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England to the vigorous steps pursued by the Irish Protestants. We arê in possession of a curious fact which we state on the highest authority. It came direct from Ireland in a letter to our editor; we transcribe the passage to which we allude. The letter is dated Dublin, Jan. 4, “Last year some noble lords and gentlemen who are attached to the Talents and have large estates here, used every influence that hope or fear could create, to get the signatures of Protestants to petition to Parliament in favour of the Popish claims; and notwithstanding the most strenuous exertions for that purpose, they could procure but 4000 in all Ireland; they have published a list of them. In this city alone, the petition against their claims has been subscribed by 16,000 Protestants; in the county of Antrim by 20,000, and by about the same number in the county of Down."

We look for great effects from the petition of the inhabitants of London and Westminster now lying for signature at our Publisher's Shop, and the London Tavern; and also, a most excellent plan, in the vestries of the dif ferent churches in the metropolis. We most humbly, but most carnestly I beseech the clergy, and the churchwardens and trustees of the parishes in the two great adjacent cities to use every endeavour to give publicity to the measure, and to put it in the power of every individual to come forward. To The Parish of St. Leonard Shoreditch, have set a noble example and petition. At a very numerous and most repectable meeting held at the Crown and, Anchor Tavern, that venerable Patriot, Mr. Granville Sharp, in the Chiir, a Society, called THE PROTESTANT UNION has been formed.→ Amongst many provincial meetings, we notice that of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester; and that of the borough of Ipswich; and particulaviy the borough of Sudbury-a borough represented by Sir J. C. Hip· pesley. The Mayor, Aldermen and Inhabitants of Colchester petition. The district of East Kent; the archdeaconry of the West-Riding of Yorkshire, and that of the county of Nottingham have voted petitions; as have also the inhabitants of Huddersfield and its vicinity. The clergy of the archdeaconry of Winchester petition. A copy of their petition lies before us. The Hampshire clergy petition; as do those of the several sarchdeaconries of the diocese of Durham, together with Hexhamshire, a-district in Northumberland, well known to us. By the way the Rev. Mr. Hollingsworth, of Hallwesel in that county, takes an active part in the Protestantricatise. The counties of Flint and Denbigh have vated petitions. Lord Grosvenor, and Mr. Douglas of Holywell were the only two dissen sient voices. The isle of Anglesey petitions; and a meeting is to be #held at Devizes - for the county of Wilts. In the very bead-quarters of the great patron of Popery a memorable victory has been achieved-at Aylesbury we mean. Here an ineffectual opposition was made by one gentleman, Sir George Lee ;-and this gave an opportunity Mr. Cautlay

to answer, and that tried champion of Protestantism Mr. Thomas Le Mesurier, at that time acting in Aylesbury as chairman of the Quarter Sessions. Sir George Lee's was the only dissentient voice. Upon the whole our expectations are higher raised than ever; and we hope soon to congratulate our country on a conclusive vote in Parliament in behalf of the Protestant Constitution of the United Kingdom.-We have to add that the town of Bolton le Moors petitions; Leeds petitions; and so does the borough of St. Alban's.

We here print the petition of the inhabitants of London and Westminster, unanimously voted to the House of Lords;-that voted to the House of Commons is precisely the same, with the proper variation in the prefix. "To the Rt. Hon. the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled; "The humblé Petition of the undersigned inhabitants of the cities of London and Westminster, and their environs.

Sheweth,

I

"That your Petitioners observe with astonishment and alarm the persevering efforts of the Roman Catholics, to obtain admission to áll offices of trust and authority, both civil and military, and to the exercise of legislative functions.

"That it is with unfeigned satisfaction they see their fellow-subjects of the Romish Church freed from all pains and penalties on account of their religion, and in the full enjoyment of the blessings of toleration ; but your Petitioners feel it their bounden duty, not only to themselves but to posterity, to resist their endeavours (notwithstanding the numerous concessions already made to them) to get possession of political power and legislative authority, and thereby to destroy that Protestant ascendancy,ito which the people of this country are indebted under Providence, for the establishment of their liberties on a firm and solid basis; for they consider it as a fixed and unalterable principle of our glorious constitution as settled at the revolution, that the legislative and executive authorities of this Protestapt country can be administered only by Protestants,

"That your Petitioners regard the laws by which that principle is ostablished, as no less sacred and inviolable than Magna Charta and the Habeas Corpus Act; and they implore your lordships steadfastly to reject all applications for the repeal of those laws."

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Resolved unanimously, That as a testimony of the high regard and respect we feel for the principles and virtues of John Lord Eldon, he be requested to present the Petition to the House of Lords.

Resolved unanimously, That Sir William Curtis, Bart. Sir James Shaw, Bart. Mr. Alderman Combe, and Mr. Alderman Atkins, the Representatives of the City of London, in Parliament, be requested to present the Petition to the House of Commons.

SOCIETY OF FRIENDS TO THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH. The formation of this society is nearly matured, and will very soon begin to act with vigour. It particularly patronizes The PROTESTANT ADVOCATE; " and it shall be our constant endeavour to deserve this distinction.

