except feamen, fishermen, and day-labourers, who pay not above forty fhillings a year rent; and from voting for the election of members of Parliament, unless they take the oath of abjuration; which, to oblige them to, is contrary to the 9th of Limerick articles; which, as aforefaid, fays the oath of allegiance, and no other, shall be impofed upon them; and, unlefs they abjure their religion, takes away their advowfons and right of presentation, contrary to the privilege of right, the law of nations, and the great charter of Magna Charta; which provides, that no man shall be diffeized of his birth-right, without committing fome crime against the known laws of the land in which he is born, or inhabits. And if there was no law in force, in the reign of King Charles the Second, against these things (as there certainly was not), and if the Roman catholics of this kingdom have not fince forfeited their right to the laws that then were in force, (as for certain they have not), then with humble fubmiffion, all the aforefaid claufes and matters contained in this bill, entitled, An act to prevent the further growth of popery, are directly against the plain words and true intent and meaning of the faid articles, and a violation of the public faith, and the laws made for their performance; and what I therefore hope (faid he) this honourable houfe will confider accordingly.".

Counsellor Malone and Sir Stephen Rice made difcourfes on the fame fide; the latter, not as a counfel, but as a petitioner, likely to be aggrieved by the paffing of the faid act: But in the courfe of the reply to the arguments of thofe gentlemen, it was objected, that they had not demonftrated how and when (fince the making of the articles of Limerick) the papifts of Ireland had addressed the Queen or government, when all other fubjects were fo doing, or had otherwife declared their fidelity and obedience to the Queen.

It was (among other things) obferved, that by a provifo at the latter end of the second of those articles, none was to have or enjoy the benefit thereof, that should refuse to take the oath of allegiance.

That any right which the papifts pretended to be taken from them by the bill, was in their own power to remedy, by conforming; as in prudence, they ought to do; and that they ought not to blame any but themselves.

The next day the bill was ordered to be engroffed and fent to the Lords.

The petitioners having applied to the Lords alfo, for leave to be heard by their counfel against the bill, the fame was granted; and the fame counfel, upon Monday, February 28th, appeared, there, and offered fuch like arguments as they had

made

made ufe of in the other Houfe: They told their Lordships, that it had been objected by the Commons, that the paffing that bill would not be a breach of the articles of Limerick, as had been fuggefted: becaufe, the perfons therein comprised were only to be put into the fame ftate they were in the reign of Charles the Second, and because, that in that reign there was no law in force which hindered the paffing any other law thought needful for the future fafety of the government. That the Commons had further faid, that the paffing this bill was needful at prefent, for the fecurity of the kingdom; and that there was not any thing in the articles of Limerick that prohibited their fo doing.

It was admitted, on the part of the petitioners, that the legislative power cannot be confined from altering and making fuch laws as fhall be thought neceffary for fecuring the quiet and fafety of the government; that in time of war or danger, or when there fhall be juft reafon to fufpect any ill defigns to disturb the public peace, no articles or previous obligations fhall tie up the hands of the legislators from providing for its fafety, or bind the government from difarming and fecuring any who may be reasonably fufpected of favouring or correfponding with its enemies, or to be otherwife guilty of ill practices: “Or indeed to enact any other law," faid Sir Stephen Rice," that may be abfolutely needful for the fafety and advantage of the public; fuch a law cannot be a breach either of thefe, or any other like articles. But then fuch laws ought to be in general, and fhould not fingle out, or affect, any one particular part or party of the people, who gave no provocation to any fuch law, and whofe conduct ftood hitherto unimpeached, ever fince the ratification of the aforefaid articles of Limerick.—To make any law that fhall fingle any particular part of the people out from the reft, and take from them what, by right of birth, and all the preceding laws of the land had been confirmed to, and entailed upon them, will be an apparent violation of the original inftitution of all right, and an ill precedent to any that hereafter, might diflike either the prefent or any other fettlement, which fhould be in their power to alter; the confequence of which is hard to imagine."

The Lord Chancellor having fummed up all that had been offered at the bar, the Houfe proceeded thereupon; the bill was read through; and, to the great mortification of that unhappy party, was paffed; and upon the 4th of March obtained the royal affent,

No.

No. II.

Declaration of the Catholic Nobility, Gentlemen, and Clergy, May 6, 1798.

