The Statesman.
London, England, 1824-01-23 00:00:00

To the Editor of M. Debtin Evening Boren.

•
BILIPART. JANUARY 16, 1824.
" occurrence has takes place in the oeighbone-
hood of Belfast, on Thursday last, which will satisfy the
people of the Smith of Ireland, that the artillery of fana-
ticism is not entirely levelled at them—that the Established
Chinch is not afraid of being impartial in the dispensa-
tion of its intolerance. The Presbyterian, as well as the
Catholic, is denounced in his grave,and the Presbyterian, as
well as the Catholic Ministerof the Christian Hopped. is order.
ed to desist from the performance of the last duties of hie
olfice,though solicitor by the dying prayers of the deceased,
obese ashes were totalled. The Bishop of Down. Whose.
asp Nat whose amnesty is Baadead, has so.
Idea of iftelec thr *hole field of monopoly to Arch-
hisiefillingee—heis one of those who would not softer a
law so, sacred to sleep on the Statute Book, as that
which denied to the Catholic or Presbyterian the right
of prayer over their deceased brethren.—The very unex-
pected ,erstissction which gives rise to the foregoing
rearctiowe'nocurred jsz this neighbourhood on Thursday
last; the Mother of one of the-wealthiest and most
nseful individnals in the neighbourhood of Belfast, a
Beaker, 'mat about to he buried on Thursday morning in
the Churchyard of Hollywood, about four miles from
this tows ' • the deceased. and all her family, are Presby-
terian —the attendant Ministers were the Rev. Mr. Bruce,
and his father, Dr. Renew. When about to proceed to

read prayers, or rather to offer up a prayer- over the
grave of Lis friend, an old and respected member of hie
congregation, he was accosted by the curate of the parish,
telling him that Presfatan Prager in the Church-yard
of the Established Chorii was not tolerated by the law
of the land; that. lioniever painful the duty, to oblige
Dr. Bruce to desist frot therperforinance of that which
he considered to be his office, he, the curate, had his
orders from the Bitshop of Down. which orders must be
obeyed. Di. Brace and the respectable men, (many of
whom were themselves members of the Established Church)
who followed the hearse to the Church-yard, though
'meetly surprised by such a prohibition, ceased to incur
the displeasure of, his Lordehip, the Bishop of Down, or
to expose themselves to the alternative cif force, if mann-
-atrance had not had the desired effect; they therefore left
the Church-yard, perfectly satisfied that they bad done
1604 duty in making all reasonable and temperate efforts
to comply with the wishes of their deceased friend.
"It• is somewhat curious to observe, Sir, that at the
moment Mr. Secastary Uoulborn and Mr. Plunkett are
endeavouring to tare away some of the stings and exits-
-iterations of the tithe system, the heads of the Established
Church of Ireland are sedulously labouring to sharpen the
thorns of intolerance, by the revival of the most odious
law. over which time had strewed its ashes, against a por-
tion of the Irish community who have been long distin-
guished by their calm submission to every tax which
is imposed by partial and exclusive Legislation, for
the wealth and aggrandizement of that very Church.
You, Sir. have observed, that this has been the
system Mace the Wog- (George the Fourth) first
expressed his Royal anxiety to put an end to a religious
discord in Ireland--the Royal communication has been
met in every county by some little Ecclesiastical confe-
deracy ; the statute book has boon searched to ascertain
whether absolute prejudice could be revived. The inge-
nuity of Bishop Magee commenced the holy work, and
Bishop Nfant brings up the rear with prompt and becoming
spirit; the sensation which this Loyal outrage, (for in what
other terms can I describe it) has created in every Presby-
terian bosom, it is oesier to conceive than to delienate ; but
I congratulate my countrymen of every denomination in
the splendid proof of Dr. Mimes religious liberality. Ile
has accomplished that which no reasoning could effect;. be
has united all religious denom;nations in one common
effort to obtain the repeal of a law. perhaps as equivocal as
it is certainly fanatical and biggotted ; the enlightened
Episcopalian protests against its nonsense, the Presbyte-
rian and Catholic denounce its ignorant intolerance; it
has been recommended to the South by an able lawyer, to
prosecute the parties who will be guilty of assaulting or
interrupting the Catholic in the performance of the last re-,
!igloos duties to his relative or friend. An appeal to a
Coert of Justice, would, he says, decide the question; why
not petition the Imperial Parliament, and app al to its wis-
dom and virtue from the wretched bigotry of the Church ?
Will any min say that the law, if equivocal, would not be
instantly repealed. and the dead of Ireland, ac least suffered
to rest in the grave, undisturbed by the folly of the
fanatic. I trust, Sir, my countrymen will lose no time in
preparing their petitions to thiseelfect • and if the Legisla-
tore shall not listen to the prayer 'Roll' Petitions shall con-
tain, l will not think w meanly of my country as to sup-
pose for an instant that she will hesitate to bind up her
cause with that of the Reformers of England and Scot-
land.

" I remain, with great respect, your very bumble
Servant. " Jowl Law Less."

SHI P-OWNF! US' AI EE TI NO.
-........-.

Y.esteeday a meetirm of the meechaets, ship-owners, end
soder-writers of the City of London was hold, pursuant to
,public advertisement, for the purpose of taking into con-
, oideretioa the effects of the present mode adopted att•Lloyd's
[ of legistering ships. The lutetium we. maiseroursly wedded.
Mr. Wicsos, ALP., was eiljesi to the chair. fie briefly
atatettho object of the meeting. He der tined eoteriug in-
to-the qwestson, sobisihaeoshi beffulir and clearly opened
by ochres for the diseirision?ofc thot •gee^t number of able
and most respectable men by whom he was surrounded.
• Mr. AliesnalW. then ruse, and after addressing the
seutetbig: at greet leauth, proposed a emaciate: -declaratory
of the 011isio0 Of lthe muting, that the present mode of
registering vessels in the two books at Lloyd's was errone-
oat said (options to tee merchant ship-owners i that it
sided ehillilere and tmiditemritersi mid 'Waded to provost
the building or repaid,*
:of .vessels of a superior quality.
The resolution was carried at once unanimously.
Mr. MITCHILL proposed a motion for the appointment
of a•counnittee, consfatietutttiirty-six, with power to add
Soilbeivolumber,,to teiteieto their consideration the best
steam* of obvietiectheenii.misbab was. felt by ail. It was
impartant the, ceminitt****proposed should be composed
of gentlemen whore eerie's.' &vocations would qualify them
to pat tbe.system of 'registralion on a footing, correct in
itseminciples, ietehtixibbeisi itoaleteils, and se4lsfectory to
all. (Applause.) It shoold Wing for the coosiderotioe
.of the committee, to raise a ((tailor the purpose of carry-
ing the objects Into me/ution. • - .
Chia moieties was also carded unatimonsly.
Ur, timetesoe said, it trio I sego Li al that all the great
interests concerned in the quysiion should be fully repre-
sented. For this purpose he moved that the committee
should consist of eight merchants, eight sbirowners, one
-residoet merci.ant from each of the ten principal registered
ell-peas la siteklegiorn which were named,. one. repro
isentative from each of the two chartered marine insurance