of that of Freemasons, every inhabitant of | Rome, or any other part of the Roman States, is forbidden to continue, to re-establish, or to institute, what are called Freemason's Societies, or any similar meetings, under whatever name. 2. They are forbidden to be even once present at any of these meetings, or to induce any person to join them. This prohibition extends to all Roman subjects holding any connection, immédiate or remote, with such Societies out of the States of the Sovereign Pontiff. 3. No one is permitted to have or retain in his possession any deeds, seals, emblems, statutes, patents, or any thing else relating to the acts of such assemblies. against Thrones, but even against Religion, and more particularly against the Religion of Jesus Christ, of which the Roman Pontiff was constituted the Chief and the Guardian by the Divine Founder himself.” DIED.-On Friday, September the 2nd, at the College of Carlow, the Very Reverend Henry Staunton, Dean of Leighlin, Presi dent of the College, and Parish Priest of Carlow. He was very far advanced in years, and had, during a considerable length of time after his return from Paris, where he studied, been in care of the Parish of Graigunamana, where he edified and instructed his People with singular assiduity. About the year 1789 he was removed to Carlow, and the reformation which he effected in that town was the consequence of extraordinary and unremitting attention to the discharge of the most laborious duties of his state. The Semi 4. Whoever shall know that any such Societies still continue to be held, shall be under obligation immediately to give information thereof to the Governor of Rome, the Commandants of Provinces, or the Apostolic De-nary of that town was opened by the Right legates; and they may be assured their names shall be kept inviolably secret. The penal ties they may have incurred, as accomplices or adherents, shall be remitted, and they shall receive a pecuniary reward at the expense of the delinquents, whenever they can produce sufficient proof of their charges. His Holiness wishes that all should be aware that there is nothing either unbecoming or dishonourable in such denunciations, which are important equally to the interests of the Faith and the State.. In consequence, every oath of an opposite nature must be considered only as a bond of iniquity, which leaves the contrary duty in full force. 5. The penalties against the transgressors of this Edict, according to the nature and circumstances of the offence, shall be corporal, and even very severe, including partial or even entire confiscation of property, moveable or immoveable, of which the judges and other agents of tribunals, who may have effectually contributed to the discovery and prosecution of the guilty, shall obtain a por tion. Reverend Doctor O'Keefe, when, in conse quence of the French Revolution, the Irish Students were bereft of the opportunities of improvement; being excluded from their own country by the barbarity of an irreligious code, and from the Continent by the ferocity of a lawless and devastating banditti. Un der these circumstances, without any human means, Doctor Staunton undertook the care of a seminary, for the purpose of educating Priests for the United Dioceses of Kildare and Leighlin. God gave his blessing to the un dertaking; and by the care and attention of its Superior, Carlow has since become one of the first Catholic Establishments in the Island. It was occupied lately by upwards of one hundred and fifty Ecclesiastical Students, besides a great number of young Gentlemen for the other professions and various departments of society. The Rev. Mr. Kenny, Principal of Collonge's - wood Establishment, went through a considerable portion of his more advanced studies there, and many Gentlemen who are at present conducting some of the Ecclesiastical and other Seminaries of this country, besides numbers of respectable Clergymen, and other good members of soci ety, were educated in this establishment, which grew up principally by the care and assiduous exertions of its Very Reverend Su perior. The primeval simplicity of his manners, and his goodness of heart, made him easily accessible by all. By being the foremost in the practice of virtue himself, he led many on to a near approach to perfection. He lived beloved and respected by all who knew him. He bad the consolation of beholding the great fruits of his exertions, during a considerable portion of his life, and he died regretted by thousands, who associate with the pleasing recollection of his virtues, the melancholy remembrance of a departed friend. W. E. ANDREWS, Printer, 5, Fenwick IN my last number I laid before my still bears the original title, that al, readers the gross and shameful ca- such pieces as do not bear a signature, lumnies and falsehoods heaped upon are written in the first person, and the the tribunal of the Inquisition and the article in question is addressed personlearned and sacred Order of the Je-ally to Mr. Cobbett. Such being the suits, which have been inserted in case, I contend that Mr. Cobbett alone Cobbett's Political Register. I shall is responsible to the public for abusing now proceed to discuss an article which their understandings, in issuing such appeared in that Gentleman's Journal glaring and malicious falsehoods under for the 17th of September last, under the mask of Truth, and that it is a the title of "THE POPE," and under duty incumbent upon him to make an the signature of "An Observer."