The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-09-13 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, AND GENERAL COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER.

comfort, and with an abundant blessing, were wholly
unaccustomed to anything like controversy. The minister
with whom I travelled, though there are few preach more
sermons, and whose services have been made more useful,
assured me that he never preached a directly controversial
sermon against Popery in his life. There were many
others, I have no doubt, in the same position. Besides,
the vast majority of these men were Whigs in politics,
and, therefore, the warm friends and supporters of what
are called the civil rights and privileges of Roman
Catholics. I assert, therefore, in the second place, there
was nothing in the men sent to create such lawless
opposition as we met with, but rather the opposite.
(Hear, hear.) Then the design of the mission had nothing
in it so very unjustifiable. We are constantly told that if
you keep free, of a,grxlan concerns you are perfectly safe
in Ireland, you go where You like, or say what you
please ; they artenonlY landlords and agents and bailiffs
who need have any fears for their personal safety. We
felt that the preaching of the Gospel was God's own
ordinance for the world's conversion--(hear)--that the
command of our Lord was, " Go ye unto all the world
and preach the Gospel to every -creature." That Ireland
was a part of the world, and although the power of the
priests and the prejudices of the people were strong, they
were not too strong for the arm of the Lord to remove.
To guide us in this duty we had the example of the
apostles, who went -from city to city, and from village to
village, preaching the glad tidins of the kingdom " in the
synagogues to the Jews," and `din the markets daily to
them that met with them." It was thought, too, that
whoever else might object to such a design, the Church of
Rome surely Ought not. She had her propaganda, the
object of which was the end which we contemplated—the
bringing of all nations and countries to her own faith.
(Hear, hear.) The distinctly avowed object of Cardinal
Wiseman's settlement in this country, and the establish-
ment of a Romish hierarchy, was " to convert England to
the true faith," "to restore her to her orbit in the eccle-
siastical firmament." (Cheers.) There were, also the
hulls of her popes, and the decrees of her councils, and the
efforts of all her agents, from the pope on his pontifical
throne down to that quiet jesuitical servant-maid, seeking
to make Protestant children familiar with popish ob-
servances. (Cheers.) The mission of one and all was the
work of proselytism. (Loud applause.) It must also have
been well known to the Church of Rome, whose priests
were so familiar with our movements long before one of
us set foot on Ireland, that in every circular which was
issued by the committee we were requested to preach the
Gospel as contradistinguished from controversial sermons.
Such, then, was our design ; and I most unhesitatingly
aasert that there was nothing in it to justify the reception
we met with. (Hear.) Then, next,to speak of the arrange-

meats made for giving effect to the design just noticed.
The field selected was the south of Ireland, chiefly the
province of ➢Zunster. This was cut up into divisions,
each division having so many districts, and each district
again so many stations: A certain number of ministers
was set apart for each division, according to its extent.
These were to go two and two, taking each district in
order till they went over the whole of their division. Each
minister was expected to preach twice every Sabbath,
and three times each week ; so that by the hundred
ministers, in the period of one month, two thousand
sermons would be preached up and down through
the land. A book of instructions, specially written
for the occasion, was handed to each. It is needless
for me to add that the services of these ministers were in
every instance gratuitous. I might, however, begattention
to this, as both by priests and in newspapers it has been
broadly stated that we were paid, and the sum actually
named that we received for our work. This is not much
to be wondered at, seeing that the Church of Rome takes
very good care to make the people pay well for all the
services of her priests. (Hear.) Such, then, were the
arrangements ; they may have been good or bad; with
that I have nothing to do ; the committee who made them
are alone responsible ; but whether good or bad is not now
the point. If good, there was no just cause to assail them,
as was the case; and if bad, there was no need to do so;
whether good or bad, they gave no just ground for the
violent reception we met with. (Applause.) The next
step in my argument is to show that the execution of these
arrangements by the missionaries was altogether unim-
peachable. I beg attention to this, as it has been stated
over and over again, that our own violent language brought
down upon us the violence we complain of. Dr. Cahill
'brings the matter to a point, by asserting that the cause
of the conduct of the mob in Limerick was the indigna-
tion the citizens felt at being called " Priest-ridden
idolaters" by the missionary who was preaching. The
same vindication is found in the Tablet and other papers.
Had such words been used, I would have made all due
allowance for the excited feelings of the people. But they
were not used, nor any similar expressions, either by the
ministers in Limerick, or by any others of the hundred.
(Hear, hear.) The plain fact was, that, in almost every
instance, they were assailed and ill-treated before they
uttered a single sentence. If they could have used them
they would not. If they would they could not, and, as a
matter of fact, they did not. (Loud cheers.) I assert,
therefore, that the execution of the arrangements was in
the most complete accordance with its design and spirit,
and gave no just ground for the savage opposition we met
with. Such, then, was the character of our mission, and
now I challenge any man to lay his finger upon a single
point to justify him in condemning us, or in vindication,
or even palliating the. conduct of the priests and the peo-
ple. If he can, let him produce it ; if he cannot, let him
honestly acknowledge the truth. (Applause.)
I come next to state, in detail, the reception we met
with. There may be a measure of sameness in the narra-
tive, but that very sameness is one of the strong points of
my case, because it proves to a demonstration that go
where you will, no matter how, or by whom, or under
what circumstances the Gospel is preached, the spirit of
Popery is ever and every where the same—the enemy of
civil and religious liberty. (Cheers.) Although you were
stoned in Kilkenny, and again in Clonmel, you would find
in the narrative many points of difference. I shall begin
with myself. In company with about sixty ministers I
left Dublin on Saturday, 30th July, reached Kilmallock
on the same evening, about four o'clock, along with my
companions. I proceeded thence to Bruff, at which place
we were to commence our labours on the next day. The

