The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-09-01 00:00:00

TO CORRESPONDENTS

We received on Saturday several notes from our country
subscr►bers, complaining that the Standard of the preced-
ing day was not received at the usual time. We presume
we need not now offer any reason for the delay, but we
may observe that for one reader in the country we have a
hundred in the town, who would be much more disap-
pointed were we to omit all mention of a meeting occur-
ring on the night prior to our publication.
We must again request the indulgence of our correspondents.
We shall be able to " make up our lee way" as soon as the
assizes are over.

Chr W..tbrrpoof -tanbarb.

TUESDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 1, 1840,

By the packet-ship Independence, which arrived here
on Sunday, we have received New York papers to the
7th of August, inclusive. They are chiefly occupied
with details relating to the presidential election. If we
may place implicit reliance upon the statements of the
Whig (or conservative) portion of the press, the cause
of Mr. Van Buren would appear to be utterly hope-
less.

In .consequenceV the non-acceptance by Professor
Cleaveland of the appointment of Commissioner, there
would be some delay in the movements of the new
commission for the survey of the Maine bound ary
line. The Augusta Age states that the commission
would divide itself into three parties ; one to proceed
from the headquarters of either the Connecticut or
Kennebec, northeasterly along the islands ; another to
commence at the Bay of Chaleur, and to proceed
southwesterly towards the first party ; and the third
party to start from the monument at Mars' Hill, and to
proceed northerly to the highlands, and also westerly
along the highlands alleged to exist, and claimed, by
the British government, to be the true treaty high-
lands.

The Morning Courier and Enquirer gives a very me-
lancholy account of the distressed state of the manu-
facturing interest in various parts of the states. In
four towns only, in the county of 'Worcester, Massa-
chusettS, there were sixty-four sets of woollen machi-
nery, with their appendages, entirely unemployed. The
actual cost of these . sets of machinery is stated to be
840,000 dollars. Other towns were suffering in the
same manner.

The news from Florida gives accounts of fresh in-
cursions and renewed acts of hostility on the part of
the Indians.

There is no news of any importance from either of
the British North American provinces.

The commercial transactions at New York, on the
eve of the departure of the packet, were to a very
limited extent : sterling exchange was quoted at 6:1 to 7.

The Great Western had not arrived at New York up
to the evening of the Gth of August.
Intelligence had been received at New York from
Santa Cruz to the 23d July. The whole country was
suffering very much from drought, and the planters on
the south side were decided in their opinion that there'
would be no crops, as Vegetation was completely burned
up, and even if the rains should set in soon, it
would be too late to revive the cane. The markets at
St. Croix were glutted with all kinds of American pro-
duce, and business was at a dead stand, there being no
freights for any part of the world,

The latest news from New Grenada stated, that a
fresh insurrection had broken out at Pasto, headed by
the leaders of the _former one, their object being to
annex the province to the Republic of the Equator,
the President of which had ordered troops to the fron-
tiers which adjoin Pasto, for the purpose of giving
support to the movement.- Against this the govern-
ment of Grenada had strongly remonstrated. A war
between the two republics was likely to be the issue.
General Obando was in prison and under trial, as acces-
sory to the murder of General Sucre, during 'the time
of General Bolivar.

The news from Vera Cruz was to the 15th of July.
It was stated by Captain Clifford, of the Una, that the
Mexican authorities had taken between fifty and sixty
American and British seamen, who were found about
the coast of California, and had conveyed them as pri-
soners to a place which he called Tippie, (probably
Tepie or Tepeaka.) The affair, it is added, was under-
going an investigation, under the superintendence of
the American and British consuls.

Advices from Puertes Verdes, near Metamoras, of
the date of July 10th, state that there was much ex-
citement in the latter place, in consequence of the arri-
val of a courier, bringing intelligence that the Texians,
Mexican Federalists and Indians, amounting to 2,000,
were encamped upon the Nueces, and were about to
take their line of march for the Rio Grande, their main
object being the taking of Metamoras. Preparations
were making fir their reception. General Urrea was
a prisoner in the city.of Mexico.

