Every day brings with it ...
The Times, 1824-12-08T00:00:00

4very day brings with it further proofs of the extrpme. id scertion of the Irisil Cjtbo1ilc ljcders, of their utter disregard of candour in their controversies, and of their blindness to consequences in their actions. When the As- sociation of that body, and its financial system, were every- where denounced as illegal and intolerable, and fitted only to be crushed by the hand of power, we quietly, but dis- tinctly, declared our belief, that neither rent nor association was at any time unilawful; aud that they ought;4for divers reasons, to be patiently cnduired. Seeing how far sound po. licy prescribed to the Catholics (to those of them, we mean, who sincerely desired emancipation), that in the pursuit of this benefit so long withheld from them, they should en- deavour to allay the fears, to remnove the prejudices, and to cultivate the affiections of all on whose concurrence migbt hinge the success or failure of theirpurpose;-feeling, more- over, ourselves a cordial approbation of the measure, from its obvious tendency to bind together in social and civil part- riership with us the lay subjects of the Catholic-communion, we were proportionably shoc4ed to observe what painE were taken by the chief couns?11ors among that body, to alienate the aftectioiis of their Protestant brethren, to rivet their prejudices, and to rouse and aggravate their alarms. Thzis was not the high road to emancipation-this was raising new obstales anA embarrassments in the way of it. Irritated, or uneasy, or disgusted at the threats held out to them, the English Protestants were iiot likely to 'cquiesce in the grant of a power so likelv to be turned against themselves. This, again, it was, which induced ThLe Times to remonstrate with and blame the false guides of the Catholics, and to expose in plain language the disastrous issue to vwhich 'tlieir turbulence and rashncss niust lead them. lVc called no names-we uttered no slauders-er stated only facts which were notorious, and opinioo!s which, if unreasonable, were open to reiXitation-that is to say, by the enemies of the great measure under our notice; for our judgment being in favour of it, there was no cause why the friends of emancipation should impuach that judgmeut, nor has the least attempt been made to overturn either our statcments or opinions. Mr. O'Cox- NELL, who assumes the office of a statesman, but humbles it into that of a pitiful incendiary, has abused us as " beastly calumniators," without venturing to describe the calumny, or its object. Unfortunate indeed are the peo- ple who have sufacrcd such a vain and shallow being to bellow himself into their admiration! Next comes Mr. ENEAS MACDONNELL with an endless letter, given in an- other column, half plaintive, half abusive. Now, in reply to this ingenious person, who assumes for us a duplicity, which we utterly disclaim, that lie may escape a conflict with arguments which he finds it in- conveniient to answer, we shall merely allege, that we are better judges of our own inclinations, than Mr. ENEAS IMIACDONNELL (no seer apparently!) can pretend to be. lVe, therefore, are more entitled to credit, when we say that we do wish for Catholic Emancipation, and that if in Parliament, we would vote for it to-morrow, than he is, when he presumes to say that we are not its friends, and that we would vote against it. We dlivest our arguments of that fictitious power which lie imputes to them, loy charging us with motives that we disavow; and leave them at the mercy of the Catholic agent, elected, we should ima- gine, to that delicate office, rather more for his seal than his sagacity. Oar design in all the observations which have recently appeared in Ti/c Times, has been to serve the cause of liberty, by recalling, if possible, its claimants arid partisans to the only faith by which they can arrive at it. If, instead of appreciating our honesty as it deserves, they lose their temper, and assail us with foul epithets, they may not, indeed, move us to astonishment or anger, but they are not, on that accoulit, thc less imnpolitic, less stupid and absurd. In a few months it will be seen who has given the Ca- tholics the most salutary advice,-he who has exasperated their violence, or he who would assuage it. If they indulge the hope of bullying this country into a measure of which they strive every day to convince her that the peril, before supposed to be slight or dloubtful, is pressing, real, and extreme, th' do indeed rely upon a sad miscalculation of Catholic strength, and of the character of English Protest. ants. If their cause be capable of support from reason, as we undoubtedly conisider it, why disgrace a good cause by threats and abuse, and othcr incitations to resentment? If the policy of conciliation on the part of the Government towartIs them, be one for which, before it was tried; they never ceasedl to petition, why, now that it has by their own acknowledlgmnents been attempted, should the Catholic leaders act in suoh a manner as to stop the mouths of its warmest advocates, and futnish new topics of triumph to its opponents, as well as fresh fuel to their ever ready animosity ? IVe observe that an addresg has been published from the Catholic agitators to their poorer countrymen. In this address we shouldl be unjust to affirm that the practice of lVhiteboy outrage is not-deprecated with con- siderable fbrce of truth and reasoning. It would be better still, perhaps, if, when the crime was condemned, the re- sentful passions from which it has always originiated had riot been so studiously appealed to. Ve take the thing, however, as it stands--and as, we trust, it has beea in- tended. 'I'hat address does seem calculated to reprove the coammission of outrage. Let it at the same time be under- stood, that the peasantry were already quiet; and that this is the first December, during many wvinters, which has opened with the South and IVest of Ireland in a state of profound repose.