-I apology to this same public for sufferhad occasion to allude to some of this ing such libellous productions as I writer's effusions upon the former sub- have pointed out to appear in his Rejects, but the article now under consi-gister.-Mr. C. as I have observed bederation, for falsehood, malignity, and fore in my former numbers, has rebaseness, surpasses even the most stu-peatedly and most successfully compid and ignorant vituperations of the most corrupt and vicious scribes of the last two centuries. I am aware that some persons will contend that the article is not Mr. Cobbett's; nay I have been told that the Register itself is not now under that gentleman's superintendance, and that therefore Mr. C. is not blameable for the insertion of the scandalous libels. This is a doctrine, however, to which I cannot subscribe; neither have we any public authority for the assertion. We know very well that a new method was announced at the commencement of the present year for the future management of the Register, and that the discussions of the topics to which that paper was devoted were to be extended. We also know that Mr. Cobbett, contrary to his usual and hitherto invariable custom, omitted signing his name to such articles as were the production of his pen; ORTHOD. JOUR. VOL. II. bated the foul and virulent calumnies which have been vomitted forth by the vile scribes of the Journals known by the appellation of Ministerial papers. How then can he account for the insertion of this letter of "Observer's," which never was exceeded in its libellous and infamous tendency by any of the productions of the aforesaid hired and venal wretches. Mr. Cobbett may perhaps attempt to justify himself upon the ground of his being a friend to liberty and to the happiness of mankind in general; and that conceiving the Pope and Catholic Clergy, and in particular the Monks, who are sure to come in for the largest portion of the abuse which has lately garnished the Register, to be the greatest enemies of freedom, he considered himself perfectly right in giving publicity to such articles from his correspondents as might tend to caution his countrymen 3 B against the efforts now making to re- | letter by giving Mr. C. the sentiments 66 store the Catholic religion to the same of a writer, whom he had before quoted, state it was in before the French Re- on the origin of the Papal power, volution broke out.-In this attempt I whose work had been recently pub. should not be inclined to blame Mr. lished, but was suppressed by the Cobbett, provided he adheres to that strong arm of the law. - In what principle which he has constantly been country the work was published we labouring to make his readers believe are not informed, we are therefore left his writings and opinions are always in ignorance as to the authority and governed-A LOVE OF TRUTH. dependance to be placed upon the ve -This we know is his declared fa- racity of the author, but this will apvourite maxim-and consequently, pear sufficiently conspicuous to every when he departs from it, the mischief candid reader when he has perused the produced is infinitely greater than it following article which the "Observer" would be from a writer who is known has quoted for a genuine account of to prostitute his talents, and sell his the progress of the Catholic religion, abilities for "base lucre.”—Mr. Cob- after the cessation of the persecutions bett may say that when he gave the ar. of the Pagan Emperors, and the conticle in question publicity he conceived version of Constantine the Great, and it to be entitled to veracity. This of the supreme authority of the Pope perhaps will satisfy some of his read- in spirituals:-" By this political reers, but I contend that it is the duty" volution, so favourable to the clergy, of every public writer, and particu-" the bashful chiefs of the Christians, larly such an one as Mr. Cobbett, to "who hitherto had reigned only in seuse his utmost exertions to ascertain 66 cret, and without eclat, sprung out the truth of such articles as he sends of the dust, and became men of imforth to the world, and consequently "portance. Seconded by a very des that he ought to have known that the "potical Emperor, whose interests letter of "Observer" was founded in 66 were linked with theirs, they very truth before he published it. For I 66 soon employed their credit to avenge perfectly agree with the Editor of the "their injuries, and return to their Sheffield Iris, who 66 that ignosays, 66 rance of truth were malice is evi"dent, and the characters of men are "deliberately aimed at, is almost, if "not altogether, as culpable as wilful "falsehood."