it was deemed necessary to get rid would fail in their efforts, and their of their services altogether, because failure would be solely attributable they were always found to be a stum- to their want of discretion;" the bling-block to the then dangerous vetoists took the alarm, and fearful and novel projects of mad-brained lest they should not have the honour religionists and discontented repub. of saying aye or no in the senate, licans. Now, however, after the before they took leave of this world, lapse of a century and a half, in they resolved to make one more efwhich period not one single instance fort, to conciliate and gratify the can be produced of the disloyalty, wishes of these "parliamentary or disaffection of the catholic clergy, friends." Accordingly, the British -securities are required of them for board got up a petition previous to the fidelity of the laity, in the event the last session, which was followed of the latter being permitted to par- by another agreed to at a private ticipate in the privileges of the state. junto held at lord Trimbleston's What these securities are is now well house in Dublin, both agreeing to known-they are nothing less than the veto, but the latter in particular the subjugation of the clergy to the declaring the readiness of the petiwill of the ministers of the crown. tioners to acquiese in any arrangeThese terms have been rejected ments made by parliament for the with patriotic indignation, yet the security of the establishments, not whig Mr. Grattan, still adheres to incompatible with the principles of them. Having therefore placed him- their religion, as THEY (not the self in opposition to the will of the prelates and clergy) respect its faith people, the people were justified in and discipline.-It must here be obwithdrawing their confidence from served, that the prelates had previ him. This withdrawing of the chief ously declared under the influence advocacy from Mr. Grattan was made of the Holy Spirit, that any arrangea subject of complaint in the debatement granting a power in the crown of that year against the popular mem- to interfere, directly or indirectly, bers of the catholic body, by several in the appointment of catholic bishof those who are stiled our parlia-ops, would essentially injure, and mentary friends, and they were further accused of behaving with violence and intemperance.-And Mr. Grattan, having, according to the reports, stated, that "if catholic emancipation should not be finally carried, it would be owing not to the want of candour and consideration on the part of the legislature, but to the want of prudence and discretion on the part of some catholics, who do not assist the protestant friends of their cause by expressing their ready concurrence in the adoption by parliament of such securities, as to their feelings may appear necessary, and which at the same time may notbe inConsistent with the catholicreligion;" and further that it was his conviction, that unless they did this, they might eventually subvert, the catholic religion in this country, and therefore they would be betraying the dearest interests of that portion of the church committed to their care, if they did not at all times, and under all circumstances, deprecate and oppose, in every canonical and constitutional way, any such interference. The reader will therefore be able to appreciate duly the tender regard and care of the petitioners for the principles of their religion, and how far they were likely to respect its faith and discipline.-Pretty judges, truly, of the compatibility of the securities proposed with the principles of their religion! Con scientious respecters, indeed, of its faith and discipline! Where let me - ask is their regard for the purity and permanence of its exercise, when they thus express their willingness to transfer the guardianship of it from the care of its legitimate protectors to those who swear it to be idolatrous? But our "parliamentary friends" must be soothed, and the wanity of Mr. Grattan must be in. dulged. If he could not be the organ of the catholic body, he was desirous of appearing to be so, and he found among the heads of our titled families some ready slaves to gratify his empty selfishness, even at the expence of their own honour and good fame. To the immortal credit of the catholics of this kingdom, the signatures to these degrading documents were confined to the framers, and their immediate dependants. The number attached to the British petition was so insignificant and few, that it was thought prudent not to disclose the amount; and it would have been better for his own sake, if the presenter of the Irish one had prudently concealed the quantity affixed to that. He, however, thought otherwise; and we are therefore informed that out of a population of at least five millions, with all the arts and stratagems usually resorted to on such occasions, the managers could not procure more than nine hundred names !!! A pretty plain proof this, of the detestation of the Irish to vetoism. port of which might be construed into, or mistaken for, an acquiescence in those invidious and injurious accompaniments." The catholics of Waterford, after regretting the mischievous attempt to disunite the body, and cautioning their countrymen to beware of the injurious object of the veto petition, state their reasons for opposing the obnoxious measure in the following sound and conclusive words:-"That to yield the veto to the crown would be in effect to surrender to the ministers of the day, an insidious influence over the catholic clergy, which, warned by history, they fear might result in rendering them the corrupt and most dangerous tools of despotic power; a result, considering the present unspotted purity of that venerable body, that could never be sufficiently deplored, and which therefore they ought to use every endeavour to avert. That it would be equally hazardous to the political liberties of all classes of Britons, and to the religious liberties of catholics, to place so dangerous a weapon in the hands of ministers." And they further add, that after the solemn declaration of their bishops of the dangerous tendency of the proposed restrictions, it would betray the grossest dereliction of religious principle, were they to accede to that baneful interference.