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.testant brethren, to petition for a restoration of their | ¢!
66
THe Seuty Teer,
VOL
where statutes of a, spurious Liberty, Equality, and
Justice were exhibited, are now again filled by images tl
dertook the task of conveying duty and instruction to
ne lowest classes ofthe people, “If,” continued Mr,
rattan, “I did not know him to bea Christian Cler-
of Faith, Hope and Charity, . And the impious invo- gyman, I should suppose him, by his works, to be a
cations to the Goddess of Reason, give place to pray- philosopher of the Augustan age.”
¢rs to the Great Disposer of human events. The
absurd revolutionary almanack is abolished, and the
Calendar of St. Gregory restored.. In short, the
Similar sentiments of gratitude and. admiration, we
have no doubt, are awakened in the breasts of the
Trish people, by the mention of the name of the illus-
trious Bishop of Killare.
Between him and the great
whole aspect of things 1ss0 totally changed, and its man, upon whom Mr, Grattan pronounced the forego-
change is soreferrible to the period to which we al- ing beautiful eulogium, there are many striking points
lude that every observer must be struck with itthrough- | o
out Europe. : :
In Great Britain too, which humanely offered once
fresemblance. _ Gifted with powerful talents—pos-
sessed of the most profound learning, aud animated by
the purest patriotism, Dr. Doyle, like his great prede-
an asylum to Catholic refugees, the true religion is
again making a grand progress.
thirty years ago, a Catholic Priest was looked on asa
creature to be shunned, and where a Catholic hardly
ventured to own himself one, for fear of personal in-
cessor, has done much to benefit the Country, and to
promote the cause of Civil and Religious freedom,—
Jfe has laboured with zealous ardour in defence of the
Religion, the Rights and Liberties of his native land,
Tfehas exposed the oppressive tyranny of the Orange
faction, and the hideous deformity of our overgrown
Church Establishment 3 and he has covered with con-
sult, that venerable body now meet openly, and in the tempt and ridicule the canting hypocritical crew who
face of day assemble in consort with their liberal Pro-] are endeavouring to deluge the Country with fanati-
equal rights as citizens, on the ground of their known
ism and intolerance. ee
We believe, indeed, it may be said with equal truth
’ ‘ . joti of Dr. Doyle, as of O’Leary, that he is “poor in every
and tried loyalty and Patrionsmy and the tendency of thing but genius and philosophy”—but the flights of
‘their excellent precepts to maintain those . virtues. | },;, genius are grand, its darings magnificertly sublime.
And round their standard, if so it may be ealled, libe:| He grapples with every subject, and he always seems
ral men of all persuasions and of all religions, as well | a
as the most enlightened philosophers and statesmen
s much at home as if arguing a question in Divinity—
le enters the arena against a host of antagonists, and
in a few minutes they are all laid sprawling on the
are rallying, convinced at fast that the prejudices so earth, by the powerful arm of this literary giant.
long maintained against Catholics, are the offspring of
base, false, and groundless assertions ; and that so far
from being bigotted to old prejudices, the Catholics
have advanced with the progress of the age, in know-
Jedge, in civilization, in liberality, and in charity to-
wards other people; while every traveller in every
‘country testifies to the grand religious Edifices and
magnificent publie institutions which our Catholic
progenitors once raised to the public service of religion,
or founded for the comforts and iastruction of the
people, and particularly of the poor and needy—cir-} which weigh ‘her to the earth—he must trace to- their
cumstances which constitute a sort of standing and
monumental proof of the cardinal virtues possessed by
Catholics of old, at a time when they were neither di-
vided by schisms, nor enslaved by interested predo-
‘minant factions, but when a great, magnanimous, and
public spirited people were free to act together in
hough all sensible men now discard the many
* bhed over the Catholic religion. . .?
Ilis present work (for the public have long since
discovered the name concealed beneath the celebra-
ted nom de guerre “J. K. L.”) will add considerably
to his already widely extended reputation. There
are twelve Letters addressed to a friend in England on
the state of this Country embracing the subjects of
Government, Religion, Laws, Population, Parties,
Education, Bible Societies, Church Establishment, &c.
&e. The political philosopher who sits down to write
on the state of Ireland, mast ‘necessarily enter into a
vast field of enquiry and research ; he must explore
centuries of misrule to explain the accumulated wrongs
measure. The Ministers sheltered themselves be-
naath the great name of Lord Wellesley; they trium-
phantly asked ‘the Opposition whether he would call
for it, unless an-imperious necessity coinpelled him to
resort to such an expedient. .'The measure was car-
ried solely by reason of the respect entertained by the
House for Lord Wellesley’s motives, and his previous
reputation. ‘Here Lord Wellesley had the Ministers
in his power; if he had then asked with firmness ard
energy—if he had made emancipation the size qua non
of his carrying them through those difficulties, we are
certain it would have been conceded. But he let the
golden opportunity pass, and with all the good motives
which it may be just to attribute to him, the chief
characteristics of his administration have been Insur-
rection Acts, Tithe: Composition Acts, Constabulary
Penal Law, which we have Lord Liverpool’s authority
for asserting, “ has been suggested by the Irish Gov-
ernment.?* pe wie
The following picture of the two discordant powers
in the Irish Cabinet, the Lord Lieutenant and the
Chancellor, isadmirably drawn:— ~~ -
“ Like the two principles supposed by Zoroaster and Mans to
rule the world by compromise, so these two powers have divided
all our interests between them. . The one takes the Church, the
other endeavours te execute the law in the superior Courts, an:
in such others as are not inaccessible to its jurisdiction. It i:
employed also in promoting commerce, in clearing the public offi
ces ofimmense heaps of rubbish or nuisance, in advancing public
works, and in consoling, where it cannot relieve, the distresses
of the people.”, = : s a
Ta the subjoined passages, the hopes raised by the
Coming of Lord Wellesley, and their subsequent dis-
appointment, are elegantly delineated.