The trial of Hearne v. Stowell, a lengthened report
of which appears in our paper of to-day, is one of the
greatest importance to a Protestant community, and
pregnant with considerations of a peculiarly grave and
affecting character. 'We, therefore, invite an attentive
perusal of the whole pioceedings, convinced that they
are calculated to throw considerable light, not only on
the monstrous assumptions of the Rotnish priesthood,
but also on the fatal tendencies of the insidious and
semi-infidel principles of modern liberalism.
The speech of Mr. Dundas, it will be seen, is per-
vaded throughout by that indiscriminate sort of
charity which recognises no difference between truth
and error, but which treats with the same complacent
indulgence all sects and denominations, and every form
of faith. We believe that Mr. Dundas is a Protestant
—we presume that he is a member of the Church of
England ; but we cannot help expressing our opinion,
after making every allowance for the license of counsel,
that he. even went so far as to sink the advocate in the
partizan, inhis ettarts to disparage the conduct of those
members of the Church of England, whose feelings in
reference to the tyranny of the Popish priesthood are
in unison with those of Mr. Stowell. He really appears
as if he did not so much endeavour to vindicate the
character of his client from the alleged slander on which
the action was grounded, as to clear Popery from
those general charges brought against that syStem Of
abominations by those who are zealously affected in
the good cause of Protestantism. We grieve that we
have to express ourselves in such terms in reference to
a gentleman of such distinguished worth and talent.
But to pass on. The examination of the Rev. Mr.
Crook deserves an attentive consideration. The an-
this true son of the church
swers reluctantly given bY
of Rome, in the course of his examination by Mr.

Cresswell, afford a very true picture of the tyranni-
cal assumptions of that apostate church. When he
was asked whether it was a doctrine of the Church of
Rome, that the priest has absolute power of absolu-
tiki ? his answer was, " He 4as the power of forgiving
sin, under the words of Christ. That is part of our
doctrine." Again, when Mr. Cresswell asked, "Is it
part of your doctrine that any person who denies that
power is accursed?" the answer was—" Certainly it is."
We wish particularly to draw the attention of our

readers to these words. They plainly and unequivo-
cally express the unlimited power of absolution vested
in the priest, according to the doctrines of the church
of Rome. Mr. Crook does not contend for a merely
declaratory power of absolution, such as the Church
of England acknowledges in her ritual. Far from it.
There can be no mistake about the matter. Mr.
Crook's words are too explicit to give rise to any erro-

neous impression. Our reasons for insisting upon
this will shortly appear.
Passing over the remainder of the trial, we would
next draw attention to the remarks which were volun-
teered by the learned judge, while addressing the jury.
It is with extreme reluctance and diffidence that we
advert to anything said by a judge in his judicial capa-
city; but when we find observations of a supereroga-
tory character introduced into the address of even a
judge of the land, the most rigid sense of reverence for
the law and its administrators need not prevent us
from criticising such observations. When we find

Baron Itolfe telling the .jury that " they must know
no distinctions in point of right between the Roman
Catholic religion, the religion of the state, or any form
of tolerated dissent," and that " all are equal in the
eye of the law," we cannot but say that there appears
to be something contradictory in this mode of expres-
sion. The very terms " religion of the state" imply an
inequality. But this is of small moment. Of a far
graver character are the remarks which fell from
the

Judge in reference to that part of the. evi-
ence of Mr. Crook which related to the assumed

,ower of absolution on the part of the Romish

Church. Qn this point he said—"'!'here was one an-
swer to which he felt bound to advert. He meant the
answer to the question whether it was part of the doc-
trine of the Roman Catholic church, that a priest had

power to forgive sins. He thought there ought not to
go abroad, on the one side or the other, any prejudice
about peculiar tenets, because the witness might not

. _
have fully explained his answer. The witness said it
was part of the Roman Catholic doctrines; that the

nest ' had power to forgive sins, according to, the
cords of Christ,' and that any person denying such

over was accursed.' This was really beside the
object; but he must caution the jury against taking
ie answer literally. He (the learned judge) was no
ivocate there for the Church of Rome. God forbid,
she wanted one, that she should have one so feeble,
nd so little inclined to her doctrines as himself, to
clvocate her tenets : but this much he would say, if
ie jury had asked that gentleman to interpret a little