NOTE RELATIVE TO THE "STATEMENT OF THE PENAL LAWS, PART III." We have had several letters on the subject of the " Statement of Penal Laws which aggrieve the Catholics of Ireland, part III."-We must honestly confess, that from the language used in the advertisement, announcing this publication in Ireland, continued for many weeks, without a disclaimer from the Romanists, we were prepared to receive the Statement as the genuine production of the Papists;-nay, we quoted a passage from the advertisement in p. 171, of our last Number. But on reading the Statement itself, our suspicions were excited, and we wrote to a most intelligent friend in Ireland for information on the subject. From him we learnt the truth. We trust that the author, whose respectable name now lies before us, will publish a new edition, placing that name in the title page, and explaining his motives for drawing up the Statement in a strain of irony, which has passed with many for grave assertion; and has not been equalled by any thing of the sort, since the days of the witty Dean of St. Patrick's, whose spirit the writer (if he do not inherit it) seems to have imbibed. The self-love of some of those who have been imposed upon, must have been not a little shocked; and many, on this, and other accounts, have felt indignant at the trick which has been practised. One of our corps is a professo: of Casuistry; and we think of asking him whether stratagems in Polemics, are not as allowable as in actual warfare? Perhaps we may find an opportunity to communicate his deci sion to our Readers.

What we have stated will sufficiently answer Y. G. to whom our best thanks are due; and of whose assistance, so handsomely offered, we shall be proud. We cannot but applaud the promptitude with which the pamphlet he sent us, was drawn up and published.

An Oxford Protestant writes on the same subject. On any other we shall be happy to hear from him. His ardour we admire, and his commendation gratifies and encourages us.

Eusebius's observations on the propriety of printing the Statement, are also thus easily answered. We hope to hear from him again. We are ever ready to receive friendly advice. The paper signed Fidei Defensor, is at length inserted. The private letter of this revered friend has reached us. Much of what he says, is answered above.

THE

PROTESTANT ADVOCATE,

FOR MARCH, 1813.

"These [Queen Mary's] were days to which we look back with mingled emotions "of grief and admiration. We lament that the most learned and best men in the "kingdom were driven into exile, or seized and imprisoned by the persecuting spirit of "Popery; but we venerate the patient magnanimity of the oppressed, and confide in "the truth which, like the faith of the first ages, was cemented with the blood of martyrs, and conquered by suffering."-Churton's Life of Nowell.

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SUBSTANCE OF MR. CANNING'S SPEECH, JUNE 22, 1812.

(Review continued from P. 143.)

"There are, we scarce can think it, but are told,
"There are to whom our language seems too bold;
"Not to grave Grenville complaisant enough,

"And something said of Canning much too rough."

We should be exceedingly sorry to commit a syllable to paper which, in our judgment, ought justly to occasion offeuce in any one. We may be mistaken, indeed; but we write, at least, with sincerity. However Mr. Canning may have distinguished himself on other occasions, our firm opinion is, that he does not shine as a statesman in his Speech on the Roman Catholic Question, delivered June 22, last. We verily believe that if that question be decided in favour of the Papists, the vital principles of our glorious constitution will receive a stab, and dreadful consequences (if not political death), will presently follow. If this be our decided persuasion, after having taken no small pains to examine the momentous subject, in its various bearings;-should we not prove false to the cause which we advocate, should we not be unworthy of all confidence, should we not give the lie to the solemn averments we have repeatedly recorded of a religious regard for the Protestant Religion, as established in the United Kingdom,-were we capable of tampering with truth, fighting its battles deceitfully, or using blandishments in a case which demands reprobation? We are not engaged in child's play. The plausible apologist for Popery shall have no favour at our hands. His. assertions if groundless, as groundless we believe them to be, shall be refuted; and his sophistries exposed. Assertions, if they be not contraVOL. I. [Prot. Adv. Mar. 1813.] 20

dicted, too often pass for truths, and sophistries, if no one will take the trouble to lay them open, are frequently regarded as sound arguments. If Mr. Canning, as we really think, has crowded his Speech with trash, shall we hurt any one's feelings by sifting it, and shewing it is as light and as valueless as chaff; not so much as ballasted with "two grains of wheat?" In the Speech before us, Mr. Canning seems a disciple of Gratiano's school; and in this, as in some other instances, he has spoken "an infinite deal of nothing!"

But must we regard Mr. Canning as a Statesman? We are willing to allow thus much, that he is not a bad hand at drawing up a state-paper ; but we fear that the act which such a paper records, or the measure which it recommends, must be the act and the measure of some one who is a - statesman indeed.

An idea has been entertained, that, before long, he may be recalled into office. It is not the business of the PROTESTANT ADVOCATE to say who shall be one of the King's Ministers, or who shall be excluded from the Council or the Cabinet. We deal not in general politics; not because we are careless who shall direct the energies of our country in the present momentous conjuncture of affairs; not because we are not aware of the ne cessity for perfect confidence amongst the great functionaries of government; not because we are insensible of the danger to be apprehended from the locking up a secret in the bosoms of one or two ministers, without laying it on the council-table for the inspection of them all;—but our concern, is, the maintenance of the Protestant religion, and the Protestant ascendancy from whatever quarter they are menaced;-those we will endeavour to defend against all who place them in hazard; and, with God's blessing, and the power of truth on our side, we have no fear of the result. We will not compliment with the name of statesman, any man who cannot discern the unchanged and unchangeable nature of Popery, who cannot see that in removing the remaining barriers which the wisdom of our ancestors erected against it, we shall "let in desolation like a flood." Of this we have been persuaded long ago; and, therefore, the language used by the Papists of late, has not surprised us in the least; -though, perhaps, it may have occasioned some serious embarrassment to Mr. Canning.

Although we cannot call him a Statesman; we have no personal animosity against Mr. Canning. As an individual we owe him every thing that courtesy can demand. He is not altogether unknown to We have seen him face to face in the Foreign Office, where he once almost conferred a substantial favour upon us. But we are considering him as an advocate for the Popish claims; and, as such, he must be prepared to contend with the PROTESTANT ADVOCATE, Irritation we

'us.

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