Star.
London, England, 1807-05-07 00:00:00

THE SHORT PARLIAMENT!

THE Public are refpeafully informed, that a ficv
Copies remain unfold of the BIOGRAPHICAL. INDEX to
THIS REMARKABLE PARLIAMENT; and the Work may
be had of all refpettable Boakfellcrs, price Half o-Ouinea in boards,
or Eleven Shillings in red.
Betides Biographical Notices of the Members of the SNORT
PARLIAMENT, till+ Work contains corredt Nformatinn relative to
the dative Franchilc, number and defcriptioU of Voters, prepoo-
derating Influence, returning Officer, Sec. &c. &c. of every placi
which returns Members to Parliament.

THE CANADAS.
This day were publithed, in a fplendid and very large Volume, in
(taros, illustrated with 30 copperplates, engrave.l from original
drawings taken oa the fpot by the Author, price al. ism. boards,
TRAVELS through the CANADAS, containing
a defcription of the piattrefque feenery on fame of the tit-
vets and Lakes, with an account of the prodn.ftions, Commerce,'
and inhabitants of thnfe Provinces ; to which is fabjoined a cons-
, parative view of the inaunersaml cottonss of forcral of the Indian
nations of North and South America.
By °HORDE HERIOT, Efq.
Deputy Pollmafter-General of Britih North America, &a he.
Printed for Richard Phillips, No. 6, Bridge-Rivet, Blackfriars,
and to be bad of all Bookfellers.
N.B. A few copies of the plates which have been beautifully ea-
loured in the nianner of the original drawings, ha4e been done up
'ln a feparate atlas, and the work, with this elegant ac:ompaniment,
way be had at 'f twee Uuioeas and a Half per copy.

•0.

POI PROMOTING
CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE.

The above Society havit,g IA week publithed an
Adverrifement, which has called forth a letter from
Lord GR eI4VILLII; and the whole being at the pre,
fent Moment extremely interefting, they are here
rubjnined ;
-Bartlet's buildinp,A pril aB, tf107.-..-At a very numerous Genera
Meeting of •he Society for Promoting Cbrittlan Knowledge. The
Society for Promoting Chriftian Knoylpdge, having in the year
1790. when an attempt was mule to pro-cdre the repeal of the Cor
isoration and Tea Adts come forwird with a public declaration
of their fentiments, on that inttrefting «cation, think it highly ex-
pedient to follow that precedent, at this analugous and molt criti-
cal juncture.
It is therefore unanimoufly refolved, that this Society, impreffed
with the deepeft veneration for the ebaraCter of their Sovereign,
and with the firmereft gratitude for the firtnnefs and magnaLimity,
with which he had recently oppofed an innovation hoftile to the
Eftablifbed Church, feel it incumbent on them to ezprefs their
grateful fettle of the Ready perftverance which his Majefty has
uniformly displayed in the defence and prefervation of the Eccle-
gaftical Conftlturion, and to declare their readinefs, on all *cm-
fions. to co-operate with his Majefty, as in duty bound; to the ut
molt of their ability, in the refinance of fuck nseafures as have a
tendency to endanger the invaluable bleffings which that Count-
tusion imparts, or to (obvert thofe principlts, which, happily for
his people, placed his Msjetty's Family on the Throne of this now
United Kingdom.
Refolved alfo, That the above Refolution, figned by the Sere -
tary, be printed in the public Ncwfpapers, and that they be alfo
printed and pub/ifbcd in the Society's next Annual Account of
their proceedings. GEORGE GASKIN, D. D. Sec.

COPY OF A 2.ETTIIR FROM THE RIGHT HON. LORD
GR ENROLLS, TO THE SECRETARY OF THE SOCIETY'
FoR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN K NO.T LEDGE.
Downing-nrct t, May 2, I 807.
The Society for promoting Christian Knowledse,
of which I am a Member, has thought fit to publith,
during a general eldtion, a refolotio:), declaratory of
its opinion refpdting apolitical THEActITC recently fub-
mitted to Parliament.

