The Sun.
London, England, 1828-05-22 00:00:00

(FROM A CORRESPONDENL
We do not mean to enter into any lengtheneA
discussion of the policy of the Catholic Clailtr.,
convinced though we are of the justice and ne-
cessity of that great measure. Yet we cannot
help remarking, that in many cases the argu-
ments used against the Catholics must appear to
every unprejudiced mind the most favourable to
their cause. Mr. PEEL, we thought, was in a
more especial degree remarkable for wresting eir-
' cumstances to perverse conclusions. He pointed
out for example, in order to alarm the House, the
" great demonstration of physical fora
effected by
assembling in one day the whole Catholic.?;sopula-
tion, for the avowed purpose of petitioning, but
really with a view to intimidation." But can
this be really held out as a reason for not grant
ing the Catholic Claims ? Is it because the Ca-
tholics are numerous, because they act in such
aiiinidagirieljec,c,tvouthldei3r,stpetbietiooliiise? of
p'erfeet concert, that we are to disregard them
Itheiss,trownegessir rea-
sons for conciliating such a large, and, if you
will, such a formidable body of subjects. Mr.
PEEL terms this assemblage of the people, which
by the advice of their leaders the Catholics con-
trive to keep within the letter of the Statute
levelled against such Meetings, " a inonstrow;
thine of the power they actually possess," and
he thence infers the danger of granting the Catho-
lics any additional power. Our conclusion, from
the singular fact of the whole Catholic body
being assembled in one day at the mandate of •
their leaders, would be precisely the reverse ; for
then we look to the perfect concert which is
thus seen to animate the whole Catholic body—
when we see the population, to the amount
of several millions of people, thus arrayed
and disciplined under their natural leaders,
obeying their mandates, and forming an
imperium in imperio, we confess iv; are
deeply impressed, by such a spectacle, whim
the necessity of calm inquiry ; in place of irri-
tations, which seem to be the feeling of the Home
Secretary, we arc rather disposed to considera-
tion and syqoathy. The demands or petitions
of so great a body of the nation, ought, we
think, to be listened to, on the very account for
which Mr. PEEL thinks thev ought to be re-
jected. The great number of tit:c petitioners—
their perfect amity—their subordina:.'on under
chosen leaders, arc all the circumstances-7hich,
in our view, ought to give weight to the Ca,
tholic Claims. It is on these very grounds that
we would be averse to irritate or alienate the
Catholic population, that we would pause before
we rejected their petitions for an equality of
civil privileges. We cannot conceive a more
puerile appeal to feelingS of false pride than this
argument of intimidation. Is not, we would ask,
the conciliation of the people a great and laud-
able object of all good Government ; and the:
greater the number of the people, is it not of the
more importance to conciliate them ? Can any
wise man look without alarm at the formidable
mass of discontent which Ireland presents ? Is
it not wise to be alarmed ; and is it wise, from an
idea of intimidation, to deride the complaints of

the Irish, and to teach them to look for relief to
any other source than Parliament?
To place the question on the most simple
basis, can any Government be secure which ex-
cludes from political offices the greater part of its
subjects—which gives to the few the ascendality
over the many ? Witheut entering into any so-
phishies or fine spun reasonings, can political
society stand on such a foundation ? 16
not such an inverted order of things aptly ex-
pressed by AloonE's illustration of the sugar loa.
standing on the wrong end? Mr. PEEL tells u:.;
that the admission of Catholics to the highest
offices of the State would alter the Protestant
character of the Government. What does he
mean by the Protestant character of the Govern-
ment ? We hold that the end of Government
is to dispense equal justice to all, whether Pro-
testant or Catholic, and that it ought to have no
leaning to one creed more than another. The revo-
lution of 1688 gave no countenance to fly exclu-
sive or intolerant policy. Great jeAtousy was no
doubt expressed by the statesmen of that day
against the Catholic religion, because it was
from this qua-ter that they dreaded an attack on
civil liberty, and they framed their securities
accordingly. But these securities established
no principle of exclusion, as --Mr. PEEL seems
to imagine—they were merely applicable to a
case of circumstances ; they were meant to
guard against existing and accidental dangers.
But, to conclude : that they established exclu-
sion as a perpetual and fundamental maxim of
our free Constitution, is one of the inpst sin-
gular e
n tof freedom
o of this
weevergreat h
heisatrd.
orical ptect-
d

accomplished.
=._..—..
only it is remarked that
the house of the Arch-
bishop
des NpEayTsHßEasitrsnNnDouSLMes AthYatl Oa .y—..ouTn_ehEenCgalislihl 01a/dig:ea
Miss ANNA DOLLING, niece of Admiral BROOKING, has
with Lords ALF
embraced the Catholic religion, at TournaY• The details
os
hf etohh ailsdloifr
yri,iodd conversionxedavy given,,feoarsnakielriminieit:tirmeme ei
ni
arrived at the Vice-regal
Lodge,
phamix Park, her Excellency the Marchioness of
ANGLESEA. and her lovely daughters, the Ladies EMILY,
RED and GEORGE
PAGEr, (the former twelve, the latter ten years old). Lady
Loursa
• CanoGalq, the Marchioness's • formed of
sister,one
r the Noble party. His Excellency has selected a member of
our University to educate the Lords GEORGE and ALFRED.
This is a high compliment from 1 • itsExcellent} to Ireland,
and still further man' 'fists the thorough regard for the in-
terests of this country which his entire conduct, public and
MARY, and ADELAIDE,
privates since his auspicious accession to its government,
had previously indicated.—Dublin Morning Register.
STEAM BOAT BURNED.—The steam boat
Clydesdale, when on her passage front Greenock to Belfast,
on the 15th instant, and about midway between the point,
of Corswall and the Craig of Ailsa, was, about midnight
discovered to be on fire. Every exertion was immediately
made to extinguish the flames, but without success, and at
one o'clock A. M. of the 16th, she was run on shore about
100 yards from Corswall Lighthouse. The crew and
passengers, seventy in number, got ashore in safety, but
with the loss of their luggage, &C. The light-keepers ex-
erted themselves much in assisting to land the passengers,
and have given them all the accommodation their hetnes
can afford, until conveyances are provided for their re-
moval. The vessel is a complete wreck—the boiler only
expected to be saved. Great praise is given to Captain
TURNER and his crew, for the coolness and presence of
mind displayed by them on this trying occasion.— Ode-
don ian Mercury.