Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-02-19
N Rw BOOK.

that wherever the State is allied TO the Churchthe
civil power to the sprituA-there all dissent from the
dogmas of the win be held contumacy to the
thory Of the other Hence under christian
as well as heather ruers-Princes by means models
Of piety themselves and hence the seventies against
sectaries in Catholic States and the penalties inflicted
Catholics under Protestant Governments Religious feuds
however are happily subsidng in liberal age Ma
poeon has established freedom Of worship throughout
fair France and her gracious Majesty Queen Victoria
extending liberation to her dissenting Subjects rules
undisputedy the august Defender of the Faith the sacred
Head Of the Church. and the teeming mother of
GUS offspring
OF all the sects wsch have rsen fourished and faded
in France the Huguenots held in most eonsdera
ton Those inhabng the rural districts simple
people, primitive in manners and of unblemished morals
They devoted attached to their pastors though the
doctrines Of these dvines often led their guileess
hocks open rebellion and resistance to the laws and
edicts of the State.
The assassination of the Duke Of Guise by Poro the
reputed agent of the Protestant party the proxmate
of the long and desoating which ensued and
Henry Duke of Guse in order to ayenge the death Of his
father is thought have stimulated the dreadful
Of ST. Bartholomew On the side Of the Huguenots
Admiral Coligny, skful and prudent leader and
brave soldier but the suspicion which attached to him
of having instgaed the murder of the Duke detracted
In August 15Os Henry the Fourth issued thu edict of
Nantes, securing the Professionals all the rights of
French subjects including also act Of amnesty for for
rebellions In the succeeding reign the leaders Of
the Huguenots being refused certain demands declared
against the King, Louis Thirteenth and gathered
army under command of the Duke de Rohan, man of
ability integrity and rmness The long and sanguinary
struggle which ensued terminated with the siege and fall
of La Rochelle where 1--WE would here remark for the sole
benefit Of anquaries the royal first bore the og
cal inscription, " ULTIMA RATIO REGUM'
OF the revolving cruelties which marked this civil
much is attributed to Louuo the War Minister of Louis
Fourteenth This officer let loose the population of
the disaeced districts bodies of ruthless soldsry who
committed on the helpless and unarmed peasmtry
comparable only the atrocities perperad under
the British Government by the Waoon Guards, the bru
tai soldiers of the Duke of Cumberland the peaceful
inmates of the Yale Of Glencoe That devoted hamlet
reeked with indscrimnate slaughter: shriekng
iron wailng infancy escaped the murderous steel
The revocation of the edict of Nantes in 1856,
step deeply to be regretted being both impohic and
cruel especially the absorption Of the Protestants
into the national religion would have gradually and
y effected the Kings views 1t ordered the pastors to
quit France conform in two months But to the great
body of the Huguenos assured and protection
in their lawful pursuits OF this promise they awaited them
selves and remained continuing equally faithful to their
religion and to their country.
The number Of those who quilted France the
sion is estimated 81 600 and about the year 1740
the fugitves began return and further notice
taken of them afterwards Their number now is about
million and their preachers, like the Catholic clergy,
supported out of the national They attract
attention. make but few proseytes and their influence
appears to wane.
The Rev. JAMES FoSTAISE the writer of the memoirs
II Was of pntl nd ami ALI
position, and of noble descent. His youth was wasted
under the d of and incompetent teachers and
after barely passing at the College of Guienne he
imprisoned for preaching openly in violation Of the royal
ordonnance.
On the revocation the edict Of Nantes he with
raj Others embarked secretly in English vessel and
landed Barnsabe, in England, in December, 1885.
Here, having parred the matrimonial advances of
wealthy English spinster he is united the lady of his
choice-an interesting French smgant who Iad sought
refuge in England.
But alas for religious freedom The first object that
sauted his eyes here the heads and quarters Of
suspended the city gates and the
roads This shocking exhibition convinced him that in
escaping from France he had not escaped persecution
His reception also at the house Of wealthy dgnitary of
the Church Of England page 1881 and subsequent hum
atoms appear TO have utterly dsheartened him.
Destitute Of resources he transmits blank deed for
the sale and proceeds of his property in France Peter
Robin, brother Huguenot This worthy agent cheats
him out Of the whole estate and into possession of
the property himself In Taunton he is ordained by the
Presbyterian Synod and after escaping being hanged by
the populace for Jesuit emgraes to Ireland and settles
in Cork as minister Of q small French congregation.
The Corporation Of Cork, unlike Taunton where he
was hated and by the Mayor and Corporation
received him with much kindness and presented him with
the freedom Of their city.
Here he lived beloved and respected as pastor and
thriving as manufacturer But this state Of things as
he observes, was too happy last Again was he ex-
posed TO the buehng of Satan in the shape Of certain
L'aac de Ia Cro French refugee and brother Hugueno
who contrves to GUST him from his ministry and from the
hospitable city Of Cork
Emigratng to Bearhayen, fishing village on the coast
he IS invested with the msgstracy and in his new born
zeal against French smuggers and Irish papists becomes
P's Angts 1ngior." The vivid demonstrations of his
extreme loyalty to England became in time disasteful TO
his Irish neghbor who spared no pains to annoy their
anomalous magistrate and eventually compelled him to
remove 70 Dublin where he conducted ourishing school
and continued to reside until his death
Such is faint outline Of the checkered life ~ rood
man. sincere in his creed and pure in morals Int 70 whom
the bewitchng smiles of prosperity were ALWAYS ominou
| Of evil.
On the death Of James Fontaine his descendants em
grated TO America; and to the most interesting
ton Of the book the correspondence Of John Font,ne
the son. and the Rev James Maury the grandson 90 the
patriarch The style Of the latter gentleman nd;cs,e
the polished scholar and his letters abo,nd 1;
lQtati aoft hp infap coln