That meafure, brought farward for purpofes of
peace, union, and public fecurity, by men who yield
to none of their fellow fubjelts in loyalty to their So-',
vereign, and attachment to the civil and 'religious
Conflitution of their country, is there fligmatized as
hoflile to the Ellablilhed Church and Ecclefiallical
Conflitution of the realm, and as fubverfive of thole
principles which placed his Majelly'• family on the
Britifh Throne.
It is natural for thole whole charaelers are thus
afperfed, to enquire by what tight any perfons have
taken upon themfelves, in the name of fuch a Society,
to give countenance and currency to an injurious and
groundlefs calumny, fabricated for the watchword
of a party, and calculated only to excite and to uphold
popular clamour.
The Society was inflituted, as its annual publica-
tions declare," for the increafe of the knowledge and
practice of our Holy Religion, by the fopport of cha
rity fchools, and by the diaribution of Bibles, prayer
books, and religious traits" Thole who have direc-
ted the prefent proceeding. can bell explain in what
manner Chrillian knowkdge, or Chriflian practice,
will be increafed, by promoting religions animofiries
and civil difcord ; by (lining tip the blind prejudices
and ungovernable parlions of the ignorant ;—and by
circulating amongli our fellow fubjefli, inllead of the
word of truth and charity, the libellous and inflam•
mawy calumnies of eleetioneering contells, and
party violence.
As a Member of the Society, folicitous for the pro-
anntinn of its genuine objeCts, I defite to enter my
difTent to a reit:action purporting to exprefs its una•
nimous opinion. I object to the propriety of its taking
part at all in the political divilions of the country :-
1 objeet to its labouring to extend and prolong thole
divilions with refpeet to a meafure publicly wiaa•
drawn, and of which there is confequently no longer
ary queflion. But molt of all, I object to the trash,
and, may I not add, to the decency, of a cenfure,
which, if it were founded either in jollice or in tea-
fon, would apply to almott ever y deftr iption of public
men, and would even implicate all thole authorities
which are the moll entitled to our refpett and reve-
rence.

If to permit the King's fie,)jeels of all perfuafions
to ferve him in his army, be " an uncnntlitutional
innnvation"—with whom, and when did it originate?
It was firli made the Isw in Ireland fun, teen years
ago, at the exprefs recommendation of the Ctown,
delivered from the Throne by one_of his Majeliyto
prefent Minitters, then Lord Lieutenant of that king-
dom.

If the adoption of a fimilar law in Great Britain
would be " an a 9 of hollility to the I;;lablifitcd
Church," to whom thould that hollility afcribed ?
To thole who now propofed, or to thole who long
ago engaged. for that conceflion ? To the framers
of Lord Holaick's bill, or to th(if: Members and fup.
porters of the prefent Government, who, in the year
1793, gave and authorized that ptumite to the Ca.
'holies of Irel.thd.

If the employment of Catholic officers and Ca-
tholic foldiers in the general krvice of the empire ;
if the permitting them to hol.l and exercife, at his
Majefty's difcretion, all military crmorillions, the
rank and IlatiAl of General tirt excepted ; if the
relieving them in till.; I efpeet from all petialties and
difatilities on account of their religious perfnalions;
if theft things be matter of jolt alarm " to the cc-
ffical cordlituth n of this country," when was
the moment for that alarm? In the year 1804, all
th7s, and mere than thi., was done in an AC pro.
poled by Mr. Pitt, with the concurrence of his coi-
-1 agues now in Adminiflration, palled by the Britifh
Parliament, and fanetioned by his Mrjelly's royal
affeot. That aft legalifed a long lill of military
cammifLons, antecedently granted by his Majelly,
with ;he advice of the falne Minillers; and it enabled
his_Majeliy profpeflively to grant, at his difcretion,
all military courmiffions whatever to Ca holics ; not
indeed to britifh or Irifh Catholics, but to foreign
Catholics; to rwn who owe his Majcil y no allegi.
ante, and who are not even required to dilclaim thole
Tenets which all our fellow Cubjefts of that perfuation
hive folemnly abjured.*
What ground of difference will then remain te;
jullify thefe outrageous calumnies again(' the late
propotal ? Is it that men were permitted to alpire to
the rewards and honours of a profeffion, to the toils
and dangers of which the Legiflature of their coon.
try had long fince invited them ? 'ls it that the fame
indulgences which had been promifed and granted to
Catholics by others, were not withheld by us from
Ptotefiant Diffmters? Or is it, laltly, that we

judged oar own countrymen and fellow fubj
titled, soder bir 1114eflit ericretim, to the fan
dence and favour which Parliament had fo
*vended to foreigners of all nations and aU
lions I

en
' e

And let me further aik—if there coneeffions. all
or any of them, ire fubverfive of the ptinciples fI
46 which placed his Majefly's illuflrieus Houfe upon
the Throne," what is to be Paid of the far more ex•
tenfive indulgences propofed in 18ot, by that great
Minifler now no more, whole name 1 have already
mentioned ? Were his principles alfo fubverfive of the
Eltablifhed Church, andof the Civil Conflitution of the
Monarchy ?—And if he too mull be involved in this,
indifcrirninating and injurious cenfure, what con-
demnation will not thofe men deferve, who. in the
very moment of pretended danger, have advifed his
Majelly to call to his prefent councils, the authors,
the partifans, and the fupporters of Mr. Pitt's plan?
a plan including all that has been now propofed,and
extending very far beyond our meafure.
On the expediency of theft meafureb, Statermeo
may differ. To fligmatife them as hoflile to our,
Ellablifliments, or dangerous to our Conflitution, is
to libel both the Throne and the Parliament—tes
calumniate the exifting laws—and to impute to the
molt confiderable public charaders of our age, both
the living and the dead, principles and purpofes dif
claimed by themfelves, and contradicted by the whole
tenor of their lives. It is for the Society to confider
whether fu. :h a conduit be confonant to the charader
which i befit, tlicna tr maintain, or in any ...Antic/
conducive to the oLjeils of a chariiable and religious
inflitution. I have the honour to be, etc.

