The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-04-09 00:00:00

I'INDICLE ?MITA NNICA.

C'IRISTI INI IV INi-catsu9 IN THE DIIMISSAL Olt.Mr•
A sIICATI9N OF ?III: PEOPLE FROM
11116 oF PLASPDF:MV, AND A PEPENCE oF
FREF lOM or PRESS. IN SIX I.F.TTERS,
prifti>sen TO W. WILBERFORCE, 25Q. M. P. &C.

NiATEtI4.

- 111111IRISTOPIIII.Vt.
" Christianity interested in the dismissal of Minis-
ters?" exclaim some +Ample souls, whose sentiments
of public men have been Urinal from a few of their
public professions. " Clifistianity interested in the
sii.ntissal of" the Presidents of Bible Societies, the
promoters of National Schools, and the friends of
Mr. Wilberforce, and of the Saints? Marvel not, bre-
thren, at this, for we lire in an age that teems with
r.-onders. Contradictions in character, are as corn-
rows tow a days as revolutions and counter-revolu-
thous in States : -and though it was said of old, " ye
cannot reser (sod sod Matnition," vet since our poli-
tica: .-estesse hashers composed of " Church and State,"
Co. tinplicity of the composition necessarily occa-
sions some duplicity of conduct. In one respect, our
p..:i•Msn is Wearily apostolic. He is "all things to
kit tael, Met he rhy rah some." As the humble
Chri3tian avails himself of the institntions of religion
for hi' spiritual improvement, so does the other with
',nal zeal for the promotion of his sinister and secular
yieWs. The Christian has recourse to them for the
staite of their salutary isslunnce upon himself: the po-
litician, for the purpose of rendering them instruments
of iufluenee upon others. The more the professors of
ePligion are Glividell among themselves, the more scope
'le(' it afford him for exercising his dexterity of MA-
tiirentrnt. if the Catholics, for instance, are Regent
t..• share on an equal footing with their fellow sub-
j ...ts, the civil prielieges of the British Constitution,
un.l neither their own spirit nor the spirit of the times
resent an oh •tacle to the justice of their claims, the fears
~' ;intik! Protestants are to be allayed by the securities
r .'aired of the Cntbulies who are admitted within
l' c p.+7.! of the State, :1:-.,I the scruples of the stubborn
Catlialies, respecting the revisit,. oaths, are to he
soglied by the prospects of an established provisiou. Ai
V.I. Tories have here induced to i ransfe: their notions of
passive obedienre are non., esistance, nom the !louse
t;:* Stuart to toe [louse of Ilatmet-r, sa the Catholic
Cergv are exerted to iel.l to the head of the. Eng-
! s'. 'ireasury, the alleeilut.e they had used to mini-
f •.: to the Mad of the Church of Rome. l/f the
ct'..:e of that numerous an:l active body in the way
of infAtence„ a Tory Statesmen cannot but he aware;
a • !,,:t the direction which that influence way be wade
to ta%c, in thy important consequences depend. It
is a
.;ust rouse: of a respectable writer. in reviewing
tie st tte of religion, that "despotism has rarely been
rsta'.:'.ished 'n any country, without the x‘r!,Ncrisisney
of I.; ..a'.,ithls tf relisio., ; and it nearly concerns
the t::47:•e of public liberty, that those whit ostaltt tot
he a.: rotna.on instructors, an.l the faithful and fear-
less :::-,,,i;ors cf all classes, should nut be convicted
date the I:silivi sycophants of a eorrept, or Mr
Itch:".E 7J. slaves ela tyraoliealadmiaistratioe."—lint
to return to the object of the work before ns, we must
notice briefly the wanner iu which our politicians art
not oily towards Christianity in general, but espe-
cially towards. the Protestant Sects. To attat.la the
sealants :..a,let . of those different divisions, it has been
fettuil csp..dieut for them to profess the utmost
earnestness in promoting the cause of their common
Chrirt'.anite, and be equally ready in affecting an alarm
wheocce: it is annelid. To coneiliatr the s..etarie-.,
same distinguished Statesmen inlist themselves under
th-,*battners of the Bible Society ; while to retain the
true sons of the Church, (the most violent opposers
of fr fed qtt of euttscli nee, and liberality of opinions)
it is expedient to bestow the highest preferment on
th ise by whom that Society has been most defamed.
Thus Lord Liverpool, for one pnrpose. is President
of the Cheque Port Bible Society, while Dr. Nl:trsh,
the bitterest eertny of that society, is, par sufferance,
wide Bishop of the See of Peterborough. Nor is
this, it may bs known, a solitary case—numerous in-
stances cat: be pointed out to show, that active hosti-
lit; to ties, popular and liberal institutions, is one
fl the mast powerful recommendations ta the Episco-
pal Beech. Esissogh, howev. r. has bens alreasiv done
I , convince all hut those who do not wish to he untie-
ceived• '1 h. eyes of the reli;!ions public are now be-
ginning to he 'pen; d. anti t.very upright mind is
shocked fo see pretensions to religion made a clo ,k of
Baseness and corruption. It is lamentable to think
of the ittisclirfs that have been produced by this
profligate policy of Statesmen. At one time their
•n c 1 was: Ciarreli In tlaolfe:. ;at anuther—No
l'oprr:, ; and of late their inquident pretext, to check
the progress of liberty, has beets, that the country was
shoot to lie deluged with Ithartpiew.it.
It is this i-trosfure which has called forth the able
anal elaquent writer before us, to wit...ie work our at-
potion Las been directed by an allinirable notice in
tt,e .Se,.Pa :As newspaper ; and the task he lugs under-
Inkcn, i: is welLubservell, could not have fallen into
Lett, r Lands. We regret our limits will allow us at
present but little more than to introduce his lette, 5 to
the acquaintance of our readers. At some other up-
p 'dimity, however, we shall not fail to take a enure
liberal advantage of their contents. Adverting to
the charge of blasphemy, the author exclaims—
.. Surely the Refi;!..us Public cannot hut be indig-
omit at the falsehood. This libel on the country has been
arndioasly spread by all the catcalls of the Tteasury and i
echoed back spin by those of all others the most nutori-
onsly destitute of all religions principle. Surely rails con-
vriiient anti fashionable charge of the inroads of " infi-
delity" CAIIRUI but be regarded as a gross aspersion of,
tool detraction from, the public and private efforts of
ell political and religions opinions, to distribute the
bible. and disseminate Christian principles. indeed, a
more palpable cainuiny cannot be invented; since, from
the establishment of Charity and Sunday Schools—of
National sod Lancasterian systems of education—the
number of those who can read and write is a hundred-
fold increased. 'lle vast increase and extended circu-
lation of religions magazines and tracts exceed those of
any other publications • and I shall lay before the pub- A,
lie their almost incredible amount, as the einnpletest re-
"
futation of the charge; and 1 presume it may he taken Taxation now has reached its utmost possible
il% an undeniable fact. that they would not appear in the limit' and the only question is, wbNher the
market, were there nut a demand fur them. Now, can
it be believed that this popular taste is co-existent uith landholder should continue to pay, or whether the lebt
such an iinpntative irreligion? If so, this avidity for re- ', should be sponged. The tint direct attack epos the debt
ligions writings is a singularly dear.hottßkt ilearrisy i was node by 111 r. eustwas. (the great Ultanspios otthe
by those who hare confessedly bat barely sufficient ho i LanAhekkto
keep their body sad *old together. Is it to he credited. Had
in the shave of a Tax um. the Funds.
this mottos bee, carried, it would have been a
that vice keeps pace with the increase of knowledge. and
that the Devil takes two !Irian whatever the Philanthre. aeglarattal,_ _ a.. " aaii"al ba sinter)* i awl It was •P•
pist takes one. If so, better at mice the Klee' printer rbol or air* Ilealiglie (the ChalliPi" of the Food'
should roars his rani for nehtsively OM* the holders). who of repos had the Minister with high