population of the village is somewhere about 1,400. We
spent the evening of Saturday in walking about the town,
and taking counsel with each other and with our Great
Master how we should proceed the next day. We re-
solved, in accordance with the terms of our mission, to
preach twice, if it were possible, and fixed upon half-past
ten and two o'clock as the most suitable hours, because
they did not interfere with the services of the Established
Church or those of the Roman Catholic chapel. Accord-
ingly, at half-past ten o'clock, we went out, conversed with
groups of persons up and down the village, told them who
and what we were, spoke to them of Christ and his love,
of their souls and eternity ; they received us most kindly,
thanked us for what we had said, and expressed. their
willingness to hear us at two o'clock. We then went
to the parish church, where we heard an excellent
Gospel sermon on the parable of the sower. We
happened to be shown into the same pew with the
sergeant of police, who, with five men out of the twelve
stationed in Bruff, were Protestants. At the close of the
service, we told him of our intention to preach in the
streets at two o'clock. He replied, "I am afraid they
wont let you. I have an engagenient myself at that hour,
but I shall tell two or three of the men to be about." We
felt it to be our duty, as a matter of courtesy, to acquaint
the incumbent also with our intentions. He said, " I
wish you all success, but think it would be a wise pre-
caution to have:the police at hand." We then went to
the street again, and taking our place about 50 yards
above the police station—took off our hats—as if about to
speak to a few individuals who were around us. The
people were evidently prepared for us. A service had
been held in the chapel since we saw them in the morning,
and the priests had no doubt instructed them how to act.
In less than two minutes we were surrounded by a dense
crowd of from one to two thousand individuals. I will
not attempt to describe the scene that followed. My
friend, who opened, before he closed his first sentence was
met by such a demonstration of hooting and yelling as
baffles all description. He was obliged to desist. I
thought I would try what I could do. ' I said " we had not
come there to attack any person, or any system, or any
religion, and if you will only hear what I have to say, I
give to every man in the crowd the privilege to interrupt
me at any time and to demand an explanation. If I can-
not satisfy you, I pledge myself at once to leave." I then
began to speak about Christ, but met with no better re-
ception than the brother who preceded me. Finding it
impossible to proceed, we thought it best at once to retire.
The crowd determined that we should not go alone ; they
accompanied us ; when we reached a bridge, over which we
had to pass on our way to our lodgings, a sudden rush was
made upon us, as if some plan had been agreed upon by
the people. We stopped, turned round upon them, and
asked what they wanted ; they had refused to hear us ; if
they had anything to say, we were willing to hear them.
They retired for a few yards, the police stepped in, and we
reached our hotel in safety. The crowd remained shout-
ing about the house for some hours. I am a native of
Ireland ; I spent the greater part of my life there ; but I
never knew the meaning of the expression " Wild Irish "
till then. Unwilling that any of our friends should come
to Bruff, we left in the morning for Kilmallock. We found
that the same scene had been enacted there the day before,
and the ministers there were preparing to leave. We agreed
to go to Limerick to see if anything could be done there,
but on our arrival at the junction, met with the ministers
leaving that city. They implored of us, " For God's sake
not to go there ; if you do, you'll be discovered, and your
lives will be sacrificed." (Loud cries of " Shame.") We
then joined them, and arrived in Dublin on the evening
of Monday, Ist August.
Finding it impossible, from the state of feeling in the
south, to carry out the design of the movement there, I
turned to my native county, and there, from Sabbath
the 7th August till the 14th, I preached twelve sermons,
ten of which - were in the_ public streets, to audiences

averaging at least 300, and in towns distant from each

other from five to twenty miles ; heard in every instance
with ,the most profound attention, and treated with, the
greatest respect, although, in some instances the half, in
others the third, and in many, three-fourths of my
audience were Roman Catholics and persons unaccus-
tomed to hear the Gospel. (Hear, hear.)
I shall next refer to the brethren who visited Limerick.
They were eight in number. Upon their arrival they
heard various reports from friends as to the course of
procedure they should adopt. Some told them to go on
in their attempt to preach, and others strongly dissuaded
them from it. Feeling it was their duty to try, Mr.
Dickenson, a Moravian minister, and Mr. Henderson from
Scotland, went out in the evening, and having selected a
quiet place, out of the highway, Mr. Dickenson began by
singing and a short prayer. The crowd, evidently pre-
pared, began to collect and to show the most angry
symptoms. The prayer over, he selected his text, and
had scarcely done so when he was thrown on his face.
(Shame.) He rose and endeavoured to gain his lodgings,
but the crowd increasing, both in numbers and violence,
this became impossible. He took refuge in a house, the
door of which happenened to be open, and remained there
till the arrival of the police, with whom he again attempted
to reach his lodgings. The crowd outside still continued
to increase, so that even the police were unable to bring
him through, and felt it necessary to take shelter
in the station, where he remained for two hours.
(Loud cries of "Shame.") Meantime the intelli-
gence spread through the city, and Mr. Lewis, another of
the mi 3sionaries, resolved to go out and look after a brother
in trouble. He was immediately recognised, although, let
it be borne in mind, he had not preached, nor attempted
to do so, nor been present with those who had, but he
way "Ql4 9f_thvw; treatoci itcc9rdiAßlis when

the police came to his rescue. A priest also came up as if
to protect him. Mr. Lewis took hold of his arm, but he
shook him off as a viper, and asked " How he, who came
to abuse his religion, dared to touch him 2" (Indignant
cries of " Shame.") He then turned to the police, and
by them, and not by the priest, his life was saved. (Hear,
hear.) Next day an investigation took place before the
bench of magistrates in the case of two persons made
prisoners during the riot. Here I cannot help remarking
upon the extraordinary fact that, although the whole
police force of the city, with Major Caldwell at their head,
were on duty for two hours, and although the major stated
that at least 10,000 persons were collected in what appeared
to him about the worst mob he had ever seen in Limerick,
only two prisoners were made. The attorney for the defence
plainly stated, that "the circumstances of the case would
almost justify the conduct of the populace on thislocca-
sion ; and I must protest against the system thus orga-
nised to disturb the public peace." Not only the attorney
but the bench seemed to have the interest of the prisoners
at heart. They asked " if there was any one to prove that
the proceedings were calculated to disturb the peace."
This question was three times repeated. As much as to
say, here is a minister who attempted to preach the gospel
in a retired part of the city, and when 10,000 of a mob
attempt to take away his life and that of two friends
who came to his rescue, if there be any witness able to
prove that such a proceeding was calculated to lead to a
violation of the peace, here's a bench ready to hear him.
(Cries of " Shame.") At a consultation in private with the
magistrates, the missionaries were informed that such
was the state of public feeling, that if they attempted
to preach in the streets, they (the magistrates) could
not guarantee their lives ; and if they took any building,
they could not ensure it against being destroyed by the
populace ; they, consequently, made up their minds to
leave; their lodgings were surrounded for an hour and
a half by the mob, shouting, " Bring out those fellows that
we may paradise them." At length they reached the rail-
way in a covered car, guarded by the police. Such is the
liberty given by Popish priests, Popish mobs, and Popish
magistrates. (Loud and indignant cries of " Shame.")
The Rev. lecturer then.proceeded to detail the reception
of the ministers in Cahir, Fethard, Clonmel, Kilkenny,
Waterford, Tramore, Nenagh, Thurles, and Borisokane,
where they were covered with mud and dirt, and pelted
with stones ; and in every instance receiving treatment
more like what might be expected from a company of
African savages, than the devoted members of the only
Catholic Church of Christ.
At Parsonstown, Mr. Egan; the parish priest, came
with his solicitor, and stated that he was desirous of
having a conference with the magistrates. He informed
them that some of the missionaries were going to preach
in the street, and that if they did. so he had no doubt
there would be bloodshed and riot. This parish priest,
however, mistook his men. The magistrates, one of
whom was a protestant minister, told him they were
much obliged to him for the• information he had given
them, as it would enable them to make provision suited
to the circumstances. They informed him that they would
summon in the police from all the adjoining stations,
that if these men broke the law, they would hold them
responsible ; and that if the mob broke the law, they would
deal with them accordingly. The next day a placard was
posted up on the walls to the following effect :