(Signed) CR60111..1;11.
The Rev. G. Catkin, D. D. Secretary to the
Society for promoting Chrifihn Knowledge.
• Errata of an AQ for enabling &lec:to of Foreign States to
tnlift as Soldi:rs in Lis Majetty's Service, and for enabling his
Majeity to grant Coniniiffinns is Subjeds of Foreign States to
terve 3a Officers or as Engineers, under certain Reftrietions;

and to indemnify all perfons who may have advifed his Majeity
to enlift any fuch Soldiers, or grant aey Inch Comntiffions as
atotefaid. [,4th July, 1804
Whereas it bath been deemed expedient by his 7 j efiy, in.or
der to provide in the fpeediett manlier for the be,ter defence' and
greater lecurity of the United Kingdom, in the indent important
jundtnre of affairs, to permit certain Foreinners,now in Great 13ri-
taM, to Witt as Soldiers into his M..jelty's fervice, and fur the
better difciplining of fuch foldiers, to form them into regiments,
battalions, or corps, and to grant commiffions or letters of fervice
therein, to ce.tain foreign Officers acquainted with their manners
and language ; and it may be expedient, during the confirm '
ante of the prefent war, to augment fuck regiments, battalions or
corps, and to form ether regiments, battalions, or corps, and
In enlift as foldiers to terve therein refpedtively fuch other In-
reigners as (ball be willing to enlift themfelvcs in his Majetty's
fervice; and alto to citable his Majefty to grant eornmilfions or
letters of fervice to Foreign Officers therein ; and it is proper that
all perfuns who (hall or may have ativited his Majefty to enlift
fuch foldiers,and to grant fuck commiffions or letters of fervice as
affirefaid, Mould be indemnified; and it is neceffary that quarters
mould be provided for fuch regiments, battalions, or corps, during
their continuance in any part of the United Kingdom : lie it there.
fore enacted by the King', moll Excellent Majelly, by and with
the advice and content of the Lords Spiritual and tempnral, and
Commons, in this preterit Parliament allembled, arid by the &who-
rey of the tone, that all fuck foreign haters as have been already
enlilted into his Majefty's fer Ace, and form-el Into regiments,
battalions, or corps, as aforefaist, (ball be deemed and taken
to have been and to be legally and effedlually enlifted and
formed ; and all Inch commiffions or letters of fervice as have
been already granted by his Majefty to any foreign officers in fuch
regiments, battalions, or corps, (hall be deemed and taken to have
been and to be legally and effeCtually granted, and (ball remain
and continue in force in like Manner in all refpcdts as if filch fel-
diers had been etililted and formed, and fuck cornmilTtans or let-
ters of fi rvice had been granted after the paffing and under the
provificitis of this Agt ; and all and every porfon or perfons who
I 'ball or may have advifed his MaJelty to enlift Inch ("Idlers, and
Ito grant filch commiffions or letter; of fervice a • aforefaid,
he, and they and be are or is hereby fully and effeetually indent-
nificd; any law or ftatute to the contrary notwithitanding.
And be it further enadled, hat it (ball be lawful for fuck
;talons, fubjeds of any Foreign Staten, as (hill Le willing to
(tree his hlajefty, to eclift as foldi,rs, and to accept conuniihons
or letter.; of fervice, to terve as officers ur en,;ineers. from his
Majelly, his heirs and fucceffurs, or from any perfons duly autho-
rized by his Majetty to grant fuch enminiflions or letters of fervice
(which consmiffioas and letters of fervice it (hall be lawful fur his
Majelly, or ter any perfons duly authorized in that behalf as
atortfaid, to tissue : Provided always, that no fuch perfon as
; atortfaid, (halt he habit to any pain, penalty, or forfeiture what-
( ever, tot any fort :ccoortirita, or entifled a, a I.7'dicr in
y /at air, or to•p: ar ,fforefitid,Gy reafin of his tato-
! i,r-i1 13, Vt.:pith Religion, and as' having dalarci as fame at
fats c sari raw or rodifiv.