leration, which is more than can be said of the evangelical reformers and demagogues of that or the present age. But James, in pursuing his wish to establish liberty of conscience, so honourable to the feel

length agreed to by the commons, | in which they represented to his majesty that those officers could not, by law, be capable of employments, and that the incapacities they were placed under could in no way be taken off but by an act of parlia-ings of a British sovereign, so conment. Therefore, out of reverence and duty to him, they offered to prepare a bill, for his royal assent, to indemnify those who had incurred penalties by not qualifying themselves agreeable to the statutes, but at the same time they entreated the king to dispense with their future services, that all jealousies might be removed from the hearts of his majesty's loyal protestant subjects. These sentiments did not please the king, and two days after he prorogued the parliament, which never sat again, it being subsequently dissolved. Following the practice of his predecessors, since the church became united with the state, James continued to dispense, and in some cases to suspend the operation of the laws, until his protestant subjects thought proper to dispense with their oaths of allegiance, and his regal services. By most writers, whether political or historical, this unfortunate monarch is branded as a tyrant and a bigot. That many of the measures of James's reign savoured of despotism and cruelty it must be confessed; but these were the acts of his ministers, particularly the barbarities of the protestant judge Jeffries and colonel Kirk, as we have it from the king's own mouth, that he did not know of the proceedings of these mercenaries until it was too late to prevent them.That he was not an intolerant bigot, his proclamation issued on the 4th of April, 1687, granting to every British subject entire freedom to follow that mode of worship which conscience should dictate, is a demonstrative proof, and clearly shews that he was a friend to religious to-,

genial to the spirit of christianity, and so necessary to the happiness of a free people, assumed a power incompatible with the principles of the constitution, aud proceeded to grant a general indulgence to his people to break the statute law of the land, and to absolve them of his own royal authority from all the penalties thereby incurred. This assumption of power was set forth in the following words, taken from the before-mentioned proclamation for liberty of conscience, which was re-issued in 1688:"And as he (the king) is desirous to have the benefit of the service of all his subjects, which by the law of nature is inseparably annexed, and inherent to his royal person; and that none of his subjects may be, for the future, under any discouragement or disability, who are otherwise well inclined, and fit to serve him, by reason of some oaths, or tests, that have usually been administered on such occasions: he hereby further declares, that it is his will and pleasure that the oaths of supremacy and allegiance, and the several tests and declarations mentioned in the acts of parliament made the 25th and 30th year of his brother's reign, shall not hereafter be required to be taken, declared, or subscribed by any persons whatsoever, who are, or shall be employed in office, or place of trust, civil or military, under him, or his government.And it is his intention, from time to time hereafter, to grant his royal dispensations to all his subjects to be employed, who shall not take the said oaths, or subscribe or make the said tests and declarations. An dhe

does hereby give his free and ample pardon to all non-conformists, recusants, and others his subjects, for all crimes and things by them committed or done, contrary to the penal laws, formerly made relating to religion, and the profession and exercise thereof." This conduct of James was most undoubtedly illegal and contrary to the principles of the British constitution, but it cannot be deemed tyrannical, with any degree of candour or justice; he, how ever, paid dearly for presuming to dispense with the laws, as the loss of his throne was the price of his folly. The people were too much in dread of popery to entertain the same liberal sentiments exhibited in the declaration of James, they therefore withdrew their attachment to him, and he withdrew himself from the country.

DISPENSATIONS GRANTED BY PAR

LIAMENT.

generals were directed to enter into negociations with the armed Irish, and by the treaty of Limerick the catholics of that country were allowed the free exercise of their religion, and all the privileges granted to the most favoured subjects. Catholics are accused of not keeping faith with heretics; the practise of it, however, seems confined to their protestant accusers. Although the treaty aforesaid received the sanction of the great seal of England, not two months had passed over before it was infringed and shamefully violated in the face of the Irish nation. Nor was this all; the English parliament (now exclusively protestant) was not content with absolving the sovereign from his engagements, contrary to his wishes, but it usurped the right of legislating for Ireland, at that time an independent kingdom, and in the year 1691, passed an act to alter its laws upon the most essential and fundamental rights of the subject, by excluding Roman catholics, who then compos

