The Sun.
London, England, 1826-06-17 00:00:00

[ THE ftgPRESENTATIVE.j

The General Election has now arrived at a stage at
which it may not be considered prematuto•to venture an opinion
of its Character. That character will he-decided by ite effe.:a upon
the Catholic Question—the only .point which divides public opi-
nion, in the whole range of our political system. Viewing it,
therefore; in this light, sufficient, we think, has heen,developed,
in the course of the elections whisk have taken plate, to show
that the general wok is unfavourable to the Catholitecaust. In
the two contents just concluded in the metropolis, which gives the
;tone to the country, and aflerds a better criterion than any pro-
vineittl city, an Anti-Catholic feeling has been sttongly- method.
It has thrown the two 'idols of the City into subordinate phteeiron
:the poll ; and if tine of them has not been entirely eitinguished,
he owe his escape not to his own strength, but to his good for-
:tune in having an immediate rival not perfectly tree tiora the same
obleaion. In Southwark, another portion of the (*lntel, it not
'only generated an opposition, hut nearly Amok the Catholic Mem-
ber from a Seat which he considered his own for lilh. The eitrof
Coventry Ito, fok the first time,.visited the Catholic advocacy its
a crime on . its oldest 'and ,levouritt Representatives; aprlllt.
Bernal, the late Metnher fur Rochester, is reduced to the tures-
aesisring the' electors, that although he has hithet to voted
for Caidtqlise Enstureipation, finding the senate of his constituent:l ea
deeldiAlyladsteree to it, he will he in future guided by their ineleue-
01904'111aq nthet i minim eta might he Adduced it which the advoittey
l tlukcittholic.eause has either proved fatal to its frietols, or mos
terialry, their proeperte. The inference deducible from
these prenSistar is, that while the Catholics flatter themselves that
their cause is advancing, they deceive themselves; and that,- in-
stead 'of being prove/49kte, it is in fact become retrograde. This
change in publkc opinion derives no ordinary weight and impor-
tence ft cm the peculiar circumstances under which it his taken
place. fled a cry been raised against it, as Mr. Percival's Ad-
ministration was reproached .with having done, it might have
been represented as the result of clamour and intrigue, a dehision
produced by artificial webs, which quiet he dissipated by reflec-
tion, as soon as the people came to their sober senses, and Reason
should testsine her attune; But no such objection can be made
to the opinion expressed upon the present occasion. The "No
Popery,' try was not raised In England previous to the distrait-
Lion of PArlininent. No sinister means were adopted fn
dierreet ericirty, to inflame the, itessimis, and Mislead the
ludginent.-:-Had toy such attempts been made, they
would have moved abortive; for, in the late distressed state
of the country, people were too much occupied with real and
present grievances to devote themselves to the consideration of
theoretical or future evils. but, whateVer might have been the
result, certain it is the experiment was not made, end the public
were left to follow the dictates of their own unbiassed judgment.
How this adverse feeling has been eggrivated, at the very time
when the Critholice 'lettere,' themselves it only required calm re-
flection and consideration to ensure the success of their cause,
Would not, perhaps, be difficult to explain. To choose for their
champions two men who had declared war agents? the Proteatant
establishment was not a vi:ry likely mode of conciliating a Pro-
testant people. Some liberal and enlightened British Ca-
tholics may, and •no &Ott did, • lament this error
but the, Catholic Body ices not disavowed the doctrine of
its leaders. This abstinence from all artificial memos to
create an influence favourable to themselves, in the erre-
tion of a new Parliament, ia not the only praise doe to
Ministers. They deserve also credit for the fitness of the
time Which they have chosen for the purpose. ' A provincial
paper, Tie Derby Illerrtay, justly observes :—" lied the disso-
lution taken place a year 'wooer, the opponents of Ministers
would not hare failed to ear that the Comment had taken ad-
vantage of their extraordinary popularity at that period, to
strengthen themselves in the Ilnute of Common& This cannot
now be urged. It is after a season of more than common
tress, produced by circumstances over which they had no control,
that they make their appeal to the people, If their previous
measures 'were bad—if
late the nation found with fruitless *kill
Its former strength was hut plethoric
they now give the country et large an opportunity of executing
justice upon them, We eve at present in a situation which
enables us, dispassionately to review the policy of our riders.
Ministers Own& not from the inquiry, and we see no reason to
fear that the consequences of the genital election will be in any
way unfavourable to their pretensions."