or conspiracy will be found groundless; and that all the desired advantages of the FISH ASSOCIATION may be obtained for the public, without prejudice to any individuals; especially as the increase of quantity which might be sold by the fishmongers, if Fish were universally adopted as part of our daily food, would more than compensate for any reduction of price. They are anxious, therefore, to turn the attention of their countrymen to the expediency of converting the surrounding ocean into a mine of wealth, and a source of plenty; the persons employed in it deriving abundant profit, without any other expense but labor; not like the husbandman (however excellent, useful, and honorable his occupation may be) waiting for the distant and uncertain produce of the land which he has cultivated, and of the seed which he has sown; but reaping an unfailing and inexhaustible harvest without cost or toil.

March 10, 1813.

ADDRESS

TO THE

PROTESTANTS

OF

GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.

BY

CHARLES BUTLER, ESQ.

OF LINCOLN'S INN.

66

"I look upon my Roman Catholic Brethren as fellow subjects, and fellow "Christians, believers in the same God, and partners in the same redemption. Speculative differences in some points of faith, with me, are of no account: "They and I have but one religion,-the religion of Christianity. Therefore, as children of the same Father,--as travellers in the same road,- and seekers "of the same salvation, why not love each other as brothers? It is no part of "Protestantism to prosecute Catholics; and without justice to the Catholics, "there can be no security for the Protestant Establishment; as a friend, there"fore, to the permanency of this Establishment, to the prosperity of the "Country, and the justice due to my Catholic Brethren, I shall cheerfully give "my vote, that the Bill be committed."--Extract of the Bishop of Killala's Speech in the House of Lords, 13th of March 1793, on the Bill for the Relief of His Majesty's Roman Catholic Subjects.

1813.

ADDRESS

ΤΟ THE

PROTESTANTS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.

In the last Sessions of Parliament, the House of Commons came to a Resolution, that "the House would, early in the next Session, take into its most serious consideration the Laws affecting His Majesty's Roman Catholic Subjects in Great Britain and Ireland, with a view to such final, conciliatory adjustment, as might be conducive to the peace of the United Kingdom, stability of the Protestant Establishment, and the general satisfaction and concord of all classes of His Majesty's subjects."

Encouraged by this Resolution, the Roman Catholics of England and Ireland intend presenting immediately separate Petitions to each House of Parliament, " for a repeal of the penal and disabling Statutes, which still remain in force against them."

In the mean time, they observe with great concern and surprise, that attempts are made to prejudice the Legis lature against their application. Many erroneous, artful, and inflammatory publications of this tendency, have been actively and extensively circulated. The charges brought in them against the Roman Catholics, are of the most serious nature. The object of this Address to you, is to answer these charges, and to state to you, succinctly, the grounds of the intended application of the English Roman Catholics to the Legislature for relief. The greatest part of what is intended to be said in the Address will apply, in great measure, as much to the situation of the Irish and Scottish, as to the situation of the English Roman Catholics; but as the penal codes of Ireland, and England, in respect to Roman Catholics, are very different, it has been thought advisable to confine the present Address to the case of the English Roman Catholics only.

I.

It is generally represented in the publications of which we complain, that the English Roman Catholics labor under no real grievances; and that, if all the remaining penal laws against them were repealed, the number of those, who would be really benefited by the repeal, would be too insignificant to make their relief an object of Legislative

concern.

But this representation is altogether erroneous-the English Catholics labor under many severe penalties and disabilities: their whole body is affected by them, and would be essentially benefited by their removal.

1st. By the 13th Charles 2d, commonly called the Corporation Act, their whole body is excluded from offices in cities and corporations.

2d. By the 25th Charles 2d, commonly called the Test