more minutely what he meant by saying the priest had
power to forgive sins—he did not mean he would give
the same interpretation to the words as a Protestant cler-
gyman would, but that it would have approached much
nearer to that than the phrase taken literally appeared to
do. So would the words that any person denying that
power was accursed." In thus volunteering an expo-
sition of Mr. Crook's language, Baron Rolfe has ac-
tually given rise to an erroneous impression where there
was none previously existing. The doctrine of plenary
absolution was distinctly set forth by Mr. Crook, as well
as the penalty attached 'to its disbelief. Nothing could
be plainer than the language in which his answers
were couched. Is it not melancholy to find a judge
upon the bench confounding this doctrine, so deroga-
tory to the honour of the Almighty, with the doetrine

held by the church to which he professedly belongs ?
But we need scarcely wonder when we hear such lati-
tudinarian views expressed by one of the judges of the
land, when we find so much laxity of principle, and
such gross ignorance and perversion of Protestant

uth, even from the lips of our Whig-created bishops.
(hen we see these things, we cannot avoid exclaiming,
Heu ! pietas ! Heu ! prisca fides !" When shall we

again see the bench occupied by such men as good
Matthew Hale ?

PAYMENT OF RATES.—We are happy to inform our con-
servative readers, that the attendance of the friends of the
good cause at the Parish-offices, to pay their rates,-has been
all that could be desired. We have no reason to fear the
result of the next municipal election. The offices were open
till twelve 'o'clock last night, at which hour " three cheers"
were proposed for O'Connell, which were faintly responded
to. " Three groans for O'Connell," and " three groans for
Rail: ,ne" were given with effect. "Three cheers for Jus-
tice te,Englancl" were enthusiastically given.

DEAFNESS.—We are sorry to have to state that the
omission of Mr. Swift's .advertisement was an oversight of
ours. We regret it the more as it was the occasion of much
disappointment both to Mr. S. and his patients. For Mr.
Swift's time of attendance in Liverpool sec his Advertisement
in our iiist page.

LORD CHANCELLOR COTTENHAM.--The Lord High
Chancellor, Lady Cottenham, and suite arrived here from
Douglas, on Saturday evening last, by the royal mail steamer
Queen of the Isle, Captain Gill. His lordship had been on
a visit to his brother, the Bishop of Sodar and Man, at
Bishop's Court, for the last week, and was pleased to express
himself highly gratified during his short stay in this now
fashionable watering-place. On leaving the steamer, his
lordship expressed his acknowledgments to Captain Gill for
his polite attention during the voyage, and immediately pro-
ceeded to the Adelphi Hotel. His lordship and family at-
tended divine service on Sunday morning at St. Andrew's
Church.

FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.—On Saturday morning last,
while a labourer, employed on the North Union Railway, at
Euxton, near Leyland, was laying or securing -a sleeper on
the line, a train suddenly came up, and passing over him,
dissevered his head from his body. An inquest was held
yesterday, on view of the body, and a verdict of "Accidental
Death, was returned.

OVERBEARING CONDUCT OF A POLlCEMAN.—Yesterday
an unfortunate Irishman, in very reduced circumstances,
who is waiting for a passage to America, was endeavouring
to dispose of some numbers of the Penny Protestant Maga-
zine, and other small works published by the Protestant
Association, by exposing theta for sale against the old infir-
mary wall, in this town, when Policeman No. 48 came up,
and observing the character of the tracts, tore one of them
from the wall, and stamping on it, exclaimed that he would
put him in bridewell if he did not immediately remove them.
The poor man remonstrated with the policeman, pointing
out, hard by, two men, who were, and have been, selling
obscene ballads, one batch occupying 46feet space. This was
of no avail ; the protestant tracts had to be taken from the
wall, and the indecent songs were allowed to remain ! Can
this conduct be tolerated in protestant Liverpool ? It may
be well to observe, that two policemen and one inspector had
previously passed the place without making any remark.
THE LONDON AND LIVERPOOL FIRE-POLICE.—METRO-

POLITAN FlRES.—Notwithstanding the great and valuable
efficiency of the London fire brigade, there is one point in
which they are sadly deficient—the immediate obtainment of
of water. In this respect the Liverpool fire brigade far out-
strips the London. In Liverpool about 100 men are picked
from the police force, and although they do duty the same as
their brother police constables, at a somewhat higher rate of
salary, they form a very sufficient fire brigade. The stranger
in Liverpool is instantly struck by their appearance. Pen-
dant from a polished brass chain, slung round the neck, is a
steel instrument, which at first sight looks like a weapon of
defence, but it is in fact a water-key. Hence there is no
running to and fro for the turncock—the alarm of fire is
spread immediately, and an abundant supply of water is ready

rig before the engines can possibly arrive. In the great tire
Liverpool in 1838 the value of this brave handful of men,
Kier the control of their able director, Mr. Whitty, called
rth the thanks of the whole town. In London the water is
.;ked up—the ladders arc locked—the fire escapes are locked
and as to the " Society for Protection of Life from Fire,"
,wever good its " intentions," the Spanish proverb is ap-
icable.

