divers Protestants, who profess themselves to be real friends to liberty of conscience, have, nevertheless, avowed themselves hostile to us, on account of certain opinions which we are supposed to hold. And we do not blame those Protestants for their hostility, if it proceeds (as we hope it does) not from an intolerant spirit in matters of religion, but from their being misinformed as to matters of fact.

If it were true that we, the English Catholics, had adopted the maxims that are erroneously imputed to us, we acknowledge that we should merit the reproach of being dangerous enemies to the state; but we detest those unchristian-like and execrable maxims: and we severally claim, in common with men of all other religions, as a matter of natural justice, that we, the English Catholics, ought not to suffer for or on account of any wicked or erroneous doctrines that may be held by any other Catholics; which doctrines we publicly disclaim; any more than British Protestants ought to be rendered responsible for any dangerous doctrines that may be held by any other Protestants, which doctrines they, the British Protestants, disavow.

1st, We have been accused of holding, as a principle of our religion, that Princes excommunicated by the Pope and Council, or by authority of the See of Rome, may be deposed or murdered by their subjects, or other persons.

But, so far is the above mentioned unchristian-like and abominable position from being a principle that we hold, that we reject, abhor, and detest it, and every part thereof, as execrable and impious; and we do solemnly declare, that neither the Pope, either with or without a General Council, nor any Prelate, nor any Priest, nor any Assembly of Prelates or Priests, nor any Ecclesiastical Power whatever, can absolve the subjects of this realm, or any of them, from their allegiance to His Majesty King George the Third, who is, by authority of Parliament, the lawful King' of this realm, and of all the dominions thereunto belonging.

2d, We have also been accused of holding, as a principle of our religion, that implicit obedience is due from us to the orders and decrees of Poper and General Councils; and that therefore if the Pope, or any General Council, should, for the good of the Church, command us to take up arms against government, or by any means to subvert the laws and liberties of this country, or to exterminate persons of a different persuasion from us, we (it is asserted by our accusers) hold ourselves bound to obey suck orders or decrees, on pain of eternal fire.

Whereas we positively deny, that we owe any such obedience to the Pope and General Council, or to either of them, and we believe that në

act that is in itself immoral or dishonest can ever be justified by or under colour that it is done either for the good of the Church, or in obedience to any Ecclesiastical Power whatever. We acknowledge no infallibility in the Pope; and we neither apprehend nor believe, that our disobedience to any such orders or decrees (should any such be given or made) could subject us to any punishment whatever. And we hold and insist, that the Catholic Church has no power that can, directly or indirectly, prejudice the rights of Protestants, inasmuch as it is strictly confined to the refusing to them a participation in her sacraments and other religious privileges of her communion, which no Church (as we conceive) can be expected to give to those out of her pale, and which no person out of her pale will, we suppose, ever require.

And we do solemnly declare, that no Church, nor any Prelate, nor any Priest, nor any Assembly of Prelates or Priests, nor any Ecclesiastical Power whatever, hath, have, or ought to have any jurisdiction or authority whatsoever within this realm, that can, directly or indirectly, affect or interfere with the independence, sovereignty, laws, constitution or government thereof; or the rights, liberties, persons or properties of the people of the said realm, or of any of them, save only and except by the authority of Parliament; and that any such assumption of power would be an usurpation.

3d, We have likewise been accused of holding as a principle of our religion, that the Pope, by virtue of his spiritual power, can dispense with the obligations of any compact or oath taken or entered into by a Catholic : that therefore no oath of allegiance, or other oath can bind us; and, consequently, that we can give no security for our allegiance to any government.

There can be no doubt but that this conclusion would be just, if the original proposition upon which it is founded were true; but we positively deny that we do hold any such principle. And we do solemnly declare, that neither the Pope, nor any Prelate, nor any Priest, nor any Assembly of Prelates or Priests, nor any Ecclesiastical Power whatever, can absolve us, or any of us, from, or dispense with, the obligations of any compact or oath whatsoever.

4th, We have also been accused of holding as a principle of our religion, that not only the Pope, but even a Catholic Priest, has power to pardon the sins of Catholics at his will and pleasure; and, therefore, that no Catholic can possibly give any security for his allegiance to any government, inasmuch as the Pope, or a Priest, can pardon perjury, rebellion, and high-treason.

We acknowledge also the justness of this conclusion, if the proposition apon which it is founded were not totally false. But we do solemnly declare, that, on the contrary, we believe that no sin whatever can be forgiven at the will of any Pope, or of any Priest, or of any person whomsoever; but that a sincere sorrow for past sin, a firm resolution to avoid future guilt, and every possible atonement to God and the injured neighbour, are the previous and indispensable requisites to establish a wellfounded expectation of forgiveness.

5th, And we have also been accused of holding as a principle of our religion, that "no faith is to be kept with Heretics ;" so that no government, which is not Catholic, can have any security from us for our allegiance and peaceable behaviour.

This doctrine, that "Faith is not to be kept with Heretics," we reject, reprobate, and abhor, as being contrary to religion, morality, and common. honesty and we do hold and solemnly declare, that no breach of faith with any person whomsoever can ever be justified by reason of, or under pretence that such person is an Heretic or an Infidel.

And we further solemnly declare, that we do make this Declaration and Protestation, and every part thereof, in the plain and ordinary sense of the words of the same, without any evasion, equivocation, or mental reservation whatsoever.

