The Sun.
London, England, 1829-02-03 00:00:00

PRESENT STATE OF THE CATHOLIC

QUEsTION.

Having already given our opinton of a " Letter
to Mr. Peel" ott this subject, by an " Irish
CatircAiv we shall for the present confine our-
tclves to a few extracts from the Second Edition
which is just published, with some new argu-
ments, and leave our readers to judge for them-
selves. It is how evident, that there e:rE but two
ways of coming to any satisfactory adjustment of
this 'qu'estiot.A-,-‘either by abolishing the obnoxious
oaths which Catholics refuse to talce-or by some
amicable Bill including -those conditions called
securities: ?At reconcile all parties to this latter
mode is the object of the " Irish Catholic."
" During the discussions of the last SesSien of
Parliament, the Catholic Quettin,,tt :12814i-tact a form
better developed, and Inbi-e Intelligible than it ever
had before's t9O 'that the difficulties attending an ad-
,ustClen't, might now be effectually removed through
means of a few individuals of both religions, well
acquainted with the people's feelings and interests,
and in whom all parties could place confidence.
" My object is Not to point Cut the securities
which may be deemed stenisite;—for of this I can
form no definite would merely suggest, that
as Parlierrtetit la almost unanimous in declaring,
that without sores arrangement nothing can be done,
the question of securities, or guarantee, or whatever
else it is to be called, ought to be determined on by
c'impetent persons. Let a commission be appointed
by his Majesty, consisting of an equal number of
the most learned and pious, prelates of the Pro-
testant and Roman Catholic churches, and - of such -
learned and distinguished laymen as are likely to be-
best acquainted kith the merits of the question, and
in wham Catholics and Protestants might place
confidence. Let their instructions be, to devise a
plan for conceding a full participation of all the
privileges of a subject to every class of his Majesty's
subjects in the manner least objectionable to public
prejudices, and report the same ; in order that his
most gracious Majesty may recommend it to Parlia-
ment, as heads of a Bill for the relief of his Catholic
subjects.

"An object so desirable, may be facilitated by a
review [of certain ancient principles and laws of the
British Constitution, to be found in the ' Constitu-
tions of Clarendon,' and in the laws of provisors,'
and preemunire,' passed by our Catholic ancestors,
to protect this country from the temporal influence
of the Pope; which seems to be what is now un-
derstood by the required measure of securities.
• " If it shall appear that Roman Catholics enacted
laws before the Reformation, repressing the en-
croachments of the Pope in this country, as effec-
tual as any that have been since enacted;--that
they were as jealous of any interference in our civil
government as Protestants can be;—and that, in
fact, all the laws guarding against the existence, not
only of an ' imperium in imperio,' but even of any
authority or power, affecting the allegiance due to
the kings of this country, had their origin in Catho-
lic times,—some centuries before the religious seces-
sion among our forefathers; an irrefragable point
will be established, and strong cause shown, that
the best security you can have, is to incorporate us
with you in that Constitution, for which we for-
merly spilt our blood, lavished our resources, and
devoted our mental and bodily powers in establishing.
"Of the six periods into which Mr. Justice
Blackstone divides the history of the legal polity of
England, three are unquestionably Catholic—those
before the reign of Henry VIII. During the first
period, there occurs no remarkable event bearing on
the question which we sre about to examine. But
in the second, from the Norman Conquest, till the
reign of Edward I. including two hundred and six
years, we have the Magna Charta, and the Consti.
tutions of Clarendon. The former is too well
known to require any commentary; the latter has
the follooing:

" Article 3. If an archbishop, bishop, or any
dignified clergy of the realm, go out of the kingdom
without the King's licence ; and if they shall go,
they shall, if it please the King, give security, that
they will not either in going or returning, procure
any evil or damage to the King or kingdom.'
" This is one of sixteen articles enacted by Henry
11., who was a Catholic, by the advice of his Coun-
cil or Parliament, who were also Catholics, against
the insolencies and usurpations of the clergy.'
Lord Lyndhurst, (then Sir John Copley) in a de-
bate on the 6th March, 1827, on the Catholic Ques-
tion, said, if securities are proposed to which the
Catholics will accede, and with which the Protes-
tants will be satisfied, I for one shall be ready to
make concessions.'* Against what is. security re-
quired, if not against foreign power, and the possi-
bility of Catholic bishops, in their intercourse with
such power, procuring some evil or damage to this
King or kingdom ?'
" In the time of Edward the First, the celebrated
statute of provisos!, limiting the Pope's temporal
authority, was passed. About the year 1307,t he
enacted that law against papal provisions, which ac-
cording to Sir Edward Coke was the foundation of
all the subsequent statutes of prwinunire. It first
restrained the Pope from nominating to ecclesiastical
benefices in this country; the shadow of which
power he now cannot have, when the King is at the
head of that church which alone is entitled by law
to hold property. So that our popish ancestors have
done substantially, what we are called upon to do
nominally,—deprive the Pope of all real authority
in this kingdom. He can have no real or temporal
authority, when there is nothing real or temporal to
which he can appoint. Unless it be contended that
the Chancellor of a foreign university, who confers
a degree upon a British subject, has authority in
these dominions. The cases are analogous : the
Pope may confer the title of Bishop, and the Chan-
cellor the degree of doctor, without the least preten-
sion to influence in the country where either may ex-
ercise his profession.
" Several statutes were -passed in subsequent
reigns, confirming and explaining those already men-
tioned, the writ for the execution of which having
the words prczmunire facias,l thus denominated
that species of offence defined to be the introduc-
ing a foreign power into this land, and creating an
imperium in imperil): But the chief of these, most
frequently called the statute of praemunire,' and
to which many subsequent ones have .been referred,
is the 16th Rich. 11. cap. 5, by which, ' whoever
procures at Rome, or elsewhere, any translations,
processes, excommunications, bulls, instruments, or
other things which touch the King, against him,
his crown and realm, and all persons aiding and as-
sisting therein, shall be put out of the King's pro-
tection, their land and goods forfeited to the King's
use, and they shall be attached by their bodies to
answer to the King, and his Council, or process of
preemunire fruit's shall be made out against them,
as in other cases of provitors:!S The last of the
ancient statutes on this subject, was the 2d of
Henry IV. which subjected all who accepted a .dis-
pensation from the Pope, freeing then► from the
obedience due to their ordinary, to the penalties of
prmmunire above recited. This was in 1401, nearly
a century after the first act against provisory.
" All the laws that have effectually heat down
the encroachments of the Pope; and vindicated the
rights of the people, were passed before the reign of
Henry VIII.; those that have been enacted since,
for that purpose, being but renewals, or explanations
of the more ancient bulwarks. The acts of supre-
macy, abjuration, and habeas corps, were nothing
more ; so far as they provided for the integrity and
independence of the nation, than repetitions of the
pramunire laws and Magna Charm- And as to
the Bill of Rights, all its substantive enactments
were also repetitions of what the people had for-

