have recently received, and which was written by a gentleman of great eminence and undoubted worth, and was brought from France and delivered to them by a distinguished and intelligent Member of the British Parliament, both without a name. This letter appears to be written with a view to exonerate the Committee from the recent and just attacks of The Times, for suppressing the letter of the Duke of Wellington and M. Maron, the President of the Protestant Consistory at Paris. This letter, however, most completely contradicts the foul and cowardly attacks made by The Morning Chronicle and the reverend Ingram Cobbin, against the Catholic clergy, of bigotry and superstition, and instigating their people to assassinate the Protestants under pretence of their rendering a service to God by murdering heretics: for it expressly states that the cere mony of opening the Protestant churches at Nismes, on the 21st of December, took place with great pomp and perfect order, and that THE CATHOLIC PRIESTS TOOK THEIR POSTS AT THE CHURCH DOORS TO PREVENT DISTURBANCE."-What are we now to believe of Mr. Cobbin's unblushing assertions contained in his scurrilous letter of the 30th? When did we ever hear of a Protestant cler dreamed of nothing but re-instating | from the Committee of the Protestant the old system of government.-That Society for the Protection of Reliamidst these opposite and dangerous gious Liberty, dated Jan. 13, 1816. contentions, continues the note, had This Committee, after a few blusterit not been for the enlightened tolera- ing remarks and a quaint denial of tion of the king, his ministers, and taking up the measure as a party particularly, the Minister of the In- question, publishes a letter, unaccomterior-had it not been for the pru-panied by any remarks, which they dence of the local authorities, and the excellent understanding of the Catholic and Protestant clergy, one might have seen Frenchmen, though equally submitted to the Royal authority, cutting each other's throats for opinions which should have been absorbed in an unanimous sentiment of veneration and attachment to the king, The note then proceeds to vindicate the loyalty of the higher class of Protestants, during the short usurpation of Bonaparte, and laments that the lower orders of the same sect did not display the same attachment; but wishes it to be understood that those who directed all the measures in favour of the Usurper were Catholics. It then goes on to pourtray the excesses committed after the battle of Waterloo, and the return of the legitimate sovereign, in the most exaggerated colours, but confesses that these scenes were transacted "IN SPITE of the exertions of the CATHOLIC CLERGY, whose conduct on the occasion, (says the note) IS ABOVE ALL PRAISE." The note then goes on to state that to re-establish order in the Gard, "it would be necessary that in the Gard the authorities should, as much as possible, be composed in a proportional number of Catholics and Protestants. The latter, on the contrary, are every day rejected from all public func-gyman taking his post at a Catholic tions.-France (says the note) reckons among her children upwards of one million of Protestants. Why should not that million of Frenchmen be represented in an honourable proportion in the Chamber of Peers?" Do not these observations apply: most strongly to the situation of the Catholics in this kingdom? The same paper also contains an advertisement chapel door, to prevent disturbance, in the riots of 1780, or the unhappy tumults in Ireland, when so many places of Catholic religious worship were erased by the orangemen and soldiery? Can any thing prove more clearly the infamy and malignity of conduct adopted by these pretended Persecution howlers? yet notwithstanding these exposures, so bo nourable to the accused, and so disgraceful to the accusers, the reverend Ingram Cobbin, who it appears was rather unmercifully attacked by the anti-dissenting party, made the following desperate attempt to wipe off the just reproaches with which they assailed him. "To the Editor of the Morning Chro nicle. ing thought proper to use my name in the Jan. 20, 1816." the reverend Ingram Cobbin possess, that neither anonymous "Jesuits or hired scribblers" will be able to move him to disclose what he is not in possession of!!! By the tenour of the letter, it appears, however, that the reverend gentleman means to with. draw from contest, and he is therefore happy that "the cause of the persecuted," is now taken up by more res. "SIR,-Several of the public prints hav-pectable champions. But, here again our reverendissimo is unfortunate.His latter is dated the 20th inst. and, behold, on the 23d, only three days after, a special meeting of the Committee of the Protestant Society of Religious Liberty was held, for the purpose of considering the necessity and expedience of further immediate interferance with the affairs of the French Protestants. The result of this meeting was published in The Morning Chronicle of the 27th, and we find the Committee at last admitting that the persecution was partly political, but heightened by religious animosities, and that it is now greatly decreased. Twelve resolutions were agreed to at this meeting, the first six of which are intended to exculpate the motives and Conduct of the society, and the seventh says, "that from the intelligence they have received, they learn, that there are 89 Consistories, 230 Churches; and 251 Ministers belongWell said, reverend writer! you willing to the Protestants in forty deno doubt be able to keep your word, for it is a matter of doubt whether you are able, if you were ever so willing, to lay the names of the suffering individuals before the public. But pray, Sir, how would you expose the persons who have been massacred in this unparalleled persecution to the future vengeance of their enemies, by indulging the Euglish public with a few of their names? Do you think their