MONDAY EVENINI4:, APRIL 9, 1521•

---~

- ,
The Paris Parrs of Thursday and Friday last have
ewe to hand. Ity the latter we have received, through
an article from Vienna, the 4th bulletin of the army
under General Witt alooNT, containing among other two.*
the following :
.. I In the Pith the General-in-Chief summoned the fort
of 3lonte Cimino to surrender. The coramanoler sent a
replc in the negative ; but the garrison, which wots coot-
posid of:100 own of the Queen's Guards, refused their
service, and our troops entered the place. 'lite Neapo-
litan soldiers were made prisoners and disarmed ; lout
immediately afterwards their arms were restore-a, and
they were incorporated with a regiment of Austrians.
IThey lousily testified their joy."
Tloroot2lo the same channel we obtained front the
former paper the following article. dated
MARCH 27.—The revolution of Piedmont no langer
occasions the least anxiety. 'l'he disorders which lace
I
lately arisen in Walachia seem to assume a serious as- f
poet; they connect thetuselves with the most extensive ,
ratnificatiot a. and a conspiracy against the I Minoan
Porte by the tireeks. It is oliffictilt to foresee the result of
this ra:lo enterprise ; at the head of which, it is said, is
the son of Prince Ipsilanti ; but it is very important to
add, that the two neighbouring powers take no part in
this affair ; and that Russia, in particular, has given the
most positive assurance to that effect.
The Russian army of Vollsittia it stated to he in full
march for the Italian frontiers. It is represented as
consisting of 60,000 infantry. 20,000 chassenes,
10,000 cuirassiers, dragoons, hussars, :1,000 Don
Cossacks, and 3011 pieces of artillery. The soldiers
are carried in waggons to accelerate their march.
French 5 per Cents., quarter before three, sth of
tit f. 30 c.