the crown, they have laboured affiduously to advance its prerogative above law; well knowing that an abfolute + "Many of the penal statutes which were merely defigned to prevent "the venom of Popery, and the evils arising from the intriguing dangerous "fpirit of its bigotted partizans, by the little arts of ministers acting on the “ignorance of the times, were drawn up in terms fo general and comprehenfive that they included all kinds of Diffenters, and added a large "thare of arbitrary power to the crown. The tenets of the Romish religion "being fuited to the purposes of tyranny, have ever made this feet the fa"vourite of monarchs: had they not declared a personal enmity to Eliza beth, they would doubtlefs have found in this arbitrary princefs aro "teetrefs; they were fo evidently the favourites of James and Charles, that "while all those who did not conform to the religion which was countenan"ced by authority were perfecuted with rigour, the Papists were not only "permitted an indulgence, which in a manner amounted to a toleration, “but many of them were entrusted with offices. The marriage of King Charles with a Popish princess confirmed the fears of the latter, and the hopes of the former; and from this hour the King's pretenfions to an "arbitrary temporal dominion, and the Pope's to an ecclefiaftial one, feem P. 116. to have gone hand in hand. Nor had the Papifts the prudence to disguise "the connection they had with the King; they in a manner openly avow ed the illegal favours they received, and their defigns to affift the government to render it abfolute." Macaulay's Hiftory of England, vol. iii. The great favour, which the party afterwards had at court in the reigns of Charles II. and James II. and their unwearied endeavours to overturn the constitution, and establish despotic government, are well known. And du. ring the first civil war betwixt King Charles and his Parliament, for prero. gative, tyranny and superstition, on the one fide, and law, liberty and reformation on the other, they threw in their weight on thè fide of the former, engaging in the ungodly cause with the utmost zeal, and profecuted it with the utmost barbarity, in all the three kingdoms. Looking on the royal caufe as their own, the Irish Papists joined both together in a folema confederacy and oath entered into by them, wherein they make a holy war of it, "for defending, restoring and propagating, to the utmost of their power, "with the hazard of their lives and fortunes, the holy Catholic faith, religion and church planted by St. Patrick, &c. and in order to effect the repeal of all penal ftatutes made against Catholics and their religion;" as appears from their Covenant; entitled A folemn protestation of their faith in God, and fidelity towards their prince. The treaties entered into by the King with these rebels and murderers, and the encouragement granted them in order to procure their aid, wherein religion was fhamefully bartered, and the lives and fortunes of his best fubjects delivered over to the unbounded fury of a merciless band, whofe blades were yet reeking from the daughter of maffacred thoufands, have been fufficiently brought to light. difpenfing difpenfing power was their fureft and readieft engine for effecting the restoration of their empire in Britain; judging it impoffible to accomplish it by legal methods, or the free and unanimous voice of the people. Hence Tories and Jacobites, if they have not been Roman Catholics themfelves, have ever been in the clofeft coalition with them, looking upon them as their most trufty auxiliaries. And it has been an invariable maxim with that cursed race, which they have never failed to put in execution when it was in their power, to fmile upon and fupport Papifts, in proportion as they frown upon and bear down the Diffenters, the firmest friends of Whiggifm and Revolution principles. I profefs I am one of thofe who have ever been backward to credit fuch an evil report of adminiftration, as the warm party in oppofition have long endeavoured to imprefs the public with; and have hitherto been difpofed to think more favourably of its defigns and meafures. I would be glad to retain ftill the fame fentiments. But many hearty friends to Government, could wish that it were more in their power to vindicate it on this head. By fuch acts have the miniftry now put many of their wellwifhers and warmeft advocates to filence, and gone far to fhake their political creed. It must be owned, that it has a very fufpicious appearance, that the hereditary and violent partizans of tyranny and indefeasible right, fhould have their charter of privileges extended, at the fame time that motions are rejected, and claufes in bills erazed, tending to enlarge the privileges of Proteftant Diffenters, against whose political principles there cannot be the smallest exception made, if it be not that they will not adore a mitre, cringe and bow to an altar, or allow their clergy, like mounte banks, to wear their white fhirts uppermoft. If Papifts are taken by the hand, because they are the fittest tools of defpotifin, the miniftry and their meafures can never be fufficiently abhorred, nor too feverely cenfured. This myft afford afford the ftrongeft proof that yet has been given of de figns and principles being adopted, and measures purfued of the most destructive tendency. Nothing could be more ill-judged and impolitical, than fuch an act at this time; nor could any thing have fallen out more unfeasonably, and unluckily for the credit of the minifters. They had furely at this juncture, a fufficient load to