-The Cork catholics resolved, that "they could not recognise or acknowledge any power or authority of regulating their spiritual concerns, or of making ecclesiastical arrangements in their regard, in any tribunal save that of the bishops, whom the Holy Ghost has established to govern the church of God;" and therefore The appearance of this document created an universal sensation in Ireland, and several aggregate meetings were appointed to be held on the subject. The Limerick catholics declared, "that they could not deem such concession to be emancipation or liberality, which, while it professed to remove civil and politi-they felt themselves called upon to cal restrictions, inflicted religious ones; and therefore they viewed with regret any document, emana. ting from any portion, however small, of their fellow sufferers, the pur disclaim all communion of feeling and of sentiment, with the mistaken persons who had distinctly offered religious concessions, the more dan gerous as they were vague and un great mass of the clergy and laity.These ever-memorable proceedings alarmed the vetoists, and it was agreed that Mr. Grattan should bring on a motion upon the Trimbleston petition, before that of the clergy could be received, lest the latter should have its proper effect in weakening the efforts of those who desired to emancipate the lay-catholics, but shackle their pastors.-Accordingly, the once-great and powerful advocate of his oppressed country introduced his motion on the prayer of nine hundred vetoists, whom he designated" respectable" individuals, and tried to persuade the house that they spoke the sentiments of defined, in barter for political privileges, as they were convinced that any law founded upon the principle of that document would not conciliate, but would irritate and enrage the people."-These honourable declarations of the Irish people in favour of genuine civil and religious liberty, (for national freedom cannot be permanent, where the conscience of man is undirected by a fixed and immovable principle,) and condemnatory of the slave-like conduct of the vetoists, received a glorious and powerful support from their revered and incorruptible prelacy, who as sembled on the 26th of April 1816, at Kilkenny, and following up their former resolution to oppose, in every constitutional way, any interference, either directly or indirectly, on the part of the ministers of the crown in the appointment of bishops to preside over the catholic church in Ireland, they embodied their opinions in a most admirable petition to the senate, a copy of which appeared in The Orthodox Jonrnal for May following, praying the members to resist any application which might be made to them for that purpose, as unnecessary for the safety of the state, and reflecting on their untainted and tried loyalty. They further offered, as a proof of their desire to conciliate the groundless apprehensions of some, and the unfriendly suspicions of others, to obtain a mode of election which should remove every just degree of jealousy of a foreign influence, and secure the purity of their religion.This instrument was signed by twenty-three of the prelates, and 1052 of the clergy; and was consigned to the same illustrious individuals who had the Thus stood matters at the close of charge of the petitions of the people, the last session of parliament: the namely, the earl of Donoughmore catholic mind was now directed to and sir Henry Parnell, thus convey- the mighty labours of the hon. baroing an inequivocal proof of the unity net, whose views to subvert our reliof sentiment, in regard to vetois-gion had become too apparent, but tical arrangements, between the who was yet called by some mis | THE CATHOLICS."-But, notwithstanding Mr. G.'s former hint, such was the candour of the legislature, that, although the poor sycophants consented to surrender their consciences to the judgment of its members, rather than abide by the decision of their pastors, their humble supplication was received with less consideration than a former manly and constitutional prayer of their unpliant brethren.-In short, they again met discomfiture and disappointment from parliament, and their conduct gained them the just indignation and contempt of the virtuous and disinterested of all classes. This defeat was followed by a motion on the part of sir John Cox Hippisley, for a select committee to examine and report on a mass of papers relative to catholic affairs, which he had been collecting from foreign. despotic states, preparatory to the introduction of another relief-bill, similar to that of 1813, under the protection of Lord Castlereagh and Mr. Canning. our was the apparent spirit of unity which prevailed in the catholic body. To enact laws against the will of a whole people was too impolitic a measure for a British senator to attempt, and whilst we continued united, there was, of course, no probable chance of succeeding.-Divide et impera is the maxim of subtle politiciaus, and is too often practised to retard the progress of a good cause.—Unfortu lament that a few abandoned individuals are to be found in their body ready to assist in this to them destructive policy, and such is the case with us at this moment.-As the fatal fifth resolution was agreed to at a tavern dinner, so was the present mischievous, scheme of disunion guided members of our body, invaluable friend.". Days and months, however, passed away before this report made its appearance; in the mean time, the catholics of Ireland convened another aggregate meeting, which was held at Dublin, on the 17th of December last.-As the individuals who took a conspicuous part in these assemblies had been accused by their opponents of being guilty of indecorous conduct and in-nately for the catholics, they have to temperate language towards those who dissented from them, it was most judiciously determined on their part to abstain from all extraneous matter, and confiue their remarks to the precise subject before them. And, in order to remove all occasion for disunion, they wisely proposed to adopt a petition which had been be-hatched at a private dinner party of fore agreed to and signed by all those titled and other persons who had been latterly known by the name of "seceders."