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hasten to express my hearty concurrence with the catholic board, as to the measures they propose and recommend, at this truly alarming crisis.

"The vigilance and anxiety of the catholic board entitle them to the heartfelt gratitude and thanks of the catholic prelates, and of all the catholic clergy and laity of Ireland. If it be true that the management of Irish ecclesiastical affairs is taken out of the hands of the propaganda, and committed to a certain tribunal, contrary to the usage of time immemorial; together with the expulsion of the Rev. Mr. Hayes, the avowed delegate of Irish

that it would at one and the same time quiet the alarms of the sincere and catholic people, and remove from our enemies the means of intrigue and management of our spiritual concerns, if the measure of domestic nomination should meet the active approbation of our prelates, as it would be received by the catholics of Ireland with the most cordial assent and gratitude. The present period appears to this board that in which events create a peculiar claim on your lordship's attention to that measure, not merely as acquiescent in it, should it be proposed by others, but as urging your lordship to take such proceedings as may seem to your wisdom and piety most suit-catholics, no doubt but that our situation able to obtain the concurrence of his bo liness the pope in such a concordat as shall establish fully and for ever, that do- "It required but little penetration to mestic nomination, which shall secure.in- see, that the British government, in seekstitution after each election, and confirming that abominable measure of the véto, the Irish church in her national independence.

"This board would not lightly obtrude upon your lordship, but we cannot conclude this letter without expressing our most earnest, as well as most respectful solicitation, that some immediate steps should be taken to carry into effect so desirable a measure as domestic nomination, and we are justified in this our most respectful request by the sanction which that measure has obtained in the resolutions of the late synod of Kilkenny.

"Fortified by that venerated sanction, the catholic people of Ireland will again press the principle of this measure on the see of Rome, but they are sensible it belongs to their prelates alone to mature and accomplish its arrangements.

at the present moment is extremely alarm ing.

with such unremitted perseverance, had something deeper in view than to guard against the disloyalty of the Irish prelates. Little, very little apprehension was entertained on that subject, no such thing :but by obtaining a control on the appointment of our bishops, the gradual annihilation of the catholic religion in Ireland is most certainly calculated on.

"For my own part, I am decidedly of opinion, that a general meeting of the bishops should be immediately called, to make the last and best stand we could against this detestaole measure; a measure that we should not only deprecate in the strongest and most poɛitive terms, but that, IF ALL FAILED, we should protest against any power the holy see may have to concede SUCH A POINT, to a government known to be proverbially hostile to the faith of our forefathers; and a point, if carried into effect, that will most probably terminate in abolishing the catholic reli

"This letter the catholic board respectfully submit to the consideration as well of your lordship as of your venerated brethren; and so far from entertaining any the most remote idea of undue interference,gion in Ireland. they will receive with unfeigned and sub- "Quere. Has the see of Romea power missive gratitude the communications of to alter the general discipline of a national your lordship's sentiments on this most io-church, in an essential point, not only with teresting subject, which I am directed most respectfully and earnestly to solicit.

"Signed by order,

"EDVARD HAY, Secretary." "Dublin, 17, Fowkes's Street, July 15, 1817."

out the consent, but in direct opposition to the whole hierarchy of the same; and in circumstances most likely to prove fatal; and all this with an eye to political aggrandizement; and brought about by the schemes and intrigues of a corrupt and unprincipled political secretary ?

As to the time and place of meeting, that rests with the metropolitans, and in this a suffragan can take no share.

I am,

To this letter the following answers have been received by Mr. Hay, the secretary, from the under-my dear Mr. Hay, with high esteem, and mentioned prelates:

FROM THE CATHOLIC BISHOP OF
KILLALOE.

"Newmarket on Fergus, July 17, 1817. "DEAR SIR,-Your circular of the 15th instaut, I have just now received, and do

sincere friendship, your faithful, obedient
servant,
J. O'SHAUGHNESSY.
"P.S.-Should it be improper in me to
question the authority with which his holi-
ness is vested in the present instance, with
profound submission and obedience I bow
to St. Peter's successor."

FROM THE CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF DUBLIN, AND HIS COADJUTOR.

"Cavendish Row, 18th July, 1817. "SIR, We have this day the honour of receiving copies of your circular letter of the 15th instant, wherein you inform us, that you are directed by the catholic board to address us on the present posture of catholic affairs in this country; suggesting moreover the various topics, as well for our consideration, as that of our venerated brethren; and requesting the communication of our sentiments thereon.