"To fuch of the deluded people, now in rebellion against his "Majefty's Government, in this Kingdom, as profess the "Roman Catholic religion.

"THE underfigned Roman Catholics of Ireland feel them"felves earnestly called on to remonstrate with such of the "deluded people of that perfuafion as are now engaged in open "rebellion against his majesty's government, on the wicked "tendency and confequences of the conduct which they have "embraced; they apprehend, with equal horror and concern, "that fuch deluded men, in addition to the crime committed against the allegiance which they owe to his majesty, have, "in fome inftances, attempted to give their defigns a colour of "zeal for the religion which they profefs. The undersigned profefs equally with them the Roman catholic religion; fome "of them are bishops of that perfuafion, others are heads of "the leading families who profefs that religion; and others are men of the fame perfuafion, who, by an honourable industry, have, under the conftitution, now fought to be fubverted, "raised themselves to a fituation which affords them, in the "moft extenfive fenfe, all the comforts of life. The under

66

66

་་

figned of each defcription concur in entreating fuch of the "deluded who have taken up arms against the established

64

government, or entered into engagements tending to that "effect, to return to their allegiance; and, by relinquishing "the treasonable plans in which they are engaged, to entitle "themselves to that mercy which their lawful governors anxiously wish to extend to them; a contrary conduct will inevitably fubject them to lofs of life and property, and expofe their families to ignominy and beggary; whilst at the "fame time it will throw on their religion, of which they pro"fefs to be the advocates, the most indelible ftain: on this "point, the unfortunately deluded will do well to confider "whether the true interells and honour of the Roman catholic religion are likely to be moft confidered by the bishops of 66 that

46

"that perfuafion; by the ancient families who profess that reli"gion, and who have refifted every temptation to relinquish it; "by men, who at once profeffing it, and fubmitting to the "prefent constitution, have arrived at a state of affluence which gratifies every wish; or by a fet of defperate and profligate men, availing themselves of the want of education and expe"rience in those whom they seek to use as inftruments for grati "fying their own wicked and interested views. At all events, "the undersigned feel themselves bound to rescue their names, "and, as far as in them lies, the religion which they profefs, "from the ignominy which each would incur, from an appear"ance of acquiefcence in fuch criminal and irreligious conduct: "and they hefitate not to declare, that the accomplishment of "the views of the deluded of their perfuafion, if effected, muft "be effected by the downfall of the clergy, of the ancient fami"lies and refpectable commercial men of the Roman catholic "religion, the underfigned individuals of each of which defcription hereby publicly declare their determination to ftand "or fall with the prefent exifting constitution.

No. III

The principles of the Roman Catholics, from the Prayer Book which is in general fe amongst the Catholics of Ireland, and which was published by Dr. Coppinger, Titular Bishop of Cloyne.

SECTION I.

1. THE fruition of God, and the remission of fin, are not attainable by man, otherwife than in and by the merits of Jesus Chrift, who gratuitously purchased them for us.

2. These merits of Chrift are not applied to us otherwise than by a right faith in him.

3. This faith is but one, entire and conformable to its object, which is divine revelation, and to which faith gives an undoubting affent.

4. This revelation contains many myfteries tranfcending the natural reach of human understanding. Wherefore,

5. It became the Divine Wisdom and Goodness to provide fome way or means whereby man might arrive to the knowledge of these mysteries; means vifible and apparent to all; means proportioned to the capacities of all; means fure and certain to all.

6. This way or means is not the reading of the Scripture interpreted according to the private reafon or judgment of each particular perfon or nation; but,

7. It is an attention and fubmiffion to the voice of the Catholic or universal Church established by Christ for the inftruction of all; fpread for that end through all nations, and visibly continued in the fucceffion of paftors and people through all ages. From this Church, guided in truth, and fecured from error in matters of faith, by the promised affiftance of the Holy Ghoft, every one may learn the right fenfe of the Scriptures, and fuch Chriftian mysteries and duties as are necessary to falvation.

8. This church, thus established, thus fpread, thus continued, thus guided in one uniform faith, and fubordination of government, is that which is termed the Roman Catholic Church; the qualities juft mentioned, unity, indeficiency, vifibility, fucceffion, and univerfality, being evidently applicable to her.