"'Parliamentary Debates, New Series, vol. xxi. p. 927.

t 35 Edward I.

f " Premunere, from prxmonere, to warn. Prte-
mnaire facias prasfstnrn A. B. quad sit tune coram nobia,'
&o.—Coke, Ist Inst. 129.

§ Blackstone, vol iv. chap. 8.

merly considered to be their .` undoubted rights and
liberties)' and of which they had been long de-
prired: The act itself,' says _Blackstone, 'recognizes
all and singular the rights and liberties a.serted
and claimed in the said declaration to be the true
intent and indubitable rights df the people dt this
kingdom.' Even the :let df settlement
is declared
to be the birthright of the people of England,' ae-
cOrding to the ancient doctrine of common law.
Tlib same spirit of resistance which the laws
&ready alluded to prove English Catholics to have
shown to foreign usurpation} is to be found in the
history of Irish Catholics; though from their sub-
jection to en ascendancy, at all times, first English,
and then English and Protestant, they cannot be
expected to afford many bright examples of a na-
tional character.

" In the rein of Edward lE:.liod•ever► when the
unwarrantable influeiree of the Pope over the minds
of Chritians all over Europe, was at its height,
England was embarrassed in her finances. His
Holiness therefore was applied to by that Monarch
to urge the Irish to grant him a disme, or tenth,
and to continue its payment for two years. The
Popc compl:ed, and directed the Dean :'_nd Chapter
of Dublin to levy iti tinder the authority of his holy
commands. But they refused, and availed them-
selves of some pretext, to resist ' the unconstitu-
tional exercise of papa! power to tax or appropriate
the property of the kingdom. They had twice
before resisted these exactions:*

" In 1666, when the Irish Catholics were much
persecuted, and deprived of their estates on account
of their religion, which was said to interfere with
their civil allegiance, they agreed to a remonstrance,
by which they openly disclaimed all foreign
power, papal or princely, spiritual or temporal,
inasmuch as it might seem able, or shall pretend to,
free them from their obligation, or permit them to
offer asy violence to his Majesty's person or go-
vernment.'-f-
Neither the parade with which the Chevalier St.
George entered Scotland is 1715, nor the porrip.and
preparation with which he threatened Ireland in
1717, under the patronage of Spain, and with the
aid of the most experienced General of the day, the
Duke of Ormond, induced the Catholics to swerve
for one moment from their duty. This, Sir, is evi-
dence which ought to silence their calumniators for
ever, on the charge of divided allegiance 4
" Again, in the year 1759, when it was known
that a French force, under the command of Con-
firms, was collected to invade Ireland, the Catholics
assembled together, and drew bp an address to the
Duke of Bedford, then Lord Lieutenant, assuring
him of their loyalty. They offered large sums of
money to Government to support the Protestant
establishment against its enemies : . and professed
their indignation at the threatened invasion of the
kingdom, by an enemy vainly hoping for assistance
in Ireland, on account of the conduct of their
deluded predecessors. Such schemes were, they
assured his Grace, inconsistent with their views, and
that they would, to the utmost of their power, join
in the support of his Majesty's person and Govern-
ment.§
" In the year 1776, they expressed the same sen-
timents in a petition to his late Majesty George 111.,
drawn up by Mr. Burke. From that petition I beg
leave to quote, in the late language of the eloquent
writer, what have been always our principles and
which it is the object of this letter to declare. In
all humility we implore; that our principles may not
be estimated by the inflamed charge of controversial
writers, nor our practices measured by the events of
those troubled periods, when parties have run high
(though these have been often misrepresented and
always cruelly exaggerated to our prejudice) but
that we may be judged by our own actions, and in
our own times ; and we humbly offer it to your
most equitable and princely consideration, that we
do not rest the proof of our sincerity on words bat
on things.' "

Plowden'a History of Ireland, vol. i. p. 212; also
Leland's ditto, vol. i. p. 282.
t Leland, vol. iii. p. 459.
t See Note C.
§ Sotollett's History of England, vol. iv. p. 69.

