The Sun.
London, England, 1829-02-09 00:00:00

are tl y judgments—how Unsearchable are thy ways! Those
who r,,proach, the ancient religion of the land with disre-
spect to the sacredness of oaths, do themselves,, every one
of tl.em, prelates, peers, and commoners, swear that a'fact
does not exist, which fact they not only beheld before their
eyes in full existence, but actually contribute to preserve
and maintain !

I do not intend to retaliate by any reproach, but I am
entitled to ask whether any conscientious Protestant will
not rejoice if I shall be able to establish this—that it is to-
tally unnecessary for Members of Parliament to take this
oath.

Whatever shall be the consequence of refusing to take
this oath, I call on every conscientious Protestant to refuse
to take it. In the name of that eternal God who shall
judge us all, I adjure you not to trifle with the sacrAness
of his holy name, and not to attest it to the denial of the
existence of that spiritual authority which is daily exer-
cised over full one-third of all the subjects of this realm.
I should fluent my life well sacrificed to prevail on any one
frrin to refuse to take such an oath as that.

The next oath which you take is that solemn declaration
in the presence of God that there is no transubstantiation,
and that the sacrifice of the mass and the invocation of the
saints, as now tried iu the Church of. Howe, are impious
and idolatrous !
Is there a man in Parliament who would not feel
relieved if he could avoid taking this oath ? What, Sirs,
to testify in the presence of God, that all the Catholics of
F....rland, Scotland', Ireldnil, France, Germany,—all his
Nlajesty's emancipated Catholic subjects of Hanover,—all
Ow Catholics of Italy, Spain, Russia, Greece, and the
Americas, arc idolaters. To swear this wholesale and in
Vie lump, that we would not for the world's worth, or for
the world's cruellest tortures, adore aught, save the Eternal
nil Living Cod (suppose the worst, but as I deny
the truth to be) may be mistaken in the spot in which we
place that that Living and Eternal God, but who adore
him, and hint alone, renouncing, detesting, and for ever
anathematizing, any adoration of divine worship, save of
itn, and of Him alone. To swear that we are idolaters!!!

I will not pursue this topic, but let me, through yen,
conjure every conscien Gnus Protestant who detests calumny.
and respects the sanctity of oaths, to aid in getting rid
now and for ever of this species of unhallowed swearing.
I have beard that to take these oaths is ..ne of the privi-
leges of Pailiament, and that the not taking them is a
breach of Parliamentary privilege for which a member
might he expelled. What a notion of privilege !
to swear what is not decorous even if it were true !
Privilege to swear what is na—but hold, I must not finish
the sentence.

There is one, and only one more observation, which calls
for your attention. I acknowledge the spiritual authority
of the Pope, with as much distinctness as I deny and ab-
jure any temporal or civil authority, direct or indirect, on
his part. I believe with the certainty of faith in transub-
stantiation. I cherish in like manner the adorable sacrifice
of the mass. I believe that the invocation of the blessed
Mother of our Divine Redeemer, and of the other
saints, as used in the Church of Rome, is a pious and
very salutary practice. Well, believing all this, I have
only to go to the table of the House, and, the Speaker
being in the chair, or at least forty Members attending, I
have only totally and distinctly to deny all this upon my
oath, an,' what follows? Why, that I shall he a foul per-
jarer—that of course; but this also follows—that from
that moment all disability and incapacity ceases, and I sin
Isoth a perjurer and a recognized Member of the llHise
of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Brit tin
and Ireland.

If any one thing stands in my way, that one thing is a
refusal to commit pet jury. Let me he punished by what
has been so often called the most enlightened assembly in
the world, for not committing a perjury.
I have the honour to he, with all due sentiments of re-
spect, your most obedient servant,
DANIEL O'CONNELL,
➢lember for the County of Clare, in that part of
the United Kingdom called Ireland.