ed, but he was afterwards taken on the coast of Donegal, in a French fleet, conveying an army, (in which he was an officer) destined for the invasion of Ireland, in the year 1798.; and having been convicted of high treason, he committed suicide, to elude the sentence of the law. At the same time, the General Committee "returned thanks to John Sweetman, Esq. secretary to the Sub-committee, and to Richard McCormick, Esq. secretary to the General Committee, for their candour and integrity, for the spirit, activity, and diligence, equally honourable to themselves, and serviceable to the Catholic cause, with which they discharged the trust reposed in them." The former was arrested on treasonable charges, in the year 1798, and having confessed his guilt, was transported with a numerous batch of traitors, to Fort George in Scotland. McCormick, conscious of his guilt, fled to France.* It appears by the reports of the secret committees of the Lords and Commons, that the sub-committee of the Catholics, sitting in Dublin, continued their exertions to separate Ireland from England, till the year 1798. It is stated in the report of the Lords, published in 1797," that; they had unequivocal proofs, that a traitorous correspondence had been, carried on between them and the executive directory of the French Government, in the month of June 1795."-(p. 49. Appendix III.)-It appears by a report of the same assembly, published in August 1798, " that John Edward Lewins, who now is, and has been for some time, the accredited resident ambassador of the Irish rebellious union, to the French republic, was the person then dispatched in the summer of 1795."—(p. 8.) It is also stated in the same, that in consequence of an application made by the Irish rebellious union to the executive directory of the French Government, early in the year 1796, the latter, through Theobald W. Tone, then resident in France, proposed that an army should be sent to Ireland, for the purpose of separating it from the British crown ; and it further appears by the same report, that the armament sent to Bantry Bay was the result of this application.-(Idem. p. 8. 9.)-In pages 10 and 11 of the same report, it is stated, on the evidence, upon oath, of Doctor William James McNevin, one of the most enlightened reputed members of the Catholic committee, that he was sent by the Irish directory to the French government, in the month of June 1797, to recommend a second invasion, on which he had many conferences with the ministers of the French republic; that he represented the necessity of

compared with those of 1810 and 1811. It is an original document, published by the authority of that Committee; and it has been reprinted in 1811, with a Preface, copious Notes and Illustrations. It throws more light on the state of Ireland for the last twenty years than any thing that has yet appeared.

* Many members of that Committee, were hanged, transported, or Alcd from justice.

sending an additional supply of arms, from the great seizure which had been made by Government of arms collected for rebellion." He also presented a memoir, "to persuade the French government to continue the war, till Ireland should be saparated from the British crown,' "* which they promised to do (Idem. p. 11.)-In the month of August 1797, the Irish directory received a dispatch from their minister at Paris, announcing that an armament in the Texel was ready to invade Ireland; but it was defeated by the glorious and ever memorable victory of Lord Duncan.-(Idem, P. 11, 12.)

Subsequent to the month of October 1797, the Irish Directory received several dispatches from their Minister at Paris. The two first contained a general renewal of friendship and support from the French Government; and the last announced, that the projected invasion would take place in the month of April (Idem, p. 12). Our readers should recollect, that the rebellion broke out on the 24th of May. It was resolved by the conspirators, that, on the breaking out of the rebellion, "the estates or property of all those who were inimical or hostile to the cause of liberty should be confiscated and converted to the national benefit.” (Report of the Secret Committee of the House of Commons of 1797, Appendix II. p. 20) It is thus stated in the Report of the Secret Committee of the House of Lords of 1797 :- "It has also appeared to your Committee, that in the event of success on the part of the conspirators, it has been decided, that all persons, who, from their principles or situation, may be deemed inimical to the conspirators, shall be massacred t. The first proscribed list, it has appeared to your Committe, has been calculated, by one of their leaders, at thirty thousand. The indiscriminate massacre of Protestants, which took place in many parts of the province of Leinster, in May and June 1798, particularly at Scullabogue, Vinegarhill, and Wexford-bridge, afforded melancholy proofs that these allegations made before a Committee of the House of Lords, upon oath, were well founded.

As the rebellion of 1798, and the scenes of robbery and murder which, for five years, preceded it, were devised and promoted by the Catholic Convention of 1793, the public may form an idea of the designs of the Committee which sat in Dublin in 1811, when they resolved, on the 9th

This has been the main object of the Irish Papists for 300 years. During a war, they uniformly solicited assistance from the enemy of the empire to accomplish it; and is it to be supposed that they will relinquish it at this favourable juncture, when their spiritual father the Pope is reconciled to his beloved son in Christ, Buonaparte?

+ This means the Protestants, as they were loyal.

of July in that year, "that the survivors of the delegates of 1793, should constitute an integral part of the Convention, and that until the New Convention should be elected, the management of Catholic affairs should be confided to the Catholic peers, baronets, and survivors of the delegates of 1793."

It is melancholy to reflect how far a spirit of party will lead some men. Though this dreadful rebellion was organized in the year 1791, for the purpose of extirpating all the Protestants, and of separating Ireland from Great Britain, which objects the Irish Papists have been endeavouring to accomplish for almost 300 years, some members of Parliament, of exalted rank, in both islands, apologized for the Irish rebels, pitied them as innocent sufferers, who had been driven into rebellion by the wanton tyranny and cruelty of Government, though the conduct of the Govern-, ment had been highly conciliatory.

