rors and faults of Ministers, if any had existed, would be suppressed, not exposed," was this faithful describer of events, doomed in his person, to endure some of those persecutions which he had with so much force and truth condemned in the case of others. specting Ireland, by the humane, be content with lending himself as an innevolent, and liberal snccessors of Mr. strument to accomplish this delusive Pitt in administration; it is an un- measure, this unworthy deception deniable fact, that a Catholic gentle- upon a whole nation, he had even the man, of the most enlarged and liberal baseness to expect that an honouraviews, was engaged to write a history ble Catholic gentleman would degrade of Ireland for the avowed purpose of himself in the nefarious system; and following up the political union of the for the crime of writing a true history two countries, by promoting a real of Ireland, for disdaining to add to the union of the minds and sentiments of accumulated load of his country's the people of the two nations; and misfortunes, by calumniating his Irish when both the letter and spirit of the brethren, or in other words, for not contracts were fulfilled by the histo-writing a history in which “the errian, he found the Minister not only refusing to perform his part of the stipulations, but candidly acknowledging, that what he expected and desired, was a history which should not mention the measures of Government, but for the purposes of adulation and praise, and the Irish people it seems, only in terms of reprobation; nay, it appears that the most offensive parts, and which gave the greatest offence, was his having the presumption to trace out and justly expose the crying enormities of the Societies of Orange-men; the persons to whom the Minister said Government looked up for the salvation of Ireland. Nor was this sufficient; but this learned and faithful historian was censured even for the applause bestowed by him on the conciliatory measures of Lord Cornwallis's government, in contradistinction to the reign of terror extorted from Lord Camden; nay, the Minister even had the coolness to assert, that he came into office on the avowed principle of opposing the Catholic claims, and that he would oppose those claims with his latest breath. Let us pause here, and reflect for a moment on this disgraceful breach of faith! The The conduct pursued towards the institution was on a par with that towards this individual; the Catholics had paid the price, but the fulfilment of the bond was refused to them. When they expected the completion of the promises given to them, they discovered they had been shortsighted enough to confide in the honour of persons who knew not the existence of such a virtue, and the future historian of Ireland has to record another instance of ingratitude and perfidy, only to be equalled by the shameful dereliction from good faith manifested by the violation of the treaty of Limerick. I am fearful I have trespassed too much on your limits, and must request your permission for the insertion of another letter recounting the progress of the Veto. I am, Sir, Minister could not be ignorant, that ON THE HIBERNIAN SOCIETY. the pledges given, and the promises held out to the Catholics of Ire LETTER THE SEVENTH. land by his predecessors, were not To the Editor of the Orthodox Journal. considered as the promises of individuals, but as the solemn plighted faith of Government to procure the restoration of those rights and privileges so justly due to them; yet, not SIR,-Your readers must ere this be tired,and I fear disgusted, at the length to which the senseless folly of the Hibernian Society has obliged me to ex -there were no such nonsensical absurdities as the statements of Mr. B tend my strictures on their conduct. | have displayed upon other occasions; Scarcely had I finished my last letter on their proceedings, when a public notice called my attention to another of r;-no repetition of the atrocitheir meetings; but here I was agree- ous calumnies which received such enably surprised to witness the (to me) thusiastic approbation from the Rev. pleasing circumstance of a most mate- ancient Briton, Mr. W—. There rial alteration in the sentiments of the was no comparison drawn between the members who favoured the meeting with oppressed and suffering Irish peasantheir speeches. There was much said try, and the African savages, or the to convince me, that though their ex- Egyptian idolaters, describing the forertions have been, and are at present mer to be beneath either of the latter likely to be attended with no adequate in point of intellect; but, on the consuccess in Ireland, I have not been. trary, much of what might be expectequally unsuccessful with them.-ed from persons of weak understandThough the natives of Ireland may beings, who had adopted, without exso strongly attached to their ancient amination, some of the prejudices of faith as to resist the combined exer- their neighbours. However, as some tions of the Irish Evangelical and Hi- parts of their speeches seem to require bernian Societies, yet the members of an answer, I will offer a few observalatter society are not equally invinci- tions on such as I conceive the most ble at home; for, though reason can- worthy of attention. The chairman, not convince, though argument can- in opening the business, impressed fornot persuade, though pure and pious cibly on the minds of the persons asexample fails in its usual effects upon sembled, that "the true Christian their phrensied understandings, yet, I "feels for all the wretched; but must am now satisfied that it is possible, by "feel more affectionately towards exposure, to force them to some