shall enjoy free will; and then, Sir, what becomes of the tether?-Having said thus much, I think I may fearlessly venture to rebuild my former proposition, and I leave it to your readers to decide with what pretensions-that a man may, with perfect consistency, designate Bonaparte the scourge of God, or an active instrument in his hands, at the same time charging him with the guilt of every unjustifiable act committed in that capacity. 2nd Objection.-The Jews were commanded by God to plunder the Midianites; therefore, plunder is the soldier's legitimate harvest, because, this fact being recorded in the Bible, and the Bible having been given as a sure guide to man, it follows that the soldier is to be as much directed by this example of the Midianites in his military conduct, as he is in his moral conduct, by the ten commandments. To the best of my judgment, this is a fair concentration of your arguments on the second topic. "might it, if informed of the intended "murder, very innocently permit this "execution of the design and end of "the law, and then cause the jailer to "be tucked decently up for the deed, "though the government had the 66 power of prevention, and must be "considered as accessories before the "fact? Was there ever any thing so monstrous as this?"-Nothing, certainly!--and if this consequence could be shewn to flow from a fair application of my case, I myself should be the loudest to condemn it. But, recollect, Sir, that in my supposition, A was to possess an unlimited power. No government has, or can have, an unlimited power over the lives of its subjects its power only extends to the enforcement of those laws which are necessary for the support of society, and therefore, in punishing the violation of those laws, it must proceed in a legal and constitutional way, limited by the divine law, both as to the nature of the offence and the mode of punishment. If any other than this With the abstract proposition that legal mode be adopted, which is the "plunder is the soldier's legitimate case, be it remembered, in your hypo- harvest," as I before intimated I shall thesis, both the person adopting it, not interfere. Neither am I, as you and the government conniving at it, insinuate, inclined either to justify or would be equally criminal. But if A, condemn the conduct of any governwhich, if you will have it personified, ment, or of any commander. I estican represent none but God himself; mate not the morality of an action on if A possess an unlimited power, then any paltry grounds of party, or of the case is widely different.-Neither country. Politics, Sir, do not enter inare you more fortunate in your other to my ideas of right and wrong: I examples. You cavilled about my form them upon the eternal and immuuse of the word excesses, as applied to table principles of truth, and therethe unjust cruelties of Nebuchodonofore it matters not to me by whom the A person may exceed in many act is committed; if it be unjustifiable, I condemn it, whether committed by Buonaparte or Alexander-whether by the sword of a Frenchman, or the spear of a Cossack. But I maintain, that to pretend to justify French plunder, or English plunder, or any plunder in general, because it was authorised in a particular case, and under particular circumstances, is both illogical and unfair. If the lawfulness or unlawfulness of these actions depend upon the positive will of God, before a man can avail himself of this sor. ways. ORTHOD. JOUR. VOL. II. 2.0 precedent of the Jews in regard of" that it must be very dangerous 30 the Midianites, he must show clearly" widely to disseminate the Bible, and that the positive will of God autho- "very wicked to put it into the hands rises him to do the action. In the case "of ignorant people and of children." of the Jews, this manifestation of the If the book be a consistent work, and divine will was so clear that they could moreover contain rules for our connot possibly mistake it, and when duct, it cannot be very wicked to disany soldier or soldiers can prove asseminate it: that it is dangerous to do unequivocal a revelation of the divine will in his or their regard to justify what would otherwise be an unjust aggression, then, and not till then, can he urge the example of the Jews and the Midianites. This, Sir, is fair, this is plain honest reasoning, and, therefore, incontrovertible; and standing, as I do, upon such solid grounds, Idefy all the ingenuity of sophistry to dislodge me.-Again, Sir, giving this historical fact the full force of a precept, and what does it enjoin? Why that a soldier placed in the same circumstances as the Jews, ought to act so, is a point which I will not take upon me to decide. I do not say that it is my opinion, but certainly there are some people, notwithstanding the zeal for Bible-distributing, which seems to pervade all ranks and classes of society-notwithstanding the numerous meetings that have been held, the speeches that have been made, the sermons that have been delivered, and the volumes published, in furtherance of the holy work, there are still some people singular enough to believe, they argue, too, that scarce one absurdity, scarce one monstrous opinion has been held since the publication of the Bible that has not been attempted to be supported from that divine book, that it is dangerous, as you observe, "to put the Bible into the hands of in the same manner. Turn it as you 66 ignorant people and of children, will, Sir, you can make no more of" without commentary, without exit. And what do the Commandments "planation, without any thing to guide enjoin more than this; at least such "them in selection." They argue that of them as do not run in the form of the Bible being a dead letter stands a prohibition? What more than to full as much in need of explanation as command certain things in certain cir- the statute laws of the land require cumstances? The fourth Command-judges to interpret their meaning;ment, for instance, what, but to keep holy the Sabbath (or seventh) day? And why do not you observe it rather than the first? Why do not you observe the distinction between clean and unclean meats? Why