments of Counsel, the Committee yesterday morn-
ing stated, that they were of opinion the petitioners had failed
to prove the agency of different parties in the interest of the
sitting. Member,' The petitioners'. Counsel then asked until
this morning to consider whether they should proceed with the
scrutiny or not. The Committee granted the application, and
then adjourned until eleven to-day.

...His Royal
.Highness Piince Leopold of the Two
Sicilies and suite; left the Clarendon Hotel, on. Monday even-
ing, for the York Hotel at Brighton, where his Royal Highness
was expected to make a short stay, and there embark for
Dieppe, in the Mountaineer steam-packet. The Prince is ex.
pected to meet his illustrious relatives the King and Queen of
the French, at their Royal Chateau of Eu, in Normandy,
which they are about to visit.
DEATH OF LORD SUFFIELD.—We yesterday an•
nounced the dissolution of this Nobleman, which took place et
Vernon House, Park-place, on Monday eveningarorn the in-
juries he received from falling from his horse in St. James's
Park, on the 191 ult. It appears that his Lordship was
taking his afternoon ride, when his liOrse reared, and falling
backwards on his rider, broke two of .his ribs, and other-
wise crushed his body in a dreadful manner. His Lord-
ship was conveyed to his residence in Park-place, -and was
promptly attended by Sir Benjamin Brodie, and Mr. Murray,
of Cleveland-row,
.but their skill was unavailing, as he ex-
pired
_at half-past seven on the above evening. His Lord-
ship was in his 54th year, and succeeded his brother, Wm.
Asheton, second Lord, Aug. 1, 1821. By his marriage-with
the late Hon.. Georgiana Venables Vernon, daughter and