The Sun.
London, England, 1819-04-26 00:00:00

LETTER vr.

MR. EDITOR-4r has been invariably asserted by
the advocates of the Roman Catholic Ciainui, that
the allegiance which the doctrine of .the Rontish
Snitren►acy creates is-merely spiritual, and does not
extend to temporal concerns. When, however,
we reflect, that the influence of the Pope

extends over the most domestic and social ties-,
over marriages, divorces, legitimacy, &c. ; an►l
that his influence is considered equal to any Civil
Law on these s►tbjects--that his excommunica-
tions deprive the subject of all his Civil Rights, and
subject him to imperative temporal punishment ;
it is impossible not to admit, that what is called
a mere spiritual allegiance, is, in point of fact, in
a great degree, a iemporat one also. This was-
abundantly proved during the late war, since it
is notorious, that the Pope gave Buonaparte more
trouble than any person besides, notwithstanding
the complete ascendancy with which that Despot
lorded over him in a personal point of view, and
the degraded situation in which his Holiness was
then placed*. The Pope, under such untoward
circumstances as these, could not possibly have
any political influence (in the general accepta-
tion of the term) over the belligerent Powers.
He had no boons to confer upon them, no ex-
tent of territory to offer, no means of plunder or
aggrandizement to suggest. From what then could
the difficulties which Buonaparte experienced arise,
but from a certain " Imperium in imperio," from

a secret, lurking, allegiance—a superstitious ve-'
neration which was felt for the Sovereign Pon-
tiff ? Was it not this which frequently prompted
the French General to adopt lenient, where other-
wise he would have adopted the most rigorous
measures? Buonaparte was too great a tyrant not
to have annihilated the l'opedont if he dared to
have done it ; he indeed did all he dared towards
producing such annihilation ! hut he was suddenly
arrested in his efforts by a secret influence ; an
invisible, but sure and powerful, influence, which
stepped between the Vatican and the projected
blow, and proclaimed, " Thus far shalt thou.
come, and no further." SVe' were, indeed, ex-
ultingly asked during the war, what danger could
possibly arise from an allegiance due to a pri-
soner, as the Pope then was ? But surely those
who asked such a question had not paid much at-
tention to the scenes. which were passing around
them. If they had, they would have known that
the Pope's imprisonment was indispensable to the
success of Buonaparte's 'plans, and that bad his
Holiness been in the full exercise of all his func-
tions, the Imperial Eagles Would have moved but
sloNly. Whatever arguments, however, might
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 pre-
, sent circumstances ; indeed, they now tell the
tontrary Way, and become reasons for rejecting,
instead of conceding, those claims. If 'the idea
of the allegiance due to the Pope was ridiculed,
because the Pope ,was a prisoner, is it equally an
object of ridicule, now that be is reinstated in his
Dignities—in his Capital—in the exercise of his
Divine Functions ? It is remarkable that amongst
the first measures which the Pope ad.opted after
his re-instatement, were, the restoration of the

Order of the Jesuits—the Prohibition of the
Scriptures, without a Comment—and a restraint
upon the Liberty of the Press. Now, it is but
reasonable to conclude, that a mind like that of
Pius VII would not be idle when in confinement.
lie, no doubt, had there considered what wonld
most conduce to the benefit of his Church and the
re-establishment of his authority, should be ever
return to Rome, and there can be little doubt but
that which was decided upon at FoPlainbleau was
merely carried into execution at Rome. This
certainly is but a reasonable supposition, and it
is remarkable that the measures to which I have
alluded had a more direct tendency to uphold and
extend the Papal supremacy than any otlLtrs which
could hate been adopted.
Nothing could so clearly prove the importance
of the allegiance which the Roman Catholics owe
to the Pope, as the conduct which was evinced
when the memorable Veto was discussed in the
year 1808. Certain Members of the Legislature had
been authorized to bring forward the Claims upon

It is quite clear that the Pope had great power during
the war, and gave Buonaparte infinite trouble. When Ge-
nesal Moore was in Spain, a Report from the Minister of Po-
lice to Buonapite happened to be found, and way .etti over
to this country, The deliberate opinion of Fouclti then was,
that the French Emperor would iformotint all his great diffi-
culties, if hr relaxed his severity to the See of Rowe. The
L!vice of Eouche was fo towed, and it produced the desired
eff,t ; but after his successes against Austria, Poionaparte
renewed his severities towards the Papal Sec.—ln his speech
to the Conservative Senate, in !SOD, Buouaparte wade use of
the folowing resoarkahle language :—•6 It has been demon-
" strafed to sue, that the spiritual influence exercised in my
States by a Foreign Sovereign is contrary to the inde-
" uendence of Frouce—to the dignity and safely of uly
" Throne."