ap- "those who have claims upon him.” pearance of decency, though such is I should wish to ask this gentleman to the blindness of their reasoning senses, what region he immediately banished that they will not acknowledge the de- HIS affectionate feelings? and to what lusions under which they have hither- quarter he consigned HIS veracity? to laboured. At the meeting in ques- For, in the next breath, he spoke of tion, there was much eloquence wast- many of the Irish Catholics of Ireland ed in endeavouring to persuade their" who never heard of Jesus Christ, nor hearers of what no one can possibly "never knew that he rose from the doubt, viz. that the moral improve-"dead," and proceeded to say, that ment of the Irish nation has been if the Catholic priests would encoumuch neglected by this country. Great rage the Society's schools, all disorexertions were also made to convince "ders would be banished." the congregation of the necessity of contributing largely their shillings and pence to the funds of the Society; and much breath was thrown away, in depicting the immense benefits which the Society would ultimately effect for Ireland. But, nevertheless, there was a visible departure from the sentiments and manners of the persons who have so disgracefully distinguished themselves at the former meetings of the Society. There was exhibited none of the frantic declamations,-none of the shameless fabrications, which they 66 66 If this gentleman knows nothing of the Catholic religion, he is perhaps only entitled to our pity for his weakness; but if he is acquainted with its principles, what a degrading proof does he afford us of the total disregard to truth manifested by those evangelical heroes, when their object is to obtain money from their followers.-He must certainly know, I should imagine, that the very first principles of instruction in the Catholic faith communicate what he here has the effrontery to say many of the Catholics of " and Roman Catholics should be unit. "ed in a common system of educa Ireland are ignorant of; but as if his imbecility of intellect was not already sufficiently displayed, he must like-tion, it follows, that the system 66 66 must be such as will not in the slightest degree interfere with the religious tenets of the latter, and "further, that it must be such as may give to them a well-grounded assurance that no after plan for their con " version is in secret reservation." 66 wise express his anger that the Catholic priests of Ireland do not encourage the Society's schools. Let me require" this ambassador of conciliation to refer to the exposures I have made of the despicable conduct and language of his colleagues; let him peruse the Society's Annual Reports, and see the terms in which the Catholic priesthood of Ireland are constantly described; and if not then satisfied, if this apostle of liberality wishes for more information upon the subject, I can tell him that the Catholic Clergy educate in one county alone, nearly three times as many children as the Hiber-cate all the poor in Ireland. Let them, nian Society professes to educate in all Ireland. I seriously advise the members of the Hibernian Society to pause awhile ere they again come before the public with their unblushing calumnies, or continue to wheedle their unthinking flocks out of their money, under the pretence that pecuniary means are alone wanting to enable them to edu I say, consider well the opinions of such a person as Mr. Foster, and at Let me here recommend to the gen- once desist from the prosecution of so tleman in question and his colleagues, wild a scheme. Let them hesitate beif they wish to receive credit for puri fore they again evince such an abanty of intention, or integrity of con- donment of rationality, as to charge duct, to muse awhile over the follow- the misfortunes of the Irish people ing extract, and see at once the egre- upon their spiritual pastors. If they gious folly, the ridiculous inutility, wish to possess a real knowledge of of persevering in their fanatical pro- the distressed state of the Irish people, ject. The opinions I am about to ad- they may find it in the following exduce, are those of a person possessing tract from Parnell's History of the a more accurate knowledge of the Penal Laws against the Irish Catho Irish nation, than all the members of lics. "If it is asked, why the people the Hibernian Society put together." of Ireland are so illiterate? the an The Hon. J. Leslie Foster, in writing 66 swer that presents itself is, look to to the Secretary of the Board of Edu-" the Penal Laws, that deprived them, cation in Ireland, after noticing the "till a late period, of education. If obstacles which had hitherto opposed" it is asked, why they are poor? the themselves to the general diffusion of "same answer must be given, look to the blessings of education in Ireland, the Penal Laws. If it is asked, why says: "Those circumstances have "the lower orders eat vegetables only, "been adverted to, minute as they" and live in hovels? still the same may appear, because they prove the answer, look to the Penal Laws. 26 necessity of our sincerely renounc- "If it is asked, why there is no class ing every idea of interference with "of yeomanry in Ireland, like that "the religious opinions of the Roman" in England? the answer is, because Catholics, in any plan offered to "the Penal Laws prohibited industry, "their acceptance. By attempting it," and prevented the small landholder we should fail of every thing; by" from acquiring either property or 66 abstaining from it, I hope und be- consequence in the one country, as lieve, that in other respects a great " he might in the other. If it is