The beautiful lake in Blenheim Park, a few
days ago, presented a ♦ery novel appearance; from the
severity of the frost several persons were actively employed
for days together in wheeling gravel over the extensive
piece of frozen water, into the pleasure gardens on the op-
posite side.— Windsor Express.

ROWL AND STEPHENSON.--The country
gentleman stated to have lost a considerable sum by the
above notorious character, is understood to be Mr. Batson,
a member of the Jockey Club, and proprietor of the Luse
filly ; Mr. Batson, who is one of the Members of the Turf,
is a man of considerable wealth, or the leas of 20,000/.
(which is reported to be its amount) must have been se-
verely felt.

On Morday, while the workmen were exca-
vating the north side of the Terrace, near the new entrance,
for an ice-house, and when about thirty feet below the sur-
face of the earth, they struck upon a subterraneous ins-
ane cut through the solid rock and running in a southern
direction, for about sixty feet, when it terminated abruptly.
The entrance is about fire feet wide by six feet high.--
Windsor Exprtss.

Extract of a letter from Edinburgh, January
29—" We are in a fearful state at present, occasioned by
the popular excitement, on account of the late appalling
murders. Burke was hanged yesterday. I was too late
to wee him thrown off, but he was still hanging when I
saw him, sad the crowd immense. They gave a tre-
mendous shout when he was taken down, as they did at
his first appearance on the scaffold, and when thrown off.
They seemed to obey the signals of a stout athletic man,
placed in one of the windows a little below the gallows.
He was dressed in a white great coat, and seemed to have
the multitude completely at his command. To-day, as
Lisara, the lecturer on anatomy and surgery, was pro-
ceeding to the College, with his pupils, to see Burke die.
netted, the mob, mistaking him for Knox, attacked him,
and had not his pupils made a stand in his defence and
carried him off, it is most likely he would have bs,sen soon
made a subject himself. Against Knox the curses are
loud and deep; and if he does not make a night-flitting
of his own accord, I should not at all be surprised to hear
of his being murdered ; but he lectures every day as if
nothing had happened. The case of Hare is to come on
on Saturday, and I mean to attend, especially to hear the
speech of Jeffrey, who is the Counsel for Daft Jamie's
mother. You cannot imagine the horror that pervades all
ranks here, and still more in the country. A person
from the country would sooner think of stepping into the
crater of Vesuvius, than pass the West Port-street under
night, since these murders were committed. —Morning
Paper.

On the night between Tuesday and Wednes-
day se'nnight, an attempt was made, in the church-yerd
of Nigg, to disinter the corpse of a female, which had been
buried about a week. The state of the grave was not Ilia-
covered till Sunday, no person having been near it during
the week ; but that morning the earth was found half pot
out, and a skull lying at the grave side. It appears that
a decayed coffin had been taken tip by the friends of the
female, and laid down on her coffin, and that the viola-
tors, on reaching the head of the old coffin, had made an
attack on it with some instrument, which, however, in-
stead of bringing out the desired object, brought up the
skull. This circumstance had made them desist, having
concluded either that they had mistaken the grave, or that
it would required too mach time to overcome this unex-
pected harrier. Of course there can be no direct proof to
inculpate any person in this disgraceful act, but there are
strong suspicions against two individuals, arising out of the
following circumstances :—About one o'clock on Wednes-
day morning, two men, carrying a bag, and having appa-
rently something else of a bulky nature below their clothes,
and accompanied by two ©eskers' dogs, were taken over in
the ferry-boat. On arriving at the oilier side, they called
at a public-house, and took with them a gill of whisky in
a bottle, stating that they were going to the Aliens fo'pur.
chase a calf, and that they were to call at the church-yard
in passing, to give a glass of spirits to some people who
were there watching. On the mistress of the house say-
ing that it was rather an early hoer to, purchaee cattle, one
of them exclaimed, " 0, we'd buy you too if you. like."
We may remark, that there was no'watching in the church-
yard that night, nor has been any for years. About five
o'clock the same morning, these two individuals, having
no calf; but with their bag and dogs, were detected by a
fisherman in taking off his boat to row themselves over to
the other side, fearing doubtless again to encounter the
ferryman, —Aberdeen Chronicle.

THE ARMY.

REDUCTION OF THE AIIIATIA.

The followiv Circular Letter has been transmitted
from thu WarzOlllce to the Colonels of Militia

Regiments

ClRCtif,An.

WAR-01,1+1(T, J AN. :31.

SIR—In reference to my Circular of the
relating to the proposed Reductions in the Staff of
Militia Regiments, I have the honour td request
that you ---..----, will cause the following muse
of proceeding to be observed :
In case the Paymaster should accept the leave of
absence allowed on the occasion, he will transfer to
the Adjutant the balance remaining in his hands,
after adjusting his accounts to such day as they
may determine upon for their mutual convenience;
from which day the pecuniary concerns of the corps
are to be conducted by the Adjutant, who will pre-
pare estimates at the usual periods, and will receive
from this Office forms of bills for drawing upon the
Paymaster-General.
The bonds of the Paymaster and his sureties will
be given up on the final settlement of the accounts
with the War-Office, should the proposed arrange-
ment be confirmed by Parliament. It is not intended
to require the Adjutant to give security.
Should the Surgeon wish to remove from the
head-quarters, the sick men are to be placed under
the care of a medical practitioner residing on the
spot, who will receive for medicines and attendance
two-pence per week for each non-commissioned
officer and drummer permanently retained on the
establishment of the corps, being the same rate as
that which is allowed to such prattitioners for de-
tachments of the line consisting of less than fifty
men. It will, of course, be proper that an agree-
ment for a specific period be entered into with the
local practitioner, terminable in all cases on the re-
moval of the depot to any other place.
The Quarter-Master will deliver up the regi-
mental stores to the Adjutant, who will, in the per-
formance of the Quarter-Master's duty, be assisted
by one of the sergeants of the establishment, to
which sergeant the additional pay of four-pence per
diem will be allowed.

