The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-12-28 00:00:00

administration of our national affairs

address has just been publi

,bed by the committee of the

National Club, to show the progress of foreig❑ Popery,

and point out how it endangers English safety

eeornmend your readers to per,.

se the document

with attention

About a quarter of a century ago,

Popery seemed to have lost its hold upon the people Of
the continent and among their rulers ; and it was during
a period of apparent indifference throughout Europe that
the Papists in this country continued to steal a march

upon us, by inducing us to carrry out measures of pro-
fessed religious equality, the real objects and intentions
of the claimants being the ultimate ascendancy of ultra-
montane principles—liberality towards Roneanists became

a political cry, and English governments did not blush to

the sister country, in order to preserve themselves in
power. Such was the course of policy which preceded,
and most naturally led to, that " Papal aggression," by
means ef which the Bishop of Rome not merely insulted
the Sovereign of these realms, (the fountain of all honour
within her dominions.) but also " set up everywhere
throughout this land, the machinery for introducing into
it his Canon-law." The step was in truth not merely
insolent and defiant, but it amounted to legislation, re-
pudiating and counteracting the legislation of this coun-
try. And, at the same time, the advances of Romanism
and priestly influence throughout the continent have been
most rapid and startling.
In Spain and Portugal, in the two Sicilies, in Sardinia,
in Tuscany, in Holland and Switzerland, in France, in
Austria, within a fewyears, aye, even months, the pro-
gress has been enormous. Let two or three proofs suffice.
Spain, which owes its political freedom to Protestant
armies, has recently forbidden the profession even of
Protestantism by foreign visitors. The well-known story
of the MAnlAC—one out of many cases—shows how it is
in Tuscany with religious freedom. The new Emperor of
the French has identified himself with the Priest party ;
and, in absolute Austria, while the Protestant Synods
are placed under military control, the Roman clergy has
actually been freed by the Emperor from all subjection to
the civil power.
Reflecting on these things, can English Protestants
permit themselves to remain mere passive spectators ?
Will they support or tolerate a government having in its
composition the slightest leaven of Papistry ! I
cannot, I do not believe it ; and, if it was for no other
consideration than the threatening prospects of the Pro.
testant Church of England, I am sure that the great
body of the community will be most anxious for the
return to office of a Ministry in whose keeping the
interests of our reformed religion will certainly be safe.
Foreign affairs have not attracted much attention during
the week ; though, of course, it has not escaped observa-
tion that the visit which the young Emperor of Austria
has just paid to the King of Prussia has a motive and an
object beyond mere personal esteem between the two
Sovereigns. The most plausible solution of the problem
which has been given is, that the guest and his host are
both somewhat alarmed at the pretensions of their newly-
sprung Imperial brother, whose imitation of his uncle
points to ulterior pretensions on behalf of his " dynasty,"
to the " boundary of the Alps, the Rhine, and the Py.
rennees." The instinct of self-defence, therefore, draws
them together in amity; and the autocrat of Vienna is
content, for his own interest, to forget that the house of
Brandenburg were once subjects of the Empire ; while the
descendant of FREDERICK the GREAT i 3 not blind to the
necessity of waiving his claim, for the present, to be re-
garded as Chief of the Germanic Confederation.

LOUIS NAPOLEON is said to look very suspiciously
upon these amicable manifestations of his neighbours ;
especially as his new title and dignity, and his pretensions
to an hereditary right over the allegiance of the French,
have not yet been officially recognised by Austria, Prussia,
or Russia. Nor is this his only cause of vexation. The
Emperor NAPOLEON the Third has been jilted in love •
The Princess VASA, on whom the hopes of the head of alt
the BONAPARTES was fixed, instead of flying to the arms
of her imperial lover, is to be married to Prince ALBERT
of Saxony ; and has been already congratulated upon her
choice by the Emperor of Austria. This is a cruel " cut."
" Love's young dream " has been dissipated by the rosy
breath of a court beauty ; and not only has the blood of a
NAPOLEON been curdled, and the line of imperial succes-
sion diverted, if not thwarted, but the crown of CHARLE.
MAGNE has been tumbled in the dust, ere the pretender to
it had time to put it on. The first of the Imperial Corsican
adventurers, in such a dilemma, would have turned re-
proachfully to his " star," and denounced the omen as
inauspicious.