Star.
London, England, 1816-01-06 00:00:00

.. .

FRENCH PROTESTANTS.

Ina *ruing Paper *of this day we find tile sub-
joined letter from the Duke of WILLINOTON, said to
have been addressed to the Secretaries of the 44
testant Society for the Protection of Religions Li-I
berry." In the paper alluded. to, the letter is pre.
faced by a philippic against those who have exerted
themselves in this country in behalf of the per:tented.
They are charged (or some of them) with suppress-'
iug facts ; and with having ascribed. to religious ani-
mosities, evils resulting only from political dissen-,
tions : and this letter is produced in evidence.
LI any unprejudiced sober person read this
letter, whatever be the motive that dictated
it, we defy hins tr, draw any other conclusion
from tie letter, .but a confirmation that the Pro-
testants have been persecuted a: Protestants. le It
is natural that there should be violent contests in
a country in which the people are divided not only
by a difference of religious, but of political opinion,"
but it is not natural, as asserted by the Duke, or true,
for we know not which he means, owing to the sin-
gular construction of the sentence—" that the religion
of every individual is in general the sigoof the political opi-
nion of the Party to which he belongs." So far from being
true nothing can be more false than such a position ;
to say nothing of the confusion of ideas which per-
vades the whole letter. Let us, however, for a mo-
ment admit the truth of the Duke's doctrine, then it
must follow as equally true in point of fact, that the
Roman Catholics in France were all loyal' Boonso-
nirrs—if not, how came the Protestants to be the
only victims ? 6
‘Ve leave to the Duke to settle this point. We
only add that is is a fortunate thing for Europe that
his Grace has proved himself better qualified to com-
mand armies, than he is (judging by his letter) to
discuss questions of political import. His letter, so
far from producing the effect intended by the writer,
will be received by the friends of religious liberty—
nay by every sound logician, as-furnishing the most
Complete evidence that the Protestants in the South
of France have been, and are persecuted by o Ro-
man Catholic faCtion ; and that the enemies of pers...-
cution are more than ever called upon' to make their
sentiments known, and to exert themselves in favour
of the sufferers.

((7UPT) " PAZ'S, Nov. 211, 181 5.
" GINILLM4I.4-1 have had the honour of receiving yuur
Letter of the 1:4:h instant, and I take the earliest uzyurtunity of
replying t

" I have every reason to believe that the public, and the So.
cicty of which you are the Secretarie.,, have been misinformed
regare.ing 7Lat is passing in the South of France.
" It is natural that there should beviolent contests in a country
in which the people are divided, not only by a difference of rell •
pion, but likewise by a difference of political cylnion, and that
the rest: on of every individual is in general the sign of the p ali-
tical i.ercy to wjlieh he belongs, and at a moment of ptruiir
political interest, and of weakness in the Covet-meet o❑ itc-
co...a! it Vie mutiay of Cie Army, that the weaker parry
sutler, anti that much injustice and violence 5h0.,11 be .•
milted by individuats of the inure numerous prepoirderatii:g p.!t :y.
'• But as 1.4 r as I have any knowledge acquired during my r•::
deuce at this Court last year, and since the entry of the Allle4
ii.to the*Guvatiment have done very thi el in their power
to put an end to the disturbances which have prevailed in the
Sow hut l'r.mce, and to protect all his Majesty's subjects, in con-
formity vel:11 bus Maktoy's promise in his Royal Charter, in the
exercise of their re da:ies according to. their several per-
anti i.i the eojoyinent of their see:ral w4at-
ever may be their reti,pur4 p:r.uasiens.

etme. a recent inst: f, an (Aker, Omeral I.a Carl !, was s?nt I
down to Ni.me,, srci il.y by Government, to enquire into Oa,
st.rte of alori iu :it cuun:ry, and upon his lirtt report 1w
16.1.1 s to op 'it t',! Protestant Citurches, which in the
of the contest ht=twt en the parties had been closed. Ile was
sever.:ly woulidrd u hen in the execution of these orders; I
havt been u,l .rated by uuod authority, Chit his Royal Highness
the Due trArrouleme ha, Nince marched at Om head of a body of
troops ag:Onst those W :10 had oppose4.llthyntselves to the carve.
Lion, by General Lagartle, of the orders of the Government..

" I incloge the copy of the King's Ordonnauce, issued in conse-
quence of this event, which sufficiently shews the views and in-
tentions e the Governs

" 1 have fin then to iulorm you, that it Is nut true that the u.
lades of the Protestant Ministers have been cllscontitutd by the
King of France.
" 1 trust that what 1 have above stated will convince the So-
ciety of which you are the Secretaries, that the King of France's
Government at least are not to blame on account of the iinfoi tu-
nate circumstances which have occurred In the South of France.
" I have the honour to be, &c.
(3:Lmed) " WLLLING UM:
4' Mr. T. Wilk§ and ,Mr. T.Pellatt, Secretaries to the
Protestant Society for Protection of Religious Liberty."

Having ascertained that the two Churches of the
Protestants at Nismes was anytime!, the one belong.
ed to the Convent of the Dominicans, and the other,
to that which was formerly called the Great Convent,
the first having been purchased by the Protestants 20
years ago, and the latter granted to them by i decree
'of the late Government in the year 1803 ; we hazard
nothing in asserting, that in our opinion, the proposal
of the Prefect to give up these Churches for one to
be built by themselves without the walls .of the city,
was instigated, as he acknowledges, by his superiors,
and is a part of a deep laid plot to deprive all the Pro-
testants of France in due time, of all their Churches, I
most of wliich are held precisely by the same tenure.;
So bare-faced a piece of Jesuitism is worthy of the
bare-headed and bare-footed Processionist ! Well
may he wish to have the cities and towns' of France
free flip the intrud;ng eyes of Protestant gazers, by
driving them beyond the walls to worship, as for-
=ay, in the open air. We trust our Protestant
Rulers will avert this blow at the root of Protestant
Liberty in France, by holding tilt French Government
tight to the Charter, which secures the purchasers of.
national property,. and the French Protestants, in the
uaiotcrrupted enjoyment of their rights..