do you not comply with the minute and innumerable ceremonies of the Mosaic law? Why not make a pilgrimage three times a year to Jerusalem? Why, Sir, upon your principle, a man must become a Jew after reading the Old Testament, and a Christian after read-dent zeal of the members and advoing the New, and be damned at last, cates of the Bible Society: and that for being a hypocrite in both. So that it would be preferable, in their opiI am not, I confess, in so violent a bur- nion, to publish selections for the use ry as you seem to be for sweeping away of the ignorant, rather than publish the Old Testament at once, because I the whole of the book. I do not pream of opinion, that if my view of the tend to say they are right in this point, subject be correct, it may still be re- but certainly their opinion is not a tained as very good and very consist- novel opinion; for in referring to the Neither can I subscribe entirely Statute Book, I find an Act of Parto the conclusion you have drawn,liament passed in the reign of Henry ent. and they.even go so far as to say, that notwithstanding the many heavy charges that have been brought against the Romish Church, for keeping the Bible out of the hands of ignorant people, they would almost prefer her caution in this respect, to the impru VIII. some years after his rupture with the Pope, by which the lower classes of his subjects are forbidden to read the scriptures, either in public or in private, (34 & 5 Hen. VIII. c. 1.) and it is remarkable, that the reasons stated in the preamble to this act, are much the same as of those whose motives I have recorded above. One word more, and I have done. You totally mistake my character, if you imagine that I have formed my religious creed upon trust, or adopted it from prejudice or local habits. It is indeed, the creed of my childhood, but it has not continued, for that reason, to be the creed of the man. No sooner was my mind capable of judg ing, than I threw myself out of the ark in which I had been cradled, to examine its external construction, and the strength and solidity of its basis. I examined also the pretensions of others. I invariably found them unsafe and crazy; and was glad, like the wearied dove that found no place to rest its foot, to be taken back again into that ark in which I will live and die, No, Sir, not the "creature of habit or of passion," not biassed by any prejudice, save that of truth.-I have pondered the subject deeply,-I believe, impartially; and so satisfied am I of the truth of that creed which I have adopted by choice, as well as succeeded to by birth, that I shall fearlessly hazard my eternal salvation upon the profession of it. Can you, Sir, lay your hand upon your heart, and make the same avowal? A CONSTANT READER. ANECDOTE. A poor Catholic Girl of Derry, named Mac Geoghegan, frequented the Bishop's Free School; it was soon remarked, that she sung with a sweet voice, and she was therefore removed to another School, under the immediate eye of the Bishop's family. She was invited to Church, but refused; a pair of new shoes was the bait held out-the poor girl hesitated and yield ed; she put on the shoes, and walked to Church. Like other renegadoes, however, she afterwards "relapsed into the errors of Popery," and tripped merrily to meet her old friends at the Chapel; when, lo! a Messenger came from Church, seized her, pulled the Protestant shoes off her Popish feet, and carried them off as the forfeit. "The fickle lass now carols to Mass, singing her Sicilian Hymns along the path-blythe and bonny, but bare footed.".. 280 EPITOME OF INTELLIGENCE. THE HE affairs of Ireland seem to be in a very unsettled state, and much discontent and dissatisfaction pervade the whole island. This is the natural consequence of proscriptive laws, and the attempt which has been constantly made by an intolerant Government to fetter the minds of a brave and generous People.-Several disturbances have lately taken place in this unfortunate country, the causes of which are differently stated, according to the views of the contending parties. But let them proceed from whatever cause they may, the Ministers have availed themselves of the opportunity to procure Laws to be enacted which subjects a man to transportation if he or his family happen to be from home after sun-set, and goes to deprive him of the invaluable privileges of grand and petit juries, and to transfer the office of those juries to county magistrates, who, with the aid of a serjeant or barrister at law, are competent to try and condemn to transportation, for an indefinite period, any person whom they may deem guilty of offences not defined by law, and, at most, merely constructive. In short, when England is called upon to rejoice at the glorious return of peace; when John Bull is about to be feasted with sham fights, and national fireworks, Ireland has to weep over her miseries, and mourn her wayward fate. The defence set up by some of the supporters of this measure is truly curious. Lord Liverpool, the Prime Minister, tells us, that no Government is more popular than the present; and that the evils originated in the customs and dispositions of the people, which it was not in the power of Parliament to change. Let Parliament, however, abrogate the existing code of penal Jaws; let it place the Catholic level with his more favoured brother, upon a and it will soon be seen whether the assertion of the Minister was accurate or not.