The Sun.
London, England, 1829-02-18 00:00:00

instance of religious persecution on. the Continent
for the last 80 or 90 years. The very idea of reli-
gious persecution has become obsolete on the Con-
tinent. And yet day after day we are edified 1)
the recital of events long gone by, as if they Into
been only enacted yesterday. This is as absurd ss
if the Catholics of the Continent were to be per-
petually holding op the persecutions in Scotland be-
fore the Revolution, to make the people Episco-
palians, as an incontrovertible proof of the persecut-
ing character of the Church of England. There is
not a single Protestant Sect, with the exception of
the Independents and Unitarians, which has not
adopted the Catholic principle with respect to
Heresy. The Pope excommunicated Luther, Luthei
excommunicated Calvin, and Calvin burnt Servetus
as he would have burnt Luther if he had been able
to do so. In almost all the Protestant confessions,
to tolerate error, is accounted a heinous sin. To
the honour of the Catholics, it must be admitted
that they set the first example of relia-ious toleration
in Europe. When a Prince went over to the Pro-
testant tteligior, he considered himself entitled to
force his subjects to reform then:selves—that is,
either to embrace the religion of the Prince or to
quit his territory. The Emperor Maximilian,
so early as 1568 and 1569, so far deviated
from the prevailing intolerance of that day, that
he publicly conceded to the Nobles and Eques-
trian order in his hereditary dominions, that they
mud the persons on their estates might enjoy the
exercise of their religion freely and openly in their
houses, and on their lands, in such a manner, how-
ever, that " they and their ministers, preachers,
church officers, and persons having the cure of
souls, should not hold up to contempt and ridicule
the old Catholic religion, and those who professed
it, whether of high or low degree, nor attack them
with abusive epithets, nor persecute any one spiri-
tually or temporally on their estates on account of
religion, nor levy money from them, except in the
ordinary course of law," &c. The Catholic Go-
vernments appear to no disadvantage when com-
pared with Protestant Governments of that age;
and in this respect justice is seldom done them.
Earl Grey made an excellent speech in answer to
some allusions of Lord Falmouth to a former speech
of his Lordship :—" He admitted that he thought
the other House of Parliament might be improved,
and that a reform in it to a certain extent was ne-
cessary ; yet he never had thought that it was not,
even as now constituted, naturally influenced by the
opinions of the people; and thinking so, he thought
its votes on this question might be taken as a re-
presentation of the opinions of the country. He
did not suppose their Lordships to be influenced
in the same degree as the other branch of
the Legislature ; and the Noble Lord had quoted
the majority of 1812, which was one, and the ma-
jority the last time the question was brought forward,
which was 45, against the question ; and the Noble
Lord had adverted to the introduction into their
Lordships' House of some new Peers, favourably
disposed to the Catholics, and had drawn the in-
fereuce that the cause was now less favourably re-
ceived by their Lordships than formerly. The Noble
Lord had forgotten, apparently, that between 1627
and 1807 nearly sixty new Peers had been created,
most of whom were unfavourable to the Catholics ;
and if this increase were taken into consideration, it
would appear that the opposition to the Catho-
lics had not increased but decreased. He was re-
minded, too, that the majority of the Peers cry ated
in 1827 was not in favour of the Catholics." What
argument can be more convincing than this ? Neitlur
the Lords nor the Commons can he said to represent
correctly the opinions of the people; but of the two
the Commons must represent them most accurately,
and it is in the Commons where the advocates of
concession always prevail. Lord Grey also exposed,
with great force, the absurdity of those who pretend
a regard for the Duke of Wellington's Govern-
ment, anti yet would put an end to it, without
being able to replace it by any Administiation not
pledged to support the Catholic Claims. "It was
not possible (lie said) to find any man so bold as to
undertake to conduct the Government and preserve
the Constitution, if the Question was not settled."
Lord Grey was followed by the Duke of Welling-
ton, who exposed very happily the absurdity of
having the House of Commons of one opinion, the
House of Lords of another, and the Government of
no opinion at all. He adverted, too, to the silly
argument of intimidation, which Lord Darnley after-
wards observed was very inconsistently urged by
the Earl of Falmouth and Co., who, if they were
seeking anything, were seeking to intimidate the
Government. Really when one considers the men
who are HOW taking the lead in opposing the Go-
vernment, and the wretched figure they cut, the
astonishment is that they receive any countenance at
all. There is not a man assiong them to whom the
country would entrust the management of a parish
vestry. ..,--Morning Chronicle.

Though we cbould be unwilling to stop the cur-
rent of public benevolence, when properly directed
or justly called upon, there are, on the other hand,
it is quite clear, occasions when the public are called
upon to subscribe to objects, with which they have
either no manner of concern, or for which there are
aderieete means already. Of this latter description,
we cannot heh) thinking, is the subscription which
is now solicited for tire repair of York Minster—the
recent conflagration of which must be deplored by
eery one, both as a national calamity, and one
proof, e.mong too many, of the mischief which false
arid enthusiastic notions in religion produce in minds
to which they are hut too artfully and successfully
directed. Yet, feelieg every degree of regret both
at tire cause and the consequences, we feel con-
vinced, too, that the public at large have no more to
do with the rebuilding of York Cathedral than with
Covent•garden or Drury-lane playhouse. Let not
our elsrical readers suppose that we mean by this
any compueieon between these places : what we
mean is, that, bath cases, the owners possessed
the funds which would effect the object without any
public aid. It is well known thet tbe revenues of
the 14a0 of York are enormous, as well its those of
the Desu es 4 Chapter, These, we contend, are as
much the natura yeeourees to look to upon the occa-
sion, as those of the Dukes of Northumberland or
Bedford would be, if a siiritir caiereity were to befall
Alnwiek Castle or Woburn Abbey. And, if the
sacrifice were thought too great to call upon the pre,
sent occupants of th Cathedral revenues to sustain,
where would be the him,' if t)tose of a neighbouring
diocese were brought in aid, and :f the next golden
Prebendary of Durham which falls vecaat zhould be
set apart for this laudable object.— Atornim Herald.
The whimsical termination of the case between
the Marquis of Camden and the Earl of Belfast, at
Maelborough-street, is a very striking practical illus-
tration of the luminous administration of the law at
Police-offices. Raw was a case which, however
high the rank of the titigetinsi• parties, was but a
simple information under the litui,4lipg Act. The
question turned upon the point, whether a well di-
viding the premises of the two Noblemen, and in
which Lord Behest opened a window that over-
looked the premises of the Noble complainant, was
a party wall or a fence wall. w;tkin the meaning of
the Act of Parliament—to decide which, nf course
the construction of eel-tale parts of the Act carne
into consideration. To assist the judgments of the
Magistrates in explaining the language of the Legis-
luture, two able Barristers were engaged—expe-
rienced builders were called in to give their evidence
as to wheth;a the wall was properly designated by
one name or the other, After a great deal of time
had been consumed in the inquiry, and, no doubt, a
great deal of money—after the lawyers had ex-
hnusted their arguments, anti their clients had
pretty nearly expended all their patience, the Ma-
gistrates took time to consider their judgment.
They cast up the legal points and the opinioes of
the " scientific" witnesses on both sides, and at
length it was announced that they had come to a
decision. Big with expectation, the uttornies for
both parties hastened to the police-office to receive
the important judgment which was to fix for ever
the " proper name" of the hitherto non-descript