rights, which is usually styled emancipation, and we have thus to suffer the poignant affliction of attributing the continuance of our unjust sufferings to the heartless indifference and interested intolerance of some individuals belonging to an unfriendly legislature.

"9th. Resolved-That although our prospect of success is at present uncheering and gloomy, we still owe it to ourselves, our children, and our country, to bring before the British parliament and the world the injustice which is done us; and whilst we disclaim being parties to any annual farce or ministerial mockery, we will still persevere in pressing our claims, because the public discussion of those claims, however fruitless in other respects, demonstrates the futility of the pretences upon which we are resisted, the total want of rational argument to oppose our rights, as well as the strength and justice of our cause, and the unquestionable merits of the Catholics of the British empire.

10th. Resolved-That we will persevere in appealing to the British legislature, to the civilized world, and to our God, against the iniquitous oppression under which we labour. That we will again bring before the public the melancholy contrast between our merits and our sufferings, our rights and our grievances, and defy the strictest scrutiny to produce any justifiable cause whatsoever for the continuance of our national degradation.

"11th. Resolved-'That we earnestly recommend all the Catholics of Ireland to contribute towards forming a fund for Catholic purposes, convinced, as we are, that there is no rational prospect for Emancipation, unless the Catholic Association shall be enabled to adopt more vigorous and effectual measures than have been heretofore pursued by the Catholic people.

"12th. Resolved-That we highly approve of the mode of raising subscriptions by monthly sums of one penny from each individual, and we strongly recommend that no greater annual contribution be received from any person than ten shillings each, per month.

"And we earnestly recommend to the inhabitants of every parish in Ireland, to meet as soon as possible, in a public manner, and to appoint individuals to collect such monthly, subscriptions, and to transmit the same to the Catholic Association."

With a thirteenth resolution, calling for public meetings generally.

The aggregate meeting so long announced and prepared for took place npcn Friday, February the 27th, in Old Townsend-street Chapel.

SIR THOMAS ESMONDE was called to the chair.

CHRISTOPHER FITZSIMON, ESQ., moved the resolution of thanks to Nicholas Purcell O Gorman, Esq.

MR. O'GORMAN returned thanks.

STEPHEN COPPINGER, ESQ., moved the second resolution, the HON. MR. FRENCH, the third, and MR. CONWAY then read the petition proposed to be adopted, which was ordered to be referred to the Catholic Association for further consideration, and for the purpose of being forwarded to parliament.

Some discussion here arose on an amendment proposed by the Honourable Mr. French, to omit from the petition all topics and remarks not strictly connected with the si> question of Catholic Emancipation.

The amendment, however, not being seconded, fell to the ground, and Mr. Conway's resolution, adopting the petition with such amendments as the Catholic Association should consider proper to be made, was put from the chair, and passed without further opposi tion

MR. O'CONNELL here rose, amidst the most enthusiastic cheering. For many minutes he was unable to proceed, in consequence of the deafening shouts that proceeded from every corner of the chapel. Silence being at length obtained, he said that he exulted with a peculiar triumph that the attempt to overturn the honest labours of the committee appointed to prepare the petition just read, had met with such a decided repulse; and it was with no ordinary regret he had witnessed that one of a family who had done much for the Catholic cause, and a gentleman whose character he highly esteemed, and whose respectability and general good sense he could bear attestation to, had determined on pressing a motion so contrary to the general sense of the large and respectable meeting by which he was surrounded, and so contrary, he would say, to the interests and feelings of the country at large. (Applause.)

Here it was highly important they should take their stand; and he would again repeat his old and favourite motto

"Hereditary bondsmen, know ye not,

Who would be free, themselves must strike the blow?

Yes, at once he freely declared, to whatever side he turned him there was no hope of legal and constitutional redress, notwithstanding their painful and laborious exertion. (Hear.) It was, therefore, important that the Catholics should calculate what use they should make of the resources on which they can draw, This was necessary, as it was only by inquiring into their affairs they could fortify themselves with prudent determination.

Emancipation, then, he thought, might be attained by two means; First, by external means, in which he included the apprehension of war, and the effect of foreign policy upon domestic

legislation; secondly, by internal wisdom, or a just application and disposition of the resources of those undiscovered mines which were latent in the body of our country.

As to external means, they should be repudiated and rejected, as the last extreme of painful and inevitable necessity, although they were frequently taken advantage of to forge the fetters of the Catholic people of Ireland. The Duke of Marlborough's external victories had been taken advantage of in the enactment of the penal code. In the strength and plenitude of power, England, during the reign of Queen Anne, had enacted a great portion of that frightful and horrible code, violating that religious toleration on which the Revolution had been founded-which Revolution it was that changed the dynasty of the Stuarts, and placed the predecessors of the present family on the throne of these realms. (Applause.) And if England, in the security of triumph, and in the insolence of haughty dominion, had put her foot upon their necks, there was a time, too (and it might occur again), when she held out the hand of fellowship and friendship -when she "kept the word of promise to the ear," and wooed them into a convenient and profitable alliance. (Loud applause.)