The transfer of the regimental stores from the
Quarter-Master to the Adjutant will be made in the
presence of a third person, to he appointed by you
--, who will, on behalf of the regiment, as-
certain that the number of articles transferred corre-
sponds with the inventories at head-quarters in pos-
session of the Quarter-Master. The Adjutant and
the Quarter-Master will sign the inventory of the
stores actually delivered over, specifying the defi-
ciencies, if any should exist, confirmed by the sig-
nature of the person appointed by you --;
one return will be sent to the War-Office, another
given to the Quarter-Master, and a third be retained
at head-quarters.

It is intended to submit to Parliament that allow-
ances he granted to certain classes of Paymasters,
Surgeons, and Quarter-Masters, according to the
service they may have performed in the embodied
Militia, viz.:—

To Paymasters who have served as such in the
embodied state, during a period of ten years or
upwards, their present disembodied pay of six
shillings per diem ; during a period of three years and
wider ten years, five shillings per diem ; under three
years, four shillings per di,;sn.
To Paymasters of cu:ps of less than three com-
panies, who have served as such in the embodied
state ten years or upwards, their present disem-
bodied pay office shillings, or four shillings, per diem,
according to the establishment of the corps. When
the present pay is five shillings a-day, and the em-
bodied service from three to ten years, four shillings
and sixpence per diem ; under three years, three
shillings and sixpence per diem. When the present
pay is four shillings, and the embodied service from
three to ten pears, three shillings and sixpence per
diem ; under three years, three shillings per diem.
To Surgeons who have served as such in the
embodied state, during a period of ten years or up-
wards, their present disembodied pay of six shil-
lings per diem; during a period of three years and
less than ten years, five shillings per diem ; under
three years, four shillings per diem.
To Surgeons appointed to the situation since the
period of their regiments being disembodied, but
who were then serving as assistant-surgeons, and had
served as such in the embodied state, ten years or
upwards, five shillings per diem ; from three to ten
years, four shillings Per diem ; under three years,
three shillings and sixpence per diem.

To Quarter-Masters who have served as such in
the embodied state ten years or upwards, their pre-
sent pay of five shillings per diem; from three to
ten years, three shillings and sixpence per diem ;
under three years, three shillings per diem.
To Quarter-Masters appointed to the situation
since the regiment was disembodied, but whe served
ten years as sergeants in the embodied state, the
disembodied allowance of an Ensign, namely, two
shillings per diem.
Paymasters and Quarter-Masters appointed to
these situations since their corps were disembodied,
but who at that period were serving as Lieutenants,
or Ensigns, with the regiment in its embodied state,
will revert to the disembodied allowances of those
ranks respectively.
I have to add, that the officers receiving the
several allowances above specified, will be considered
liable, as in the case of subalterns of militia receiving
disembodied pay, to join their regiments when called
upon ; but will be entirely relieved from duty with
the permanent staff.
It is not the intention of his 'Majesty's Govern-
ment to propose any retired allowances to indivi-
duals who have been appointed since the militia was
disembodied, other than those above specified. The
usual pay will be granted to all classes until the 24th
June next.

With regard to the non-commissioned officers, it
is deemed advisable, as already notified to you, that
no sergeants, in contemplation of the proposed re-
daction, should be discharged with a view to be
pensioned, until the proposed reduction has been
laid before Parliament; but as it may tend to the
convenience of these individuals to be informed, as
early as possible, of the probable rates of pension to
which they may be entitled in consideration of their
services, I have to state, that sergeants, having com-
pleted twenty years service, and being sixty years (If
age, will come under the rate of pension of one
shilling a day.
Corporals and drummers having served twenty
years as corporals or drummers, will on reduction re-'
ceive the pension office-pence per day.
Any further details resulting from the proposed
measure, will form the subject of a special reference
to the War-Office, on each case as it arises.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient humble Servant,
(signed) 11. lIARDINGE.

Viscount Holmesdalc, it is said, will be re-
nrned for the borough of East Grinstead.

SKAITING-ST. JAMES'S CANAL-THE

SERPENTINE.