bear, though this had not been fuperadded. There were grievances énough before, and occafions of murmuring and difcontent in abundance, though they had not furnished, the already dissatisfied and divided people, with this fremh ground of jealoufy, cenfure and complaint. Was this a time for weakening further the confidence of the people in their rulers, and alienating their affections from them more and more? A feries of fuch ufage, and provocations may, gradually work up the minds, even of the most peaceable, to a ferment, that may in the end, deeply affect the internal tranquillity of the three kingdoms. Let none conftruct the public filence, or the apparent unanimity of the reprefentatives of the people, as importing a general fatisfaction with the prefent deed. If any judge thus, they will be found to judge entirely ainifs. This is a pill too coarfe, and too bitter to be eafily fwallowed. Thofe who have not totally abandoned principle, nor have drunk deep in the fpirit of this licentious age, cannot help condemning and resenting this fhameful defection towards Rome, though they are careful to keep themfelves within the bounds of prudence and duty. However light the miniftry make of this matter, however filent a clamorous minority have been on the occafion, and however fmoothly it has paffed in Parliament, yet by far the greater pare of the more fober and thinking, view this as the moft obnoxious and offenfive act, which hitherto hath paffed through their hands, which must contribute more than any other thing they yet have done to bring odium upon their pre names, and lafting infamy upon their adminiftration. If the language of a creeping pamphlet, or the voice of the humble multitude can rife fo high as to reach the ears of our Dons in power, let them know that murmurings åre already he heard, and difcontent on this account is very general. Were the inhabitants of Britain at large to be polled on the question, at least thofe in Scotland, there is no reafon to doubt, but the friends of the bill would find themfelves left in a fmaller minority, in proportion, than ufually appears on the fide of oppofition when other minifterial queftions are voted in either houfe. Though for the fent, while the national affairs are at fuch a crifis, and other important and alarming objects engrofs public attention, the murmurs of the people are a little fuppreffed, and their complaints for the most part uttered in quiet; yet no parliamentary or royal acts will yet be fufficient to reconcile them to the horrid idea of Popery, and the namelefs evils in its train; or perfuade them, after what formerly hath taken place, that a toleration of those who profess it, can ever confift with the fafety of their privileges facred or civil. And in thefe fentiments may they long, may they ever continue, till Popery fhall be no more! And if thofe in administration will obftinately perfift in profecuting fuch odious meafures, and proceed to impofe new laws, and abrogate the old, in contempt of the common opinion, and contrary to the almoft univerfal fenfe of the people, they must be refponsible for the confequences. The judgment, and efpecially the indignation of the community are not things to be freely trifled with by any individuals, however great, however powerful; and leaft of all can it be prudent or fafe to do fo, in an affair fo delicate and ticklish, wherein religious opinions and cuftoms, or, as fome may rather chufe to call them, religious prejudices and prepoffeffions, are immediately concerned. 1 Prejudices and prepoffeffions may mingle with the best of caufes, and fome times may take the place of better principles and motives of action. That thefe may have fome degree of influence on the minds of many in the prefent cafe, is but natural to fuppofe. But to afcribe the general averfion and diflike to the meafures now adopted in favour of Papifts, merely to the force of popular prejudice and prepoffeffion, is neither confiftent with candour nor truth. The people's apprehenfions are but too well founded, and there are reafons in the nature of the thing to warrant all their antipathy, though it were much greater than it is.Nor are these the fentiments only of the ignorant, and unthinking vulgar; perfons of greater intelligence and more enlarged views, perfons in every rank of life, of every character and denomination, and many whofe fentiments in other refpects are abundantly liberal, concur herein. Because the populace are in thefe views and fentiments is no good reafon in this cafe, or in any, elfe, for a man of fenfe being in the oppofite. They may often be found to have reason on their fide, and in fome inftances may be as clear fighted, and as little fubject to bias and prejudice as many of their fuperiors, whofe education, manners and habits of life, friendship, interest or ambition too frequently impose upon their understandings, and at the fame time corrupt their hearts. The vulgar, as one fomewhere obferves, though fometimes mistaken in circumftances, are often right in the main; and they feldom cry fire, without perceiving fome fmoke. Indeed, when the true nature of Popery is confidered, it is not a little furprifing that any intelligent, unprejudiced and difinterested Proteftant should think otherwife upon this fubject. Thofe who know beft what it means, when viewed either in a fpeculative or practical, a religious or political light; and those who have the fulleft acquaintance with its theory and its hiftory, can hardly fail to be moft thoroughly confirmed in the hatred. and dread of it. Whatever averfion a general and indi |