"We beg leave to say in reply, that the matters you have thought it right to urge upon our attention, being submitted to us, in common with other catholic prelates of this kingdom, we deem it proper to decline giving from ourselves a separate answer, further than to express our conviction, that these prelates need not the admonition of the catholic board, to be deeply impressed with a sense of the awful trust which, in virtue of their sacred office, has been comRitted tothem; (Acts 20th c. 28th v.) that they will be ever ready to pursue with a firm and steady step, the path of duty, which their conscience shall point out.We have the honour to remain, sir, your obedient servants in Christ,

and

J. D. TROY. D. D. &c.
D. MURRAY, D. D. &c."

FROM THE CATHOLIC BISHOP OF
CLOYNE AND ROSS.

"Cove, 19th July, 1817. "MY DEAR SON,-I readily persuade myself that the catholic board, while they deem it necessary to remind the prelates of the Irish catholic church, of attending to the dangers which now menace its purity and independence, are not really actuated by distrust or disrespect, however such notice may indicate that disposition. I am rather inclined to suppose, that their address proceeds from a fervid attachment to their religiou, and from an anxious fellow-feeling for its dearest interests.They know that we have repeatedly addressed his holiness upon this momentous subject, and I will tell them, in language unusually energetic, that they know that two successive delegations from the catholic bishops of Ireland, have conveyed our apprehensions to the pontiff in person, aud most earnestly deprecated, in reiterated interviews, the object of our unanimous reprobation, and that our delegates are neither unsupported by us nor disowned.

The anomalous state of the Irish catholic church and its hierarchy, as it appears to be contemplated at Rome, is na. turally a subject of astonishment to the catholic body, and to others, less guarded, a subject of indignation; for, by the spe

cial favour of God, our predecessors, under every reverse, from the first establishment of christianity in Ireland to the present hour, have never vacated their sees, nor has their succession been interrupteda glorious fact for this island, unparalleled in the annals of persecution.

"The catholic board must as naturally. be astonished, that when the angry legis latures of former angry times acknowledged our titles in their severest enactments, for it was expressly as archbishops, bishops, deans, and vicars-general, the Irish catholic clergy were then denounced -Rome, which in those times was edified at the unbending firmness of those victims, should now seem to disregard their successors as a national hierarchy; and, after regulating our spiritual concerns for a series of years in the congregation of propaganda, should further seem to hand us over to a secretary of temporal affairs, influenced, it is feared, by his anti-catholic advisers. This, indeed, is a just subject for astonishment and regret. That the evil may be either remedied or obviated by domestic nomination, I am inclined more to wish than to hope; though anxious for the measure, as every Irish catholic prelate is, and though I shall most zealously co-operate in the attaining of it.

"In every event I promise myself that my conferes will do their duty, and that, as was heretofore on ʼn different occasion said, if we cannot command success, we shall always endeavour to deserve it. I am, very respectfully, dear sir, your faithful humble servant, WM. COPPINGER.

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FROM THE CATHOLIC BISHOP OF RAPHOE.

"Ballyshannon, July 20, 1817. "MY DEAR SIR,-On my return home yesterday evening from the lower district of this diocese, your kind communication of the 15th instant was handed to me. have carefully noticed its contents, and am clearly of opinion that there never was a period, since the first agitation of that baleful and accursed measure of the veto, in which a meeting of the prelates was more necessary, and that some prompt and decisive step should be taken to secure, if possible, some mode of domestic nomination for the Irish catholic church.

"I write by this night's post to his grace of Drogheda, stating to him my sentiments on this important subject, and requesting that he, as head of the catholic church in Ireland, will lose no time in convening a meeting of the bishops for the said purpose. If my letter to the primate should not have the desired effect, I shall ingenuously, and without reserve, impart to you my sentiments on the subject matter of your letter to me. Highly approving

of the zeal and vigilance of the catholic, board, I have the honour to be, with unfeigned respect and esteem, my dear sir, your most obedient servant,

"P. M'LOUGHLIN."

FROM THE CATHOLIC BISHOP OF OSSORY.

