The Sun.
London, England, 1821-03-14 00:00:00

}OR THE SUN.

TIMBER -DUTIES. •
Mn. EniToß-It has been remarked in conver-
•
sation in this Coffee-hOuse, that one of the Mern-
beri of the Committee cin Foreign Trade, is con-
nected in business with One, of the witnesses who
was examined before that. Committee. '/ do.Aol
believe it, because I cannot suppose that any per-
son would allow himself to be put on that Com-
mittee, who had any interest, hozzevir remote,
in any subject which was to be one of the objects
of their inquiry and deliberation. I am, there-
fore, anxious to see this insinuation publicly re-
pelled, by the parties who are•supposed to- be
alluded,to!
Bat son's coffcc-Inulse,
arch 12, Mt.

A RUSSIAN MERCHANT,

POPERY.

The following Extracts from the letters of
BRITANNICUS, Writterrby Mr. STOCKDALE HARDY
of Leicester, a gentleman well known for his
Literary powers, and his active zeal in support
of our unrivalled Constitution in Church and
State, are particularly, entitled to the serious
reflection of all our Loyal and Protestant fellow
subjects:—

It has been invariably asserted by the-advocates of the Ro-
man call? Cldims, that the allegiance which the doctrine
of the Runtish Supremacy creates, is merely spiritual, and
does not extend to temporal concerns. • When, i:owever, we

reflect, that the influence of the Pope extemli over the nio,t
domestic and social ties, over marriages, divorces, legitimacy,
&c.; and that his influence is considered equal to anrCivil
Law• on these subjects—that -his excommunications deprive
the subject of all his Civil Rights, and subject him to

i►nperative temporal punishment; it is impossible nut t.,
admit, that what is called a were spiritual allegiance, is,

in point of fact, in a great degree, a temporal one alio,

This -was. abundantly proved daring the late war, sin, e

it is notorious, that the Pope gave Buonapat te more trouble
than any person besides, notwithstanding the complete
ascendancy with which that Despot lorded over him in a per--
tonal point of view, and.tke degraded situation in which his
Holiness was then placed.* The Pope, under such unto-
ward circumstances as these, could not possibly hare any po-
litcal influence (in the general acceptation of the term) uver
the belligerent Powers. lie had no
.bonus to confer upon

them, no extent of territory to offer, no means of plunder or
aggrandizement to suggest. From what then could the dif-
ficulties which Buonaparte experienced arise, but from a cer-
tain 66 hnperium in imperio," from a secret, lurking,

gianee7a superstitiiins veneration which was •Mt for

the Sovereign Pontiff? Was it not this which frequently
prompted the French General to adopt lenient, where other-
wise be would have adopted the most rigorous measures?
Bnonaparte was too great a tyrant not to have annihilated
the Popedo9l if he dared to have done it ; he indeed did all
he could towards producing such annihilation, but he was
suddenly arrested in his efforts by a secret influence—
an invisible, but suie and powerful, influence, which
stepped between the Vatican and the projected blow, and
proclaimed, " Thus far shalt thou enine, and no farther."
We were indeed exultingly asked during the war, what dan-
ger could possibly arise from an allegiance due to a prisoner,
as the Pope then-"vas ? But surely those who asked such a
question had not paid much attention to the scenes which
were passing around them. If they had, they would have
known that the Pope's imprisonment was indispensable
to..thr success of Buimaparte's plans, and that had his
Holiness been in tho full exercise of nil his functions,

the Imperial Eagles would have moved but slowly. What-
ever arguments, however, 'night be drawn in favour of the
Roman Catholic Claims from the situation of the Pope during

the war, they can certainly have no weight under our present,
circumstances ; indeed, they now tell the contrary way, and
become reasons fur ;ejecting, instead of conceding, those
claims,. If the idea of the allegiance due to the Pope wos ri-
diculed, because the. Pope was a prisoner, it is equally an ob-

Paris Papers of Sunday last arrived this morn

tea, but they contain not the slightest intelligence
'von] Naples. It would seem by the last accounts
'row Italy, which are already before the public,
hat the A.ustrians had reached Spoletto and Fo-

ligno, and that ou the 22d ult. a Neapolitan ad-
vanced guard had marched from the Abruzzi into
the Papal States, and occupied Riete, a town
situated sixteen leagues from Rome and eleven
from Spolett°, the position of the Austrians. We
have little doubt, therefore,".but hostitities have
'ere this taken place betweeu the two armies.--
General PEPE is said to have arrived in the
Abruzzi with the Son of the PRINCE REGENT.,
and to have presented this child to the army.

