The "Tablet" openly avows this and rejoices in it :—

"No doubt," it says, "the power of the priesthood in Ireland, a power for which we heartily thank God fills our enemies with rage, grief, and dismay. It is a power quite unknown to the British Constitution; a power which British statesmen have not found a way to corrupt, or overmaster, or manage, or cajole; a power totally distinct from the sordid powers of purse and patronage, with which they are familiar, a power exercised for country and conscience, and against low-minded and servile influences. Therefore they hate, and thirst to have the power to destroy the possessors of it at one blow. We admit of course the great political influence of the priesthood in Ireland. would as soon deny the existence of the sun blazing at high noon. admit it; and again we say from our whole hearts, we thank God for it. If it were not for that influence, our country would at this day present a spectacle of degradation and debasement unexampled in the world."-From the Tablet, July 31, 1852.

And again :

We
We

"As it is, the priests have interfered, and by their active exertions between thirty and forty seats have been secured to represent the feelings and wishes of the bulk of the people of this island, which otherwise would have merged in the general flood of English party representation."-Tablet, Saturday, August 21, 1852.

After commenting upon their avowed and determined hostility to the present Administration, Mr. Lord further adds, p xii. :"Popery, wherever found, will be found essentially hostile to Protestantism, and therefore to the best interests of Great Britain.

"Whether we watch its movements or the manifestation of its spirit at home or abroad, on the Continent of Europe, or on the Continent of America, the same signs are exhibited.

Belgium and Holland were at one time united, and parties have often referred to this case as an instance illustrative of the perfect union which could exist between a Roman Catholic and a Protestant kingdom. Within comparatively a few years after, they were separated; and since then Popery in Belgium has manifested a desire and determination to acquire a complete ascendancy in that kingdom. The recent elections there have tended to promote the Papal interest. The "Times" of Saturday, October 2d, has the following:

:

"The principal division of parties in Belgium lies between the section which contends for a firm and liberal administration of the civil power, and a resolute defence of the national privileges of the kingdom on the one hand, and the section which is correctly described as the clerical party on the other. The Roman Catholic Priesthood, enjoying almost unlimited means for the complete establishment of their dominion and ascendancy in Belgium, and exercising very extensive influence over the population, are the mainspring of the political party which has just overthrown the Ministry. At the elections which took place in the course of last summer, the priests resorted to the same means of agitation which are but too familiar to ourselves in the elections of Ireland. They denounced the Government as a godless and heretical faction. Their hostility

scarcely stopped short of the King, whose personal attachment to the Protestant Church of his ancestors and of his adopted country has not been lessened by his connexion with a Roman Catholic people. They openly invoked the assistance of the French clergy and the extension of French influence in Belgium to promote their schemes; and it seemed that no political institution of the country was sacred in their eyes which stood in the way of their arrogance and ambition. To a certain extent these exertions were not without effect on the elections, and the former majority of the Chamber was shaken. The Ministry, feeling itself weakened, tendered its resignation, which the King declined at that time to accept. The result, however, was already anticipated, and on the opening of the session the Ministry was beaten by a majority of fifty-four to forty-six on the election of the Speaker, although M. Verhaegen, the Government candidate, is a man who had already filled that office with credit, and who as representative of the city of Brussels, enjoyed the respect of the country.'

Reference is then made to Popery in Canada, and the spirit manifested by it in America and France, and the following is given in a note from the July number of " Blackwood,” p. 5 :—

"He (Napoleon) is known to have said in this country, long before he left it to accept the Presidency of the French Republic, It may appear presumptuous in me to wear that amulet, but I have an inborn conviction in my mind that I am one day to be the ruler of France. When I am so I shall first extinguish the license of the press in Paris, and then attack England. I shall do so with regret, for I have been kindly received there, and it contains many of my best friends; but I must fulfil my mission, and carry out that which I know my uncle had most at heart. I owe that to his memory."

