The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-11-29 00:00:00

Nov. 29. 183 6.

of his nativity—their scriptural reason would not hold
good in the present appointment—indeed, all things now
seem to be inverted—"a prophet is not without honour
save in his own country." Perhaps, the ellipsis of the
negative here would express a more general truth as re-
gards Ireland. But we do not, far be it from us, impute
deficient moral rectitude to Mr. O'Loghlen; though we
do think, a Radical Reforming Catholic is always ready
to apply his centigrade scale to the Fahrenheit tube, and
to place the zero of civil and political virtue more than
thirty degrees below the point where Protestant Con-
servatism declares they begin to influence human con-
duct; whilst the slightest commotion elevates the moral
mercury to "blood heat," the fatal temperature of Ire-
land, which, in the milder atmosphere of England, would
only raise it to " temperate." Though we do not im-
pugn the moral qualities of Mr. O'Loghlen, we are quite
sure that he has not the attributes of an angel, but is
subject to human passions and human frailties, like other
men. And what we complain of, is the principle not the
example; though the principle and the example most ad-
mirable harmonise. The elevation of a Roman Catholic
to the bench we think injudicious and ominous—it is the
accession of a struggling religion to power—admitting
the enemy into the camp, (the " instar montes equum,")
and investing him with command. One hundred and
fifty years have elapsed, we believe, since a precedent
occsarred to justify this extraordinary measure—but ex-
traordinary measures, numerous as the Danaides, spring
incessantly from the pregnant councils of the present ad-
ministration---" That of an hour's age cloth hiss the
speaker, each minute teems a new one." What may be
the next appointment who can tell ? The path to public
power is freed of all obstructions ; at most there are but
three fences round the Protestant, and who will venture
to say that they are indestructible? The same authority
that removed all the rest can remove these also—a vote
of Parliament—and we do not think it would be recorded
among the rarest of human incidents, if another session
should attempt to clear them away as invidious impedi-
ments to honour to our very faithful well and truly be-
loved Roman Catholic brethren in Ireland.
We feel surprise that the public press should have nar-
rowed its views of this question to the personal honour,
or pecuniary advantage of Mr. O'Loghlen, or have
merely instituted a comparison of his claims with those
of his legal competitors ;—those are questions with which
we have nothing to do. We ask, in the words of Plau-
tus, "qua ille nobis arraboni derlit ;" what pledge has be
given, what can he give, that he will always observe an
even-handed justice ?—When did he, or how will he, put
off the frailties of humanity ?—How resist, on many oc-
casions, what he cannot but feel to be a contravention of
his principles ---;And, we further ask, which is a ques-
tion of equal moment, what influence this exaltation of
Mr. O'Loghlen to the judicial bench has upon the
cal aspect of England ? The simple solitary elevation of
one such character may be little, and might be disre-
garded, but "examples soon accumulate," and the vacant
junior judgeship which to-day is filled up with one Ro-
man Catholic, to-morrow may be strengthened in coun-
tenance, by seeing filled up, the chief justiceship with
another, till the jury, bench and court may be all Catho-
lics; and all assembled to try the right of an injured
Protestant. A Protestant asking, at the hands of such a
bench and such a jury, in the presence of such a court,
for redress of wrongs, which, if granted, would not only
visit the offender with punishment, but, indirectly, wound
the feelings of every one around him, for they are all im-
plicated in the issue. But we call upon our Protestant
countrymen to look further into events--an ox sees
what is before it, but man should foresee the future in
the present. Do not wait till all is lost, and then lament
over irremediable evil. If the ascendancy of Romanisru
should not disturb your quiet descent to the grave, yet,
remember, you leave your children behind you. To them.
you are bound to bequeath, unimpaired, the inheritance
of those religious and political privileges which you re-
ceived from your ancestors—and to do this, you must
vigilantly watch ever/ inroad made upon the constitu-
tion, and vigilantly resist it—and whilst we live under
the present administration, we shall find unremitted calls
for our most strenuous exertions. Do not imagine that
we wish to make an artful appeal to your passions—we
have no private views to serve—no personal revenge to
gratify—we feel, as every honest man ought to feel, for
the welfare of our country, and the security of its 'insti-
tutions; and we also feel that both these are placed in
jeopardy by the reckless, impolitic, and most unjustifiable
proceedings of the present ministry, by whose connivance
papacy is every day raising her head higher, and speak-
ing in a loftier tone. In confirmation of this, besides the
endangering of justice above alluded to, we read in a
morning paper of the 16th instant, that "since the Prae-
tice began of allowing soldiers to attend their separate
places of worship, the numbers who frequent the esta-
blished church are a considerable minority--and, that in
that splendid branch of the service, the royal artillery,
the people of Woolwich are struck with the dispropor-
tionate numbers who attend the Presbyterian and Catho-
lic chapels." Liberal and consistent government t If a
British commander refuses compliance with the idolatrous
rites of the Catholic in a foreign land—cashier him ;—if
the Catholic refuses compliance to Protestant ordinances
—tolerate and protect him. We do not condemn the
latter, but he must be a subtle doctor that can vindicate
the former—and he a subtler doctor still who can recon-
cile the discrepancy; but at present our only reason is,
to point to the inconsistency of our ruling powers, and
to call public attention to the fact, that the enemies of the
constitution are, on all sides, successfully undermining
the rock upon which it stands—the bench of justice—the
physical force of the army—and the " Commons" of Bri-
tain are all taking a deep papal stain. It is the union,:-
the concurrence of the circumstances that creates alarm;
they who regard them as isolated facts fear nothing—
and perhaps the result may not spring from any regularly
organized system—much may be accidental—but, be as-
sured, whenever occasion shall require their combined
influence, they will instantly consolidate, and move on
towards the same object with one design. We have kept
our eye upon their several movements, and are not igno-
rant of the machinery of papal policy. We can see one
hand stretched out with the olive branch, whilst the half-
concealed dagger is grasped in the other. We behold
the prophetic "beast," like other beasts of prey, shunning
the light, and prowling in darkness to seize its prey.
Who would have believed, twenty years ago, when the
premier duke of England could vote in parliament—
when the House of Commons would have trembled at theiti