" CATHOLICS OF BIRR, LISTEN I LISTEN ATTENTIVELY!!
"A set of men, bad cobblers, perhaps, by trade, may. have
come amongst you, and they want to preach to you in the
public street, and they want you to listen to them ; and if you
listen to them you X4l l hear your priests insulted, your Holy
Religion abused, and, most likely, the Virgin Mother of God
blasphemed. In a word, you will hear everything calculated
to provoke yon to anger, and to a breach of the peace, and if
you break the peace you well know before whom you have to
go, and what you may expect.
They did know it, and if they had not known it there
would not have been a placard issued. The placard con-
tinued—
And, besides, any anger on your part, or any insult offered
to these Ranters, will only get them the better paid."
The priest advised his people not to have anything to do
with our friends,-=" to let them alone." But mark, this
was after the magistrates had told him what they intended
to do. The result was, that Mr. Matheson preached a
sermon of an hour long to art attentive and anxious con-
gregation. Now, I think I have given you a sufficient
sample of the civil and religious liberty which is guaran-
teed in Ireland, as exemplified in our recent mission in the
south of that country. But, you may tell me that it is
not to be wondered at, that these hundred ministers had
a formidable appearance, and that it looked like an attempt
to take the country by storm—that it was a challenge to
the priests, and the priests would not be beaten. "If you
had gone to Ireland one by one, and under other circum-
stances, you might have done what you liked, and you would
not have been received with such warm demonstrations."
I shall now, therefore, ask you, in reply, to turn with me to
other times and other places in Ireland. We have been
speaking of the province of Monster. I will now take you
to another district. Sometime before we arrived, two men
attempted to preach in the market-place at Drogheda, and
such was the violence of the mobs that they were pelted
with stones, and so seriously injured that they had to be
carried to the infirmary, to have their wounds dressed.
On another occasion, in the neighbourhood of Cork, a
scripture reader and one of the inhabitants met in the
morning, and had a long conversation together. They met
again in the evening, and discussed matters for a consi-
derable length of time, until the scripture reader was
obliged to return home, He had not gone far, however,
before he heard footsteps behind him, and had just time to
turn round, when he received a blow on the head which
knocked him down, and left him insensible ; the person
who inflicted theblow then quietly walked away, thinking,
no doubt, lie had done his work in having given the scrip-
ture reader a little Popish soup. (Ilear,hear.) By and
by, the wounded man recovered, sufficierstly to hear steps,
and looking up ernv the man that struck him coming
towards him in company with the man with whom he had
been discussing. Fear gave him strength; he rose, and
fled and escaped; but such was his state, that his depo-
sitions were obliged to be taken by a magistrate. I have
not heard since whether he lived or died. (Hear, hear.)
I will now take you to Connaught. I dare say you have
all heard of the Rev. Mr. Naugle. I hold in my hand a
letter, which was recently written by him to Lord Aber-
deen. The letter refers, in the first instance, to a riot
which took place, instigated by two priests, in the village
of Keel, for which they were tried. The jury not agreeing,
they were discharged. They were, however, again ar-
raigned, and tried a second time, when a Roman Catholic
convert, of the name of Flannigan, gave this evidence
against them on oath. He stated, that he heard the
priests address the multitude in these words :

" Scald them, scold them, shout after them, hunt them,
persecute them to death, and pull down the houses over
them."
A person of the name of Joyce, a scripture reader, who
was present when the priest made these remarks, mildly
remonstrated with him, and on doing so he was suddenly
thrown down and violently assaulted by the mob. When
all these facts had been given on oath at the trial, uncon-
tradicted ; and when the case on behalf of the crown had
closed, the learned counsel for the defendants made a
speech on behalf of the priests, and addressing the judge,
said, "Would it not be better to have done with this
matter ?" In answer to which the judge, Chief Justice
Monahan, a Roman Catholic, said, " Well, I think so ;"
and the jury, who had been sworn on oath to give a ver-
dict according to the evidence—not one Syllable of evi-
dence having- been tendered to invalidate the testimony of
the witnesses for the prosecution—said, " Well, we think
so too ;" and the consequence was, that these two rev.
gentlemen, who had made such abominable and monstrous
statements—who had incited the mob to hunt Protestants
to death--were set at liberty, the Chief Justice saying to
them, "Now, be good boys, and don't do this any more."
(Cries of " Shame.) Well, after the trial, the witnesses
and others concerned went home from Castlebar. Joyce,
the scripture reader, travelled on the top of the coach,
along with one of the two priests. The guard, who was-a
Roman Catholic, left his seat at the back of the coach,
whilst on the journey, and coming up beside Joyce and.
addressing him, insultingly told him that " All people
who changed their religion, as he and others did, should
be shot like dogs." Mr. Nangle describes the circum-
stance in his letter as follows :

