Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-10-07


any light, on question in which the welfare o.
this country is so deeply concerned; but it il
probable that il will not appear till after the de-
ccision Of Parliament. Let this, however, be as
! it may, still humbly hope, that, whether the
Roman Catholics are admitted into Parliament
or allowed to continue under the disabilities
which their honest opponents lament, my labor
| will not have been thrown away. For, as the
danger which may threaten this country IN the
admission of Roman Catholic Legislators, de-
ponds entirely upon their religious sincerity; |
shall not have troubled the public in vain it, Ell
Their can convince the conscientious of the pa
pal communion, that Roman Catholic cannot
honestly do his duty as a member of the British
Parliament without moral guilt; or. what ar
DENLY wish for, my. arguments should open
| their eyes 20 the errors OF their church."
Ibelieye we may fairly conclude that the wri-
ter was sincere in his declarations, that his OBJ
iect in writing was not the question Of the
claims OF Catholics, bur OF his own recompence;
that his book is one ofthose compilations which
has been got up just in time to put into the
hands Of members Of Parliament, so as to inhu-
ence votes, but not in time TO admit Of any re-
futation before that vote is given: for it was a.
vowedly written in reference to the great pend
ing question at time when it was certain Of
being carried in the House of Commons, and
by no means certain that majority could be
got up in the House Of Lords to reject it; and
Mr.. White and his patron, though very liberal
men, had determined to do their utmost to keep
the Catholics in their state of degradation.
give them very little credit, however, for their
bunglng mode OF keeping their own secret.
Mr.. Whites object then very clearly was to
write as forcible as he could, TO prove that Ro-
man Catholics ought not to be admitted to an
equality of civil and political rights with their
Protestant fellow-subjects Can this be the OBJ.
ject of Bishop Kemp of Baltimore and the TWEEN
ty pastors of the Protestant Episcopal, Preoby-
terian, and Methodist, churches o. the District
of Columbia and its vicinity, in procuringa re-
print of this book in America? They deserve
the appreciation of their felIow-citzens for their
zeal in promoting christian charity. They de-
serve the lasting gratitude their Roman Cath
Ollie neighbours for their exertions on their be-
half
have now to take MIR Whites account of
himself. He is Priest in the English Prostes-
tant Church who was formerly of the Roman
atholic, and who received his orders in that
Church in Spain, of which he is native lie
is now, understand, minister in some church
in or near London, he was graduate Of Seville,
and took out his theological certificate Of quail
ihcation at Osuna. He held prebend's stall
in the royal Chapel at Seville, and was mem
Der Of one Of the collegiate churches Of that CT
ty, syhodal examiner in the diocess of CaGiz
and member of some literary society The
whole Of which is appended TO his name in the
title page of his book, together with statement
that he was the author Of Dobladoe's letters
from Spain. Of course the object is 10 show
how great man and therefore how good wit
ness is Mr.. White. Upon all this, shall mere
ly remark, that il is with titles sometimes as
with coats of arms in heraldry, The plain field
which is without any emblazonmenl Is evidence
of the most remote and illustrious antiquity, &
single emblem that which is next in dignity;
the undecorated name of the individual, when
good, is the best recommendation: hence
GEORGE WASHINGTON sounds better than if six
kings a: arms lost their breath in the success
sive enumeration Of orders and decorations; &
the plain title ofyirtuous man "or"good priest"
would have raised Mr.. White more in our es-
timation than if the whole tide page was filled
with the Offices which .ae mad held, and the sta
tons which he had deserted. To US the emu
meration OF those places conveys no idea ofany
superior requirements in the individual, for
with the exception Of one, they are all within
the reach OF any young man of very moderate
capacity, much less than believe Mr.. White
TO possess, though | rate his low enough
The two first titles merely show that he went
through his usual collegiate examinations, the
third shews that he had licence TO preach and
had an appointment, if the College Of ST Mary
jesu IN Seville is, as many such are, a mere
sinecure benehce, or as several others in Spain
are, one next TO sineeure, the qualfc atoms
Tor Its reclorship are merely nominal, the place
OF synodai examiner in the Diocess of Cadiz
would indeed be some evidence of his good
standing in The church ifhe lived in that Do
cess and discharged is duties, bat with him
living in Seville, ii was mere honorary ap-
pointmenl, and no evidence Whatever of theolo.
gical standing.
Indeed the gentleman gives us himself very
clearly the.value Of his titles when he informs
US, p. II. The manner In which he obtained his
degree in Osuna she was not OF sufficient stand.
ing'' to obtain it at Seville, it was necessary to
have diploma to take the place in the college
OF ST. Mary a, Seville, he therefore took il at
Osuna which was not strict, the value of a de-
gree al Osuna is very we'll known in Spain, but
1t sounds very we'll in England and America In
p. l8, Mr. w writes 81 owed my prelerment 10
apublic display of theological knowledge" To
understand this, ii is necessary to know wha, is
L. a.. -r.I~.<