Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

der Akte des dreizehnten und vierzehnten Regierungsjahres König Georgs III. im Jahre 1773 leisten mußten, auf eine

6th. After what we have renounced, it is immaterial, in a political light, what may be our opinion or faith in other points respecting the Pope; however for greater satisfaction, we declare that it is not an article of the Catholic faith, neither are we thereby required to believe or profess, that the Pope is infallible, or that we are bound to obey any order in its own nature immoral, though the Pope or any other ecclesiastical power should issue or direct such order, but on the contrary we hold, that it would be sinful in us to pay any respect or obedience thereto. 7th. We further declare, that we do not believe that any sin whatsoever committed by us, can be forgiven at the mere will of any Pope, or of any priest, or of any person or persons whatsoever, but that sincere sorrow for past sins, a firm and sincere resolution, as far as may be in our power, to restore our neighbours' property or character, if we have trespassed on, or unjustly injured either, a sincere resolution to avoid future guilt, and to atone to God, are previous and indis pensible requisites to establish a well-founded expectation of forgiveness; and that any person who receives absolution without these previous requisites, so far from obtaining thereby any remission of his sins, incurs the additional guilt of violating the sacrament.

8th. We do hereby solemnly disclaim, and for ever renounce all interest in, and title to all forfeited lands resulting from any rights, or supposed rights of our ancestors, or any claim title, or interest, therein; nor do we admit any title as a foundation of right, which is not established and acknowledged by the laws of the realm as they now stand; we desire further, that whenever the patriotism, liberty, and justice of our countrymen shall restore to us a participation in the elective franchise, no Catholic shall be permitted to vote at any election for membres to serve in Parliament, until he shall previously take an oath to defend, to the utmost of his power, the arrangement of property in this country, as established by the different acts of attainder and settlement.

9th. It as been objected to us, that we wish to subvert the present church establishment, for the propose of substituting a Catholic establishment in its stead: now we do hereby disclaim, disa

genügende Weise verneint und das Unstatthafte derselben dars gethan *)? Dieser Eid wurde zwanzig Jahre spåter durch einen

vow, and solemnly abjure any such intention; and further, if we shal be admitted into any share of the constitution, by our being restored to the right of elective franchise, we are ready, in the most solemn manner, to declare that we will not exercise that privilege to disturb and weaken the Protestant religion, or Protestant government in this country. Vergleiche: The evidence taken before the select committees of the houses of Lords and commons, appointed in the sessions of 1824 and 1825 to inquire into the state of Ireland. London 1825 in 8. p. 484-486.

*) J, A. B. do take Almighty God, and his only Son Jesus Christ, my Redeemer, to witness, That J will be faithful, and bear true allegiance to our most gracious Sovereign Lord King Georg the Third, and him will defend, to the utmost of my power, from all conspiracies and attempts whatever, that shall be made against his person, crown, and dignity; and J will do my utmost endeavour, to disclose and make known to His Majesty, and his heirs, all treasons and traitorous conspiracies which may be formed against him or them. And J do faithfully promisse to maintain, support, and defcnd, to the utmost of my power the succession of the Crown in His Majesty's family, against any person or persons whatsoever, hereby utterly renouncing and abjuring any obedience or allegiance unto the person taking upon himself the style and title of Prince of Wales, in the lifetime of his father, and who since his death, is said to have assumed the style and title of King of Great Britain and Ireland, by the name of Charles the Third; and to any other person, claiming or pretending a right to the crown of these realms; and J do swear, that J do reject und detest, as unchristian and impious, to believe that it is lawful so murder or destroy any person or persons whatsoever, for or under pretence of their being heretics; and also, that unchristian and impious principle, that no faith is to be kept with haeretics. J further declare, that it is no article of my faith, and that J do renounce, reject and abjure the opinion, that prinees excommunicated by the Pope and council or by any authority of the See of Rome, or by any authority whatsoever may be deposed any murdered by their subjects, or by any person whatsoever; and J do promisse, that J will not hold,

Regierungsakt desselben Königs vom Jahre 1793 · nochmals mit wenigen Veränderungen wiederholt, wobei man die von den Akademieen beantworteten Fragen berücksichtigt zu haben scheint *).

maintain or abet any such opinion, or any other opinion con-
trary to what is expressed in His declaration; and J do declare,
that J do not believe that the Pope of Rome, or any other
foreign prince, prelate, state or potentate, hath or ought to
have any temporal or civil jurisdiction, power, superiority or
preeminence, directly or indirectly, within this realm; and J
do solemnly, in the presence of Good, and his only Son Jesus
Christ my Redeemer, profess, testify and declare, that J do
make this declaration, and every part thereof, in the plain
and ordinary sense of the words of this oath, without any evá-
sion,
equivocation, or mental reservation whatever, and
without any dispensation already granted by the Pope, or any
authority of the See of Rome, or any person whatever, and
without thinking that J am, or can be acquitted before God
or man, or absolved of this declaration, or any part thereof,
although the Pope, or an yother persons or authority whatsoever
shall dispense with, or annul the same, or declare that it
was null and void from the beginning. So help my God.

J, A. B. do hereby declare, That J do profess the Roman,
Catholic religion. Jn the evidence, pag. 482 etc., ff.