"As Patrick Joyce returned to this island from the assizes,
in company with the Rev. Mr. Henry, on her Majesty's mail,
be was shouted after and abused as he passed along. The
guard of the mail even left the seat assigned to him at the
rear of the coach and came forward to the front, where he sat
beside Joyce, for the purpose of insulting him, declaring,
among other things, that he, and all 'like him who changed
their relit,oion, should be shot like dogs.' When the coach ar-
rived in *estport a number of ruffians were admitted into the
yard, by one of whom Joyce was struck immediately, came
down from the coach, and when he ran in at the back door of
the coach-office he was nearly knocked down with a stone
which struck him on the neck. Mr. Henry was looking on at
all this, and seemed to enjoy it as excellent sport. About
nine of this band of ruffians pursued Joyce into the house,
where they knocked him down striking him on the head, and
kicking his body, and were it not for the interference of a
woman who threw herself upon him, and raised a cry of mur-
der, he thinks his assailants would have killed him. In the
meantime a great mob collected about the house. The police
arrived, and with difficulty protected Joyce. It is but justice
to state that in this they were aided by the Rev. B. Burke, a
Roman Catholic priest, residing in Westport. The police ac-
companied Joyce some distance out of the town; but when
they left the violence was resumed; he was pelted with stones
for nearly a mile of the road, one of these struck him on the
head, cutting through a strong hat, and inflicting a'wound on
his skull ; he was also bruised in several parts of his body.
At Newport -the doctor dressed the cut on his head, and he
proceeded, under an escort of police, to Achill Sound."
This is not the, only case that Mr. Nangle notices in his
letter.. In another. part, he refers to a school that was
under his direction.. On one occasion, a number of Roman
Catholics came to the school armed with pitchforks and
crowbars, and insisted upon the parties within leaving ;
on their refusing, the mob began to pull down the build-
in.., until at length.the occupants of it were obliged to fly
Some of the assailants Were afterwards tried for this

offence, but the jury, disagreed ; subsequently they were
tried again and pleaded guilty; and what,think you,was the
decision of 'the bench ? Why, that the law had been
vindicated, and the prisoners must be discharged ! This
is civil and religious liberty in the west of Ireland.—
(Hear, hear.) I will next ask .your attention to, another
district in the same province, and I will give you an in-
stance of the treatment which a Christian minister re-
ceived in that part of the country. In the year 1847, the
Rev. Dr. Dill went to the county Mayo, where he had been
invited by the Rev. Mr. Rogers to go and preach for him
in his school-room. The people assembled, to the number of
upwards of 200, to hear Dr. Dill. There were so many
present that not more than one-half of them could get
into the school, and it was, therefore, agreed that the
women should go inside, and the men remain outside.
While the doctor was preaching, a cry was heard, " the
priest is coming," and scarcely had the cry taken place
when his reverence suddenly came up on horseback, and
rode over Dr. Dill, throwing him in the mud and tearing
his clothes. When he recovered himself, he found the
priest horsewhipping the people. He remonstrated with
him, and said, " Would it not be better to come and reason
the matter with me ?" on which the priest replied, holding
up the horsewhip, " I'll drive it down your throat,"
" you're a damned imposter," and, addressing Mr. Rogers,
he said, " d—n you, Rogers." By and bye the priest went
away, and the people again collected themselves, when the
doctor began to preach. After a short time the cry was
once more heard, " the priest is returning, and with him
a number of people. On the priest and his men again
coming up to the school-room, they assailed Dr. Dill with
several Popish arguments,--stones and mud. The door
of the school-room was closed and barred for their protec-
tion, but superior force drove it open, and there they
remained from four o'clock until nine in the evening,
when an escort of police saw the doctor home. All these
toctl were tegtiftvl t 9 914 9ath At the trhil c the partiv4

which took place at the Quarter Sessions of Ballina. And
now I cannot refrain from giving you an extract from the
Judge's remarks to the jury during the trial of this case.
He was a Roman Catholic—(hear, hear)—and it is neces-
sary I should remind you that it is not the speech of an
advocate I am about to read, but the observations of the
judge in his address to the jury. He said :

- - -
" That Dr. Dill had sworn to conduct and language,
on the part of Mr. Timlin, which would be discreditable to
any gentleman. but, above .all, to one filling the office of a
clergyman ; yet if Mr. Timlin had done nothing but what had
happened in the first instance, perhaps our time to-day would
not have been occupied so long; but Mr. Timlin returned
the second time, and his conduct then aggravated the assault
considerably. It was alleged in defence that Ekins had
struck the priest, en el it was natural for him to resist the in-
jury. That might avail if the provocation had, been resistedimmediately, and such the law might allow; but, gentlemen,
you are to bear in mind that Mr. Timlin returned after an
interval of fifteen minutes, when it might have been supposed
that his excitement had time to subside, and he.had returned
to his ordinary composure. * * * It was said that
Mr. Timlin came to prevent a breach of the peace, but it was
most unfortunate that no riot took place i xcept when the priest
was there; and if lie came to prevent a problematical riot, it
was also unfortunate that he did not wait to see if such a riot
would take place ; but the very moment he arrived he com-
menced to beat those he met, and thus the very means he
used to prevent a riot was the only cause of it. * * *
-On a review of the whole caw, there is nothing to invalidate
the testimony of Leech. who swore to the assault committed
on him by the priest. Leech's statement is consistent with
that of the other witnesses ; and there has been no attempt
made to invalidate it in the slightest degree, neither has it
been disproved that M'Andrew assaulted Ekins. It has in-
deed been sworn that Ekins struck the priest ; but as to the
fact of Mr. Timlin having assaulted Leech, and M'Andrew
having assaulted Ekins, that remains uncontroverted, no re-
butting evidence having been tendered."
Now this is the Judge's charge, and I ask you what
would your verdict have been as jurors in such a case ?
The jury, however, considered it a very difficult case.
Why ? Because a priest was the defendant. (Hear, hear.)
They retired to consider their verdict, and, after being
absent for some time, they returned into court with a ver-
dict of not guilty. (Hear, hear, and shame.) That is ano-
ther specimen of civil and religious liberty in Ireland.
Now from Dr. Dill I pass to another Presbyterian minister
in much the same position. Here is the document, [hold-
ing up a letter,] but I am afraid that I am going on too
far. (" No, no," and cries of "go on.") My dear friends,
if it be trying and warm to us in this place to hear these
things, it is far more trying in Connaught and far warmer
to bear them. This letter is dated August 23rd, 1853, and
written at" , and signed D. Ferguson. Mr. Ferguson
says in the letter :