These fine pieces Of water were yesterday throng-
ed with skaiters ; St, James's Canal, in particular,
towards three o'clock became crowded, scarcely six
yards of ice in any part remaining for ten minutes
without an occupant. In the course of the afternoon
a dense body of people, skaiters as well as sliders,
ladies as well as gentlemen, kept pressing tip towards
the island near Buckingham Palace, where taco or
three of the eognosenti were figuring away to great
advantage, in consequence of which undue pressure,
the ice In that part gave one long tremendous clack,
when a scene of confusion ensued highly ridiculous and
diverting, But it was on the Serpentine that the most
picturesque appearance was presented, 'I be ice was
far from crowded, and was consequently in capital
condition. The previous thaw had melted the rough
surface occasioned by the snow, and the ensuing hard
frost had reduced it to one uniform sheet of unbroken
ehryital glass, on which mitht be seen, scattered in
groupes of two Or three, some of the very best skaiters
in all Londdn, among whOni we recognised Mr.
Byng, Captain Montague, Mr. Dering, and Captain
King. The scene in the immediate neighbourhood
of the river was exceedingly beautiful. The gleam-
ing white bridge at the further end, backed by
the majestic trees of Kewington Gardens, whose
boughs were slightly tinselled with hoar frost—
the gay grouper of pedestrians wandering up
and down the banks on either side--the gorgeous
cavalcade of carriages—and the gradually-sloping
hill that loads down to the water's edge from Cum-
berland-gate, thickly studded with pedestrians, all
verging to one common centre of attraction ; these,
together with the waterman's booths, which afforded
no indistinct likeness of a village winter fair-day,
such as a Flemish artist would love to paint—gave
to Hyde Park an interest of a picturesque and un-
common character. The day was in unison with
the scene, and the majority of the skaiters, actuated
by the cheering air and sunshine, no less than by the
generous health imparted by the exercise, seemed re-
solved
to do their best, as the numel MIS Spread- ,
eagles, figures of Three and Eight, and that fine un-
dulating motion, the Roll, abundantly testified.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

TATTERSA LL'S.

The Dewily betting wee tolerably brisk yestetday, Prince
Eugene, Post Obit, Electress, and Espagnolle, being se-
verally backed to a considerable ailment ; lot there was
no change of place in consequence. Vat na took Green
Maude's position as first favourite for the Oaks, owing to
two of the loathing speculators having laid out 500/. to
600/. on her. The only Leger bet we heard was 95 to 1
agst Stotforth. The following were the closing odds :

RIDULESW
3 to 1 agst Mr. Batson's Luss filly (taken)
7 to 2 agst Mr. Hunter's Canvass colt (taken)
4 to 1 agst Duke of Rutland's Brother to Moses
5 to 4 the field apt two (taken)
DERBY.

13 to 1 agst 11L•. Hunter's Canvass colt (taken)
11 to 1 agst Duke of Rutland's Br. to Moses .
15 to I agst Mr. Pettit's Post Obit (Posthuma) (taken)
16 to I agst His Majesty's Eleetress colt (taken)
16 to 1 aget Lord G. Cavendish's Espagnolle c.
16 to 1 agat Lord Slixo's Prince Eugene (taken)
17 to 1 agat Lord Sefton's Morris Dancer
IS to 1 agst Lord Jersey's Will-o'-the-wisp
No others backed.
OAKS.
7 to 1 agst Lord Exeter's Varna (taken)
7 to 1 agst Lord Exeter's Green Mantle
10 to 1 agst Mr. Batson's Limn filly (taken)
11 to I agst Mr. Bidsdale's Clotilde
16 to I agat Lord Sligo's Vat (taken)
16 to 1 apt Mr. Payne's Quadrille filly
21) to 1 aget any other.

HUNTING INTELLIGENCE.
APPOINTMENTS FOR THIS WEER.
HIS Majesty's Stag-hounds have not yet resumed the
pleasures of the chase ; they are expected to meet on Mott •
day next, at Ascot Heath.
The Worcestershire Fox-hounds, on Tuesday, at Hal •
low; and Friday, at Bredon-hill—at half-past ten.
Mr. Dansey'a Hounds, on Monday, at Thruxton ; and
Thursday, at Berrington—at ten.
The Gransden Houndr, on Monday, at Toaeland ; and
Friday, at Whadilon—at ten.
The Royston Harriers, on Tuesday, at Meldreth ; and
Thursday, at Sandon Cat—at half-past ten.
The Brighton Harriers, on Monday, at Patchsm ; Wed-
nesday, near the Race Course ; and Friday, at the Dyke—
at half-past ten.
The Brookside Harriers will continue to meet every
Monday, at Newmarket ; Wednesday, at the Lewes Race
Course ; and Friday, at Tellencembe Tye—at half-past ten.
The Anglesea Hounds, on Monday, at Nantonag ; and
Wednesday, at Gaerwen Mill—at half-past ten.
The Blacknsoor Vale Hounds, on Tuesday, at Stourton
Inn; and Friday, at Stalhridge-park—at ten.
Mr. Lester's Harriers, on Wednesday, at Corfe-hills ;
and Saturday, at Mr. Clapeott's Farm—at half-past ten.
Mr. Pleydell'e Roc-buck-hounds, on Tuesday, at High
Wood, near Charborough—at eleven.
Sir John Cope's Hounds, on Monday, at the Black
Norse, Caversham ; Wednesday, at the Blade Bone, Buckle-
bury; and Friday, at Englefield—at half-past ten.
The Craven Hounds, on Monday, at Lye Hill-gate ;
Tuesday, at Penchese ; Friday, at Stype ; and Saturday,
at Gravel-hill—at hall-past ten.
Lord Anson's Hounds, on Monday, at Princethorpe Vil-
lage ; Wednesday, at Shuckhurgh-hill ; Thursday. at
Bourton ; and Saturday, at the Black Dog—at half-past ten.
Mr. Meynell's Hounds, on Monday, at Hoarcroas ; Thurs-
day, at Calke Abbey; and Saturday, at 13agot's-park—at
half-past ten.
Sir Richard Sutton's Hounds, on Monday, at Burton
Kennel ; Tuesday, at Revesby Village; Wednesday, at
Gautby Park ; Thursday, at Welton Mill and Swallow-
beck ; and Saturday, at Tothill Wood and Stapleford Moor
—at eleven.
Lord Yarborough's Hounds, on Monday, at Ayleshy
Village; Wednesday, at Fox Dales; Friday, at Buxton
Wood ; and Saturday, at rye-ball—at eleven.
The Shropehire Hounds, on Monday, at Shawbury
Village; Wednesday, at Pethian's-gate ; Friday, at the
Fox, Albrighton ; and Saturday, at Attingham--at half-
past ten.
Lord Scarborough's Fox-hounds, on Monday, at Sand-
beck-park; Wednesday, at Aston-hall ; Friday, at the
Grove; and Saturday, at Langold—at half-past ten.
The 13adswotth Fox-hounds, on Tuesday, at Cusworth ;
Thursday, at Bolton-bridge; and Saturday, at Notton Vil-
lage—at half-past ten.
General Wm. Fitzroy's Honnds, on Monday, at Mr.
Abbott's, Wicken Castle Acre ; Wednesday, at Beetly ;
and Friday, at West Lexham—at eleven.
Mr. H. Villebois's Harriers, on Tuesday, at Oxbrirgh
Ferry ; Thursday, at Foulden Common ; and Saturday, at
Swaffhatn Race Course—at eleven.
Sir Geo. Siterell's Fox-hounds, on Tiieialay, at Hollin.
wood Common ; and Thursday, at Mosbro' Moor at ten.
The Westacte Stag-hounds, on Monday, at Swaffhani
Race Course ; and Friday, at Necton Tuns—at half-past
ten.