the principle of conceding to the Crown a Veto,
upon the appointment of Roman Catholic Bishops.
This principle had been distinctly recognized by
some of the most respectable Ca, holies in the
Kingdom, and was brought forward in the House
of Lords by the Duke of Norfolk, and in the
House of Commons by Mr. Grattan. The snb-
jeet was debated upon that principle which was
not a new one, but one which had been recog-

nized by almost every European State, whether
Protestant or ROman Ca:l'oWe *. The affairs of
the Roman Catholics were therefore supposed ro
be going On prosperously ; and the' long-wished-
for goal appeared to be in view. But mark what
followed. The Prelate (Dr. Milner), through
whose 'medium the proposition had been made
to the Duke of Norfolk and Mr. Grattan, thought
proper to withdraw it, and to withdraw it with
a public declaration, that be would shed
the last drop of .his blood rather than consent
that the King should have any influence direct or
indirect in the appointment of a Roman Catholic
Bishop t. This certainly was strange conduct,
and the more so as the measure of the Veto did
not in the least interfere with the rights of the
Pope at to Ordination—Ecclesiastical Jurisdic-
tion—and other spiritual matters, and as neither
the Apostolic Chain, or the discipline of the Roman
Catholic Church, would have suffered from the
adoption of it. Why should, therefore, that have
been refused to the King of England which the
schismatical Sovereign of Russia and the heretical
King of Prussia were allowed to exercise ? Possibly
we have here the solution of the difficulty ; the
Proposers of the Veto bad, perhaps, looked round
to foreign Countries and seen something of the
same kind adopted there, and had -therefore
thought of applying it to the Sister Island ; but
no sooner did it occur to them that Ireland was
more under the direct influence of the Pope than
any other Country, and that the spiritual allegiance
I. which Roman Catholics owed to hint flowed

directly tosthe inhabitants without any intervention
of the existing
_Government, tl►an the cases were
found to be dissimilar. This, however, is mere
conjecture, and 1 may therefore be mistaken. I,
however, look upon the circumstances attending
the Veto as vitally important to a right,under.
standing of this part of our subject. Supposing
there had been 100 Catholic Members in the House
of Commons in 1803, under Bishop,Miluer's sanc-
tion, they certainly would have agreed to the
Veto when proposed by Mr. Grattan.—
When, however, their Prelates had declared that
such a measure was impracticable and inconsist-
ent with the doctrines of their Church, will any
one undertake to say, that the Honourable Mem-
bers would not have altered their opinions and
voted against the measure The probability is
that, as true Catholics, they would have done so,
and what a scene would this have exhibited I A
portion of the English Legislature would have
been thrown at the foot of a Roman Citholic Bi-
shop, and their votes in Parliament would have
been controuled by a secret power, grounded on
a secret allegiance, equally unknown and repug-
nant to the open and defined principles of the
English Constitution. •

As things stand, therefore, the Roman Catho-
lics require every thing to be conceded to them,
without making any concessions •themselves.—
Protestants are called upon to relinquish all the
safeguards which the wisdom of their ancestors
had devised to protect their Establishments, (and
especially to protect them against the influence of
the allegiance which we have been considering,)
and yet the applicants for these great concessions
will do nothing !—will not abjure the allegiance
complained of—or even allow a British Sovereign
to have a negative voice upon the appointment of
one of their Bishops within his own dominions,
although such a voice is allowed to the Emperor
of Russia and King of Prussia ! ! , Surely, if the
Roman Catholic Claims be conceded under such
circumstances as these, Roman Catholics will be
placed in a far more advantageous situation than
l'rotestants, inasmuch " as they will be entitled
to the same privileges without submitting to the
same conditions."

Volumes might, indeed, be written upon this
part of our subject ; but I find that I must stay my
pen, as my Letter has already run to a length
which I did not intend. In my next I shall con-
sider the question upon the alleged ground of Ex-
pediency, and remain your's, &c.

BRITANNICUS.

* In the Austrian Dominions (Hungary included) the Bi-
shops are appointed by the Emperor, and confirmed by the
Pope. In Portugal and the Brazils, the prerogatives of the
Crown have been uniformly asserted; so in Spain, Russia,
Sweden and Prussia,--(Vide "Report of the Cominittee of the
House of Commons on the Laws for Regulating the Roman
Catholic Subjects of foreign States, 1816.1')
fi " Tour in Ireland," td Edition, p. 309.

General DEVEREUX has arrived at Liverpool,
and chartered a number of vessels for the convey-
ance of the two fine regiments he has taised in
Ireland to South America.

TIIEAT R. I C I, ILEGISTEX.
l'eyfor2;ied urd
MEATRE Itnv AL, Ditu ItY-I,ANC.—The Rivals : Sir Anthony
Absolute, Mr. Nlnliden: Lyitia. Languish, Miss Also{,. Af-
ter which, The Heroine.
i'IiVATRE ROYAL, COVENT-GAP.OEN.--.-The Heart of 9ii(l-Lo-
Vitian Georze Robertson, Mr. Mac...ready; I‘Nge
Are', -Mrs. C. lietrilde% After which, 47'1J Critic. ‘4.
- -•-• •