4 Ste,—Since the Rev. William M`Dermott, C.C., became
an occasional resident here, almost every day discloses new
acts of violence and outrage. From Ballycastle to Bealderig
peace has been completely destroyed. Were it not for such
reverend agitators from Maynooth, I can testify, from some
years' experience, that the inhabitants of this place would
not only be most peaceable, but also most obliging. Some
leading facts, which have occurred within the last three
weeks, will both prove the above statements. On the 30th
the priest entered the house of a man named Foy, whose only
crime consists in sending his children to my school, and
allowing his son to be an Irish teacher. and there he was
guilty of the shameful and impious act of contemptuously
burning some volumes of the Word of God. He feels, no
doubt, that the Bible is Popery's greatest enemy. On the
31st he gathered a mob on anotherperson, who also sends his
children to my school, and attends preaching himself ; and
when, by my interference, he was extricated from impending
violence, both priest and people became very much agitated,
and threatened bodily injury to the man. The priest also
came up to myself several times, in the most excited and
menacing manner. Having accomplished my object, I re-
turned to my house ; and his reverence and mob retired to a
shebeen shop to soothe their agitated nerves, and they re-
mained there till it was announced that the police were ap-
proaching. This caused a very speedy adjournment."
Now this paper (holding up an account of a trial of priests)
contains the trial of the priest alluded to for burning the
Bibles. There were four in all ; one in English, and
three Irish Testaments. They were the property of a lad
named Foy, who swore informations before the magis-
trates, setting forth the facts of the priest burning the
Bible ; but, in the meantime, before the trial, the priest
got hold of the lad, and so trained him that at the trial
he swore so entirely opposite to the affidavit made before
the magistrates, that the bench unanimously committed
him for perjury. (Hear, hear). Mr. Ferguson says :
" On the 2d ultimo, P. Foy, while fishing on the shore, was
knocked down, kicked, and pelted with stones, because he
told the truth about the priest burning the Bible. On the
10th, M. Foy was knocked down and beaten by a number of
boys. Had I not received intelligence, and gone to his rescue,
he might have been much hurt ; but, as soon as the guilty
party saw me, they fled. On the same day my servant was
threatened by a woman, who said that if she came again to
that well for water (it is a public well), she would make her
sorry for it. On the night of the 12th, Foy's curragh was
maliciously injured. Seven or eight holes were put into it
by some sharp instrument. And when,.on the 14th, Sergeant
Cooke, who is very active since the place became disturbed,
came to see the injured property, and sent two of his men for
Foy that he might make the necessary inquiries in such
cases, they found the parish priest with• him. To keep mat-
ters as quiet as possible, his reverence has proposed to give
as much money as will repair the curragh. On the 15th, I
was prevented from taking water out of the well already men-
tioned. The woman, who threatened on the 10th, was more
furious and determined on yesterday. She was digging pota-
toes near the well, and when the servant went she ran to pre-
vent her, and said that she would break the boy and can on
her head. The servant returned, and I went back with her.
When she saw us approach, she ran with a noggin to throw
the water out of the well and stir up the mud. She threat-
ened violence to both myself and servant, and lifted up stones
to throw after.us. About sixty perches from the place, forty
or fifty persons were watching the transaction—the greater
number of them at the shebeen shop already mentioned—
and when passing them on my return, I spoke of the conse-
quences of such acts of violence ; but, instead of condemning
the act, some were so bold as to speak in its justification."

Now, my friends, you have no doubt heard of written
notices being placed on doors in Ireland, and death's head
and cross-bones over them, these notices intimating to a
man to make his will, airal to settle his worldly affairs if
he had any to settle ; but in the west of Ireland they do
these things in a diferent manner—they cannot write,
and therefore Mr. Ferguson, tells us they adopt the fol-
lowing expedient :
- - •

"On the evening of, the lifith ult., we had a specimen of
this kind of threatening. Five or six persons went to the
house of a man named Faghy, who, with his family, has
abandoned the priest and the mass. By various arguments
they endeavoured, at first, to persuade him to return. Faghy,
however, remained firm. He was then told that his life was
unsafe—that though none of his neighbours would do him an
injury, yet some stranger, unknown to him, might come from
a distance—say from Castlebar—and with a pistol, shoot him
at night."
- - - - • • •

-- -
It is something more than absurd—it is absolutely in-
sulting to the feelings.of the British people, to see priests
from Ireland coming over here, and talking to us about
soup and meal conversions, when we have facts like these
to test the reality of the thousands of conversions which
are taking place. I will take you now from Connaught to
Ulster. You are, perhaps, prepared to ask me, " Ulster !
is that not. Protestant?" My answer is, " Yes, we are
going to Ulster, the most Protestant province in Ireland ;
and, more than that, I am going, to Antrim, one of the
most Protestant counties in Ireland." Although this is
so, yet in the north of Ireland there are numbers of
Roman Catholics who occupy certain districts, and belong
as it were to particular clans ; so that in Down, Antrim,
and Derry, you will find certain localities which are almost
exclusively popish. Thus, in the county of Antrim there
are " the glens," which are principally inhabited by
Roman Catholics. The friends of Ireland in Scotland
have for some time been in the habit of sending over
money for the purpose of carrying out the circulation of
the Scriptures in these districts. On a late occasion a
priest residing in the glens thought he would stop the
supplies, and with this view he went to Scotland, and
represented that there were no schools, no converts, and
that the whole mission was little short of a swindle. He
was there, he said, to prove it, as he case direct from the
parish, and as a gentleman and a priest he pledged his
word for the truth of the statement. This was considered a
rather extraordinary communication,.and the parties to whom
it was made were disposed to believe it. The people of
Scotland could not understand that a gentleman and a
minister would have made such a statement without there
being some foundation for it, and, therefore, they did, to
some extent, believe it. In consequence, Dr. Edgar
thought it his duty to visit the glens, and the result was
that he found the priest's statements to be untrue—that
the Scriptures were circulated, and that there were many
converts from Roman Catholicism in the district ; and,
more than that, he found that there were cursing priests,
too, in Antrim. (Hear, hear.) He found that there was
a person of the name of Charles M`Loughliu, a miller and
corn-grinder, who had been induced to examine the errors
of Popery, and to abandon them ; this man became a
Scripture reader in the very place where the priest said
there were no converts. The priest cursed this man and
several others, by name, from the altar. Here is the sub-
stance of the curse, as sworn to by competent witnesses,
at the assizes at Antrim. The priest said r—
"‘ I'd give them, or I give them, my curse and God's
curse, and any person that would speak to them, or salute
them on the road, or .eat at the same table, or work in the