-Agreeably to this determination, the business of the meeting was conducted in the most orderly and temperate manner, and the catholic people had the gratification of beholding several of the most independent and superior-gifted individuals from the seceding party join their ranks. The petition presented and so ably supported by Mr. Grattan, in 1812, with a few alterations and omissions, which the circumstances of the case rendered necessary, was approved by the meeting, and every thing wore the appearance of unanimity. In this state of things "The meeting called by public adverappeared the mighty and ponderous tisement took place yesterday at No. 50, in Eccles-street. We candidly confess report of Sir John Cox Hippisley, the substance of which was given in the nature and object of the meeung.we were totally mistaken with respect to my last. The tendency of this pub-We stand corrected and undeceived.lication is too clear to admit of any We thought it was called from pure modoubt, and the intention of our tives, and for the purpose of conciliation parliamentary friends" are therein and of advancing the catholic cause.too visible not to create a just alarm We now are bound in duty to the public in the breast of every sincere catho-to state, that it was summoned at the lic for the preservation of his religion. There was one circumstance however, to comfort him, and that the vetoists in this capital, at which the artful and casuistical author of the blue books was present.-It was there agreed, that a sort of public meeting should be got up, and as it would have a more plausible appearance if held on the other side of St. George's channel, it was consequently so arranged by the parties, and the private mansion of Sir Edward Bellew, in Dublin, was the place appointed for the proposed public assembly.-What occurred at this conventicle is of too important and interesting a nature to be unnoticed.—I therefore lay the following account of it from the columns of The Dublin Chronicle, of the 5th instant, before my readers: the avowed, undisguised, and premediinstance of our worst enemies, and for tated, purpose of perpetuating dissension, and promoting the veto. "Catholic people of Ireland, we announce it to you; it is a painful duty, but it is a sacred duty to announce to you, that there is now an organized party amongst you to traffic upon your religion and liberties, for their individual advantage. The chief, and indeed the sole, manager of this party is counsellor Bellew; the rest are mere puppets in his hands; and he has an annual bribe of 6001. of the public money, which he has no other opportunity of earning, none whatsoever, save by the sale of the catholic religion. We confess he deserves the full sum and more, and his employers ought to raise his salary. "It is, however, a great consolation to add, that this party is quite insignificant in numbers, quite insignificant, with very, very few exceptions in point of respectability, and almost totally destitute of any thing like talent. The worst of it is, that it requires very little talent to produce the evils of dissension, and to weaken by division. To that extent they can do mischief. "We shall this day give a brief ab stract of the facts that occurred yester. day. "The meeting having been called by public advertisement, several gentlemen of the independent and popular party felt it their duty to attend. Their intention having transpired, a foot-boy of Sir Edward Bellew was stationed in the hall of the house named in the advertisement, to prevent the entrance of any but the vetoists. He held a paper signed by Lord Southwell and Sir Edward Bel lew, stating, that no person was to be admitted save the Trimbles'on petitioners of last year. But Mr. O'Connell, Mr. Mahon, Mr. M Loghlin, and some others refused to submit to this veto, and they entered the room at the appointed hour. The muster of the vetolsts proved them to be miserably small. Shortly after he got into the room, Mr. Mahon stood up and said, that he felt it his duty to attend there that day, the meeting being called by public advertise. ment, about what was therein styled a catholic petition. He, who was deeply interested in the success of the catholic cause, came to the meeting in the assertion of the right which every catholic necessarily had to attend to, which was his individual concern. He, therefore, ORTHOD. JOUR. VOL. Y. was determined to remain, and take part in the discussion. "Lord Southwell said, that this was a mere apprehension. The only persons invited were those who had signed the Trimbleston petition of last year, and no other had any right to attend. He, in this view of the subject, hoped that all other gentlemen would withdraw.i "Mr. O'Connell said, he would not withdraw. He denied the right of any portion of the catholic body to form themselves into a privileged class, or an orange lodge, out of which they could exclude any other catholic looking for emancipation. Besides, he said, that he came there that day in the perfect spirit of conciliation, and to make propositions, in order to combine the entire catholic body in one great exertion; propositions which were so reasonable, that nothing could resist them but a determination to dissension, or for the veto. "There was a long consultation between the manager, counsellor Bellew, and his brother, Sir Edward; and at length Sir Edward came forward and moved, that Lord Southwell should take the chair. The chair having been taken, Sir Edward then moved, that his brother, counsellor Bellew, should act as secretary; which was carried. "Sir Edward Bellew then, in a short speech, after protesting more than once against any personal disrespect, moved an adjournment, on the ground of there being persons present who were not summoned to the meeting. "Upon the question being put, Mr. O'Connell opposed the motion, in a speech of considerable length; and which made so strong an impression on the meeting, that counsellor Bellew consented to the motion of adjournment being withdrawn, and it was withdrawn accordingly. "Sir Edward Bellew then moved two resolutions, drawn up by his brother.The one calling on Mr. Grattan to move on the petition presented by him last year, and the other expressly recogniz. ing the right of the legislature to make a law, controlling the doctrine and discipline of the catholic church, but praying of them not to infringe either. These resolutions were seconded by Mr. Randal M'Donnell, of Allen's-court. "Mr. Mahon rose, and made a short but pointed speech, in opposition to H |