-Whether malice governed the motives of the writer I will not say, let him answer at the tribunal of his God on that point; but that the characters of innocent men are deliberately aimed at, in the vile effusions of this wretched penman, I think I shall were excluded from places of trust; be able clearly to demonstrate. The "and the master lavished his favours on writer commences his article with tell- "those only who consented to think ing Mr. COBBETT, that having pro- "like him, and justify his change by mised to give him some account of the rise of the Pope, and the insolent and sect, spread throughout the empire, imitating it. Hitherto the Christian arrogant domination which the Roman" had been governed by bishops or See has uniformly exercised over those 66 kings and people who were so infatu-" and perfectly equal as to jurisdiction. chiefs, independent of each other, ated as to acknowledge the supreme "This made the church an aristocratauthority of its intolerant sway, he "ical republic; but its government cannot do better than commence his 66 enemies, with usury, the evils which 66 they had received. The unexpect "ed change in the fortunes of the "Christians, made them soon forget "the mild and tolerant maxims of "their legislator. They conceived "that these maxims, made for wretches "destitute of power, could no longer "suit men supported by Sovereigns: "they attacked the temples and gods "of Paganism; their worshippers 66 66 " soon became monarchial, and even ti 66 66 despotical. The respect which was "their victims, and sometimes their <always entertained for Rome, the "executioners. Sovereigns, become «capital of the world, seemed to give "their vassals, executed, with fear and ❝ a kind of superiority to the bishop," trembling, the decrees of Heaven <or spiritual head, of the Christians" pronounced against the enemies of «established there. His brethren," the Holy See, which had created it«therefore, frequently shewed a de- "self the arbiter of faith. In fact, «ference to him, and occasionally "these inhuman Pontiffs, immolated consulted him. Nothing more was 66 to their god a thousand times more wanting to the ambition of the bish- "human victims than Paganism sacriops of Rome, or to advance the right "ficed to all its divinities.”—To this "they arrogated of judging their bre- article, the "Observer," fearful, I thren, and incite them to declare suppose, that his ignorance of ecclethemselves the monarchs of the siastical history, and his hatred to the Christian church. A very apocryHead of the Catholic Church, should phal tradition had made St. Peter not be made conspicuous enough, has travel to Rome, and had also made subjoined the following note:-" Sethe chief of the apostles establish “veral authors have denied, and with his See in that city. The Roman "much reason, that St. Peter ever set bishop, therefore, pretended to have a foot in Rome. In the Acts of the p succeeded to the rights of Simon Pe- Apostles, no mention is made of ter, to whom Jesus, in the Gospel, "this journey, unless we suppose that had entrusted more particularly the "Luke has omitted to speak of St. care of feeding his sheep. He ac- "Peter, for the purpose of attributing cordingly assumed the pompous "to St. Paul, his master, the conver«tles of Successor of St. Peter, Uni- "sion of the capital. If St. Peter versal Bishop, and Vicar of Jesus "had been at Rome, his Gospel would "Christ. It is true, these titles were "have been forced to yield to that of often contested with him by the ori- "the Apostle of the Gentiles, more ental bishops, too proud to bow wil-" accommodating to the heathens, as ❝lingly under the yoke of their bro. "it dispensed with circumcision. It "ther; but by degrees, through dint" may, therefore, be presumed, that "of artifices, intrigues, and frequent-St. Paul was the first Pope."