The Emperors of AUSTRIA and RossiA. were
still at Laybach on the 23d. It is reported that
they will remain there until the arrival of the first
bulletins from the Army in Italy; which may
perhaps render necessary the adoption of some
further and urgent measures. A variety of re-
ports are in circulation at Vienna. Among others
it is rumoured that a Russian fleet sail with
troops through the Black Sea, and land them in
the Gulf of Tarentum, in the rear of the Neapo-
litant, in case the latter should attempt to make
a stand in Calabria.

We are without *further intelligence from ,Ma-
drid, which was in a state of . great agitation at
the departure of the last courier, and anxiously
await the arrival of Spanish Papers.-
;In the French Chamber.of Deputies' several
stormy debates took place last week, which were
marked by great personalities. Two proposi-
tions, tending to establish a greater degree of
order and tranquillity in their discussions, which
'ave too frequently degenerated into scenes of
noise and confusion, have been submitted to the
Chamber, and ordered to be taken into consider-
ation by a large majority, composed of Members
belonging to the. three.contending parties in the
House. The Chamber then ordered the particu-
lars of these prOpoSitions to be printed .and dis-
tributed, and to. be referreCto the preparatory
examination of its bureaux.

FRFNCII FUNDS.

March 10.—Fire per Gems.
Ditto fur the Opening
Oil 1,,83 f. 60 c.
• the 2:2d inst.
Bank Stock . 1525 f. 30 c.

We give this day a Copy of the Petition from
the County of Leicester against the Roman Ca-
tholic Claims, which was presented on Wednes-
day the clBth ult. by Lord ROBERT MANNERS to
theHoube of Commons. It is with extreme plea-
sure we learn, that the Petition was numerously
and - respectably signed by both Dissenters and
Churchmen, and trust that it will prove the har-
binger of great and powerful exertions on the
part of the LAITY upon this most fearful ques-
tion. That the House should have gone into a
Committee upon the Claims, we sincerely and
deeply regret—not that we would slight the
Petitions of so large and respectable a body of

our felloli-subjects as the noman Catholics are,
but because we are confident -that theadoption
of a Committee will only I;itie the effect of rais-
ing hopes which must and Will Lie ultimately dis-
appointed. We regret also to 4erceive, that
some of the Petitions which Were presented
against the Claims were treated with consider-
able asperity by' certain lronourable Members,
who have generally plumed themselves -upon
their attachment to ReYolution principles.
refer particularly -to tlu harsh Manner in .which
the. Clergy of the ArchdeacOnrs, of Leicester
were treated by Mr. BAR HAM and Sir Ja.lits
MACKINTOSH upon a late occasion. In adYerting
to any thirlg.which has paSSed betweett-tliti walls
of Parliament, we wish to be considered as speak-
ing with the utmost respect r but nothing, as we
conceive, can be more arbitriiry than the prin-
ciple, that because a Petition may contain senti-
ments which are at' variance With those of any
Honourable Member; or may inculcate a belief in
doctrines in whichthat Honourable Member may
not concur, that such Petition is to be. rejected.
As well might it be said that the Itorriii Catholic
Claims should not be allowed, to lie upon the
table of the house, because the Petitioners be-
lieve in the Supremacy of the PopE!! So long
as the people adopt a respectful method of lay-
ing their, sentiments before.. Parliament, and do
not violate any_known rules of decorum, so long
(we trust) will Parliament receive their. Peti-
tions. If the contrary doctrine be adopted,
there is an and to the operation of a most valu-
able portion of the 17:::!.1 of Rights, and men with
liberty in their mouths will L'ls unconsciously up-
holding and abetting moral and p:"}itical slaVeyy
by their actions. There are many wfiz, are con-
tent with grounding their earnest and deC.-fad
opposition to the Claims-of the Roman Catholics,
upon their acknowleapuent of 2 Foreign Supre-
macy—their disinclination to allow the Crown a
Veto upon the appointment of their Bishops—
and the general hostility of their ChUrch to Civil
and Religions Freedom. But although these
may be the only reasons which actuate the above
oppositionists, surely those who conscientiously
entertain stronger and, additional ;ones, arc not
to be branded as Libellers for henestly, stating
their Opinions. We freely confess that such an epi-
thet, if applied to ourselves; would only have the
effect of exciting us to a more determined 'oppo-
sition than we have yet Manifested. We have
more than once, .and with great regret, observed
the uncalled-for severity with which the Clergy
have, been treated, when that Reverend Body
haVe come fOrivard as Petitioners' in defence of
our Church and State. What has given rise to
this treatment We do not slop to inquire. Let
the eause, however, be what it. may, we trust
that the Reverend Body will continue to raise
their voices against the adoption of any measureS
calculated either to compromise or weaken the
" PROTESTANT ASCENDANCY and that they
will not be intimidated by threats, or direrted
,by attacks, from performing such•an important
and necessary part of their duty.