The Earl of Moira, misled, I am convinced, and imposed upon, went to Ireland, and, in a long speech, on the 19th of February 1798, condemned the conduct of the King's ministers, advised the repeal of the penal laws, and the adoption of such conciliatory measures as may allay apprehension and discontent; and for that purpose, his Lordship recommended Catholic emancipation, and a reform of Parliament. How often has honour been duped by knavery, and loyalty by seditious cant! Though this amiable nobleman did every thing in his native country, that unbounded charity and generosity could effect, to gain the esteem and respect of the people; at a county meeting of United Irishmen, held at Saintfield, in the county of Down, on the 4th of February 1798, "nothing particular was done, except that the Earl of Moira's character was discussed, at full length, to know whether he was a man that could be depended on, by the people, or not. It was agreed, that he was as great a tyrant as the I ord Lieutenant, and a deeper designing one t." This meeting was held near his lordship's house, where his humane and charitable disposition were well known The following resolution was passed by the rebel provincial committees of Ulster and Leinster, on one day, the 19th of February 1798, and at both meetings in nearly the same words: "That we will give no attention whatever to any attempt made by either House of Parliament, to divert the public mind from the grand object we have in view; as nothing short of complete emancipation of our country will satisfy us." This meant separation, which, it is obvious, they had in view.

They were all repealed at that time.

+ Report of the Secret Committee, Appendix, No. xiv. p. 115.

Item. Appendix, xix. p. 149. Complete emancipation is the cant phrase of the Irish Papists a present.

Vol. I. (Prot. Adv. May, 1813.] 3 M

On the 228 of June, while the rebellion raged in Ireland, Lord George Cavendish made a motion in the House of Commons, recommending to his Majesty the adoption of conciliatory measures in Ireland. as the only means of saving that country to the British crown, and he was supported by Mr. Fox; but it was negatived by a large majority. A motion of the same purport was made in the House of Lords, by the late Duke of Leinster, who was strongly attached to the Opposition.

It has been said, in a certain august assembly, that the Pope is so humble, that he can no longer send fleets or armies to invade England or Ireland; but it should be recollected, that he never was formidable to Britain by his arms, but by the secret influence of the doctrines of his Church, which has been, for some centuries, a fruitful source of treasonable conspiracies, insurrections, and massacres in many European states. That influence which arises from fanaticism, and is as superior in its effects on the human mind to every other spring of action, as the power of steam is to that of the lever, produced the dreadful rebellions of 1798 and 1803, at a time that the Papacy was so lowered, that it was universally believed it would be completely overturned; and Pius VI. acknowledged, with deep gratitude, the important support which he had received from the armaments and negociations of England.

I have somewhat exceeded the limits within which I hoped to comprise what I had to say; but so much important matter offered itself, every way worthy the most serious attention of the Parliament and the public, that I found it impossible to do (what I conceived) my duty to your readers, yourself, Mr. Editor, and my own feelings, and I did not think myself warranted to abridge a syllable of what I have written. I shall receive a gratification of the highest ki d, if my labours, which have not been light, and are still continued, shall convince the Legislature, and the Protestant population of the United Kingdom (to which the number of the Papists bears a much smaller proportion than is generally believed), of the great danger of making any more concessions to the Irish Roman

Catholics.

MELANCTHON.

To the Editor of the Protestant Advocate.

Mr. EDITOR," The present Session of Parliament is likely to be the "most important in its results of any that hath occurred for two cen "turies past. The present is a moment of suspence. But let us hope "that Parliament will steadily maintain those civil and religious rights "and privileges which the people of England now enjoy, but which must "inevitably be surrendered and for ever lost by the plenary admission of "the claims of the Roman Catholics." However such an observation as

the above may be reprobated by the enlightened liberalists of the present age, subsequent experience must, and will confirm its authenticity. The Roman Catholic Question is not a private but a national concern; it is not a simply religious, but a mixt question; in it is involved, "the safety of the Protestant interest in these kingdoms *;" the interest (let it be recollected) not only of the church establishment, but of every class of Protestant Dissenters; since the Church of Rome considers all Protestants as Schismatics, by separating themselves from her communion, and as Heretics, by dissenting from her doctrine in many substantial articles†. The general and received councils of the Romish church also sanction the personal destruction of all Heretics; and whatever doubts some candid minds may entertain relative to the existing authority of these councils, I am convinced that an attentive perusal of the works of modern Catholics, cannot fail to remove any scruples of such a description. What, says the present titular archbishop of Dublin, (Dr. Troy) in his pastoral letter: be tells us that "the Church of Christ, (meaning the church of Rome) is infallible "in her doctrinal decisions and canons on points of faith and morals; "because he (Christ) promised to be with her to the end of the world; "and that Catholics, therefore, are obliged to adhere implicitly to such "decrees and canons of the church assembled in general council, and con"firmed by the pope, as to rules of faith." These are points, upon which the Doctor declares "all Catholics are agreed, as on immutable articles of "their faith," Now let us, for a moment, consider, the manifest tendency of this established axiom; all will admit, that the most horrible and persecuting doctrines possible to be conceived, have been promulgated in the decrees of the Romish councils; but some will deny that these obnoxious doctrines are entertained by (what they ignorantly call) the enlightened Catholics of the present day. But how can this denial be reconciled with the above explicit declaration of the titular archbishop of Dublin? If the decrees of these councils be "infallible," and "beyond the reach of doubt or controversy," how, in the name of common reason, can they be considered as obsolete by the Roman Catholics? It would be a total renunciation of Catbolic principles to reason on the justice or injustice of any particular decree of holy church; if this were permitted, the name of Roman Catholic would be lost, the slavish chains with which the mental powers of the Papalin are now fettered, would lose their galling influencethe Papist would become accustomed to think for himself, and the splendour of that rational" emancipation," which would be hailed with triumph by the true friends of civil and religious liberty, would burst upon our view * Vid. the Bishop of Lincoln's "Charge," p. 10.

+Vid. "A Roman Catholic's Reasons why he cannot conform to the Protestant religion," p. 8.