After noticing the hostile spirit thus displayed against Protestantism and England by portions of the French, Irish, and American Romish press, and the desire expressed by them for a war, by which they might crush this kingdom to the dust, and to any attempt so to be made, Mr. Lord thus concludes his introduction :—

"England should be better prepared internally and externally for any such event; and amidst other embarrassments to be occasioned by it, may find this not the least, the power placed in the hands of Romanists for defeating the designs of those who would resort to prompt and energetic measures of defence.

"A knowledge of the principles of Popery would prepare us for

this.

"As long ago as 1840, I ventured to point out the tendency of those principles to the result which has taken place in Belgium, and which Romanists in France, Ireland, and America, are Low desirous of bringing upon England.

"Far be it from me to suppose that any speeches of mine have gained such notoriety, that any one at this distance of time would bear them in mind. But that I may not appear to be now for the first time adopting the opinion, or giving utterance to it on the spur of the

moment, I will give below an extract from the speech referred to, aud with it conclude these introductory remarks:

"There is one more point of great importance with regard to the evils flowing from the Pope's having influence in this country. The allegiance of a man cannot be given to two contending powers; therefore, if he is a Catholic and subject to the influence of the Pope, he can only be faithful to his Queen so long as the Queen and the Pope do not come into collision; and when they do he must pay allegiance in preference to his Church. (Hear, hear, hear.) If it be said that the

power of the Pope is spiritual, let it not be forgotten that, therefore, it is the more dangerous; for what has such influence over men as conscience in spiritual matters? (Hear, hear.) Have we not seen that men in the Confessional have a greater power over the minds of the people than any arising from the influence of the laws? Spiritual supremacy must carry temporal supremacy with it; and hence the danger of having Catholics in power. How many cases are there in which it is impossible for the nicest casuist to determine whether they are spiritual or temporal ? and if the Catholic doubted on the point to whom would he go for a decision ?-why, to his spiritual adviser the Pope, who would decide in his own favour. (Cheers.) What we, as Protestants, regard as temporal, they would consider as spiritual; and accordingly give their allegiance to the Pope, and not to the Queen. (Cheers.) We have only to suppose that which has already occurred, that the Pope should, at any time, be a captive in the hands of some foreign potentate at war with England, and wishing to destroy the British influence; and suppose that monarch were to make it the condition of the Pope's liberty that he should absolve British subjects from their allegiance to the Queen, and that he should grant a Bull of Excommunication against, and dissolve the allegiance of, the subjects of all Princes who supported her; then you would have men under a penalty which Catholics* consider worse than death unless they assisted to overthrow Protestantism. (Hear, hear.)

666

Suppose the Pope should be imprisoned by the sworn enemy of England, who wished to excite a rebellion in Ireland; then would disloyalty and insurrection spread over the face of the whole country. I, therefore, cannot but see that the mightiest evils would flow from

The following note is prefixed to the Report of the Chelmsford and West Essex Protestant Association, 1840:

"The proof sheets of the following Report did not reach me till it was too late to insert a few desirable corrections, especially with reference to the use of the word Catholic, which, with other designations, will be found to have been applied by me to members of the Church of Rome.

666

Papists' they consider a term of reproach.

"Roman Catholics' is a designation contradictory in its very terms. "Catholic' is an appellation to which the apostate† Church of Rome is least of all entitled; and though occurring in the Report of the proceedings at Chelmsford, was never used as conceding to the Romanists that claim to purity and catholicity which their Church arrogantly assumes.

"JAMES LORD."

+"As the Church of Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antioch have erred, so also the Church of Reme hath erred, not only in their living and manner of ceremonies, but also in matters of faith."- Article XIX. of the Church of England.

the source of a divided allegiance, and I exhort you to do what you can to prevent persons professing such principles from possessing power. The Protestant Association asks you to assist it—not only by subscription and donation, but with your personal exertions, and by your influence in making the cause known. But, above all, we beg you to bear us in mind in your prayers to God, that, while we are advocating this great cause, He may be pleased to enable us to do so in a right spirit-not with a feeling of hostility towards any man, but pursuing our course in all meekness and charity. With these observations I beg to second the Resolution. (Much cheering.)'"