same field with them."
He closed the book, he rang the bell, he put out the candle.
These are facts, and I need not tell you what is the mean-
ing of cursing by bell, book, and candle.—(Hear, hear.)
After having bees so denounced from the altar, this
Charles M`Loughlin went to the market to buy corn, but
no one would speak to him. The people ran away when
they saw M`Loughlin coining towards them, until at
length he was compelled to employ a man to make his
purchases, and ultimately the farmers would not sell to
him at any price. The consequence was, that he brought
an action against the priest, for damages! which he had
sustained by the curse, on which the Roman Catholics
sneered at him and told him he would not get a verdict,
but an Antrim jury decided otherwise, and the man ob-
tained damages to the amount of £75, and costs. (Loud

cheers.) -
Such is the civil and religious liberty given by the
priests in Ireland, and such is a sample of the soup which
we are told is so irresistible in making converts, that you
cannot believe the sincerity of one of them. (Laughter
and cheers.) I have given it as we found it in the year
1853. I have shown, that whether it be the preaching of
the Gospel by Churchmen or Dissenters, in town or coun-
try, in the house or the street, in Ulster, Munster, Leinster,
or Connaught,it is Blithe same,it is this—liberty in civil and
religious matters to do just as they please with the person,
property, character, and lives of all who dare to resist the
command of the priest. (Cheers) And the civil and reli-
gious liberty of many professing Protestants is no better,
it is liberty to the Church of Rome to do all this, rather
to justify them in it; but no liberty to me even to speak
of it, under pain of being set down as a most intolerable
bigot. (Loud cheers.)
I come next to illustrate the civil and religious liberty
of Rome, by the criticisms pronounced on our mission. I
begin with the platform. It is unfair to make any society
responsible for the expressions of its individual members ;
' but when we are told on all hands that we owe our lives
to the interference of the priests, we turn and ask the na-
ture of that interference. (Hear, hear.) It is possible
that, in the excitement of the moment, the people may do
more than their leaders wish, or than they in their cool
moments would justify. But here we see one spirit run
through the whole body. The priests first denounce us
from the altar, then the mob carry out their wishes to the
full, next from the platform and the press, both by the
priests and the people, of the young and old Ireland schools
alike, their lawless violence is lauded to the echo, whilst
the joy of a meeting of polite Dublin ladies and gentlemen
knows no bounds at the blasphemous allusions of the
speakers and at the barbarous atrocities of the mob—
(cheers)—proving that, over the w hole mass, desPotism,
under its worst forms, reigns triumphant trampling in
the dust every vestige of civil and religious liberty. (ye,
hement applause.)
gWC NAM* 9f Ale ciitia§al tide frQrA the pit•

mine lately character
Dr. Cahill. (Hisses

a friend of

You have all heard

something of his recent visit to England, its object, and
how it was conducted. You remember, no doubt, the
terms in which he spoke of Protestantism in his letter to
Lord Carlish

mere political confederation to

too, how he spoke of British government

You remember

"Tor fire and twenty years she played the rebel, the revo-
lutionist, the traitor, the sycophant, the hypocrite; and by
this terrific admixture of political poison, she disease • the
blood of Christian society, which spread itself in due time
over the entire continent of Europe, producing in its ultimate
development a scene of universal terror, such as has no paral-
lel in modern history, disputing royalty, shaking thrones,
staining the sword in civil strife, and threatening to bury the
ancient crowns of 'Europe and the faith of the Apostles be-
neath the ruins of nations." _ . .

"From tliese red graves I impeach English statesmen with
a cruelty, a-perfidy, and an injustice which, sooner or later,
will bring a curse on their name and their nation, and which
will rais

up enemies to execute the will of heaven and the
scourge of public national retribution. (Loud

"And whilst I a

,ius proudly acknowledge

v•---, - I
-
As me by my fellow- rislimen in Eng-

land, I feel it a duty to seize this opportunity of declaring my
grateful sense of the true courtesy and cordial friendship
which I experienced at the hands of the English people.
Since the Rev. Mr. Sheridan, of Liverpool, and the Rev. Mr.
Donohoe, both my dear and valued friends, first introduced
me, one in England and the •other in Scotland, I have met
nothing but kindness, cordiality, and brotherly love amongst
the pe)ple of those countries. (Cheers.)" -
" I have to add, that many of those who might have been
naturally classed amongst the ranks of my enemies —I mean
various sections of the Tory press—many of these, I say, have
proved themselves my most able and strenuous supporters.
(Cheers.)"

Dr. Cahill is going out to the United States of America,
and I hope he will be as faithful to Austria and Con-
tinental States as he has been here. (Hear, hear.) I
hope, too, there will be found in that land of liberty those
who will test his professions of a love of freedom, and
show that, whatever may be the jealousies between Eng-
land and America, as jealousies there ever will be between
two such countries, competing with each other in all the
friendly rivalry of commerce, civilization, and religion,

there is too much intelligence and honesty and love of
liberty amongst the citizens of America to permit the
professed advocate of , Austrian butchery, and French
despotism, and Neapolitan tyranni, and Tuscan persecu-
tion, and Papal intolerance, to succeed in his insulting at-
tempt to gain their confidence by unjustly and wickedly
slandering the only country in Europe over which the
glorious flag of freedom floats in all its majestyand beauty,