IMPROVEMENTS ON AINTREE RACE COURSE.—Since
the affairs of the race-course were placed under the new ma-
nagement, consisting of a body of highly respectable noble-
men and gentlemen of this town and neighbourhood, whose
names must by this time be familiar to the ears of the sport-
ing publie, a number of improvements have been effected on
and about the racing-ground, not the least of which was the
one contiguous to the Grand Stand, which, being enclosed as
a betting-ring and promenade, turned out a piece of accom-
modation highly relished by those who took advantage of it
at our last July meeting. In addition to what was done on
that occasion for the public convenience, a number of artisans,
to the amount of thirty, are now actively employed in con-
structing an elevation, or gradually ascending ground at the
base of the Grand Stand, which will prove capable of accom-
modating a vast number of individuals. The elevation, which
takes its rise from the rails enclosing the race-ground, will be
carried up to the extent of thirteen inches, forming a gentle
acclivity well adapted for the purpose contemplated, without
obscuring or interfering with the arrangements of the edifice
to which it will form so necessary an appendage; this fresh
addition will not only much enhance the comfort and conve-
nience of persons stationed thereon, but will afford them a
better view of everything worth seeing in the immediate vi-
cinity. The whole will be surrounded with a beautiful iron
pallisading, of first-rate workmanship and design, and when
the work is completed, will form an elegant promenade for the
use of the ladies and gentlemen honouring the races with
their presence. The road usually devoted to carriages will
be stopped up, and one nearer to the stables provided for
horses and carriages making the entrance to the ground. A
new carriage way, 24 feet wide, will also constitute another of
the meditated changes, which is intended exclusively for the
reception of carriages setting down at the Grand Stand, and
itioincdomthpelehtoetetlli estwabhloelse,,
whichswtiairt starting
do
aplovsat wywi lil be
thtphlea cseud be
dden-
turn hitherto considered so dangerous to both horse and rider
in the short lengths. Too much praise cannot be awarded to
Mr. Lynn, for the indefatigable industry and untiring zeal
displayed by him in his endeavours to place the Liverpool
meetings on a firm and permanent footing, and to render
them in the highest degree attractive to the admirers of this
truly English pastime, Liverpool, at no very distant day,,

. . _
must
.. .
s take the very highest rank as a sporting community, if
success may be measured by the large amount of patronage
guaranteed from all quarters. The entry for the St. Leger
next year already numbers forty horses, and several other
stakes promise uncommonly well. Many of the contemplated
prizes for the years 1840 and 1841, are said to be of such mag-
nitude as to threaten a total eclipse of some meetings taking
high ground at the present day.—Chronicle.

STATEMENTS IN REFERENCE TO THE PE-
NANCE ALLUDED TO IN THE CASE OF
HEARNE v. STOWELL.

The following statements in reference to this impor-
tant case having been handed to us, we have no hesi-
tation in giving them publicity, especially as erroneous
impressions are abroad respecting the nature of the
alleged libel and the circumstances under which the
Rev. Hugh Stowell has been proceeded against. The
subjoined statements of facts, respectably authenti-
cated as they are, will throw considerable light upon
the practices of the Romish 'priesthood, and tend to
exonerate the defendant from that degree of culpability
which an imperfect knowledge of the facts of the case
might lead many people to attach to his character. It
was intended that the testimony of those gentlemen
whose names will he found below should be submitted
to the judge and jury on the trial, but for some reason
they were not called upon to give their evidence. If
the following evidence had been adduced we feel con-
vinced that the case would have assumed a totally dif-
ferent complexion. It would have proved that the de-
fendant was fully justified in stating that such acts of
penance as crawling on the hands and knees on the
public roads or streets are by no means unusual in the
Church of Rome.

