The Sun.
London, England, 1845-01-11 00:00:00

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PRICII sd.

I have thus extracted from the pastoral the only ad-
vantages that are stated or suggested by it to arise from
the Bequests Act ; and I do respectfully submit that it
is quite manifest that no solid or substantial advantage
is thus stated or suggested to be derivable from that
Act; at best, it really is but a mouthful of moonshine.
It is said, indeed, that there is much importance in the
recognition of the episcopal and archiepiscopal character
of our prelates, as well as the right succession in our
parish priests. But the decision in the D'Arcy charity
has mitigated any notion of this recognition being valu-
able. In that case the Most Rev. Dr. M`Hale was ad-
mitted as a co-plaintiff with the Most Rev. Dr. Murray,
expressly as the successor to the late Archbishop of
Tuarn, the Most Rev. Dr. Kelly. This suit was com-
plete before the Bequest: Act came into operation. Suc-
cession was, therefore, recognised in principle.
I have thus, in a manner which, I sincerely hope, is
as perfectly respectful as I fervently wish it shouldbe,
canvassed the defence of the Bequests Act contained in
the pastoral of the Most Rev. Archbishop. The defence
has singular advantages in• manner and in matter. In
manner, from the serious and sweet train of piety in
which it is drawn up. In matter, from the unquestion-
able talent and ability of the venerable writer; and from
the obvious sincerity which it displays. His Grace has
contemplated the Act in a point of view which, however
delusive, has fascinated himself. It is only surprising
that he has not equally fascinated others.
Nothing but the inherent errors in the Act could
prevent his Grace's defence from being complete. But
how could any defence of the Bequests Act be successful,
when that document contains, by the confession of his
Grace himself, "blemishes," "imperfections," "deplorable
defects," and a clause mischievous to charity ? Admis-
sions made from the spirit of truth and sincerity which
distinguish all the life of the venerated Prelate.
But what a vindication do not these admissions
contain of the opinions of the majority of the prelates
and clergy who have condemned the Act ! Ido humbly
trust that they will also palliate, if not justify, the de-
cided hostility which I have felt it my sacred and solemn
duty, ungifted layman as I am, to exhibit to this statute.
Let me now drop all further allusion to the pastoral,
and confine myself to the Act itself. My objections to it
are numerous, strong, and, I think, decisive. They are,
as briefly.as I can state them, these :
First.—l object to the Act on principle. We are not
promised any amendment of it; but no amendment of it
would satisfy me. It contains the principle which lab •
hor, of a direct connection between the Catholic Church
and the State. There cannot be religious freedom
where there is a connection between the Church and
State. In such a connection the State always predomi-
nates, and tyrannizes, more or less, over the Church.
Religion should be free.- It is a matter of an eternal
concern. The Church which teaches that religion should
be free from the shackles of man's power, direct or in-
direct.