Untarnished. by a single stain of civil or rell.gloua
(Loud and protracted cheering, which was renewed again
and again.) I hope, too, they will not fail to ask him
how he, who spent six months in England and Scotland
attacking, in the most virulent terms, all that English-
men and Scotchmen hold dear, both in religion and
politics, was everywhere received with so much courtesy,
whilst, English and Scotch ministers who visited Ireland,
without saying one word against the country or the
people, or their religion or their priests, were everywhere
met with such lawless violence ; and that Dr. Cahill, at a
meeting held at the time, sneered at the ministers and
approved of the conduct of the mob. (Cheers.) Yes, I
refer with:pleasure to these facts, because when Dr. Cahill
assails English freedom, and represents her before the
world as all that is arbitrary and despotic, I turn to his
allusions to the religion and the government that English-
men respect, and then I produce the courteous reception
which he himself acknowledges to have received from this
very people, at the very time he was denouncing in such
unmeasured terms all that Englishmen love as the noblest
proof the world can supply of civil and religious liberty.
But what does this Dr. Cahill say about our mission ?
He says far more about it than our time will permit us
to notice. (Cries of "Go on.") Shall I read the whole
of it, it is rather lengthy ? (Yes, yes.) Well, then,
in the first place, he talks about our dress. He says
we wore white cravats—l wore a black one. (Langhter.)
I thought Dr. Cahill had more tact. He is a priest of a
church which requires its members to go to college in
order to know how to dress. (Hear and laughter.) It is
only two years ago that people were startled out of their
propriety at the authoritative entrance of our gaudy car-
dinal into the great metropolis, decked out in his gold and
silver and precious stones, and clothed in purple and
scarlet, and fine linen, reclining in all his eminence on
the back of the Roman bull. (Laughter and cheers.) He
sneers at us by calling us cravats. Well, perhaps so..
I do not know the meaning of the word, but I bnow that
the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch,, and
that that which was originally a term of reproach has. now
become the honour of all Christians. (Cheers.) He talks
about " Stilton cheese," and the means we used to make
converts. Our only means is the word of God. What, I
would ask, are the means which the Church of Rome
uses ? (Hear, hear.) If' Dr. Cahill, though he is such a
glorious politico-religio-seientific lecturer, was as well
acquainted with the history of his church, and with the
doctrines of her councils, or was honest enough to tell
what he does know, he could have told his audience that
they had other means than those he professes to use..
(Hear, hear.) He could, have told them that she had
winking pictures and lying wonders ; that she had the
scaffold, the rack, and the block, and, besides all this,
plenty of paving stones and mud, given away without
money and without price: (Hear, hear, and cheers.) He
says that the apostles never could have met such opposi-
tion as we encountered—that they, were old men, and
that St. Peter would have been killed' by it. I wish.
Dr. Cahill had studied the New Testament more,
and politics ' less, for he would have found that the
apostles lived and died in, the very work, and exposed
to the very treatment which we received at the hands
of the priests and papists of Ireland. (Loud. cheers.)
Well, he says that we went to Ireland " to make the people
liars, hypocrites, perjurers, and infidels." Pardon me.
Dr. Cahill, you do not know Protestantism. We did not
teach them to go about the country, telling wicked stories
about persecuted christians) which we knew to be false..
(" Hear, hear.") We did not preach to them despotism,
under the cloak of civil and religious liberty. We did not
teach them to go in thejury-box, and hear evidence, com-
plete and convincing, and uncontradicted, having taken
a solemn oath, before Almighty God, to decide according
to the evidence, and then refuse to give a verdict at al.
(" Hear, hear," and loud cheers.) We did not preach to
them a system, which, by requiring implicit belief in tenets
so monstrous and contradictory as to drive the populace in
a mass into infidelity and insubordination, so that hn-
mense armies are required to keep the Pope on his throne,
and his subjects in subjection. (Cheers.) I stated in my
letter to Dr. Cahill, that every line in. the extract of his
speeches quoted in my letter to him was a falsehood, and
I now repeat it. It is not true, that one of our ministers
in Limerick crept under a bed. It is not true, that another
was discovered in a hay loft, by his London boots. It is
not true, that a third hid behind a quarter
of fat beef. It is not true that they were ulti-
mately rescued by the priests, but by the police.
It is not true that any of these ministers " called the
citizens priest-ridden idolators," and these statements Dr.
Cahill must have known to be false when he made them.
(Hear.) The spirit of his remarksds worse than the remarks
themselves. It is, indeed, a sad and melancholy spectacle
to find a man whom Providence has endowed with so
much ability, misapplying his talents as Dr. Cahill is
doing. And yet we find an enlightened audience, in the
year 1853, hearing this man's outrageous statements, and
believing in them. It only proves this,that Popery is the
same it ever was—that the life of a " heretic" is in this
Country regarded by the Roman Catholics the same as it
is and ever has been in Rome ; and, that if Dr. Cahill had
the power, the lives of Protestants would not be any safer
in his hands than they were in those of St. Dominic or
of Pope Paul IV. Such is my answer to Dr. Cahill,
and I challenge his reply. (Hear, hear, and loud cheers).

In speaking of the Criticisms with which we have been
honoured, we cannot pass over the press. I shall take
one extract as a sample of the whole poinsn prints of
Ireland.

" Ah, they are not sincere, fellow-countrymen. They are
knaves, liars, hypocrites; canting scoundrels who are hired
by the farmers of English gold, poured by weak dupes into
the treasury of Exeter Hall.
"Let your comical missionaries look to it. If there be
bones broken amongst them, if a catholic people take the law
into their own hands and scourge the hypocrites who blas-
pheme their religion, let their blood be upon their own heads.
They have been saved from punishment heretofore by the
generous interference of the priests of that faith which they
have so wantonly reviled. But if they are to be protected in
their impious crusade by the arms of men who are paid to
protect the public peace, which they have first violated, we
advise the priests to fold their arms and let the' Pagans' deal
with them in self-defence.