STATEMENTS, &C.
I have lived in various parts of Ireland as a curate of the
church of God established in that land, having had charge
of parishes in several different counties, and in two different
provinces, during a continuous period of more than ten years.
I have witnessed—in various parts of the county Sligo, of
the county Mayo, and of the county Galway—many hundred
persons, members of the Church of Rome, in the act of per-
forming penances precisely similar to that described in the
paper stated to be malicious or libellous. I have seen many
hundreds of women, near my own residence, drawing up
their petticoats around the lower part of their persons, so as
to expose the legs and the thighs naked, in the presence of
hundreds of men and women, and then prostrating them-
selves, and crawling on their naked knees and one hand, and
then holding up their clothes with the other hand, and thus
crawling around what are called " holy wells" or "stations,"
till their knees were excoriated by the gravel, or by sharp
stones, and the blood streaming along their legs. 1 have
also witnessed many hurfreds' of men In the itt'of perform-
ing a similar form of penance on their bare or naked knees,
till the blood flowed from the wounds. I have frequently
conversed with those persons, and they always described—
and never hesitated to describe—such penances as imposed
on them by their respective priests, the priests of the Church
of Rome ; and I have witnessed these performances actually
practised, in the county Galway, in the front of the parish
priest's windows,'at every hour of the day, apd on every day
of the week, for some weeks together,—so as that it must
have been morally impossible but that the priest must have
had personal knowledge of the fact ; and I have conversed
with a priest and other members of the Church of Rome, in
Ireland, and they have asserted to me, and have argued
against me, that such practices; though regarded by me as
degrading and indecent, are.not only sanctioned by the priests,
but are also a useful kind of religion, suitable for so simple
and ignorant-a population i that residing in the rural dis-
tricts
of Ireland, as being Ines:liable of appreciating anything
better. These practices, in the'rnost degrading and debasing
way, and in the most grossly indecent form, are of such con-
stant recurrence, that they are a matter of universal noto-
riety
in those districts; for on some occasions. as on the
season called Lady-day,—and. in sonic places, as Balla and
Croagh Patrick, and others, of which one was only a few
hundred yards from my residence, there are not less than
many thousand persons performing such penances in the
course of the year.

M. HOBART SEYMOUR, M.A.
Curate of St. George's, Southwark

I was, in the year 1836, a curate in the diocese of Tutor!,
and at a distance of about seven miles from my residence
there was a station for the performance of penance, at which
I attended for the purpose of ascertaining the character of
the penances there performed, and there I saw hundreds of
men, Women, and children, on their bare knees, traversing
first a sharp gravel walk, and afterwards a churchyard, co-
vered with rough flags, unevenly placed. I saw the flags
smeared with their blood, and 1 saw the Romish priest of
the parish come into the station, superintend it, and pocket
the money paid for kissing a wooden crucifix held up by a
servant of the priest. This was in the open day, in a public
and populous village, about twenty miles from the l'opish
archbishop's residence, and persons from parishes at least
fifty miles distant attended, having been sent by their priests.
I have also seen other penances, fully as revolting and de-
Fradings as that said to have been enjoined by Mr. Hearne
in Manchester, practised at holy wells in Ireland.
BRABAZON ELLIS,
Minister of St. Paul's Church, Burslem, Staffordshire.

I, the Rev. Wm. B. Stoney, saw at Baal, in the county
Mayo, in Ireland, on Tuesday the 11th of August, 1840, two
women doing penance—they crawled over the stones and
gravel of the chapel yard on their bare knees, they appeared
to suffer great torture, one of the unhappy women held a
string of beads in one hand, with the other she endeavoured
to keep her clothes from getting under her bare knees, the
sharp gravel and stones must have lacerated her knees.
There are two rude monuments round which the Romanists
who do the penance run many times bare-footed, repeating
over—Hail Mary ! &c. &c.

