Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-12-17


|lesty's Government Yet there are unthinking
Catholics whoendeavor to persuade themselves,
and their fellow -suffe rers, that they should con
slider his Excellency just Government, nay
liberal friend; whereas reference 10 the tables
of appointments which | laid before you in my
last and still more, TO the statute book, must
satisfy any impartial inqurer,hat there has
not existed within the last century any govern
ment that labored more scrupuloasly, more
sedulously, or more successful than the pre-
sent, to give aid, strength, and above all per-
manency 10 "the great conspiracy. II the
Orangemen be seriously angry with his Ex-
cellency (Which doubt exceedingly it only
proves ,ha, they are utterly ungra,enl and un-
reasonable It's vain for English Ministers,
and English Senator's to declaim upon the ma
,ional love Of constitutional Liberty, and the
national desire to extend lis blessings to other
states They may abuse Ferdinand and the
Sultan, but there is nothing in Spain or Tur-
key like to the state of Ireland; nothing so IL
liberal, nothing so unjust, nothing so unehrs'
,ian, nothing so unconstitutional. All your
liberal professions, are, therefore dlscredited,
as they should be, and as they ever will be,
until you prove your cincerlty by change IN
your own conduct towards Ireland
In my former illustrations Of objects and OPP
erations of the Protestant Ascendency in Ire
land, IstxcIud,d any reference to the Irish
Church Establishment, its rulers and ministers;
and even without the aid OF It's testimony, pro-
,ed he evil results OF the system. Blu, when
we take into account the immencc and manifold
influence Of that establishment, with lis Arch
bishops, Bishops, Deans Parsons, church lands,
globes, tithes vestry rates, vestres, 1.-THE proc
tors, SC. Sc; surely it should be conce ded
Of nd
which it secures 10 the favored class should be
esteemed. sufficient mark Of preference. with
ont adding to it all the power, rank, wealth, ami
influence that can be drawn from all other
public resources, and has been and still is done,
But this anomalous and unnatural Church Es-
tablishmen is not satisfied with the quiet en-
ioyment Of its own wealth ami influence. Its
Prela,es and Ministers unite with every noun
tebank or bigot, who will take the trouble oil
calling upon them TO assist in defamation and
reproach Of the religious principles oil great
body Of the people Nor do they stop there
for when the injured and prosecuted native
presents petitions to the Legislature for po'iti-
cal relief. those furious churchmen rush forth
with faaatical zeal, s., in the name OF the same
establishment conjure the Parliament to reject
the prayers Of the suffering people. As this
appears to me an important part OF the subject,
and do not wish to misrepre sent those | Iris
lian Pastors, shall allow them to speak for
the mselves, and invite your attention to ex-
tracts from the petitions presented by some OF
them, on The 5th and 9th days OF last Month
to the House Of Commons.
The Bishop of Meath, DR.. Nathaniel Alex
ander, possessing thirty-four thousand acres OF
Church lands, is joined in his petition by one
hundred and eleven Of bis clergy, and endeavors
to persuade Parliament, that the claims for po-
Iiiical relief put forth by his Catholic fellow
subjects, should he considered as "the claims
Of the Church of Rome: and they declare that
"any further concession Of political power TO
the Roman Catholics connot be made consis-
ten,ly with the security OF the Protestant, Es-
tablished Church. The Bishop OF Cork and
Ross, the Honorable Thomas ST. Lawrence,
possessing forty thousand aces Of Church lands
is Joined by sevcnty-nine Of his Clergy, and
after INDUCING in most indecent calumnies Of
the Catholic faith, they assure the Parliament,
"thai by the solemn, and IS they deem 1t, in
faIlibe law of their (the Cathotic) church, eve.
ry mention of it is made a sacred Obligation
in abeyance only while impracticable, never
exlinguished-to use all aitainabe means for
promoting that advancement towards an ulle-
terror objecO 10 the ultimate point ola regain
ed acknowledgement reinvigorared power: an
obIisat which events at home and abroad
daily prove to be still in force, recognized and
obeyed." These worthy Christian teachers
add, that they are persuaded that such exorbt-
an, prerension (meaning the Catholic claims)
is profane usurpation, dangerous in the ex-
IRENE to the liberty Of the subject s. altogether
incompatible with the constitution, civil or
religious, Of this kingdom; and they "implore
the House to resist and refuse any fu rther con-
Ecessions of power or privilege to persons hold
ing allegiance to the Bishop Of Rome, or pro-
Tossing the Popsh or Roman Catholic persua-
SION
The Bishop Of Clogher, Lord Rober, Tot
tenham Ponsonby, possessing forty thousand
acres of Church Lands, is joined by sixty six
Of his clergy, and they declare it as their de-
cided opinion" shat the principles avowed by
the Roman Catholics of Ireland, render their
admission to the Legislature incompatible with
the security Of Protestant State" and that
! "their ~ul,erior obi ects are now openly avowed
by the most influential members ofthat Church
who scruple not to declare, tina, the object Of