inexorable persecutors have power to bring them to life again, as you did the venerable old President Desmond, in order to gratify their insatiated cruelty once more upon the unhappy victims ? What a noble mind! what unshaken integrity does P.S. Can you tell me, Sir, if any of the persecutors are yet BROUGHT TO JUSTICE?" partments of France, and one college for their instruction, established at Moutaubau; and that in the department du Gard a persecution, partly political, but rendered most acrimo nious by religious animosity, had con tinued during several months-that many persons had been murderedthat public worship was preventedthat churches were despoiled—that trade and manufactories were pended-that hundreds appalled and alarmed, had quitted their occupa tions, their property, and their homes, and become fugitives and that all the evils had locally existed, which MOBS, unrestrained by adequate authority, and stimulated by party spi sus 1 According to accounts in the Paris Papers, an interesting scene took place on the 26th of December last, in the church of St. Paul, at Nismes. Two Protestant families, forming about twenty persons, made a public abju ration in the presence of the curate of the parish church, and returned into the bosom of the Catholic churchSome families had already given au example of this, according to the same papers, in the parish of St. Boudille; and others are, it is said, preparing to follow. This circumstance has given rise to much animadversion on the part of the English editors, one of whom observes, "that their sincerity is at least rendered problematical, in consequence of recent events. If, as we suspect, (continues the writer) they conformed through fear or intimidation and oppression, working in aid of corrupt influence, then every Christian in every country has a right, and is bound in duty, to remonstrate against such a system, and to use all legitimate means to crush it, and expose so im pious an outrage." These are very big words, but it is not very difficult to point out a country where intimidation and oppression have been used for two centuries to proselyte Papists to Protestantism, and where corrupt influence is still legally resorted to for the same purpose. But dare our “ NoPopery" editors say that it is the bounden duty of every Christian in every country to crush this impious measure? rit, ignorance, desire of pillage, and | principles of those they are intended to superstition, could inflict."-Now all slander, this no one has ever attempted to des ny, except that the outrages could not possibly be a religious persecution, because it originated in political dissentions, and was carried on by a lawless populace, in opposition to the constituted authorities, which, from the unsettled state of the country, they were too weak instantly to subdue. On the contrary, the enemies of the Catholic religion, and the reigning family in France, were constant in their declamations against the Bourbons and the priests, whom they ac cused of carrying on a systematic and bigotted persecution against their Protestant brethren in that country; but let us hear what they now say. In the next resolution (the 9th) the Committee observes, that although they regret that perfect compensation has not been made to the sufferers, and more decisive measures earlier adopted against their aggressors, they are convinced, that even in that department, where the evils did exist, those evils are now much decreasedthat the rights of the Protestants have been officially recognized, in reiterated publications, and the Royal Ordonnance for their advantag has been announced-Civil and Military autho, rities have united for their protection -their Ministers have been placed on an equality with the Catholic clergy, in the Electoral assemblies, and flattered by titular and honorary distinctions their Churches have been re-opened-many fugitives have returned manufactures have revived -some of the persecutors have been committed for trial, and repose and security begin to re-appear." Here then bursts the bubble; and as the re verend Mr. Cobbin says the public mind is now gradually unfolding itself upon the subject, we sincerely hope it will be enabled to discern between the malicious falsehoods which are still circulated in the columns of the Whig leader of diurnal prints, against the Catholic clergy and laity, and the real DIED Lately, the Most Rev. John Carroll, D. D. Roman Catholic Archbishop of Baltimore, in America. The death of this eminent prelate is a severe blow to the flourishing branch of the Catholic Church in the United States. Gifted with the most splendid abilities, and adorned with the brightest virtues, he lived admired and venerated by his episcopal brethren, the clergy, and his flock, and died lamented and regretted by all who knew how to appreciate the merits of a Good Shepherd." Andrews, Printer, 5, Orange-Street, Red Lion-square, London. ORTHODOX JOURNAL, AND Catholic Monthly Intelligencer, For FEBRUARY, 1816. VOL. IV. No. 33. THE BRITISH CATHOLIC BOARD, AND marks upon the same topics, and hope they will not be deemed by the reader, either superfluous or unnecessary. I which am assisting the are inserted in the subsequent pages, conduct of the movers of the injurirespecting the public conduct of the ous machine in its true light, and to above bodies, most completely de- shew my Catholic countrymen that it monstrate, if any thing were wanting is not only their interest but an imto substantiate the fact, that the sen-perative duty in them to assist in restiments of the Catholics of England cuing their holy religion from the are in direct opposition to those who scandal which has been fixed upon it arrogate to themselves the right and by the managers of this machinal authority of speaking and acting in junto. I wish to shew the Catholics their behalf, without being constitu- of England the importance of their tionally and regularly