committees for that purpose were afterwards appointed; that, the members of the committee in 1791, considered that immediately after the act of parliament of that year, for the relief of the roman-catholics, was passed, and some measures consequential to it had been effected, the trust delegated to them was expired; and that, accordingly, at a general meeting of the roman-catholics in 1792, the committee announced that they considered their powers to be at an end, and that they should no longer meet in their collective capacity.

All roman-catholics remember with gratitude the leading part which the late Robert Edward lord Petre took in all the proceedings of the last committee. He was actively employed in every transaction respecting the act of 1778; and, through the remainder of his life, dedicated all his time, his mind, and his fortune to the catholic cause. All his actions were distinguished by rectitude, openness, and dignity; his ample fortune sunk under his beneficence. He was the centre of a numerous band of illustrious friends, eminent for their strong and undeviating attachment to civil and religious liberty: in the exercise of his bounty he knew no distinction of persons; it may be truly said, that he seemed to be born to relieve the distressed, to spread happiness among his friends, and to promote and illustrate the catholic cause. His death, (though his conscientious adherence to his religious principles had excluded him from those situations to which his birth entitled him,) was generally bewailed, as a public loss.

In 1798 he met with a sensible mortification. Having, with the express leave and encouragement of government, raised, equipped, and trained, at his own expense, a corps of two hundred and fifty men for his majesty's service, he petitioned that his son might be appointed to their command. His religion was objected. It was admitted, that, by accepting the command of the corps, without complying with the provisions of the test act, and the act of Geo. I. s. 20, sess. 2, c. 13, Mr. Petre would subject himself to the penalties empowered by those acts; but it was observed, that the appointment would be good; that the penalties would not be incurred till the expiration of the sixth month after the appointment, and that the annual act of indemnity would pass before that time, and remove the penalties. It was also suggested, that protestants and romancatholics stood, in this respect, exactly in the same predicament; few of these, in point of fact, qualifying themselves for office, within the regular time; so that both were equally liable to the operation of the penal acts, and both equally within the relief of the act of indemnity.—Mr. Hill, his majesty's premier serjeant at law, and sir James Mansfield, afterwards his majesty's chief justice of his court · of common pleas, were decisively of this opinion; but the refusal was persisted in; another person was appointed; and Mr. Petre served under him in the ranks. Lord Petre died in July 1801.

While the writer was committing these words to paper, he was informed of the death of sir John Throckmorton, his lordship's steady and active

associate, in all his exertions for catholic emancipation, and, after his lordship's decease, an active leader in that interesting cause. It was placed by both on its true ground,-on the only ground, on which an exertion for religious liberty is defensible in every point, and on all its sides:-the universal right of every person, so far as the magistrate is concerned, and civil and social duty is not affected, to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience. "Neither breathing, nor "the use of common ayre," says father Parsons in a work equally distinguished by strength of argument and eloquence*, " is more due in common to all, "than ought to be the liberty of conscience to "christian men, whereby each one liveth to God "and himself." Narrow this principle but a single pace, and you make the magistrate,—a man necessarily liable both to moral and religious error,the arbiter of moral and religious dogma!

Sir John Throckmorton was extensively known, and no where known, where his probity, his beneficence, his extensive endowments and polishe manners, did not obtain universal regard and reverence. Those, who differed most from him, did justice to his talents, his candor, and his consistency, Mr. Fox particularly respected him :-That great man once mentioned to the writer, that, "he "did not know a person from whom it was more "unsafe to differ, than sir John Throckmorton."

"Judgment of a Catholic Englishman on the Apology for "the Oath of Allegiance," &c.-This excelleut work is now extremely scarce.

Such were the two men, who, for half a century, had a principal part in directing the exertions of the English catholics for the repealing of the penal laws. None, who knew them soon forgot them :While this page shall remain, the writer wishes it to record, that they were his friends.

From the dissolution of the catholic committee in 1791, till the year 1808, the British catholics had no point of union. On the 23d of May, in that year, a meeting of them, convened by public advertisement, was held; and it was unanimously resolved, "that a subscription should be collected "for the general benefit and advantage of the body, to be placed under the control of a cer"tain number of noblemen and gentlemen, who "should be requested to apply the same according "to their judgment and discretion." A select board for this purpose was accordingly framed; and a resolution entered into, by which, "a hope was

confidently expressed, that the subscription might "prove the medium of forming the desired asso"ciation." On that ground, the subscription was earnestly recommended to the catholics of Great Britain for their concurrence and support.

The meeting then proceeded to an act, which pleased every catholic,-the appointment of Mr. Edward Jerningham to be their secretary.

The hope thus confidently expressed, that the subscription might prove the medium of forming an association, was happily realized.-An association of the most respectable description, was formed, and finally organized in 1813. It was settled, that

there should be a general board, and a standing committee of the board; that all the vicars-apostolic of Great Britain, should be members of the board; that every British layman and private clergyman, subscribing a specified sum, should be members of it: and that the committee should be formed from the members of the general board, and consist of the vicars-apostolic and catholic Great Britain, and thirty-one other individuals.

peers

of

It is needless to enter into any further detail:both the board and the committee have discharged their duties with assiduity and moderation: no act of either appears to have given offence to the public; and the general tenor and spirit of their conduct have been often mentioned with commendation. A list of the actual members of the board has been published: it is difficult to mention any board, in which there is more of noble or gentle lineage, or a larger proportion of ancient family

inheritance.

CHAP. LXXXVIII.

ATTEMPTS OF THE ENGLISH CATHOLICS TO OBTAIN RELIEF ON THE ACCESSION OF MR. FOX's MINISTRY IN 1806-ALLEGED OBJECTION FROM HIS MAJESTY'S CORONATION OATH.

IT is greatly to the honour of the catholics, and no slight proof of the justice of their claims, and the expediency of granting them, that they have always