. _
The word " spiritual" appears to be one of co
importance in.ile.eyes of Mr. PLUN KETT and his
Partizans. One of his Resolutions declares, that
it is "merely" (how laughable 1) on account orthis
trifle that the Roman Catholics cannot reconcile
their consciences to the taking of the oath of su-
premacy. We conceive that the omission of this
word in the oath would be every thing to-them,
and that, the " spiritual" allegiance which they
owe to the POPE is of the utmost importance.--
The present learned and revered Bishop of WIN.'
CH ESTER, in his memorable charge (,when Bishop
of Lincoln) says—" It is declared in one of. the
"39 Articles that the King-is Head of our Church
" without being Stibject • to any Foreign Power ;
44 and it is expressly said that the Bishop of
" Rome has .no jurisdiction within these realms.
44 On the contrary, Papists assert that the Pope
cc is Supreme Head of the whole elyriStiam
" Church, and that allegiance is due to hint from.
." every individUal member in all spiritual mat-
" tors. This direct opposition to one of the fon-
" damental principles of the Ecclesiastical part
64 of our Constitution, is alone sufficient to justify
" the exclusion of Papists from all .situations of
" authority.. They acknowledge, indeed, that
44 obedience in all civil matters is .due to th.e
" King. But cases must arise in which Civil and
" Religious Duties will clash ; and he knows huk
" little of the influence of the Popish Religion
4: over time minds of its votaries, who doubts
" which-of there dutie:3 would be sacrificed •to.the
44 other. Moreover the most subtle casuistry-
" cannot always discrirninate between temporal.
44 and spiritual things; and in truth, the'conCeruv
" of this life not infrequently partake of bot
" characters."—ln anothef part of our Paper we
have also inserted en Extract.ft om Mr. Stockdale
Hardy's late Pamphlet, upon this part pf the sub—
ject, to which we also-beg to direct the attention
of our Readers.

The celebrated Spanish General, Morturo,,
the able
adversary of General', 41-7 ,- ---"--d
in town on SundaittAgr. :=7.:S bvti; "777' '--1:
BRFGHTON, MAUCH 12:—The laMeit'eddielth
of the Princess ELIZABETH gave an efrectual
check to, our fashionable hilarities last xyeek.—
The KING saw no company, and the only Palace
arrival since this day se'nnight was that of Count
Munster on Thursday, and who again ' left for
London- yesterday.—ilis Majesty will return for
Carlton Palace -,towards.the close of the present,
or early in the week ensuing. ,We have the plea'
sure to add, that his Majesty continues il5 0°
enjoyment of most excellent health.
TaAnc.—We are truly happy to understand
that thos* indications .of returning proTeritY7
which are now visible in Manchester and Glas-
gow, and also in the principal seats of the great
'oollen Manufactories, are felt even in this re-
mote quarter. I t is remarked,' both by Commer'
vial travellers and. thoSe connected with Agri-
culture, that they recollect of no season in which

the payment of accounts has been more prompt,
or fresh orders more liberally given.—(invdr.ness
aoarier.),
A private letter from the West Indies mentions
the death of Colonel CLAStEE of the sth Regi-
ment of Foot. He was the oldest man in the itei
gluten t,