66 66 "take into its early and serious consideration, "those disabling statutes, which still continued to "press upon his majesty's roman-catholic subjects." His lordship was supported by the duke of Sussex. and opposed by the lord chancellor. This noble and learned lord having intimated, in the course of his speech, that it was the particular duty of the bishops to resist the resolution :-“ I do not know,” said the bishop of Norwich in reply, "what the opinion of the noble and learned lord may be, as "to the duty of bishops; but I beg leave to say, "that it is their duty, as it is the criterion of an English bishop, to conciliate, not to divide; to allay, not to exasperate religious differences. The only way to secure permanently the existence of "any establishment, civil or ecclesiastical, is to " evince liberal and conciliatory conduct to those, "who differ from us, and to lay its foundation in the "love, affection and esteem of all within its in"fluence. To use the words of my favourite author, Carum esse principem, benè de repub"licâ mereri, laudari, coli, diligi, gloriosum est: "metui vero et in odio esse, invidiosum, detes"tabile.' The most enlarged principles of tole❝ration, while they tend in their operation to 66 reconcile all sects, to bring all dissents of faith, "within the pale of charity, and to smooth the "asperity of religious differences, never yet dis"turbed the tranquillity of any state, or shook the security of any church. A CHRISTIAN SPIRIT “CAN NEVER ENDANGER A CHRISTIAN ESTABLISH99 MENT." 66 "I will," concluded his lordship, "trouble the "house no longer;-but I hope I may be pardoned for saying that the sentiments, which I have de"livered, deserve the serious consideration of his majesty's ministers. Having obstinately persisted "in opposing the claims of four millions of his "majesty's subjects, and having raised the dangerous cry of no popery,' when concessions "to them were proposed, they may, unless they adopt a more conciliating conduct, be compelled "to hear from the other side of the water, the "more dangerous cry of no union." " 46 The house then divided,-69 votes in favour of earl Donoughmore's motion, 73 against it; so that it was rejected by a majority of 4 votes only. No words can express the gratitude and veneration, which, from this time, every catholic of the united empire, has felt for the prelate, who thus advocated their cause. "We attend his reverend length of days, "With benediction and with praise; "As some bless'd spirit fam'd in ages old." AKENSIDE. On the 25th of June, sir John Hippisley brought up the report of the select committee appointed to inquire into the laws and ordinances of foreign states, regulating the intercourse between their roman-catholic subjects and the see of Rome- He took occasion to observe, that, "had such a report "as he had then the honour to present, appeared "at an earlier period, he felt the strongest con "viction that much of the disorders, by which "Ireland was agitated, would have been prevented. "Such a mass of evidence, as the report contained, "would have rendered it impossible for any self"interested persons, who entertained but little re"gard for the honour of their religion, to impose "on so large a class of his majesty's subjects." He mentioned, "what had been the course of inquiry "adopted by the committee. They had first di"rected their attention to the mode of nominating "the superior or episcopal order of the clergy; "and 2dly, to the rules and ordinances regulating "the connection with the papal see, and to the royal exequatur, or prevention of the intromission "of papal rescripts. By the report, it would be 66 seen, that in every country, the government "exercises a control over the interference of the papal authority; and, that in no case, the bishops enjoy their rank, without the direct sanction of respective government." He concluded with moving that the report should be laid on the table. The report accordingly was laid upon the table, and ordered to be printed*. That sir John Hippisley's report contains much curious and valuable information, on the very important • Some valuable information respecting the appointment of this committee, and the formation of the report, is contained in a publication of sir John Hippisley's, intituled, "The Sub"stance of a Speech of sir John Cox Hippisley, bart. in the "House of Commons, on Tuesday, May 11, 1813, for the "appointment of a Select Committee on the subject of the "Catholic Claims. 8vo. 1815." - subjects, to which it relates, must be admitted; but it must also be admitted that, in the part of it, which relates to ancient records, there is almost a total silence respecting those historical events and documents, which the advocates of the papal prerogative usually cite as precedents in support of the papal claims. These are fully exhibited by father Persons, in his Reply to sir Edward Coke, which we have noticed in a former page: a work which should be attentively perused by all, who wish to form an accurate opinion on this part of sir John Hippisley's report. Another objection to it is, that the opinions of the advocates of the nova disciplina,-or the new doctrines of the German liberales,-are produced, as opinions of acknowledged authority, when they are almost entirely discountenanced by the sober catholics of every kingdom. A still further objection is, that, in the account given of the transactions between the popes and the sovereigns, the distinction between what the popes admit to belong of right to sovereigns-what they consider as settled by concordats, or arrangements, in which each party has given up something which he claims as his due;-and what the popes consider as derogatory from their just right, though in practice, and to prevent a greater evil they acquiesce in their deprivation of it,-is not noticed.-An able examination of the report was published by Mr. Lingard. But with all the imperfections, which can be justly imputed to it, the report is certainly a very interesting compilation: an analytical discussiou of it is desirable. 1817. On the 9th of May, Mr. Grattan again moved the house of commons on the Irish catholic petition: his motion was negatived by a majority of 24; the ayes being 221, and the noes 245. On the 16th of the same month, the earl of Donoughmore again brought the catholic question before the house of lords, by a motion, that "the house should resolve "into a committee to consider the petitions from "the catholics of Ireland;" on a division, it was negatived by a majority of 142 voices to go. This result was the more afflicting as it was quite unexpected. The act passed in this year "to regulate the "administration of oaths in certain cases, to officers "in his majesty's land and sea forces," by which the catholics of the united empire were essentially served, has been fully noticed in a preceding chapter. 1818. Still, the catholics persisted in their determination not to relax their efforts for obtaining the repeal of the laws, which remained in force against them. Their spirits were revived by the discussions, which took place in May 1818, upon general Thornton's motion, "for the repeal of the acts of the 25th " and 30th Charles the second, requiring a decla" ration against transubstantiation, and asserting the દર worship of the church of Rome to be idolatrous.” In the account, which we shall give, in our next |