voice of a Romanist—when the judicial bench would have-
sunk down under the foot of a papist—that in the short

space of twenty years, and much less, papacy and pro-
testantism should "kiss each other," and the British se,

nate admit into its composition a principle so destructive•

of its very essence. If the next twenty years should eon,

tinue the progression of Catholic power, and like physi-
cal force,"queevires acquirit eundo," it accelerates as

_--- --
it proceeds, England may again see a papal king, a papal
government, and the religion of popery the religion of
the land. Grant now what Ireland asks—Catholic judges
—a Catholic magistracy—Catholic corporations, and a Ca-
tholic constabulary, and you not only virtually annul the
union, but, what is worse, under the name of union, you
will introduce into the British Parliament twice the pre-
sent number of Catholic members. Remember that even

.
now every measure of the present ministry owes•itsv
ex-
istence to papal support—and if now, the influence of
that support be sufficient to carry on a system of policy
adverse to the wishes, and opposed to the interests of
Protestant England, what will be its daring when that
force is doubled ? If Britain neglects its duty to itself,
there still remains one consolation—the lords have pene-
tration to see, and thinness to withstand, these encroach-

ments of our enemies in the dignity of truth, with the
invincible weapons of reason, and under the shield of
justice, they have resisted the assaults of oppression, of
anarchy, and of religion.

Ourselves long devoted to science, we delight to foster ,
it in others. We have often wandered among its flow-
ers, and gathered its fruits, and shall always feel pleasure
in watching over those who are similarly engaged-,-and
over none with greater satisfaction than the emulous ope-
rative, who is anxiously exploring the laws of nature.