cations with his commercial correspondent, the gentleman alluded to in the report of the secret committee. Notwithstanding the alarms that had been excited previous to the publication of the report, no attempt was made to proceed against any of the sub-committee or its secretary; and it was declared by the earl of Portarlington, one of the committee who framed the report, in the debate on the catholic bill, that the catholic body had no concern whatever in the disturbances created by some of their brethren in the North. The Roman catholics, sensible of the calumnies attempted to be affixed to them, gave the utmost publicity to their real sentiments, by the following admonition, composed and signed by the Rev. Dr. Troy, Dr. O'Reilly, Dr. Bray, Dr. Bellew, and Dr. Cruise, which was read on Sunday after each mass in Dublin; and copies of it sent all over the kingdom. Dublin, January 25, 1793. Dear Christians-It has been our constant practice, as it is our indispensible duty, to exhort you to manifest on all occasions, that unshaken loyalty to his majesty, and obedience to the laws, which the principles of our holy religion inspire and command. This loyalty and obedience have ever peculiarly distinguished the Roman catholics of Ireland. We do not conceive a doubt of their being actuated at the present by the same sentiments; but think it necessary to observe, that a most lively gratitude to our beloved sovereigu should render their loyalty and love of order, if possible, more conspicuous. Our gracious king, the common father of all his people, has, with peculiar energy, recommended his faithful Roman catholic subjects of this kingdom to the wisdom and liberality of our enlightened parliament. How can we, dear christians, express our heartfelt acknowledgments for this signal and unprecedented instance of royal benevolence and condescension! Words are insufficient; but your conti nued loyal and peaceable conduct will more effectually pro claim them, and in a manner equally, if not more satisfactory and pleasing to his majesty and parliament. Avoid then, we conjure you, dearest brethren, every appearance of riot; attend to your industrious pursuits for the support and comfort of your families; fly from idle assemblies; abstain from the intemperate use of spirituous and intoxicating liquors; practice the duties of our holy religion: this conduct, so pleasing to heaven, will also prove the most powerful recommendation of your present claims, to our amiable sovereign, to both houses of parliament, to the magistrates, and to all our well-meaning fellow-subjects of every description. None but the evil-minded can rejoice at your being concerned in any disturbance. We cannot but declare our utmost and conscientious detestation and abhorrence of the enormities lately committed, by seditious and misguided wretches of every religious denomi nation, in some counties of this kingdom: they are enemies to God and man, the outcasts of society, and a disgrace to christianity: we consider the Roman catholics amongst them, unworthy of the appellation; whether acting for themselves, or seduced to outrage by the arts of designing enemies to us, and to national prosperity, intimately connected with our emancipation. Offer your prayers, dearest brethren, to the Father of mercy, that he may inspire these deluded people with sentiments becoming christians and good subjects; supplicate the Almighty Ruler and Disposer of empires, [By whom kings reign, and law-givers decree just things, Prov. viii. 15.] to direct his majesty's councils, and forward his benevolent intention to unite all his Irish subjects in bonds of common interest, and common endeavours for the preser vation of peace and good order, and for every purpose tending to increase and secure national prosperity. Beseech the Throne of Mercy, also, to assist both houses of parliament in their important deliberations; that they may be distinguished by consummate wisdom and liberality, for the advantage of the kingdom, and the relief and happiness of his majesty's subjects. Under the pleasing expectation of your chearful compliance with these, our earnest solicitations, we sincerely wish you VOL. IV. 3 R every blessing in this life, and everlasting happiness in the next, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. In order to remove the objections, however unfounded, which had been made to the oath taken by the catholic bishops at their consecration, the catholic archbishops addressed a letter to the pope, wherein they described the misrepresentations that had been recently published of their consecration oath, and great injury to the catholic body arising from them: they expressed their fullest conviction, that the oath, obliging them only to canonical obedience to his holiness, and communion with the centre of unity, was perfectly reconcileable with their loyalty as subjects, and the allegiance they had sworn to their gracious sovereign, king George III. They professed a determination to observe both oaths, and to preserve their communion with the holy see inviolate: reflecting, however, on the ignorance of most protestants respecting the oath, with which they seemed only acquainted from the calumnious publications against it, the prelates above mentioned suggested to the pope, that some declaration or explanation of the oath, and particularly of the words, "Hæreticos persequor et impugnabo," from himself, or by his authority, would, probably, remove the alarms of well-meaning protestants, and confound the prejudiced; who, by their misrepresentations of the oath, endeavoured to blast the prospects and expectations of the catholics to obtain an emancipation from the penal code; which they had reason to hope for, from the clemency of his majesty, and wisdom of the legislature. They concluded, with submitting these considerations. to his holiness, and requesting an answer, whenever his constant solicitude for the universal church, and occupations would permit. To this letter an answer was returned from Rome by the congregation of cardinals appointed to superintend the ecclesiastical affairs of these kingdoms, intimating, amongst other things, that, by authority of his holiness, an alteration was to be made in the oath, of which alteration the following is a translation. From an audience had of his holiness on the 9th day of June, 1791. The archbishops metropolitans of the kingdom of Ireland represented to his holiness, that, from the ignorance or malice of some persons, certain expressions in the form of the oath prescribed in the Roman ritual to be taken by bishops at their consecration, and by archbishops on receiving the pall, have been misrepresented; which has added new perplexities to those which they daily experience in a kingdom, where the catholic faith is not the religion of the state: wherefore, they humbly requested, if it should appear expedient to his holiness, that he would vouchsafe to apply a remedy by some act of his apostolical vigilance. His holiness, on this report being made to him by me, the underwritten, all circumstances of the case maturely considered, was graciously pleased to grant, that the bishops of the kingdom of Ireland at their consecration, and the archbishops on receiving the pall, may use the same form of oath which was taken by the archbishop of Mohilow, in the empire of the Moscovites, by permission of his said holiness; which is as follows: I N. N. &c. as in the Roman Pontifical to the clause, All heretics, schismatics and rebels against our said lord and his successors aforesaid, I will, to the utmost of my power, prosecute and oppose, which is entirely omitted: afterwards the words, The Cardinal Prefect of the S. Con gregation for propagating the Faith, are substituted, instead of The Cardinal Proponent in the Congregation of the Sacred Council. The form concludes with these words, I will observe all and every one of these things the more inviolably, as I am firmly convinced, that there is nothing contained in them, which can be contrary to the fidelity I owe to the most serene king of Great Britain and Iretand, and to his successors to the throne. So help me God and those holy Gospels of God. Thus I promise, and engage. I, N. N. archbishop, or bishop, &c. Dated at Rome, in the house of the Sacred Congregation, the 23d day of June, 1791, L. Cardinal Antonelli, Prefect. Soon after the catholic bill received the royal assent, the general committee met on the 25th of April, 1793. After expressing its thankfulness to the king for his interposition on behalf of its constituents, and voted some substantial and honourable proofs of its gratitude to individuals, who had laboured in the catholic cause, it directed its attention towards one of the most degrading and deleterious consequences of the lately repealed popery laws; and appointed a committee to consult, communicate and correspond upon the means of procuring a system of improved education for the catholic youth of Ireland. The general committee further signalised itself by marking, in its last moments, its attachment to the entirely unaccomplished object for which the protestant reformers were so anxious. It "most earnestly exhorted the catholics of Ireland to co-operate with their protestant brethren, in all legal and constitutional means to carry into effect that |