And we appeal to the justice and candour of our Fellow-Citizens, whether we, the English Catholics, who thus solemnly disclaim, and from our hearts abhor, the above-mentioned abominable and unchristian-like principles, ought to be put upon a level with any other men who may hold and profess those principles ?

This was signed by 1422 noblemen, clergymen and gentlemen. This measure seemed to promise a new era. The band of patriots took the names of "English Catholic Dissenters," or, as they are called in the Encyclical Letter annexed, "Protesting Catholic Dissenters." Men, like these, could have had no difficulty in granting the King the prerogative of a Veto; and this, as an expedient promising some degree of security to our Protestant constitution, would certainly have justified very great civil conces sions, and would have rendered harmless some considerable relaxations of the Popery Code, in the first instance; and possibly might have led, in a short time, to an entire repeal of all those restrictions which stern necessity has compelled the legislature to adopt. Charles Ramaten, William Acanthen, and John Centurien, V. V. A were then, what the Bishop of Castabala is at

present. The thunder and lightening of the Romish Church were put in requisition; the whole scheme was blasted ;and, in the list of the protesting Roman Catholics of 1789, our readers will be shocked to find several of those who urge the Papistical Claims in 1812.-Now come forward, Mr. Canning, and tell us, in the teeth of this lamentable fact, whether the "power and influence of the Pope, has become feeble, ridi culous, and despicable " But we forbear. Could we condescend to declaim, like an inerant parliamentary orator, here were a fruitful theme but we have long since " put away from us childish things." The editor of the work before us has our best thanks and shall himself supply what further we think - necessary to add. In his " Appeal," noticed in the preceding article, he says, p. 11,

We must not suffer ourselves to be blinded with the change which is pretended to have taken place in modern Romanists-"The Declaration and Protestation" of 1789 and 1791, most unequivocally contradict the assertion; as well as the more recent publications of the Popish Bishops, Clergy and Laity. Popish Legislators will enact Popish Laws-Popish Counsellors will give Popish Advice-and a Popish King would replange the empire into the horrors of Popish persecutions, from which we have emerged for more than a century.

I still assert, that " Papists keep no faith with Protestants"-Mr. Canning's denunciation of this assertion, at the end of "An Awful Warning," will not make me retract it. The fact is so. Nay, I am convinced that many Catholics, when they pledge their faith to Protestants, or to Infidels, perfectly resolve to adhere to such pledge: but even the stoutest and most honorable among them, especially if they are what are denominated good Catholics, DARE NOT resist the fulmination of their spiritual guides. It is impossible to have a stronger proof of this, than we find in "the Declaration and Protestation of the Roman Catholics of England: with the names of the Bishops, above 200 Clergy, and almost every respectable Catholic in England, who signed it and the proceedings and correspondence of their Committees and Bishops."-I have ever maintained that the Protestant Church required no better arguments to support it, as opposed to the Church of Rome, than what the case of its adversaries will furnish and never was this more decidedly exemplified, than in the above-named document, which I trust will now be widely diffused. Although it appears that "the Declaration and Protestation" was the result of years of deliberation, every word and sentence having been scrutinized in the

most wary manner, and even the advice of the most eminent Romish Universities abroad, solicited and obtained :-that the objections of certain of their Apostolical Vicars were discussed, over-ruled and finally rejected in the most decided, forcible and argumentative language-yet, notwithstanding their firm conviction of the propriety of their resolution, and I honestly think that they intended to adhere to what they signed, they could not, solemn and voluntary as the act had been, adhere to it against the order of the Bishops; in compliance with whose mandate, the greater part withdrew their names.* This document is now republished by Stockdale. It shews how completely even the most conscientious acts of the Roman Catholics are subject to the caprice or self interest of the heads of the Church. Would not the same power which could, in the face of Parliament, of their country, of the world, compel men of rank and education, to recant pledges (the circumstances attending which considered) were of almost unparalleled solemnity and deliberation, thereby reducing them to the abject state of mere automatons, in like manner enforce submission to any other decree, however vile and hostile to the Church and State as by law established? Away then with this idle tinsel of LIBERALITY, which is prostituted to cover treason to the Constitution, if to subvert the Constitution be treasonable. We are told that the Protestants have no objection to accede to the demands of the Roman Catholics. Such an assertion ought to excite one general contradiction from every class of Protestants, whether belonging to or dissenting from the Established Church. It ought to be contradicted from the pulpit of every Protestant Church, Chapel and Meeting-House in the United Kingdom. The Clergyman who silently submits to such an assertion, is a partaker in it, and unworthy of the sacred garb which covers such criminal indifference-and the Layman, who, against his better judgment, even passively assents to the libel, is a traitor to his country-and possibly to his own soul! We must no longer plead ignorance. The record of History belies the plea. The trumpet of alarm has been sounded by good and distinguished characters in and out of the Church-the Dissenters are no longer blind to their spiritual and temporal interests being at stake in our present decision.

"Here the fact transpires, that an appeal was made by the Roman Catholic Clergy of England, to the Pope (in despite of the Statutes of Præmunire), and that his Holiness did interfere in a temporal concern in this kingdom, by sanctioning the opposition, which his suffragans, the vicars apostolic, made to an oath, which the English Lay Catholics had framed, as a test of the political principles of a body of his Majesty's subjects!"-Sce "Catholic Emancipation, and the only Means by which it ean be effected, pointed out." Price 3s.-It is unanswered, because unanswerable, VOL. I. [Prot. Adv. Dec. 1812.] T