On Saturday the 15th of August, 1840, I saw on the moun-
tain of Croagh Patrick, a number of Roman Catholics doing
penance. There were, as appeared to me, more than thirty
persons ; I saw one person who was respectably dressed,
crawl on his bare knees along the rough and sharp stones, he
crawled thus along a passage into a rude chapel or cairn of
stones with great suffering and torture, endeavouring to sup-
port himself with a stick and help to relieve the weight of
his body. I saw at the same time several others on their
bare knees, and many running round bare-footed the top of
the mountain, about 400 yard} of rugged roeliy ground. One
poor creature had her feet so swollen that she could not put
on her boots, for she was a well-dressed and respectable
looking person. She tried but failed, and was obliged to go
down in her bare feet. Some of the poor devotees complained
of the torture, they said the stones and gravel penetrated into
their feet ; they go fifteen times round the top bare-footed,
or once bare-kneed. Penance doers have their choice, they
repeat seven ayes, seven paters, and a creed before they be-
gin, and on concluding, on their bare knees.
Some of the devotees told me that some time before, a
Reiman Catholic priest was on the mountain—performed ser-
vice there, and went through a station.
There are two stations' for penance, (going up antt.down
the mountain one on each side) where similar rounds are
to be gone through, and penances performed on the bare
knees ; the ascent up to the cove or top of the mountain is
exceedingly laborious and difficult, being two miles of up hill,
rugged, and distressing.
WILLIAM BAKER STONEY, 8.A.,
Rector of Castlebar, Ireland.

I do hereby certify that I have lived in Ireland for five-
and-twenty years, and am intimately acquainted with the
working of popery, and have witnessed those practices which
are similar to that stated to be libellous and malicious in the
trial of Hearne v. Stowell.

On a visit to the town of Westport, in the west of Ireland,
I was induced to go to see the far-famed Croagh Patrick,
where penance is performed daily to make satisfaction for
sin. On the occasion alluded to I accompanied a pilgrim (a
person from my native town) to the top of the mountain,
where I saw the aforesaid pilgrim engaged in the perform-
ance of penance, which consisted of going once round the
circumference of the top of the mountain on bared knees, or
fifteen times barefoot : the former mode of doing penance
was on this occasion adopted by the pilgrim. On my in-
quiry into the object of this penance, I was informed that in
doing this penance she was discharging an obligation im-
posed on her by her priest on the event of her recovery from
sickness. That the above-mentioned pilgrim did undergo
this infliction on bared kness, I was and am ready to certify
on oath. I can also bear testimony to my having frequently
seen the Roman Catholics of Ireland engaged in the practice
of doing penance at one of the so-called holy wells in Ireland,
where I have myself seen them in hundreds going round the
well, in the performance of such penance, on bare knees,
oftentimes kissing the ground over which they were crawling ;
and on the completion of the proposed duty I have seen the
pilgrims at these wells leave a piece of rag tied to the tree,
as a memorial of their pilgrimage.

GEORGE F-ITZGEAA LD GALAKER, B.A
Curate of Weaverham.

I officiated as a Roman Catholic priest in the town of
Toomavara, county Tipperary, Ireland, for nine months.
During the discharge of my public 'ministry in that part of
Ireland, I have seen Roman Catholic men and women, of
that town and parish, do penance within the walls of the cha-
pel of that town, crawling on their hands and bare knees un-
til the blood actually trickled to the ground. In conjunction
with the Romish priest of that parish, I obliged ten or twelve
men, Roman Catholics, to do public penance in the open air,
bare-foot and bare-headed, for six consecutive Sundays, for
having met on a Sunday morning to decide an old quarrel
with an opposing party. In the parish of Birr, King's county,
Ireland, where I officiated as a Roman Catholic priest during
six years, 1 witnessed similar scenes, and subjected both men
and women of that pariah to penances within the walls of
the chapel, until the blood trickled down to the ground. I
have witnessed Roman Catholic men arid women perform
public penance, at St. Shanon's Well, Dronass, county Clare,
crawling on their hands and bare knees, on a hard pebbly
ground, until the blood trickled to the ground. I have heard
of similar public penances performed by Roman Catholics at
holy wells in Ireland, where the priests are in the habit of
attending, to hear the confessions of these votaries of Romish
superstition, and to receive monies for such confessions. I
have never ard Roman Catholic priests condemn or raise
their voices against such abominable praetices. I have seen
a late relative of mine, a Roman Catholic priest, bring seve-
ral of his parishioners to the chapel, bare-foot and bare-
headed, in white sheets, and with large stones on their heads,
for having met on a Sunday morning to decide an old quar-
rel. These public penances are a part and parcel of popery.
These scenes are of such frequent recurrence in Ireland, that
even among Protestants they excite no astonishment or sur-
prise. As a witness on the part of the defendant at the late
trial at Liverpool, I most sincerely regret I have not had
an opportunity of snaking this statement.
MICHAEL CROTTY,
Protestant Curate of Norbury Church,
Hasel Grove, Cheshire.