"Kilkenny, July, 21, 1817. "SIR,-I have been honoured with your letter of the 15th, expressing the sentiments of the catholic board, and requiring the communication of my sentiments, on the present posture of catholic ecclesiastical affairs in the country.-For the gen. tlemen composing that hoard I feel as I ought, very great respect. I cannot therefore think lightly of the opinion which they form, or the fears they entertain. I should nevertheless be wanting in candour, if I did not avow, that after the best consideration in my power, I am, as yet, unable to discover, in the events which have recently occurred here or elsewhere, any new grounds of serious alarm, or any new formidable danger threatening the independence of our national church, or the purity of the ancient religion of Ireland.

The cause of catholic Ireland has, I doubt not, many enemies, powerful, active, persevering. In this however there is nothing novel; and the day I apprehend, is as yet distant, when we shall be allowed to repose in perfect security. It is there. fore, at the present moment, not less, perhaps, than at any former period, the ob vious duty of all sincere and faithful catholics to watch, with zealous care, over

the interests of their religion; ready always when circumstances may require it, to stand boldly forward for its protection, without, however, going out of the proper station which Providence has assigned to them respectively. And, it particularly behoves the bishops, not to sinmber at their posts, to be ever on the alert, always vigilant, always prepared to repel, with becoming fortitude and vigour, and to frustrate by all the just means within their reach, every attempt (no matter from what quarter it proceeds) which shall appear intended, or calculated, to corrupt the

doctrine or discipline; to infringe the rights, invade the independence, or disturb the tranquillity of the church committed to their care. To the accomplishment of these paramount duties, my feeble endea vours shall, I hope in God, be zealously and unremittingly directed.

"Whether the rights of the Irish hier archy continue still to beun duly withheld -and whether the existing discipline, which submits our ecclesiastical concerns, in various respects, to the control of certain Roman congregations, should be corrected or abrogated, these are questions,

which, though deeply interesting, the ca tholic board will easily perceive, I ought not to discuss in this letter.

"On the subject of domestic nomination, my sentiments remain unchanged. I hold it to be a good and desirable measure, and am prepared to concur in those steps, which, after due consultation with the other bishops, my venerated brethren, and with the clergy of this diocese, my natural advisers, shall appear proper to be adapted, with a view of being carried into effect.

"I beg to express my sincere acknowledgments, for the very flattering manner in which the catholic board are pleased to testify their confidence and respect for the illustrious prelacy, amongst whom I hold a place; and have the honour to be, with n.uch esteem, sir, your obedient servant,

K. MARUM."

On the 10th instant, the friends and subscribers to the catholic charity schools in Somers'-town, dined together at the Freemason's Tavern, Great Queen-street. The duke of Sussex, ever foremost in the work of public charity, presided on the occasion, and was supported on the right by the earl of Shrewsbury,

and on the left by lord Killeen. After the usual toasts were given, the royal chairman addressed the meeting in behalf of the association for whose benefit they had met, in a most impressive, manly, and energetic

speech, which the press of other important matter compels us to omit, and concluded with proposing "The healths of the right reverend Dr. Poynter and the catholic clergy, and success to the interests of these two charities." This toast was drank with great applause.

The interesting procession of the children belonging to this establishment, originally founded by the good and kind-hearted Abbé Carron, for the education of youth of both sexes, immediately followed this females and 80 males. toast, and presented a groupe of about 100 The former headed

by the amiable Miss Trelawuey, whose

time and attention are devoted to the interests of the little innocents under her charge. When the procession had reached the chair, Mr. Charles Butler pronounced a very pa thetic and eloquent address, in which he placed the main points of the establishment in a clear and comprehensive view. A subscription was then entered into, and about 5702. were collected, no small part of which was contributed by the ladies in the gallery. Anong the subscribers announced to the company were, the earl St. Vincent one hundred guineas, and the earl, of Shrewsbury one hundred pounds.

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FROM

PROTESTANT INDULGENCES AND PARLIAMENTARY ABSOLUTIONS. ROM the time of archbishop Tillotson's bold rough block cleaver, famed MARTIN LUTHER, down to the present day, it has been a favourite theme with the bigotted and most violent protestant controvertists to accuse the bishops of Rome, sometimes denominated by them "The Man of Sin," at others "The Scarlet Lady," and frequentty, in less polished language, "The Whore of Babylon," with selling indulgences for leave to commit sin, and granting absolutions, at a certain price, to white-wash those who had already blackened their souls with the most guilty crimes. More reams of paper have been wasted to establish this charge against the catholic church, without effect, than would be sufficient to set the globe on fire, and yet the zeal of the opponents of popery is not in the least slackened; for, on turning to the files of The Times paper of last month, the accusation will not only be found therein renewed by some senseless scribbler, but the editor has copied an article from a Scotch paper, asserting that a whole cargo of these indulgences and pardons, with blanks for the respective crimes and prices, was lately seized on board a vessel bound for South America, by one of our cruizers. As I have never been so fortunate as to meet with an authenticated copy of one ORTHOD. JOUR. Vol. V.