-Mr. "ly violences, those who enjoyed the "See of Rome, ever prosecuting their "project with ardour, succeeded in "getting themselves acknowledged in "the west, as the heads of the Chris❝tian church. Pliant and submissive "at first to Sovereigns, whose power "they dreaded, they soon mounted on "their shoulders, and trumpled them poses. Even Popish writers admit, "under their feet, when they saw "that no throne was ever filled with "themselves certain of their power "such monsters of immorality as the "over the minds of devotees, rendered" chair of St. Peter. They are de"frantic by superstition. Then, in"deed, they threw off the mask; gave "to nations the signal of revolt; in"cited Christians to their mutual de"struction; and precipitated Kings "from their thrones. To support their 66 pride, they shed oceans of blood; 66 they made weak princes the vile sport of their passions-sometimes 66 "Observer" then says, that " in cor"roboration of what is here stated, if 66 we look into the history of the "Popes, we shall find reason to con"clude, that they were the most aban"doned and flagitious of mortals, who "hesitated not at the perpretration of any crime to accomplish their pur 66 "scribed as having been not only de"testable in themselves, but as having " given occasion, by their example, to "the perpetration of all sorts of wick"edness, imposture, delusion, oppression, robbery, tyranny, murder, and massacre.”—The scribe then proceeds to enumerate some of the Popes by name, and charges them with the "Benedict VI. in order to make way ❝ for his elevation to the Papal See. "It is indeed admitted by Cardinal "Benno, that a bravo, of the name 66 66 by his aspiring brethren; and that "this holy assassin actually carried off seven or eight Popes by poison, at "the instigation of those Cardinals "who became impatient to fill the "chair of St. Peter."-It is a great pity Mr. Cobbett did not require his correspondent to furnish him with the dates when these Pontiffs were “killed off," in order that we might be en. abled to form some accurate idea of this Cardinal's admission, who is here lugged in to bear witness to the truth of "An Observer's" foregoing asser tion; and who, by the bye, was an enraged schismatic, and devoted friend of Guibert, the Antipope, who was set up in opposition to Gregory VII. of whom I shall have occasion to speak hereafter. This is a sad over. sight in Mr. Cobbett, who has always expressed himself such a lover of dates; however, if we are to measure the ve racity of the latter assertion by the merit of the former, the reader will be enabled to judge what credit it is entitled to, when I inform him that Boniface VII. who is here accused of murdering Benedict VI. in order to succeed him, did not ascend the Papal Chair till more than THREE HUNDRED YEARS AFTER Benedict had ceased to fill it; as may be seen in the list of Pontiffs published at the end of Reeve's History of the Christian Church. Benedict succeeded John XIII. in 972; and Boniface succeeded St. Celestinus V. in 1294.— Having pointed out this trifling error, I shall now give the reader another specimen of the love of Truth which glows in the breast of this redoubted "No Popery" champion.—“ Of Gre"gory the Second (says he) it is well perpetration of crimes at which human nature shudders, and the mind sickens at the recital. For my part, I shall neither soil my paper, nor shock the feelings of my readers by detailing of Brazet, was kept in pay at Rome, them, but content myself with exposing the gross unfounded accusations which have been brought against some of the Pontiffs of a political nature, and the infamous falsehoods which have been adduced to establish the charges. Before, however, I begin this task, I shall call upon Mr. Cobbett and his Correspondent "Observer" to produce one Catholic writer who has admitted "that no throne was ever filled with such monsters of "immorality as the chair of St. Peter." | -That some Popes have been a disgrace to the elevated station they have been called to fill, and that great scandal has arisen to the church there from, Catholic writers do not deny; nor can it be expected, if a traitor was to be found in the sacred college of Apostles, which consisted of only twelve, that in a succession of twohundred and fifty-four Pontiffs, during a long period of eighteen centuries, some were to be found who betrayed the sacred character they were chosen to support.-But Mr. Cobbett must understand that it is a subject of congratulation among Catholics, that amid the revolutions of empires and states, occasioned by the evil passions and corruptions of mankind, the church of Rome stands unshaken by the storm, and although surrounded by the wrecks of fallen kingdoms, she stands erect, supported by the promises of her Divine Founder. Nor is it a matter of less congratulation to Catholics to know, that so few are the Pontiffs who have prostituted their holy functions to interested or vicious purposes, that the enemies of their religion are necessitated to have recourse to base and wicked lies and misrepresentations to blacken the characters of some of the most virtuous and disinterested among them, as I shall proceed to illustrate. "Boniface VII. (says Mr. 66 "server") is accused of murdering 66 ascertained, that he deluged Ger66 many with blood. When the Em66 peror, in the year 728, issued a de66 Ob cree against the worship of images, "this pious villain caused the Vicar of |