This important event formed a new epoch in the annals of the country. The nation being left withouted the decided majority of the naan executive, the crown was confer- tion, from a seat in either house of red on the eldest daughter of James parliament. From this time the caand her Dutch husband. In doing tholics were shut out of the senate, this, a declaration of rights was and from the field of politics; laws submitted on the part of the people, were made, and offices were occuand agreed to on that of the new pied wholly by protestants, and, sovereign, in which it was declared, lest the statutes already enacted to that the pretended power of suspend- prevent the growth of popery should ing or dispensing with the laws, be considered by some of the antiby regal authority, without consent papal alarmists still insufficient for of parliament, is illegal. This "glo- the purpose, further galling ones rious" revolution, as it is termed, were added to the bloody catalogue, was compassed without bloodshed to harass and ruin those who perin Eugland, but in Ireland matters sisted in professing the ancient faith, did not proceed so smoothly. A while the principles of toleration strong resistance was made by the were called into action in favour of Irish to the claims of the new mon- of protestant dissenters from the arch, William III. and several san establishment. Thus, for more than guinary conflicts in the field were a century, the entire management of occasioned thereby. The warlike the kingdom has been confined to state of the continent at this time the protestant part of the communirendering it inconvenient to send ty, who have multiplied its laws in supplies to Ireland, the English | a ten-fold degree; but, let me ask, ORTHOD. Jour, Vol. V.

2Q

they therefore advocate and support proscriptive and despotic laws, such as no other country, however arbitrary, ever decreed, under pretext of securing what they never possessed in reality, civil freedom, contenting themslves with its shadow. So pure in their mode of worship, and so charitable and liberal in their opinions, they condemn their catholic neighbours for holding the doctrine of exclusive salvation; yet scruple not to call the Eternal Wisdom to witness their own unchristian feelings in consigning the greatest part of christendom to the burning torments of hell as idolaters, in order to qualify themselves for a seat in parliament, or an office under the crown. So exact in principle, and so correct in conduct, they reproach catholics with holding_the impious tenets of granting indulgences and pardons for leave to commit sin, and follow the practice of it themselves. Thus, but few years had transpired after the passing of the test act, before it was found that many persons had got into office without qualifying themselves under it, and unless some method was devised to screen them from the penalties of the crime committed, their services must be dispensed with, and the places given up. As the viola

is the ecclesiastical establishment more secure, the political constitution less defiled, or the people in a state of greater happiness at this period, than when catholics and protestants composed the senate, or the former constituted the entire nation? Every candid man must admit that the present times bear a great analogy to the days of the Stuarts, as to political discontent and religious frenzy; and if we look to the reasonings of our parliamentary reformers, the enviable state of the constitution under our catholic ancestors ought to raise a blush of shame at its present vitiated condition in the cheeks of those who have now the exclusive care of it. Notwithstanding the sacramental test, and abjuration of and declaration against popery, still continue to be thought the pillars of the constitution and the bulwark of the established church, we see the latter surrounded with a multitude of sectaries, all setting the doctrine of her thirty-nine articles at nought, and her existence threatened by the mad extension of bible-societies; we behold the most important privileges of the former suspended, under the alleged ground of preserving it entire from the innovations of seditious and restless demagogues; and we experience, in common with our fel-tors of the law in this instance, howlow-subjects, the heavy pressure of an overwhelming system of taxation, an increase of pauperism, and a decrease of national happiness and domestic comforts. Yet, amidst all these evils, brought upon us by pro-clared against the dispensing power, testant administration, the cry against popery is not the least abated, and the press is as actively employed in the propagation of calumnies and falsehoods, as in the most bigotted and furious days of puritanism and evangelical intolerance. So tenacious of liberty themselves, the bigots are continually alarmed at the slavish doctrines of popery, and

ever, were not catholics, an act was passed in the year 1700, (about a twelvemonth before the death of William III. who held the crown under the bill of rights, which de

but which it appears had been privately exercised) indemnifying, or absolving from all penalties, such persons holding places as had refus ed or neglected to take the test, and allowing them a further time to do it. In the year following, a similar absolution or indulgence bill passed, allowing all defaulters to continue to transgress against the law of the ļ

part of the community will be surprized, | gazette of the present cabinet, who as well as rejoiced, to learn that a bill has accordingly replied, in his paper of passed both houses of parliament, which the same evening, in the following completely does away and removes the most obnoxious incapacities that stood in the way of our Roman catholic fellowsubjects. A bill, similar in substance and effect to that, on the pretence of which the administration of lord Greuville and lord Grey was put an end to, has passed through both houses almost sub silentio; and what