Secondly.—l object to the Act upon principle; as it
creates a connection between the Catholic prelates in Ire-
land and the Irish Government. This objection has no-
thing personal in it as far as relates to the three vene-
rated prelates who form part of the commission. If any
men could be entrusted with the delicate and difficult
office of acting in such a connection, there certainly could
be no objection to these prelates. But the Catholic
Church of Ireland is not to be over-ridden by the Govern-
ment, even by the unintentional intervention of the most
respected of the prelacy.
Thirdly.—l object to this statute, because it' gives
the Government the power of making selections and
picking choices among the Catholic prelates—enabling
the Government to select one if they please, as being
more loyal than another, and rejecting others as not
being equally loyal with the chosen. In short, the Act
gives a power to the Government to adjudicate as it were
upon the character of our prelates—to estimate their
character, and to select amongst them by way of
preference. This objection appears to me quite un-
answerable.
Fouithly.—l object emphatically to any connection
between the Catholic prelates and the present Govern-
ment. Was not the Duke of Wellington bred up in the
worst school of no-Popery politics ? and when he
yielded Emancipation did he not expressly retain all his
prejudices against Catholicity ? Is not Sir Robert Peel
the man who organised the Orange system in Ireland ?
and ought he not to hate those who could not overcome
the errors of his judgment, but forced him against his
inclination to grant them their political rights ? We
hare humiliated Peel, and it is utterly impossible he
should ever forgive us. Is not Sir James Graham an
avowed, or, at all events, an ill-concealed fanatic ? Is
not Lord Stanley the determined champion of Protes-
tantism in every quarter of the British empire ? I ask
it in shame and in sorrow, ought our prelates have any
connection with such men ?
Fifthly.—l object to the Act on principle, as forming
a connection between our prelates and the Irish Govern-
ment-.:that Government which owes its existence to the
virulent and anti-Catholic and anti-Irish feelings of a
majority of the English people ; feelings that were exas-
perated to the utmost virulence by the powerful writers
of the Tory press—a press which distinguished the Ca-
tholic people of Ireland as " a filthy and felonious multi-
tude.," and characterised our clergy as " surpliced ruffians,"
and a " demon priesthood."
Sixthly.—l object upon principle to any connection
between our prelates and the present Irish Government
—that Government which selected for the highest judi-
cial authority Chief Justice Pennefather ; and for the
judicial bench Lefroy and Jackson ; and for the Mas-
ter's office in Chancery Litton—three of the most violent
enemies of Catholicity which the Irish bar could produce.
Seventhly.—l object upon principle to any connec-
tion between the Catholic prelates of Ireland and that
Irish Government which issued the tardy Clontarf pro-
clatuation—a proclamation to which was affixed the name
of that very Lord Donoughmore, who is now, forsooth, a
co-commissioner of the Most Rev. Doctors Crolly and
Murray, and the Right Rev. Doctor Denvir. How little
could Lord Cloncurry, when he talked of the " projected
massacre " -at Cloutarf, imagine that he would ever see
Lord Donoughmore enrolled in the same corps of com-
missioners with any of our revered prelates ?
Eighthly.—l object upon principle to any connection
between the Catholic Prelates of Ireland and the Go-
vernment that persevered in the monster prosecution
against the leading Catholics, and so constructed the
jury that they were able to strike off all the Catholics
from the panel, and thus, as far as in them lay, repealed
the Emancipation Act. Are these jury-selectors to be
the familiar companions of our prelacy?
[The remainder of the letter of Mr. O'Connell has not
yet been received at the Pilot-office. The concluding
portion, we understand, will extend to two or three co-
lumns.]
COUNTY OF LIMERICK—ATTACK ON
KIL-
BALLYOWEN HOUSE.
The Limerick Chronicle contains the following:—" On
Sunday morning last, between the hours of two and three
o'clock, Kilballyowen House, the family seat of The
O'Grady, was visited by an armed gang of incendiaries,
who posted a Rockite notice on the entrance, and fired a
shot through his hall door, which perforated the curtain
drapery, and struck the opposite wall, after which the
ruffians departed, firing a second shot, but not daring to
force an entry into the mansion. This violent outrage
was committed in the centre of a populous and cultivated
district, near the town of Bruff, and in the neighbour
hf;
hood of a police station, which, like most other
south of Ireland, is so weak as not to afford t
asn toetenffi
strength for a vigilant patrol. It is enough to observe
that thd threatening notice was of a murderous nature,
but of which The O'Grady and his family were not aware
until daylight, when the midnight mandate was revealed
and not be deterred by
are
whose provisions are
in all its cowardly atrocity. The Rock legislators
tnhoew armingordinary
quite
inadequate to arrest the evil spirit which roams abroad
fearless and unchecked, through the rural districts. ,
faotrcheigohf tghaeml ea'w, ,
will
In thelarge circle of the resident landed gentry of this
extensive county, there is not one who could be deemed
less obnoxious than The O'Grady, for he is not only a
considerable proprietor, who gives constant employment
to upwards of 100 men in the year, but also a most indul•
gent, encouraging landlord, whose Janus in the most
fertile portion of that district, are let upon fair and mo-
derate rents, to a respectable and comfortable tenantry.
It is, however, conjectured that a property of the
late. Mr. Wise, of Cork, recently out of lease, has occasioned
this revolutionary symptom. The O'Grady has offered
a reward of 501. or discovery and conviction of the mid-
night gang implicated in this outrage ; and we confi-
dently trust that the Government and the magistrates of
the Limerick district, who are to meet on Saturday next
at the county Court-house, will not be tardy or negli,
gent in thu .dischuge of a;iirapop4ul diq it. this gigs."

C__//

12

SERIOUS MILITARY now.—The Limerick Chronti-le
contains the following curious statement:--" The sergeontg
of the 73d Entertained the sergeants of the 6th on their ar-
rival in Dublin from Chester, for which the latter resolved
to return the compliment, and at Christmas both parties
met at dinner. All went on happily until the spirit of
the company rose to an extraordinary pitch. A scuffle
ensued, and the officer on guard felt it necessary to
report the circumstances to Colonel Bunbury, of the
67th, who at once ordered the bugle to sound fir ' turn
out.', The great body of the troops answered to the
call, and a party was ordered to the scene of the riot and
to take the sergeants into custody. As soon as they
perceived the guard the sergeants of both corps seized
hold of pokers, bottles, chairs, and stood upon the de-
fensive, threatening death and demolition to the first
who approached. Officers came forward and remon-
strated with the rioters, who were taken into custody,
bet not without inflicting some blows on the officers and
men. The colonel of the 67th received a blow of a stone
An investigation was held next day by the General, and
the men admitted their ' error' (?) but protested that the
Irish whiskey had taken away their senses. The colonel
interceded for them, and after a lecture on their con-
duct, they were permitted to return, with a warning
Against whiskey."

