The Sun.
London, England, 1828-12-20 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE LONDON JOURNALS.

It is natural that, as the Session of Parliament
approaches, and the feelings of the Catholics
become more feverish, their exertions for the
successful prosecution of their suit before the
Legislature should display a rapid increase of ac-
tivity. We may, therefore, expect to hear of
meetings for discussion, and of preparations for
petitiosiing, in every quarter of Ireland,—per-
haps of England also ; and although we have
shown ourselves not backward to blame or hold
up to ridicule any
of that intemperance which, if
suffered to
pass without notice, might lead Eng-
lishmen to imagine that we were blind to gross
follies,—that we were imposed upon by empty
menaces,—or that such foolishness belonged to
Catholics in general, instead of characterising
only one or two of their orators, and that the
violent measures threatened were inseparable
from the cause of emancipation itself, instead of
being but so much loose filth which defiled it,—
notwithstanding, we say, that such considerations
have induced us to attack, from time to
time, with straight-forward severity, what-
ever appeared in the language or con-
duct of the Catholics likely to alienate from
them the hearts of Englishmen, and so to ruin
the common cause, we still cannot divest our-
selves of the recollection that these Catholics are
men exasperated by long suffering,—that the
sense of degradation and disgrace,—that the
thirst for liberty and honour, have roused within
them whatever passions are least regardful of the
bounds of sobriety, and least susceptible of
warning against the effects of rashness,—that
while all other subjects of a common empire can
worship within the sacred temple of the Consti-
tution, they alone are cast out among the corpses
of the surrounding cemetery ; and that, finally,
to men so angered, much indiscretion of word
and deed may fairly, and ought rightfully, to be
forgiven. The Irish Catholics held on Tuesday
last an aggregate meeting in Dublin, when Lard
Killeen took the chair, and followed up the
course of prudence and sound policy which his
Lordship has always hitherto pursued, by im-
pressing upon his brethren the propriety
of a strict adherence to " the great prin-
ciples of union, peace, and moderation,"
in their efforts for constitutional relief.—
Setting aside some apocryphal nonsense
• in the shape of history, by- one of the
speakers; there Wit nothing which called for any
strong censure in the .proceedingS of this as-
, sembly. Resolutions were adopted, pledging
the Catholics not to accept a measure of eman-
cipiition which should be clogged with an inter-
ference by Government in the affairs of their
church, either - through an appointment of bi-
Ahopss or :A -pecuniary provision for the clergy.
When the Catholics resolve against " accept-
ing" such terms, they use a wrong expression.
• It is not for 'a subject to say that he will " not
accept" a ,law. He may disapprove of similar
clauses to:Aimee above, referred to ; arid so shall
we—Protestants as we are—condemn the incor-
poration of such clauses with a bill of relief, if
they are to be taken as " securities." The fact
is, that if securities were wanting after emanci-
pation, we should have no confidence in the
effect of either interposing a veto, or pensioning
the priests. But the fact is likewise, that with-
out either of them we should hare entire confi-
dence in the talisman of simple emancipation. If
report be true, the delicacy or fastidiousness, or
whatever name it may deserve, of the Catholics,
has little chance of being offended by an invasion
of the government or discipline of the church,
In case of Mr. Wilmot Horton's suggestion
being adopted, the only church • treated of in
the Bill will be the Church of England ; and as
Parliament virtually disclaims all right of med-
dling with the Roman Catholic Hierarchy, the
lay Catholics cannot surely (indeed, we have
reason to believe they will not) take it ill ; and
if they do, Parliament will not be much influ-
enced by their dissatisfaction that they are dis-
qualified by the law which emancipates them, for
legislating on any question which involves the
discipline, the in operty, rights, or privileges of
the Established Church. fhe more we con-
sider this point, investigated with so much dili-
gence, And brought forward with so much clear-
ness and ability by Mr. Horton, the more aro we
inclined to regard it as one which Parliament
will be apt to embrace and rest upon, in any
specific measure of emancipaticn.— Times.
We think we can perceive in the Clergy a
disposition to relax in their opposition to the
claims of the Catholics. In the Leeds Intelli-
gencer of Thursday last, there is an account of
a Meeting of the Clergy of the Deaneries of
Richmond, Catterick, and Boroughbridge, at
the King's Head Inn, Richmond, held on the
Thursday preceding. At this Meeting, the
Rev. Dr. Scott, Vicar of Catterick, observed,
When such securities are given as shall secure
Church and State—but not till then—l shall be
ready to grant what is called Emancipation, and
in saying this I do ,rot speak deceitfully ; for if I
thought, like many others, that no security
could be found out, I should not disguise it
but I believe securities can 'be afforded ; and
with plea=
sure that is accomplished, I shall hail
sure my. Roman Catholic brethren as fellows
citizens in full and equal enjoyment of civil
power.—(Hear.)" The Rev. William Barnes,
Rector of Richmond, observed, " I am not al-
together an exclusionist—l am anxious to see
the subject, if possible, brought to an amicable
conclusion." The Rev. T. W. Morley, of Mid-
dleton Tyas, seemed to think that the Church
was more in danger from the " secret and insi-
dious foe, against whose encroachments the wis-
dom of our ancestors thought it prudent to pro-
vide, but to whom the avenues both of Church

and State are now thrown open," than from
their open and avowed enemy ;" and he
added, " Sincerely, therefore, must I pray that,
in the event of both Houses of Parliament
deeming it expedient to legislate in favour of the
religious disabilities of our Roman Catholic fel-
ay in their wisdom be
low-subjects, they
enabled to place the Established Church in such
a position as to be alike invulnerable to the
open attacks of Popery, on the one side, and
the secret, but not less dangerous, attempts of
the Dissenters, on the other." One of the ar-
guments urged by the Rev. . Barn, tes
ito prove
the necessity of securities, involves something h 4
it very like an absurdity :—" If, then, Air.
Archdeacon (says he), we admit Roman Catho-
lics to be sincere in their religious belief—and
sincere I firmly believe them to be—must they
not exercise, whenever a favourable opportunity
occurs, all the power they can command for the
subversion of our Protestant Church, and the
re-establishment of their own ?" But what se-

curity can be effectual against those who have
both the will and the power to subvert the Pro-
testaht Church and re-establish their own ?

The Church must fall as a matter of course, if
they who have the will have also the power to
subvert it. But it is not very probable that the
Catholics will ever have the power to subvert the