-Mr. Wilberforce, the great advocate for the abolition of African slavery, who has laboured so hard to ameliorate the condition of the untaught negro, at the same time that he acknowledges England has a great debt to pay for her mis-rule towards the sister island, was pleased to say Ireland was not yet in a state to enjoy the benefits of the British Constitution. The Hon. Gentleman did not think proper to point out the reasons why she was not yet arrived at that state, which I think would have been more to his credit if he had; and while he was contending against the revival of slavery in Africa, he might have shared some little of his compassion with the slaves in the land of freedom! But the mind is sickened to see the pains taken by the base and corrupt hirelings of the press in this country to make their readers believe that the unfortunate circumstances which gave a handle for the passing of these arbitrary laws, were the effects of Catholicity. The following paragraph appeared in The Sun newspaper of the 9th of July: "The Irish Papers are stained with details of outrages and murders, which mark IRELAND AS THE MOST DEPRAVED COUNTRY UPON THE FACE OF THE EARTH. The Savages of the wildest Islands of the Southern Hemis phere, or the interior of Africa, where the influence of a burning sun inflames the pas sions to madness, furnish no parallel to the these fiends. Are these the fruits of Catholi barbarities and hellish deeds perpetrated by cism? If so, Heaven defend us from giving any farther license to its encroachments." Unfortunately for the malignant wretch who writes for this infamous paper, it was stated by Mr. Peele, the Irish Secretary, but two days before in the House of Commons, that "every 66 person upon whom torture had been "inflicted was a Roman Catholic;" and he might have added, that every | Majesty, of the most rigorous of the Penal man killed and wounded at Shercock, in a conflict with the Orangemen, was a Roman Catholic. The outrages of Ireland were formerly ascribed to the lovers of invasion-affection for Bonaparte-the Catholic Board ;-but now that peace is proclaimed, Bonaparte oferthrown, and the Catholic Board suppressed, the outrages are ascribed by the venal writers of a corrupt press to the practices and principles of the Catholic Religion. Thus it is the fate of the Catholics to be murdered in cold blood, and the fate of their Religion to be taxed with the crime! But this is not the only misfortune which Ireland has to bear. She has not only to sustain the calumnies of an intolerant and bigotted faction, bnt she has also to combat the intrigues of a party, whose actions are felt the more, because they profess the same faith, and ought to be governed by the same principles. By the following article, which is copied from The Dublin Evening Post of the 26th instant, it appears that the British Board of Catholics, notwithstanding the universal condemnation of the late Rescript, are determined to persevere in their unconstitutional schemes. "We did not imagine we should have so soon again to invite the public attention to the RESCRIPT lately issued by QUARANTOTTI. We did hear, and from authority which never deceived us, that Cardinal GONSALVI had disclaimed, on the part of his Holiness, the POPE, the sentiments, political and doctrinal, hazarded by that mischievous instrument. The Reader will then judge of our surprise and the Public, the Irish Public, at least, will participate in the indignation we feel, at having to announce, that the English and Scotch Catholics, the knot of Vetoists and Placehunters, have actually addressed the POPE begging of that Prince to confirm the political Rescript of the Vice Prefect of Propaganda!! The Document we shall give in full in our next. Mean time we shall content ourselves with an abstract of its principal topics. "The Address is drawn with great artifice, and commences by congratulating his Holiness on the late happy events which have succeeded in replacing the Head of the Church in the Chair of St. Peter, whence he had been So sacrilegiously and unjustly dragged, in the fallacious hope of rendering him a servile instrument in the hands of the fallen Oppressor. It proceeds to express the enthusiastic admiration with which his children in Faith have witnessed his unshaken firmness and holy resignation, under trials so severe. The partial relaxation, during the reign of his present Laws which affected their Body, is acknowledged with gratitude; hinting, however, that they are still so far disqualified, as to be incapable of filling many situations of honor and emolument. They complain loudly of those persons of their own persuasion, who have charged them with intending to barter their faith for the recovery of that portion of the rights of British Subjects, from the enjoy ment of which they are still debarred. They express the GRatification which they experienced at having these UNWORTHY insinuations officially falsified by the receipt of the RESCRIPT from Rome, signed QUARANTOTTI; and they implore HIS HOLINESS to ratify that wise Document, and give IT the full weight and sanction of his high AUTHORITY. "The Address conclude by wishing the Holy Father length of years in the possession of the Throne in which PROVIDENCE has replaced him; that the children of the Church may acquire constancy in the hour of trial, from the recollectirn of his fortitude. "And this, the English Catholics have the modesty to say, is not Papal Influence-is not the Influence of a Foreign Prince in the political concerns of his BRITANNIC MAJESTY's Subjects! The Catholics of Ireland have already expressed their unanimous execration of this abominable instrument. It becomes again imperative upon them to come forward, and resist, in its commencement, this vile trick, by which the English and Scotch Catholic Board would enslave them. There should be Aggregate Meetings throughout the Country, We shall not neglect our duty on this occasion." The follies of this British Board are likely soon to have an end, and reason, it is hoped, will soon resume her sway. The Catholics of England are beginning to speak, and their sentiments are in unison with Ireland.-On the 28th instant, Mr. Hamilton, of Liverpool, presented a Petition to the Prince Regent, at the Levee at Carlton House, signed by upwards of 4000 Roman Catholics of the county of Lancashire, praying for a complete repeal of all such laws as are hostile to their creed, without the introduction of any provision, which even by possibility may affect the discipline of their Church or the appointment of their spiritual pastors."-Mr. Hamilton was most graciously received, and had the honour to kiss the Regent's hand. 66 Mr. Hamilton have also brought with him the Petitions of the Catholics of Lancashire to both Houses of Parliament, praying for a repeal of the dis ། |