THE BISHOP OF EXETER AND
HIS DIOCESE.

PLYMOUTH, JAN. 9.—The feeling which exists in the
minds of the laity of Plymouth, Stonehouse, and De-
vonport, against the changes which have been introduced
in the ceremonial of the service of the Church is, if any-
thing, stronger then amongst the laity of Exeter.
I From circumstances—from many of the church-goers
here having been won from the ranks of the Dissenters
by the erection of proprietary churches, and from the
churches being generally supported by the letting of
pews, a feeling of independence and voluntaryism (if I
may use the word) strongly pervades many of the laity;
and the clergy, with but one or two exceptions, sre
what are termed "Low Church" in doctrine, but are ge-
nerally popular, and allied in feeling with the laity.
With a clergy and a laity holding such opinions, it
may well be conceived that the recent innovations in the
Church service, are viewed with dislike and distrust, and
with much jealousy of their ultimate object.
Immediately after the publication of the pastoral letter
of the Bishop, enjoining the observance of the obnoxious
changes, and an exact fulfilment of the rubrics, a publics
meeting of the inhabitants of Plymouth was held at the
Royal Hotel, at which resolutions expressive of attach-
ment to the Church, but of " alarm and disgust at the
recent attempts at innovation in its ceremonial, the ten-
dency of which they believed to be an approximation to
the obnoxious practices of the Church of Rome," were
passed. This meeting was followed by vestry meetings
in the different parishes, at which similar resolutions
were agreed to. Similar meetings were also held at
Devonport, at all of which the same strong feeling of
determined resistance to the, introduction of these inno-
vations was expressed.
About the same time a meeting of the clergy of the
deanery of Plymptort was held, for the purpose of re-
ceiving the pastoral letter of the Bishop. Those of the
clergy in that division of the diocese who were inclined
to the doctrines of the innovators wished that some ar-
rangement should be immediately entered into, for the
purpose of the general and immediate adoption of the
surplice, and for complying with the wishes of the Bishop.
On the other side, the clergy opposed to these changes
wished for delay, in the hope and expectation that some
alteration would take place in the order of the
Bishop ;
and by a majority of four or five the consideretion of
the pastoral letter was postponed till Tuesday last, gut
7th instant.
On Tuesday the clergy of the deanery of Plymptorf
again met at the George Inn, Ridgway ; the Rev. John
Allen, rector of North fluish, Rural Dean, in the chair.
Twenty-seven of the clergy of the deanery were present.
A series of resolutions were proposed by the Rev. W.
Coppard, of the parish of Piympton, embodying—first,
an expression of respect for the episcopal office, with an
earnest desire to comply, as far as possible, with all the
lawful injunctions of the diocesan ; and, secondly, that
in consideration of the aspect of the times, and in anti-
cipation of some measures being brought before them
from authority, it be respectfully urged upon the Bishop
to allow the clergy of the deanery to exercise their own
discretion with regard to the use of the rubrics, assuring
his Lordship that they would adhere to them as strictly
as they felt themselves empowered to do.
To these resolutions an amendment was proposed by
the Rev. William Oxenham, vicar of Modbury, to the
effect that the thanks of the clergy of the deanery be
presented to the Bishop fur his recent pastoral letter,.
with the expression of their determination to render im-
plicit obedience to all his Lordship's commands, in con-
sideration of the solemnity of their ordination vows and
oaths ; and further expressing the dissatisfaction felt by
the clergy at the course pursued by the laity during the
recent agitation.
A conversation on the resolutions and amendment
then ensued, of several hours' duration, in which the
Rev. John Hatchard, vicar of St. Andrew's, Plymouth ;
the Rev. G. F. Wedbaurne, of Charles Chapel, Ply-
mouth ; the Rev. John Child, minister of St. Paul's,
Stonehouse ; the Rev. H. G. Greave.:, minister of St.
George's, Stunehouse, arid several ether clergymen,
spoke in favour of the resolutions.
Ile Rev. E. F. Coke, of Plymstock ; the Rev. J. C.
Street, curate of Charles, Plymouth, and others, sup-
ported the amendment.
The Rev. Mr. HATCHARD said, that he felt it was
utterly impossible for him, as a man of common in
tegrity, to render thanks to the Bishop of Exeter for
his pastoral letter, the effect of which had been almost
to rend the Church asunder, and to produce the must
serious and detrimental consequences to her best in-
terests. Ile at the same time stated his conviction
that his Lordship was influenced by the best and
purest intentions, although it was perfectly manifest
from the result that he had fallen into a grievous
error With regard to obedience to his diocesan, ho
could confidently appeal to all his brethren by whom
he was surrounded that he ever had made it, and ever
would make it, his great object to obey every godly ad-
monition, and every lawful and ghostly command. He
strongly deprecated the enforcement of all the rubrical