The Qnorn Hounds, on Monday, at Steward Hay's
House ; Tuesday, at Cotes-turnpike ; Thursday, at Great
Dalby ; and Friday, at Huntley Park—at half-past ten.
Earl of Derby's Stag-hounds, on Tuesday, at Hay's
Common ; and Friday, at Epsom Down—at ten.
H. Jolliffe, Esq.'s Fox-hounds, on Wednesday, at Horse
Hilts ; and Saturday, at Kingsvvoed-gate—at eleven.
The Surrey Fox-hounds, on Thursday, at Limpsfield ;
and Saturday, at Crown Ash--hill—at half past ten.
The H. H. on Tuesday, at Hinton ; Thnreoay, at Afed •
steel-green ; and Saturday, at Abbotedon Down—at tea.
The Hanibledon Fox-hounds, on Monday, at Berry
Lodge ; Wednesday, at Winter's Hill Common; and Fri-
day,.
at Owseibury Down—at half-past ten. t
Mr. Nicoll's Hounds, on Wednesday, at Picked Pest ;
and Friday, at Heathy Dilton.
Mr. Wickatead's Fox-hounds, on Wednesday, at Heleigh
Castle ; and Saturday, at Seighferd—at half-past ten.
The Marquis of Cleveland's Fox-hounds, on Wednesday,
at Scotton ; Friday, at Pepper-hall ; and Saturday, at
Norton Conyers—at eleven.
The Larnbton Fox-hounds, on Monday, at Shotton ;
Tuesday, at Herrington; Thursday, at Stone-bridge-house;
and Friday, at Chester-le-street—at ten.
Mr. Atisheton Smith's Hounds, on Tuesday, at South-
grove; and Friday, at Amport-green—at eleven.
The Conock Harriers; on Monday, at Ell Barron; and
Friday, at Hasking's Penning—at eleven.

A Touch MORSEL.---_A French writer,
speaking of the relative situation of England and Ireland,
says that the larger island devoured the smaller, bet has
never been able to digest it !--,Literary Gazette.

SPIRIT OF I'l-IL LONDoN JOURNALS.

