THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, AND HISTORICAL CHRONICLE. FROM JULY TO DECEMBER, 1828. VOLUME XCVIII. (BEING THE TWENTY-FIRST OF A NEW SERIES.) PRINTED BY J. B. NICHOLS AND SON, 25, PARLIAMENT STREET; WHERE LETTERS ARE PARTICULARLY REQUESTED TO BE SENT, POST-PAID ; AND SOLD BY JOHN HARRIS, AT THE CORNER OF ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD, LUDGATE STREET; AND BY PERTHES AND BESSER, HAMBURGH. 1823. THE IRISH CATHOLIC PETITION, FOR 1829. GREAT GEORGE, we pray that you may own While Peter's pence from each man's dwelling, And Priests indulgences all selling, The Church's gold bags will be swelling. Gave cause for some of these our claims; Let none of them among us stay; Magelligan. foe; To join the foes of Mother Church, That obstinate, unruly town, Which crack'd the rim of James's crown; To save Kent, Cumberland, and York, That came to him from Granu-wale. Would take Roscommon for his share. And of the millions cease to boast. 154824 JOHN GRAHAM. PREFACE. Of all the great questions which have agitated the public mind, during the long period of our literary existence, none has perhaps exceeded in national importance the subject of Catholic Emancipation The agitation arising from the continued discussion of it has progressively increased; and the past year has been more pregnant with events of awful importance than any of its predecessors. Lawless gangs of papistical demagogues, stimulated by priestly influence, have at times threatened the annihilation of all social order, and even set the Constitution and Laws of the Realm at defiance. This menacing attitude has called forth a counter spirit on the part of the Protestant community, which has been nobly supported by the highest and most influential personages of the land. Brunswick Clubs have been called into existence by existing circumstances; and they have, we believe, in some measure, tended to check the dangerous spirit which had so audaciously manifested itself. Of late the Catholics have been divided into two parties; one dominates over Ireland, and endeavours to effect its objects by menace and intimidation; the other exists in England, and with more duplicity and less candour wishes to attain its ends by hypocrisy and misrepresentation. Thus the Irish Catholic Association treat with indignant scorn every idea of emancipation short of political ascendancy; by which Popery is to be absolute and uncontrouled in these kingdoms, and at the same time possess the power of legislating for our Protestant Establishment! The British Catholic Association assume more moderation in their views, and pretend that they would be satisfied with emancipation qualified by securities; but how long they would be satisfied, after the attainment of their ostensible objects, they have not condescended to inform us. In a late meeting, however, of the Irish Association (see p. 459), Mr. O'Connell denounced those members of the English Association who had evinced a disposition to entertain the question of securities. He was of opinion "that the Irish Catholics must make arrangements to separate themselves from the English Association, and they would get up an honest Association in England." We perfectly coincide with Mr. O'Connell that there has been much dishonesty of late in the avowed sentiments of the British Catholics; for they have taken up fresh positions, and insidiously pretend that the spirit of their infallible and immutable Church has been considerably mollified of late years; that there is not the same hostility against heresy; and that consequently there can be no possible danger in admitting Catholics to the head and guidance of a Protestant State and a Protestant Church. But it is our solemn opinion, and we believe all history will attest the truth of it, that the Papal monster still rankles with the same envenomed hostility against Protestantism, as when in the plenitude of its power. No further back than in the year 1803, for instance, the instructions of Pius VII. to his Nuncio at Venice were, that "it was a fundamental principle of the canon law that the subjects of a Prince who is avowedly a heretic, remain discharged of all obligations of homage, allegiance, and obedience towards him." Surely no compromise can be made on the part of a Protestant Government with a Church maintaining principles so hostile to our political existence, and to all social order. In fact, there is no popular fallacy more vehemently maintained, or that has received more general credence, than that the spirit of Popery is now exceedingly modified, if not altogether harmless, and |