laws, inasmuch as he conceived the tendency of some of
them to be to restore Popish practices, and to give deep
offence to the great body of the laity, who constituted
that Church of which the clergy were the ministers. If
the rubrics were to be restored, it seemed to him to be
inconsistent to restore them in part and not as a whole ;
for it must be borne in mind that there were many
rubrics which still formed part of the laws of the Church
of England, which were .not printed is the Common
Prayer-book, but which would be found at full length in
" Gibson's Codex." In illustrating his views of the
Popish tendency of these rubrics, the Rev. Gentleman
particularly referred to the use of the alb, and cope, and
tunicle, by the clergy in the discharge of their official
duties. With regard to the course pursued by the laity,
while he by no means attempted to vindicate every ex-
pression that might have been used, or every resolution
that had been passed, at the various meetings which
had been held, he yet most heartily thanked God that
so wide-spread a Proteatr nt feeling had burst forth; and
he felt assured that 50 years hence those who would suc-
ceed them would look back with feelings of thankfulness
to the great efforts which had been made by the laity
generally.
A number of the clergy present briefly expressed simi-
lar views.
The Rev. W. Oxesdam addressed himself chiefly in
reply to the observations of Mr. llatchard. He strongly
urged that the resolutions did not go far enough, parti-
cularly on the point of clerical obedience.
The meeting throughout was of the most stormy
character. On both sides very strong expressions were
used, which in some instances partook of acrimonious
personality, Charges of leaning to Calvinism and
Dissent we made against some,,and of Romish views
against others.
At length a division took place on the resolutions,
the numbers being—for the resolutions 15, for the
amendment 12.
It was then determined to hold a third meeting on
Monday, the 10th of February next, for the purpose of
comparing notes as to the extent to which the rubrics
are observed or neglected in the different churches and
chapels of the deanery; and also in the expectation
that by that time some notice may have been given in
Parliament of what is intended on the whole question,
feem which the clergy may be enabled to draw some
conclusions.
In the meantime no changes whatever have taken
place in the service as performed in the churches in the
deanery.
The above brief report gives an outline of the feeling
of the clergy in this deanery.
t h
e.), Withloo
look
regardupou to
thteli
Be
ilaity,thelis feelingau
extremely is
tt
himhf y "othf think
covert
him
shortlyutethis—d
insincere,saaeious and distrust
i butst
ru fromst hi
him.
pastT ehscepyegrui esnpcoe?
teiss,o increase his own!
order, even the hut
power design
andin introducing
influence,
andthe st eh
acth
oa
fn
ruleTn e They
over suspectthe mindsh im ofos
feetbk
ein
pgetoopelesta(btolis
andaobpstol
theute
expres-
sion of one informant), "for every bishop in his diocese,
se; e
n t r-
versy, the clergy inc e
theo
n„s hadme netea of e
d the'
to c
use
every rector in his pariek, and for every curate at a
tea-party." " Sin the"mrnt ce
various places
black gown, and had adopted the surplice in preaching,
with a view, he believed, concurrently with the operation
of the other parts of their system, to obtain an ascen-
dancy over the minds of the people by means inconsis-
tent with that religion, the essence of which was the
worship of God in spirit and in truth." This is the
general and deeply•rooted feeling of the laity. They
say—" We are not at all afraid of the Bishop and those
of his clergy who carry out his views ipso facto adopting
the tenets of Rome, and acknowledging papal supremacy;
but by whatever name you call it, what we are afraid of
is, the attempted establishment of priestly domination,
the aggressive graspings of power and influence by the
clergy; and these we are determined we will not submit
to. Your ceremonies are meant to abuse and influence
the minds of the laity to your authority; your offertory
collections are meant to give you power by placing un-
controlled in your hands the means of carrying out any
object you may will, even iu direct opposition to our
feelings. We distrust you, and we are determined we
will have none of these changes." Such, in a few words
may be said to be the feelings of the laity.
So far is this suspicion and belief of a covert design to
grasp at power on the part of the Bishop generally
entertained, that the churchwardens of the several
parishes of the deanery of Kirrier, in Cornwall, at a
meeting held at Heleton, on the 23d of last month,
amongst ethers adopted the following resolution:—
"5. That, in the opinion of this meeting, the neces-
sity for episcopal interference in the present case (if
such there be) has been created by the Bishop of the
diocese himself, who has privately encouraged several of
his clergy holding Tractarian -doctrines to introduce
obsolete and long-forgotten observances, with the inten-
tion of furnishing himself with an excuse for interposin
his authority. And this meeting is moreover of opinio
that the Bishop was
well nwarP that 'ut.lja *mat