The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-05-28
Che Gl.asllrfr.
RICHMOND, MIR rs, 1905.
CATHOLIC PETITION,

appears IN th's days paDer is rarnVilly recon-
mended to the attentive confederation of the
reader. The grievances OF which it complains,
form too prominent feature OF the Brtilh go
verpnent, to be pa1td over with indifference,
and the arguments by which it enforces their
claims to Juice. n'uft powerfully addrefs them
ieives to every refleeting Understandings
I o men who admit that an universal tolc-
ration is he beft practicable policy: that all
chrifian fees fhould enjoy the fame PRIVILEGES
aud immunties that there exits no authority
on earth 70 Judge Of the difDerfatious of heaven;
tina. there is no man horn with fuch an intuitive
genius. as to be capable OF deciding which faith
or which fe6t is mott conformablc to the tenets
Of fciptnre, and that this privilege leaft of all
belongs to the government, which has 70 many
Inducements to form unnatural alliance with
the church TO fuch men and 70 fuch men adj
drefs myfele at the pretent time, it would be
fruitefs TO unveil the abfurlities of a fvfte-n
that upho'i> in one hand the church of England
and lays its iron ceptre with the other upon
the catholics of Ireland. What Indignation
muft fuch men feel when they fee this virtuous
and unoHending body Of chriftians, fuffering un-
der the feveri,ics of difciplipe, required by no
Drincip'e of policy and fufceptihle of 10 firple,
70 quick, and fnch foul-foothing remedy. Tn
vain however have the catholics petitioned for
mercy to the parliament of Great-Brtain vain
will be all their remonfrances vain will be
all their projections of adherence to the conffi-
| tuition the laws and even to the church of En-
gland: vain will be the former friendfhip of
Mr.. Pitt. or the manly eloquepce of Mr.. Fox.
on the prefent occalion. Their arguments will
be condemned their petition will be rejected
and the catholics of Ireland will till have caufe
to lament the impolicy or the folly ofthe Britt,
government. We demand the reaions of this
| rejection and are told in the late LANGUAGE
| of Mr. ,h+ -. IL.
that there is an infnrrnountahie objection, 10 Tire
Object of their petition. We prefs our inoni-
| res further and what is our iurprife and indip
nation, to be told that this infurmountabla OBJ
lection aries from iome contentious fcrupIe.
| fay rather fome ob1inate prejudice in the mind
Oft king of England Where is the wonder,
that the catholics of Ireland ihould be difafed-
ed to their government, when they feel that
their iorcf opprehions are now hanging upon
the breath of Jingle individual when thew
fee the abfurd doctrine praetifed and even pro-
fened in the only popular department. of the
contribution, that the intereit of thoufands of
men are to be facrihced to the caprice, the
ambition or the cowardly fears of feeble in
| dividual, bccaufe that individual is called
George Guelph, and has been hailed as king of
Great-Britain
There was indeed an epoch in the Englifh hif
tory, when the condition of that country might
have approved and even demanded fuch an op-
prefilve policy. There was a time perhaps
when catholic perfecuton was reconcilable to
the interefs, not merely of the king, but of the
nation itfelf. When the defpot;c and unfortu-
nate family of the Stuarts was driven from the
throne, they fil expected fuccour from the ca
! tholc feet, and the Englifh had fome reafon 70
fear, that their exertions might rettore defpo-
tic family tn the throne, and fubieef the protef-
tant church once more 70 the degrading ufur-
pations of the Pope. But the houfe of the
Stuarts and the fee of Rome have experienced
revolutions, that muft forever remove theEe ap-
rrehenfions. The firt no longer dares to in
dulge hope, fnce the gallant and unfortunate
! expedition Of Charles Edward Sobicki and the
head of the church is now miferahIe depend
ant upon the policy or pity of the Emperor of
| France.
Opprefed as the catholics of Ireland have
been. they have only partaken of the fame wa
tiers OF bitterness, which have deluged their un-
happy country. The whole hitory of Ireland
ince its connection with England, is one unin-
terrupte1 record of POLITICAL religious, and per-
fonal perfeSution. The faireff ifle in the ocean.
the mother of the nrot beautiful women and the
fneft geniufes that the world produces, tower
| ing in fpite of all their impediments to an al
mott unrivaled afcendancy; that country for
winch God has done fc much and man 70 little,
| i''o OSCH IOHNtI(cO Nv dil CNDreiuVe DOliCV.
to ga refting place for birds of pafTage and
! banquet for BEATS of prey" They have not
experienced, it is true, all the feverites of an o.
| rental defpot. Ireland has not vet become the
Syria or the Egypt of the Britifh empire: for
there are degrees in oppre(iion, and vet Ire
land does not occupy the laft ftep in this G-aIe
OF degradation. Ofthe melancholy fate of This
| country as far back as the year 1927, we have a
ihort viewby Dean Swift, whole ingular fervices
have juftly endeared him TO his countrymen. 4,
whole political fagacity will long continue TO en-
tighten an adniring poHcrity. In this memorable
eiiaY, Swift has enumerated thirteen canres.
which are necefary to render nation rich, f1ou.
riihing, and happy and not one of thefe he At
tempts TO prove is in the hands of the Irifh. He
concludes:
Now, if all this b. true upon which conld
eaily enlarge) fhould be glad to know. bv
fecret method it is, that we grow rich and
houriihing people, without liberty, trade, ma.
nuf16tures, inhabitants, money, or the privilege
of coming without induhry, labour, or i'm
provement of land and with more than half
the rent and profits fthe whole kingdom an
nuaily exported, for which we receive no,
Jingle farthiug and to make up all this. no.
thing worth mentioning, except The linen ,,f ibr
North, trade caiual, corrupted, and at mer.
cy; and fome butter from Cork. IF we do
1ourifh, it mnft be againG every law of nature
and reafon like the thorn at Canterbury. that