The information which we are going to com-
municate will be found more than amusing. It
is, perhaps, only gossip, but gossip which has
relation to an affair of vital interest partakes of
the importance of the main subject. It is, we
believe, about two months since the Duke of
Wellington first resolved upon effecting that
measure with which, ere long, " Europe will
ring from side to tide." Of course the deter-
mination must be iimptuted to a certain person
first
inthe
e-
as o to concession.
Cabinet,'t)t 'fluecommunicationmeasure
'bdl y e ic,urse
hos
n i
ved ; '' but
could not he (the unwilling member) be allowed
ictel
to
)? retire, :andfra while, till
then n:ihtetedi
A substitute,
ad inte;'im, might be found in the Huskissonian
half pit list, of whom it would be easy to get
rid alierwarda, as his Grace knew by experience."
The insidious proposition was declined by the
straight-finvard soldier. '' No, if I, who was
())mes:i.,s' m,3ll;ilh,..,ool:lltico,sitettlot(LCl:lititLioolliilcisecoit,tievession as
ter for eonsieteney from a sense of the dangers
likely t" be produced by the rejection of the Ca-
tholic clai!ns, why should not you ?'' Why [his
fineueing ? Vte question was one of difficult
solution, and we suppose remained untresolved.
In the mean time, the wary ones are beginning
,t,o:}e) fidi waw,•ie
trihieacylitu
jstelmso homely n expression,ps.TlieaspiteiiDea
Dean
who o
very question, i
siailitstditrio
to have itaveC,lning
leeledlT l
this :to
the right about," as if by military command. It
will be amusing to observe in what manner the
clergy will come round ; but come round they
will, and most. For ourselves, we are ready to
avow our admiration of the. energy and firmnesa
of character which, despising puny cavils, at
length brings the United Kingdom within view
of' internel peace and concord.--Times.
Our conviction has often been expressed, that
uo individual, under the existing Jaw, could sit
or vote in either Howie of Parliament without
having taken those preliminary oaths which no
Roman Catholic can venture to swear without
abjuring his religiosi. It is true that our wishes".
were as strong in favour of the right as was Cl;Pr
persuasion against the possibility of its exercise.
If the right existed, the dispute between Catho-
lic and Orangemen was at an end, for emancipa-
tion would in that min have been already car--
ried. Had the right existed. it would in the
course of an entire century, from the Scottish to
the Irish Union, by eome one Catholic, in Great
Britain or Ireland, have, without doubt, been
asserted and enjoyed. Had the Irish Act of
Union conveyed or recognized such it tight, it
would have been asserted during
sonic one
of the 27 or 28 years which lave €1!-11)"(1
since the passing of that measure, and th"
opportunity would not have been delayed
until the late period of the recent Clare
election. These, however, are but the !ea".
sonings of plain and unlearned common
sense. The question of the power to enforce
the taking of the oaths of allegiance and su-
premacy before the Lord Steward or his deputy,
aacgnd t
oamiiimog
stoetntshe
transubstantiation,
the said
s'ettatnhtelastipoe,l oaths the declaration
a,
k i s thein theH House of
as
necessary elements to the qualification ofa mem-
ber of Parliament before he can sit, or debate,
or vote,—this question must be determined by
some authority more technical and indisputable
than a deduction of plain reason. Mr. Charles
Butler, a lawyer of reputation, and a Catholic,
came out soon after the Clare election, with an
argument on the effect of the several atatutcs
prescribing the oaths to be taken by Members of
Parliament, to prove that a Roman Catholic,
elected for Clare, could enforce his privileges as
a Member without taking the anti-Catholic oaths,
This construction of the law met lent little mutt,
tenance from the public ; and as no paniphlets
were written in opposition to that of Mr. But-
ler, the general indifference, or slight, Ivith
which the Learned Gentleman's doctrine was
received, appeared to the more sanguine of the
Catholics a proof that nothing could be ed.
vanced in the nature of a successful reply W
his opinion. That we thought otherwise, is of
little moment ; but it may be of' some im-
portance to make known that a pamphlet has at
length been printed and circulated amongst the
author's friends, though not published, which,
so far as a faithful recital of the acts of Parlia-
ment, and a clear and intelligible construction
of them. can go towards overturning a plausible,
though perverse error, seems completely to
settle the question of any man taking his seat in
rarliamemt without having previously sworn and
signed the oaths and declarations which are ina
variably subscribed to members of the imperial
Legislature. When we say that this little pante
phlet is attributed to Mr. Sugden, we have
perhaps said enough in its recommendation as .
the work of a sound and well-informed lawyer.
The leatoed gentleman begins by stating, briefly
and decidedly, his opinion that " no person
can sit or vote in the House of Commons"
without having first " taken" to the Lord
Steward the oaths complained of by the Catho-
lics, and having afterwards signed before the
Speaker, while the House is sitting, the decla-
ration against transubstantiation, besides repeat-
ing the oaths of allegiance and supremacy. The
pamphlet next proceeds to recite the several
acts—ht, as they affected Great Britain before
the Union ; 2d, Ireland before the Union ; 3d,
as they affect the Parliament of the United
Kingdom. We have not room to follow the
author throughout his full recitals and his pithy
commentaries ; but merely add, that after
establishing beyond all cavil the validity
of the obligation to take the disputed oaths,
&c., in Great Britain, from the 30th year of
Charles 11. down to the union with Ireland, the
author extracts from the Act of Union itself the
following lucid passage, viz, And " every one
of the Lords of Parliament of the United King-
dom, and every Member of the House of Com-
mons of the United Kingdom, in time first and
all succeeding Parliaments, shall, until the Par-
liament of the United Kingdom shall otherwise
provide, take the oaths, and make and subscribe
the declaration, and take and subscribe the oath
then by law enjoined to be taken, made, and
subscribed, by die Lords and Commons of the
Parliament of Great Britain." If it were neces-
sary to go on, we might quote further to show
that it was made a condition of the Union, by
tl e separate Parliament of both countries, " that
the lake oaths should be taken by every Peer
and Member of the Imperial Parliament." The
oaths to be taken by Members returned from
Ireland, therefore, cannot be different from those
which are enforced upon British Members.—
But it would only waste words to proceed. We
cannot refrain from expressing, on the other
hand, our sanguine hope that the difficulty
arising out of the Clare election will soon be got
rid of, in a manner more satisfactory to our Ca-
tholic fellow-subjects than that which has now,

