"exposition of our principles, or any farther justi"fication of them, should be required from us, " is small indeed.

"Our case is, therefore, closed!

"We now solemnly appeal to our friends and "neighbours,—to all, who are acquainted with us, "in the ordinary intercourse of life, whether they "have found us deficient in the discharge of do“mestic duties, in offices of friendship, in the exer"cise of benevolence or hospitality, or in any of "those charities of life, that bind man to man, and "endear human beings to each other.

"We solemnly appeal to the enlightened states"men of both houses of parliament,—whether the penal code, remaining in force against us, be not "in direct opposition to that general spirit of "comprehension and humanity, which breathes

66

-

through the laws, which is the soul of the con"stitution, and which gives to genius, talents, "valour, industry, and labour, equal openings to "exertions, equal chances of rewards?

"We have solemnly protested and again solemnly protest, against all intemperate language, all "rancorous and illiberal invective, all harsh and

insulting expressions. We bear no animosity to "individuals of any communion, sect or party. WE

"""EMBRACE ALL OUR COUNTRYMEN AND FEL* LOW SUBJECTS, AS FRIENDS AND BRETHREN; AND MOST SINCERELY DO WE WISH TO SEE ALL UNITED IN THE PARTICIPATION OF ~86 EVERY RIGHT AND EVERY BLESSING, WHICH

СНАР. ХСІ.

PRINCIPAL PROCEEDINGS OF THE BRITISH AND IRISH CATHOLICS BETWEEN THE YEARS 1813 AND 1821.

1813-1821.

WE shall now present to our readers an account of the principal circumstances in the history of the British and Irish catholics, from the debate in 1813, till the present time.-These are, I. The resolution of the English catholics in 1813, to persist in their endeavours to obtain a repeal of the remaining penal laws:-II. The expulsion of Dr. Milner from the private board, or the select committee of the general board of the British catholics :-III. And the further petitions of the British and Irish catholics to parliament, and the proceedings upon them.

XCI. 1.

The Resolution of the Board of British Catholics
in 1813.

ON the 29th of May 1813, which was almost immediately after the bill for the relief of the catholics was lost, the board of the British catholics passed two unanimous resolutions by the first, they returned thanks to the members of the house of commons, who had supported the bill: by the second, they expressed their determination not

"to relax their efforts to procure relief from the "penalties and disabilities, under which they suf "fered." The earl of Shrewsbury was in the chair: the resolutions were moved by Lord Stourton, and seconded by lord Arundel of Wardour.

XCI. 2.

The Expulsion of Dr. Milner from the private Board, or the Select Committee of the General Board of the English Catholics.

WHILE the bill had been pending in the house of commons, Dr. Milner caused a memorial against it to be circulated among the members: and, in a postscript to it, stated explicitly, that "such mea"sures never could have been countenanced by

any members of the legislature, had they not "been suggested by certain false brethren of the "catholic body." It proceeded to state, that

many catholics in England, and many more in Ireland, objected to the clause in the oath of "1781, respecting the protestant succession, as it "might be thought to bind them to take up arms against their sovereign, if he should profess their "religion:" on this ground, he submitted a change in the terms, by which they should declare," their "entire submission to the limitation of the protes"tant succession as established by law." Upon the last head, the writer must observe, that he has never yet met with a single catholic, ecclesiastic or lay, who objected to the oath. It has been taken

all the English prelates, including Dr. Milner, by all their coadjutors, by all the Scottish prelates and by their coadjutors. In other respects, the memorial was highly injurious to the bill; and the right reverend prelate assumed to himself the merit of having contributed largely to its defeat.

The board took this conduct of Dr. Milner into their consideration at this meeting, and resolved, that a paper, intituled, "A brief Memorial on the "Catholic Bill," and "signed John Milner, D. D.,

66

having been distributed to members of the house "of commons, during the discussion of the bill "brought forward for the removal of the civil and military disqualifications, under which his majesty's roman-catholic subjects then laboured, and containing assertions derogatory to the honour "and the loyalty of the roman-catholic laity, and "inferring consequences from the bill, if carried "into execution, not warranted by its proposed "enactments, and highly injurious to the political integrity and wisdom of the framers and supporters of the bill, and directly opposite to their "declared intentions, as stated in the preamble to "the bill,--the board declared, that the above" mentioned paper, signed John Milner, D. D. and

intituled, A brief Memorial on the Catholic "Bill,' called for, and had, their most marked "disapprobation. It having been moreover publicly stated, that the catholic board were and "had been influenced in their political conduct: by the right reverend Dr. Milner, this board. "declared, that the members of it felt themselves'

"called upon to republish the following resolu"tion, passed by them on the 29th of May 1810; "viz. That we do not consider ourselves as

66 6

implicated in, or any ways responsible for, "the political opinions, conduct or writings, of "the right reverend Dr. Milner, vicar-apostolic "of the midland district." "

Doctor Milner being then called upon by the board to state, whom he meant to designate, by the expression of "false brethren," in his paper, intituled, "A brief Memorial on the Catholic Bill,” declared to the board, that "he had referred to "Mr. Butler." Upon this, the following resolutions were immediately passed :—1st. "That

"Charles Butler, esq. was entitled to the thanks "and gratitude of the general board of British "catholics, for his great exertions in support of the "catholic cause, and that the charge just made "by the right reverend Dr. Milner, against Mr. "Butler, was a gross calumny."

2dly. “That, under the present circumstances, "it was highly expedient that the right reverend "Dr. Milner should cease to be a member of the

private board or select committee, appointed by "the general board of British catholics, on Thurs"day, May 11th, 1813."