appointed to own character, when rightly exhibited; that honour. Such being the case, and I also wish to convince some of it is incumbent upon the body at large those highly respected and worthy to come forward and rescue itself from individuals, who now unintentionally the disgraceful stigma which has been lend themselves to the dark designs cast upon its character and name, in of intriguing place-hunters, how much consequence of the general proceedings more dignified their situation would of the Board during the last twenty- be, if they did but place themselves five years, but more particularly from at the head of the Catholic body, by the irreligious and scandalous nature calling public meetings, instead of of the late Newcastle Resolutions, sanctioning measures which are hatchand particularly one agreed to by the ed in the gloomy caves of hypocrisy British Board, on the 31st ult. On and deceit, and sent forth to the pubthe deceitful tendency of the former Ilic under the specious mark of limade a few remarks in my last, and on the still more baneful nature of the resolve of the latter, the reader will find in this number some strong and unanswerable animadversions by a correspondent who signs himself "PASTORINI," which are peculiarly deserving the most serious attention. Notwithstanding, however, the ex-science sake," to keep distinct and incellent strictures of my correspondents on the late pernicious opinions of our would-be leaders, I trust I shall stand excused if 1 make a few further re· ORTHOD - JOUR. VOL. IV. berality.It is well known that Catholics of every nation admit of two supreme authorities, one of the Church and the other of the State; these two powers, it was the object of our ancestors who formed the Constitution of our Country, from the privileges of which we are now debarred for " con dependent of each other, well knowing that as the spiritual authority of the Church was derived from Christ, so the liberties our country and the G stability of Government would be best over our heads, and our clergy were maintained by preserving the Clergy obliged to live in hiding holes and secret from the influence of Court intrigues, places for fear of informers, the spiriand therefore the first clause in the tual authority of the Church remained great Charter stipulated for the free in their hands unmolested by the laity; election of Bishops. At the period of but no sooner was the bait of relief the Reformation however, our Pro- held out to the view of the latter, testant brethren thought otherwise; than a spirit of innovation was prethey united their Church with the sently manifested by the principal State, and in the season of cold-blood- lay individuals concerned in the ed bigotry and anti-papal phrenzy, transactions of 1791, to which they they excluded the Catholics from all have hitherto pertinaciously adhered, the civil offices of the state, under the notwithstanding their conduct has pretence of the danger to which the been publicly denounced by the preEstablished Church would be liable, if lates of the Church. I shall not go those who adhered to the old faith over the whole transactions which were permitted to serve their country have taken place since the above peaccording to their respective capacities riod, a few instances from the occurand inclinations. In this latter case rences of the last three years will be they injured the country; in the for- sufficient to shew that the misguided mer they hurt themselves. The mamen alluded to have presumptuously jority of the nation having determined | dared to invade the principles of their that the Church should be united to faith, by interfering in the sacred the State, the Catholics had only to rights of the Clergy. Tired of wearsubmit to this law, agreeably to the ing the ancient and unalterable robe precepts of their religion, and they by which themselves and their ancesaccordingly did submit to it, as the tors have hitherto been distinguished record of history proves, by the steady from the rest of their fellow countrysupport given by the Catholic peers to men, they longed to deck themselves the civil and ecclesiastical authorities, out in the fashion of modern philanduring the contentions which took thropy, and accordingly they put on place in that space of time when they the tawdry and showy plumes of sham were permitted to have a voice in liberality and universal benevolence. Parliament after the establishment of But, like the jay in the fable, they Protestantism. From the reign of were soon discovered by their actions; Elizabeth to the rule of his present their professions of liberality were Majesty, the Catholics of this king- made at the sacrifice of principle; and dom were subject to the most cruel their universal benevolence was of and oppressive laws, because they the most dubious kind. They atconscientiously and stedfastly believed tempted to usurp the rights of those in the spiritual power of their church whom they had no power to control, according to the doctrine of the scrip- and they cringed with the most fawnture; but the mild and benignant ing and slavish servility to those whom principles of humanity, which shone they vainly imagined had the will and so conspicuous in the breast of our means of gratifying their inordinate gracious Sovereign, whose unhappy lust after temporal privileges. Thus situation every Catholic must deplore, actuated, the leading members of the released us from this state of perse- Board formed themselves into a Bible sution, and we were allowed, by law, Society, for the purpose of communito profess our faith in the supreme cating religious instruction to the authority of the Church, on taking Catholic poor, and afterwards invited an oath to maintain a strict allegiance the Vicars Apostolic whose right it is to the sovereign Head of the State.- to guard over and superintend the While the penal laws were suspended spiritual knowledge of their respective |