been explained ; and that an Kt of liberal and
wise conciliation will prevent such controversies
from ever being raised hereafter.—lbid.
A statement has just got into circulation of a
nature so extraordinary, and apparently so im-
probable, that we should have some hesitation
in noticing it, had we not learneu from expe-
rience the truth of the French saying, that "le
vrai n'est pas tozfjours le vraisemblable." We
by no means intend to pledge ourselves for the
accuracy of the statement in question, but we
shall give it in the ipsi.csirrta versa that we have
heard used in one of the very citadels of Ultra-
Toryism ; while the lugubrious solemnity that
accompanied the communication, and the lu-
dicrous apprehensions which it cecited, were un-
impetchable evidences of the. sincerity of the
orator and the conviction of his audience. The
prediction may, to be sure, prove to be what is
called in the polite vocabulary of St. James's a
mystification,-and in the more liceiely dialect of
St. Giles's a hoax ; but that it circulates in high
places, without contradiction, we have the evie
dence of our own senses. This extraordinary
intelligence was conveyed in the following words :
—" So then it is ail up ; a motion is to be made
immediately after the opening of the Sessioa, by
the Duke of Wellington, for leave to bring in a
Bill to relieve the Catholics from certain Disabi-
lities en certain conditions ; and the motion is to
be seconded by the Right Reverend Father in
God the Lord Bishop of London. I wish them
joy of their conversion." It was further added,
that the Bill was already prepared under the eye
of an eminent champion of the High Church
Party, and had been submitted to the conside-
ration of his Grace the Archbishop of Canter-
bury. Such is the report, and we must again
caution our readers that we pledge ourselves for
nothing beyond the accuracy with which we re-
peat the words we have heard used. Should
the prediction be verified by the event, we shall
bless ourselves, and exclaim—

" arum quod prornittere Nein()
Anderet, volvenda Dies en attulit nitro."
',Morning Chronicle.]
The very highest legal authorities in this
country have, we understand, pronounced in
favour of the right of Mr. O'Connell to sit in
Parliament without taking the obnoxious oath.
ha-ee the authority of a gentleman of the
highest honour for stating, that he lately heard
James Scarlett decline, that after giving the
fullest consideration to the question, examining
the various Acts of Parliament bearing on it, and
the opinions of Mr. Charles Butler, Baron Dil-
lon, &c., he was thoroughly satisfied that Mr.
O'Connell was entitled to take his seat without
the oath. It is somewhat singular that the gen-
t loman to whom we are indebted for our infor-
mation heard Sir James deliver a different opi-
nion about a month ago, so that his preposses-
sions would seem to have pointed to an opposite
conclusion from that to which he has been led
by more deliberate inquiry and careful considera-
tion of the law of the case. The opinion deli-
vered by Sir James as to the most eligible course
of procedure for Mr. O'Connell to adopt, was
also communicated to us ; but that we shall not
now allude to. We have heard lately other
lawyers, of minor eminence, give their opinion
that Mr. O'Connell had a much better case than
was generally thought of. We should be dis-
posed to infer from this, that the profession are
awaie of the opinions of their leaders. In the
course of yesterday, before we knew that Sir
James Scarlett had delivered the above opinion,
a Barrister of considerable practice observed to
s, that O'Connell had a good case.--/bid.
The two Frenchmen so very improperly con-
victed, at the Westminster Sessions, of an at-
tempt to commit an unnatural offence, and son-
enced to a long imprisonment, have obtained a
free pardon. A contemporary (the Times)
says, that « the pardon was grounded on the
objectionable manner in which the case went to
the Jury." As it is proper that every Magis-
trate should have credit of his own works, we
ought to mention that the Magistrate who acted
as Chairman on the occasion was Mr. iNlarriott.
We know that some of the Magistrates who
were on the Bench with him were quite thun-
derstruck on hearing the charge, and equally so
ou hearing the verdict of the Jury. It is
but justice to acknowledge the attention
which Mr. Peel instantly bestowed on the
case when it was brought before him, and the
promptitude with which Mr. Phillips, the
Under Secretary, interposed his authority with
the gaoler, !to obtain the instantaneous lihe-
ration of the noor foreigners, who must
otherwise have remained three days longer in
prison, till the formalities were gone through:—
The unfortunate men were exceedingly affected
by the announcement of their pardon. They
certainly have had a most narrow escape. A
contemporary (the Globe) some time ago ob-
served, with reference to some remarks of ours
on the mode of conducting trials in England,
that though guilt frequently escaped, there was
a general persuasion that the innocent were sel-
dom found guilty. We believe that, in
weighty crimes, the innocent are seldom
convicted, and that the guilty often escape.—
But we believe also, that in those extensive
classes of trials in which prisoner and prosecutor
are both on trial great injustice is very frequently
done. When a thief is prosecuted for pick-
ing a pocket, for pilfering, or robbing, an
acquittal conveys no imputation against the
prosecutor, and it is known that evidence
is frequently kept back from a variety of
causes. But when a charge of rape is brought
forward, or an attempt to commit all unnatural
offence, an acquittal is a sentence of condemna-
tion against the prosecutor; and it is here that
Juries and weak Judges are particularly to be
dreaded. The Juries too frequently, when an
offence is odious, instead of exacting a more
rigorous proof, endeavour to show their abhor.
rence of it by-laying hold of almost any evidence
to convict a prisoner. A very able and respect-
able Magistrate, of much experience, assures us
that he has too often witnessed this bias in
Jurors, originating in something like a dread
lest an independent exercise of their judgment
should expose them to a charge of partiality, for
the offences they were trying lead them to.greitt
injustice towards prisoners. These cases require:
the ablest Judges and the most enlightened Ju-
rors ; and they are precisely the....cases which
have generally the worst. Much Wickedness,
malignity, and artifice, are often at the bottom
of the prosecutions, and,}great discernment
and ability to sift evidence are necessary, in order
to decide justly. But these canes are banished
to Sessions, where there is at least as great a
chance of the Magistrates being silly as wise,
and of their setting the Juries wrong as setting
them right. In cases of heavy crimes, the busi-
ness of a Juror and Judge is comparatively easy.
The evidence for the prosecution, except in cases
ofblood-money, now almost unknown, is seldom
chargable with more than the fallibility which
attaches to all testimomy.. The corpus delicti is