of these papal indulgences, I lament that the opportunity which was thus offered of silencing the denials of papists as to the existence of suchinstruments, should not have been embraced, and the protestant public favoured with an official copy, attested by the signature of the captain of the vessel, who made capture of so invaluable a prize. This would have been a stroke, the force of which must have laid the adherents of popery for ever prostrate; but, notwithstanding the readiness of their antagonists to give the blow, some time is likely to elapse before the former will feel its stunning effects. It has ever been a maxim with the corrupt in all ages, to screen the deformity of their actions by imputing greater vices to those who oppose the evil tendency of their views, and thus create a mist of prejudice, which obscuring the perceptive faculties of the ignorant and deluded, renders them impervious to the light of truth. Such was the conduct of the archreformers who undertook to purify popery from the abominations which they alleged had crept into its system in the sixteenth century, and such is the conduct of those who are terrified at the rapid strides which the present age is making in its return to the way of charity and truth. Thus old father Luther began with dogmatizing against the indulgences granted by Leo X, but, no sooner had he succeeded in rais,

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this under the mask of reforming religion. To enter into the various indulgences granted by Elizabeth and her parliaments to foment rebellion and sedition in the states of her neighbours, and to invent forgeries and conspiracies against her own peaceable subjects, for the purpose of despoiling them of their property to enrich her vicious courtiers; or to enumerate those taken by the reformers themselves, in the reign of her predecessor, to sow the seeds of anarchy and treason, would be an endless task: the history of these reigns is filled with a long catalogue of crimes, such as cannot be found in the annals of our country, when governed by catholic sovereigns and catholic parliaments. But I cannot help noticing one re

-

ing a prejudice in the public mind towards the pope and the doctrines of the catholic church, than he actually exercised the very impious powers which he condemned in the supposed conduct of his opposers. He not only absolved himself and his dear spouse from the oaths they had made to their Creator to observe a state of celibacy, but he granted his patron Frederick, elector of Saxony, an indulgence to commit adultery, by authorizing him to marry a second wife whilst his first was living. In the same manner, our eighth Henry, desirous of getting quit of an old companion to make room for a young bed-fellow, made application to the see of Rome to have a similar indulgence conferred to him, as that granted by father Martin to the elector Frederick, but, not find-markable period, which places in a ing indulgences to commit sin so conspicuous light the shocking ineasy to be procured from the "Man dulgences which have been granted of Sin," as the elector experienced by protestant legislators to comfrom the pious doctor of Wittem- mit the most abominable crimes.berg, Harry resolved to commence The period I allude to is that of reformer himself. For this purpose THE POPISH PLOT, as it is commonhe patched a parliament together, ly called, but which ought rather and, perceiving a fit instrument in to be termed "The Triple Conspirathe first protestant primate, the cele-cy of Shaftesbury, Tonge, and Oates." brated Tom Cranmer, he ordered the Instigated by the most diabolical archbishop to absolve him from his spirit of revenge, Shaftesbury medifirst marriage, which the senate con- tated the total extirpation of the firmed and granted him an indulg- catholic religion in this kingdom, ence, as far as the temporal power and with it the ruin of the reigning Gould extend, to wed the beauteous family, by whom he conceived himAnne Boleyn, who had already yield- self ill-treated and his abilities dised up her honour, if she possessed regarded. To effectuate his wicked any, of which there are considerable purpose, he found two ready instrudoubts, to the king. This indulg-ments in the persons of Dr. Israel ence was soon followed by another Tonge and Titus Oates, both needy of the like nature, when Anne of ministers of the established church; Cleves, his fourth wife, was put aside the former a crafty plotting villain, to make way for the lady Catharine and the latter a perjured monster of Howard. Nor were these grants the blackest hue. Thus aided, a confined to licensing adultery only; plot was trumped up, which Shaftesother indulgences were passed by bury undertook to manage, and the servile and corrupt parliaments truly did he display the character of this king, which authorized him given him by the historian Hume, that to commit the most crying acts of "well acquainted with the blind attyranny, injustice, and iniquity, and tachment of faction, he surmounted

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