In the experimental despotism which England fastened on Ireland, her mighty appetite for slavery was not gorged; and because our unfortunate country was proximate, and polite in the endurance of the burden so mercilessly imposed, it was inferred that slavery could be safely extended far and wide, and an attempt was therefore made on the American colonies. Despotism, in fact, was an all-craving and voracious animal: "increase of appetite did grow on what it fed;" until endurance became at length too vile; and the Americans-the great God of Heaven bless them for it! (laughter and applause)—shook off the thraldom which a parliament, representing an inglorious and ignominious funding system, had sought to impose. (Cheers.) Oh, it was a noble sight, to see them in open battle, contending for their liberties! The recollection of the circumstance cheered and invigorated him in his progress: it gave him an elasticity, which all the fatigues of the day could not depress. (Cheers.)

"The friends they tried were by their side-
The foes they dared before them."

Wives animated their husbands to the combat; they bid them contend for their children, for the dear pledges of their mutual love-(hear, hear)-mothers enjoined their sons to remember those who bore them-the younger sex bid their lovers earn

- their favours in a "well foughten field," and to return arrayed in glory. They did so- -God of Heaven for ever bless them i he said again. (Loud cheering, mingled with laughter.) Thanks to the valour and patriotism of Washington, a name dear to every lover of liberty, the Americans achieved their independence, and Providence spared the instrument to witness it. (Loud applause.)

The independence of America was the first blush of dawn to the Catholic, after a long and dreary night of degradation. Seventy years had they been in a land of bondage; but like the chosen people, Providence had watched over, and the progress of events had liberated them, and redeemed them for the service of their country. The same Providence existed now, and why should they despair? (Cheers.)

In 1778, Holland assumed a threatening aspect, and some wise friend (a laugh)—whispered into the ear of England, "search the rich resources of the Irish heart; give to their arms a stimulus to exertion; delude them with promises if you will, but convert their power into your strength and render them subservient to your purposes." England took the advice: the meteor flag was unfurled; the Danish, Spanish, and Dutch fleets peopled a wide waste of waters; but what of Ireland? Oh, although long neglected, she was faithful in the day of need: fifty thousand seamen were produced in a month-the Volunteers organized—a federate independence was created —and the Catholic cause was debated. But, lo! peace came, and gratitude vanished; and justice was not abroad; and obligations remained unrequited; and the Catholics were forgotten.

Forgotten? No! Acts were passed against them. (Loud and long-continued applause.)

Yes, strange as it might seem, the act taking from them the power to vote at vestries was passed at this very time; so that if the rectors agreed to build a church, the poor Catholics could not ask, "Who is to go into it?" (Much laughter.) Or, it taking cold, he required repairs, they could not order him fifty shillings to buy glass windows! (Laughter.) Next came the French Revolution. That revolution produced some good, but it was not without alloy it was mingled with much impiety. Liberty and religion were first separated. The experiment was a bad one. It had much of French levity in it, and a deal of what was much worse. The people of France should have remembered that Liberty is the first instinct of a generous religion. (Iminense applause.)

This position he would not concede to any saint or Bibledistributor. (Great applause.) The French, in folly, set religion at nought; they profaned the sanctuary, and they suffered for it. And if they are now settling into quiet, it is because they are settling into religion. (Applause.)

But he was trespassing on the time of the meeting—(no, no) -and in some measure wandering. (Cries of "go on.") Well, he liked the subject, and would go on a little longer. He was saying the French Revolution produced much good. So it did. Dumourier gained the battle of Jemappe-the French crossed the Pyrenees-General Biron was in Italy-England looked benignantly on Ireland-it served her interest, it was her policy to do so, and she passed another act in favour of the Irish Catholics. (Applause.) The Irish were made more thirsty for liberty by the drop that fell on their parched lips. (Applause.)

There was not one who heard him who did not mourn in affection, in dress, or in heart, for some relative or friend who fell in the field of battle. (Hear.) His own heart-strings were torn asunder by the loss of a beloved brother, the companion of his youth, and the offspring of the same loins. A kinsman of his, too, died at the storming of St. Sebastian. Three times did

he mount the breach, and he fell at last, covered with wounds and with glory. (Applause.) He was as gay and as lovely a youth as ever shed his blood in defence of his country, and a fair withal as ever trod on the green sward of Erin. (Much applause.) He could not choose but name him. It was Lieutenant John O'Connell of the forty-third regiment. And what did the relatives of these brave men gain by this ?—what the Catholics of Ireland? Why, the Marquis of Douro was made Duke of Wellington!

The victories of Wellington might be compared to those of Marlborough. Both had perpetuated despotism at home and abroad. Civil liberty was now extinct on the Continent. From the fair and classic shores of Naples to the Tanis and the Volga was one wide stretch of illimitable despotism. In Naples, where the King "swore, and swore, and swore again," he returned against his oath, and put to death those who spared him. Piedmont was under the hoofs of the despots. In Portugal liberty was extinct. In Germany, no breath of public spirit was heard their chards had become corporations to "crib and cabin" the intellect of man Brutal force controlled, for the present, the eternal empire of mind.

In France, the cause of liberty found some advocates, but