all: and the ghost of intolerance, more deftructive than Attila's fword, fhould vanish on the approach of the rays of benevolence, which are now blazing all over the continent. Attila's fword deftroyed but fuch as it met in its way: but the rage of religious feuds has thinned the world of fifty millions of human beings; and is ftill trampling, in these kingdoms, on compaffion, on equity, on national intereft. In Ireland, where fuch fcandalous fcenes have not been exhibited, as last year in Scotland and England, the ghofts of those legislators who enacted the penal code, are still looking, with a clouded, malevolent joy, over the long waftes and desolated paftures they have made in a fruitful country; and supplying the want of the fword and fagot, with a more lafting and tedious torment,-I mean, the hunger and diftreffes of thousands. The liberality of the times, the intereft of the kingdom, the wisdom and humanity of our rulers, every thing cries aloud for the repeal of laws enacted on the fcore of conscience. If fubordination and policy require what, in every country, is called a religion of ftate, though in fact an encroachment on the natural rights of man, when it excludes him from the privileges to which he is entitled by nature: yet this happy happy fyftem of toleration could be introduced by excluding in this kingdom the Catholics from any high offices under the crown : fecondly, from the privilege of fitting in the fenate: thirdly, if the use of arms gives any umbrage, from the privilege of carrying them, except to fuch as have a mind to ferve their country in the army, or fuch perfons as are poffeffed of a real or personal eftate, amounting to whatever value the legislature thinks fit to determine : all other laws, heretofore enacted, to be null and void. The kingdom would foon flourish: and the brilliant example, fet to fuch princes as have not as yet thrown open the gates of toleration, would rescue mankind from the heavy yoke which mifconftrued religion has laid on their necks. The Author of nature intended men for fo ciety; and entitles every man to the advantages of that condition, who is free from all principles and practices injurious to the civil good of society. The great Giver alone can repeal the universal charter. He has not done it: and I hope that I have fufficiently proved that he has not delegated that power to any of his creatures. The rulers of the earth, whether Catholics or Proteftants, owe all focial benefits to their loyal fubjects of every denomination. If one of these powers powers withhold their people's native rights, it is no excuse for the other, that their conduct is countenanced by their neighbour's example. Honour, humanity, and the rights of mankind, fhould fuggeft to modern legiflators to repair the loffes, caufed by their predeceffors mifguided zeal. And as the clergy of all denominations, confider themselves as the delegates of heaven, and invested with the commiffion to prescribe a mode of worship to man, let them propofe it in a manner that may fecure its triumph over the heart; brighten it up with the genial rays of humanity, benevolence, and love, and not cloud it with the fullen gloom of feverity, oppreffion, and diftrefs. For Chrift who is the Creator of all, has not declared in his gofpel, that one should be excluded from the protection of the laws, and perfecuted for his worship, and the other authorized to famifh, ftarve, and infult the weaknefs of a fellow creature. POPE GANGANELLI's THOUGHTS ON TOLERATION. THE HE great misfortune in this case, is, that fome people confound religion with her minifters, and make her responsible for their faults. It never was religion, but falfe zeal pretending to imitate her, that feized fire and fword to compel heretics to abjure their errors, and Jews to become Chriftians. There were formerly in the bofom of the Church falle zealots who contended for things not interefting to the faith, of whom ecclefiaftical history furnishes many examples fufficient to make us tremble. For what is more dreadful than to fee good men fall victims to a zeal, difpleafing in the fight of God, and condemned by the Church, as equally hateful to religion, and the rights of society. The practice of Jefus Chrift, who, during his refidence on earth, bore patiently with the Sadducees and Samaritans, the Infidels and Schifmatics of thofe times, obliges us to fupport our brethren of whatever communion they be, to live |