asked, "deal may be effected." Subsequent-"why the people are discontented, ly he says: "Recommending then, on "and dislike England? this answer "these grounds, that the Protestants only can be given, because from 66 66 66 66 England they received this Penal" in darkness, and held in subjection "Code, under which they have en- by the abominable tyranny and su❝dured, for above a century, every "perstition of the Church of Rome," 66 species of calamity, contrary to the and the ulterior views to be accom 66 positive stipulations of a sacred and plished by the Society, were shewn by ❝solemn treaty." his wishes that they might be enabled To the above extract I particularly to "put a stop to the abominable hierrequest the attention of a learned gen- archy of the Church of Rome." The tleman, who, at the meeting alluded Douay edition of the Holy Scriptures, to, with gaping mouth and upraised this modest liberal expounder of saleyes, expressed his surprise and asto-vation describes as containing all nishment at the state of Ireland, as “the abominable errors of the Church described to him, declaring that he of Rome." One of the speakers, considered it an event the most won- in reference to the object of the Soderful which had occurred since the ciety, called upon his listeners to adfoundation of Christianity, that so mire 66 so noble a project, so godlike great a want. of education should be found in a nation so contiguous to this country as Ireland. The attentive consideration of it will enable the gentleman in question and all his fellowlabourers for the future to lay the blame at the right door, and if they make any use of their intellectual faculties, they will no longer allow themselves so greatly to forget their duty as Christians, as to impute all the misfortunes of that country to the influence of the Catholic priesthood. I shall now take leave to introduce to the notice of your readers the proceedings of a meeting of another Juvenile Association, very recently held in Holywell Mount Chapel. I have reason to believe that the exposure which I have made of the wickedness and hypocrisy which dictated the speeches uttered by the children at the last Juvenile meeting, which I formerly noticed, had a visible effect upon the present occasion, as only those of a more advanced age were suffered to address the assembly, and these it was easy to be perceived were restrained from pursuing the path they had been used to tread in. But where shall I find words to celebrate the great exertions, the sublime efforts, of the evangelical vender of libels, who presided as Chairman? The mildest language this gentleman could afford to use towards the Irish people, was, to describe them, in point of moral and religious information, as "sitting 66 an enterprise," and to assist him and his friends in liberating the youth of Ireland from their present "fetters of ignorance, and shackles of super"stition." But of all the members of the Hibernian Society, whose merits have come under my review, the Reverend President is, in my opinion, the most entitled to disgraceful celebrity; what I have already quoted of his language, was, it seems, not suf ficient for his evangelical purity; but, in a pathetic appeal to the pockets-I beg pardon-I mean the passions, of his hearers, after describing the Irish people to be in the situation of the unfortunate man who was robbed, as related in the parable in the Gospel of St. Luke, the Hibernian Society as the good Samaritan, and the Catholic Priests as the thieves, it seems he must pursue the subject still farther; and, to use his own words, unblushingly declare, that greater thieves never were in the world than the Roman "Catholic Priests." Oh! for a veil of hypocritical dimensions, to prevent the exposure of this chosen leader of the faithful to eternal happiness! Abandon, O ye sacred and venerable Catholic Priests of Ireland, your pious labours, which have already distinguished you in a manner superior, perhaps, to any other body of persons in the world; come to the enlightened and liberal land of Bibles, and learn calumny and falsehood, hypocrisy and deceit, from the sanctified, the bene. 66 volent leaders of the Hibernian So- | and to the attentive consideration of ciety; then wilt thou be deemed good Christians, and excellent citizens, and worthy to enjoy the privileges of Protestant subjects; then wilt thou cease to be slandered and calumniated by these infatuated men, who admire every thing but religious truth and integrity of principle!!! And thou, O renowned P where shall I find 66 66 66 which I beg to call your readers."In respect to those who are not of the same faith and communion as yourselves, always retain for them that "love and affection which true Cha66 rity requires from you. Love them as Jesus has loved you; commiserate " them in their misfortunes; help them "in their distress, as well temporal as "spiritual; pray daily for them; and "let them see, by a union among "yourselves, that you are the true disciples of Jesus Christ,-NEVER 66 66 LET A DIVERSITY OF FAITH DE words to record the splendour of thy fame! Let me, however, be content for the present with whispering in thine ear, that "Charity is the soul of a "Christian life, and without it, as the "Apostle writes, we are as sounding "brass; but a Minister of the Gospel" but, all to all,' in your journey "without Charity, is a Monster." "towards heaven, try to conduct "them also to the mansion of eternal "bliss, where your charity will re"ceive its full reward."-I am, Sir, J. C. I think, Sir, I cannot better conclude this letter than by the following extract from a Sermon preached by a CATHOLIC Priest in this metropolis, POETRY. |