" A little cheap martyrdom of this kind will be amply com-
pensated for by the substantial rages of Exeter Hall. As a
cotemporary has wittily said, 'their crown of glory is only the
five-shilling piece of the mint.' "

I have no time to notice all the points of this extract, nor
do they need it. They are so self-evidently false, that they
answer themselves. The importance, however, if not of
the individual print, at least of the estate to which it be-
longs, demands a passing notice. The author of these
words is pleased to say of me, in connexion with my
brethren, that I am " a liar, a knave, a hypocrite, a hired,
canting scoundrel." Now I will tell him what I am not.
I am not one who, wider an action for treason-felony,
proved to the full satisfaction of the public that in a pecu-
niary point of view I was worse than nothing, and yet
shortly afterwards I proved to the equal satisfaction of a
committee of the House of Commons that I had a pro-
perty qualification of at least £3OO a year. I am not one
who, as the opponent of Daniel O'Connell and the priests,
originated the Young Ireland party, and, with others,
hunted to death " the great agitator," and then before his
body was quietly laid in Harold's Cross Cemetery, was
found on bended knee before those very priests, and with
faltering voice crying peccavi, and humbly supplicating
their fatherly forgiveness and a share of the spoils. I am
not one who, when my tried and " intimate" friend lay
under sentence of death, was guilty of the unparalleled
meanness of abusing a private written communication, by
turning it to my own selfish ends, though by so doing I
vastly increased the difficulties of those who were sueing
for a pardon. I never wrote an article headed " Ireland
for the Irish," in which I endeavoured to prove that the
Protestants of Ireland were not Irish, and had no right to
be there, that they were a race of mongrels whose grand-
motherwas a daughter of John Knox,and their grandfather
was a drummer in Cromwell's army, and yet shortly after-
wards took into notice and confidence and partnership one
of that very race. I never told the priests "to fold their
arms," and the people to take away the lives of Protest-
ant ministers for doing what Romish priests at any time
and place in the United Kingdom may do, and in their
own way are doing, at the very time that I was crying up
civil and religious liberty, and acting as the joint secre-
tary of a religious equality committee. Such is my reply
to the Nation. (Loud cheers.) I trust the gentlemen of
the press will take it all down, and I shall take the first
opportunity of inclosing it to Charles Gavin Duffy, Esq.,
M.P., for New Ross, originator of the Young Ireland
party—the opponent of Daniel O'Connell and the priests,
—the friend of Thomas Francis Meagher—the publisher of
the article " Ireland for the Irish,"—the partner of John
Mitchell—the instigator of violence to the Protestant
missionaries in the south—the editor of the Nation—and
the joint secretary of the religious equality committee.
(Loud and vehement cheering. ) I have thus followed the
t
movement through its various stages, and found one grea
result, that, whether in city or country,clergy, or
laity, , priests or people, the platform or thee pr,esesr,
Young Ireland or Old Ireland, north, south,
mar one
west, in Popish Ireland, there is on
soul—civil and religious liberty continuallymon their lips,
and intolerance and persecution continually on their
hearts. (Cheers) v cage? (Woo of
( I ask you, thou, ban Px9YO

TUESDAY,

SEPTEMBER 13, 1853.

id cheers.) Well, if so, the only point to
;. antv 2lt is not enougMo !nett::

wnat as your L.,0 ,
and do nothing• k
hear, and applaud, and go away
hear.) Are we to treat Roman Catholics they
hear.)
us ? I answer, No, no—a thousand times no ; b
we will not persecute them, so neither Will We be Peas
cuted by them. We ought to have, and we
the
equal rights and equal privileges. Liberty to th aw`
here sY,st_ti;
of Rome, by all lawful means, to propagate
and the same liberty to Protestants to propagat tifca
If they have a chin.ch in London, we must have 011,ecin.
Rome. If priests, parsons, or presbyterian minister'_er;
late the law, let the law be vindicated. If present cot
be not sufficient, let new ones be granted ; and, Oka,
rulers will not do us justice—if all governinentes of
Whig and Tory, seem to tremble at provoking th 07,0
the 4-0 Popish members sent into the House of Cot_nufer,
by the priests of Ireland to be Whigs or Tories, CA'7„,t
vatives or Radicals, Protectionists, or Free Tr pope,
as it suits the interest of their " Lord God'
dome r„';e,
then let the Protestants of the United Kin
" Hast thou appealed to Caesar, unto Car shaltthottrof
and by the return, not of 40, but of 400 true friends and
civil and religious liberty, settle the question at once
for ever. Loud and continued cheering.) We don't
to convert( the House of Commons into an arena foryit`ie
logical discussion, but neither will we admit thaten
powers that be, which are ordained of God for IT We
glory, must become infidel before they can be tisef_wsolit
are not prepared, on the one hand, to sacrifice tbe,„ent
concerns of the country by filling the Houses of Parilts,nnt
with men ignorant of trade and commerce ; neither tv'Pendia
sell our birthright for a mess of pottage, by 6„ligion,
there persons who are wholly regardless al beell
and whose only recommendation is that they bnianti•
clever lawyers, or brave generals, or successful tore art,
(Loud applause.) There need be no compromisegOf it
There are good men in both parties. We Ir' go
.°ll
decision, practice. While England and
on
rto
writing admirable despatches, Russia goes on tranW?ting;
her men across the Pruth, acting while they are scrio dent{
and unless the tactics are changed there can bed T ,peecli;
of the result. So, while we are writing an
making upon civil and religious liberty, the Prl'ioll
'
Ireland are working • and, by 40 united men, are , Il.cof
trampling under foot the liberties of the Protestaat of)
United Kingdom. (Tremendous applause.) We don
t
n bO
the ground ; but they have chosen it, and we It 01
them out of it. Tell them they are British sublee they
entitled to British privileges They may go aliere,,ef.
please, and by all lawful means propagate their sle‘v;a11(1
We will meet them, overthrow their argubl_AFl7rotec:g
despise and reject their principles, whilst we Ww ".ce "P"
their liberties and lives ; but we, turn must 112''
same. We ask no more, and we will take no 1e55:,4
too, are British subjects, and " Britons never :I,o'o,
slaves." (The rev. gentleman concluded a lecture '90;0,
hours and a quarter, listened to throughout witb '!',o
interest, amidst the most enthusiastic demonstrats'
applause, which were renewed again and again,)
Mr. Alderman PARKER, in proposing a vote of bere
to Mr. White, said that he never was at a meeting s'
tl
he heard a subject so ably handled as it had beiii/ena
evening by the gentleman who had been so elelo-re ate
addressing. them, and he never saw an audience
teative. (Hear, hear). He felt sure that everSb()",j,
retire from the meeting delighted with what t", 100
hard. With these feelings, he moved a vote of
to the talented lecturer.
Te resolution was carried with acclamation. ,4nelst'
The Rev. Mr. WHITE acknowledged the couns'.4oo
and said he was thankful to see so many of his I',
presuit on the occasion,. He thought they vs'olllhoeittl
with him that, however painful it might hoe
them to hear such statements as he had madc,bef,
been %impelled to make them as statements of fact.
hear, ind loud cheers). ~6 ter
The doxology was then sung, and the proceeraPo
minatAd about ten o'clock.