The work treats, in alphabetical order, of the late electoral proceedings in thirty places of Ireland, and manifests the intrigue, power, and intimidation, used by the emissaries of the Church of Rome.

For further particulars we refer to the advertisements which accompany the present number; and our readers will be glad to know that a second edition is already called for, the first of 1500 being disposed of.

The Appendix gives some interesting and valuable documents, and we trust our readers and friends will interest themselves in giving extensive circulation to a publication which the Committee of the Protestant Association have thought it right to publish, which has been attended with much labour and expense, and which has so soon and so favourably been noticed and received by the public.

The Appendix contains the following:

"A. Foreign or Domestic Legislation. Address of the Protestant Association to Electors prior to the late General Election.

"B. Diplomatic relations with Rome-the Earl of Derby, Maynooth, and the Pope. Correspondence of Mr. Lord, June, 1852. Sir Henry Bulwer at Rome. Mr. Lord's second correspondence with the Earl of Derby, and Reply.-October 1852.

"C. The "Dublin Warder," of July 17, as to intimidation and terrorism.

"D. Some instances wherein priests have taken a part at the hustings.-Morning Herald, July 31.

"E. The Priests and Freedom of Election.-Dublin Evening Mail, July 30.

"F.-The Priest Faction. New Irish Members.-Times, August 10. "G. The Six-Mile-Bridge Outrage.-Times, August 22."

PROCEEDINGS OF COMMITTEE.-PETITIONS.

I. AGAINST THE GRANT TO MAYNOOTH COLLEGE, AND PRAYING FOR INQUIRY.

II. ON THE SUBJECT OF NUNNERIES.

III. ON BEHALF OF THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN IRE

LAND.

THE Committee have, year by year, issued forms of Petition for

the use of those who desire to protest and to reiterate, till it shall prove successful, their protest against the Grant to Maynooth College.

There are many, however, who prefer petitioning for a Committee of Inquiry, to petitioning directly for a withdrawal of the Grant. The subjoined form may meet the views of both such parties.

While we entertain an unmitigated abhorrence of educating a body of men to teach doctrines which we believe to be fraught with danger, and, in too many instances, to be fatal to the souls of men; while we are satisfied that the theology of Popery is unscriptural, its morality impure, its policy destructive of national independence, and individual happiness, and social comfort, we must continue to object, in toto, to any Grant for aiding in the dissemination of the principles of such a system. But if others, either less alive to the evil, or thinking that a Committee of Inquiry will best tend to attain the result which both in common have in view, should prefer asking for a Committee of Inquiry, we give a form in which they may embody their own objections, and ask for that which they think may be best calculated to procure a speedy abatement of the evil.

Since the foregoing has been written, we find that Mr. Spooner has given notice of a motion upon the above subject. Whenever it comes before the House, we sincerely hope and trust it will lead to a more satisfactory result than has attended any preceding discussion. Much rests with individual Members of the House; much with those who return them to Parliament; and it will be desirable that by petitions, resolutions, letters, and addresses, either to the House, or to each Member, that the Protestants of the Empire show their determination to procure a full inquiry into the evil, and, sooner or later, a withdrawal of the Grant.

Statesmen in the present day are not absolute. As expressed in the Address issued by the Protestant Association just prior to the late General Election :

"Government can do very little, unless backed by Parliament; and how little Parliament, as now constituted, can do, or will do, we see by what they have done, and left undone, in the matter of the Papal aggression, and the proposed inquiry into Maynooth.

"The Protestantism of the House will no more rise above the Protestantism' out of doors,' than water will rise above its level,—except by pressure from without.

"If, then, Popery should gain a dominant power in Parliament, and -guided by the spirit of the Vatican-press more strongly upon the springs of Government than Protestantism does, any and every Administration of this country must bow before it.

"To prevent this, British Protestantism, then, must manifest itself on the hustings, and be well represented in the House of Commons.