*) «I, A. B. do swear, That I do abjure, condemn and detest, as unchristian, and impious, the principle, that it is lawful to murder, destroy, or anyways injure, any person whatsover, for or under the pretence of being a heretic; and I do declare solemnly, before God, that I believe that no act, in itself unjust, immoral, or wicked, can ever be justified or excused by or under pretence or colour, that it was done either for the good of the church, or in obedience to any ecclesiastical power whatsoever. I also declare, that it is not an article of the Catholic faith, neither am I thereby required to believe or profess, that the Pope is infalible; or that I am bound to obey any order in its own nature immoral, though the Pope, or any ecclesiastical power, should issue or direct such order; but, on the contrary, I hold, that it would be sinful in me to pay any respect or obedience thereto. I further declare, that I do not believe that any sin whatsoever committed by

Doch das böse Gewissen des Protestantismus kann nie ruhen, wenn es sich darum handelt, dem Katholizismus seine geraubten Rechte zurückzuerstatten. Wenig zufrieden gestellt durch die Niederlage, welche er bei der eben erwähnten Geles` genheit erlitten, da er sich schmeichelte, die gestellten Fragen nach seinem Geschmacke und Vorurtheile beantwortet zu erhalten, sann er auf andere Mittel, die Emancipation des Katholizismus zu hemmen.

John Cor Hippisley, ehemaliger englischer Agent am römischen Hofe, berühmt durch die Rolle, die er seit Pitt's Ministerium in der Angelegenheit der Emancipation spielte, ein gewandter, vielerfahrener und schlauer Geschäftsmann, war so glücklich, diese Mittel ausfindig zu machen. Ziemlich unterrichtet über die Stellung und Lage der katholischen Kirche in den verschiedenen, namentlich den katholischen Staaten, machte er den Vorschlag, authentische Erkundigungen hierüber eins ziehen und alle hierauf bezüglichen Dokumente sammeln zu lassen. Lord Castlereagh, damals Minister der auswärtigen Angele

me, can be forgiven at the mere will of any Pope, or of any priest, or of any persons whatsoever; but that sincere sorrow for past sins, a firm and sincere resolution to avoid future guilt, and to atone to God, are previous and indispensable requisites to etablish a well-founded expectation of forgiveness; and that any person who receives absolution, without these previous requisites, so far from obtaining thereby any remission of his sins, incurs the additional guilt of violating, a sacrament: and I do swear, that I will defend, to the utmost of my power, the settlement and arrangement of property in this country, as established by the laws now in being. I do hereby disclaim, disavow, and solemnly abjure, any intention to subvert the present church establishment. for the purpose of substituting a Catholic establishment in its stead: and I do solemnly swear, that I will not exercise any privilege to which I am or may become entitled, to disturb and weaken the Protestant religion, and Protestant government, in this kingdom. So help my God.» A Copy of the Oath required by the Act of the 33d George 3d, chapter 21. In Evidence pag. 483 ff.

genheiten, erließ nun unter dem 12. August 1812 an alle Gesandten, Ministerresidenten, Geschäftstråger und Agenten Englands bei den verschiedenen katholischen wie akatholischen Höfen eine offizielle Note, in welcher er sie amtlich beauftragte, die genauesten Erkundigungen über die Rechte, Privilegien, Freiheiten und Beschränkungen der katholischen Kirche in den respektiven Låndern einzuziehen und solche alsdann nach London auf das Bureau des Ministeriums der auswärtigen Angeles genheiten zu befördern. Lord Bathurst, Castlereagh's Nachfølger, erließ unter dem 15. September 1815 einen gleichen Ministerialbefehl an sämmtliche Geschäftsträger Englands bei den verschiedenen Höfen, und beauftragte sie von neuem mit dieser Sendung.

Diese wiederholten Aufträge verfehlten ihre Wirkung nicht. Die Gesandten, Ministerresidenten, Geschäftstråger und Agenten Englands schickten ihre Bemerkungen und Berichte über die Lage, die Rechte, Privilégien und Beschränkungen der katholischen Kirche in den respektiven Staaten ein. Sie fielen bald gut, bald schlecht aus, je nachdem diese Herren gegen die katholische Kirche gesinnt und eingenommen waren. Den Berichten geht jedesmal eine amtliche Depesche voraus, welche gewöhnlich den Geist des Berichterstatters charakterisirt. Aus ihr kann man hie und da ersehen, welche Mittel die Diplomaten anwandten, um zum Zwecke zu kommen, und welche offiziellen Quellen ihnen zu Gebote standen. Das schöne Gold der Souveraindors und Guineen scheint hierbei auch das Seinige gethan zu haben. Denn zur Ehre der katholischen Mächte sind wir geneigt anzunehmen, und sind auch wirklich hievon überzeugt, daß so manche Berichte, welche von den Gesandten für offizielle Ministerialberichte katholischer Höfe, wie jener von Wien, Florenz, Turin, Neapel u. s. w., ausgegeben werden, obgleich sie nur den Geist des kirchlichen Jakobinismus athmen, nichts anders sind, als Privatberichte feiler und irreligiöser Ministerialsekretåre, welche für englisches Gold den Gesandten ihr Gewissen, ihre Lügen und Verläumdungen gegen die katholische Kirche verkauften. Die Gesandten bedienten sich dieses kleinen Stratagems, um sich bei ihrem Hofe

« AnteriorContinuar »