“When we heard, therefore, that the present Viceroy was ap-
pointed, we were all as much rejoiced as a young lady waiting
in Church, when she hears that the Clergyman has arrived to
make her happy, but who, perhaps, is only coming to wed her to
the tribulations of this life. At all events, we summoned up our
the Chief Governor and the Insurrection Act in going through
the usual process of pacifying the disturbed distriets. We beard
that my Lord Granville himself had been consulted about us;
that Mr. Goulburn, who had made the best stand in the House
of Commons against the emancipation of the Catholics, was ap-
pointed Chicf-Secretary; and we saw Alderman James created
abaronet ‘‘without any compromise of principle” more than
his predecessor in office ; in fine, it was formally aunvounced to
origin the various causes which have contributed to
produce her present misery and degradation—he must,
in fine, examine tle secret springs of Government, ex-
ose. the workings and intrigues of faction, aud the la-
mentable effects which have arisen from the proscrip-
tion of sevea millions of men in the land of their: fa-
thers. ‘These, and much more, must the political anat-
omist make himself acquainted with, before he can
venture to digest the condition of Ireland, or procced
to demonstrate the causes and effects of her present
frivolous and absurd charges bréughtagainst Catholics degradation. *.
by weak Protestants, to the detriment of their cause,
.
yet there are some few graver, but equally groundless
accusations, against them and their doctrines, which
Notwithstanding his numerous avocations, Dr, Doyle
has brought a very ample knowledge of these things
to
will richly repay the most careful perusal,
This isa work which
the ’ present . undertaking.
Embra-
still possess weight with certain classes of persons, cing a great uumber of subjects, it contains much im-
As it is the professed desire and object of our labours | portant matter relative to Ireland; and it therefore
from time to time to reply to these, and to show that
however good a subject, and however virtious a mem-
ber of. society any man may be, he can never be a i
acquainted with the real state of that country. It is
executed in the author’s best manner,
merits the attention of all those who wish'to becom
The style
s graceful and elegant—at times light and playful,
worse and may become a better subject, and a better | again strong, nervous and energetic, «Full of wit,
‘member of the community by being a Catholic. | of philosophy aul good sense, this book breathes the
And we shall, therefore, with the assistance of several
literary friends, discuss from time to time any peculi-
spirit of Christian charity and manly patriotism.
. We shall take a review of the first Letter, “On the
Irish Government, &c.” and when opportunity oc-
arities of Catholic history, doctrine, or practice, | curs, take up the subject discussed in the others. Be-
which may become particularly the subject of present | fore we conclude this sketch, we may remark, that the
animadversion, (at the sametime avoiding theological mechanical execution of the work is really superb, and
controversy) or may happen to’occur to our memory
as having ever been such, in the hope of lending our
would do honour to the first house in London,
The first Letter is on the “Irish Government, its
character and manners, the Constabulary Act, the Bu-
feeble aid to dispel the gloom which has hitherto been | rial Service Act, and the Tithe Composition Act,”—
5 rere
ERELAIID,.
—
LITERARY REVIEW.
cendant faction,
Dr. Doyle evidently entertains a high opinion of Lord
Wellesley’s talents; and he seems to think that the
plans of the Noble Marquis, for the amelioration of this
Country, have been thwarted and frustrated by the as-
That faction certainly did make
cat exertions to prevent such schemes being put into
PERS er
_ & Letters on the State of Frcland, ediressed by I. KK. execution, but we doubt much whether Lord Welles-
4. to @ Friend in Lngland.’—Coyxe, Dublin, ley might not have carried the great healing measure
1825. : /
“] cannot” (said Mr, Grattanin the Irish House
‘of Commons) “hear the. name of Father O'Leary
. mentioned, without paying him that tribute of acknow-
ledgement so justly due tohis merits ... . +
Poer in every thing, but genius‘and philosophy—he
had no property at stake, no family to fear for; but
descending from the contemplation of wisdom, .and
abandoning the ornements of fancy, he humanely un-
.
which will alone secure the peace and happiness of
Incland notwithstanding all this opposition. . When he
went to Ireland, the South was desolated why mid-
night outrage and massacre—the Ministry appealed to
Parliament for the Insurrection Act. .
1 The House ‘of
Commons, surprised that thus shortly after his Majes-
ty’s gracious visit, they should be called on to deprive
this country of all Constitutional law, demanded the
reasons which could justity the adoptiog of such a
a County in Munster, that the laws were to be administered, but
fectly satisfied that though some new acts or afterpiece night be
introdaced, the general design of the drama was not to be canz-
ed, and to this hour the great principle-of unity has not been
violated—sit quod tissimplix decreta at et unum, qualisob incepto
processerit, ef sibi constet.”
that—..., : : to .
“Unless in Ireland the whole system be altered; unless the
fundamental abuses from which the ininor ones issue be eradica-
ted, and the Government exercised for the good of the people at
large, there can be no peace, nor confidence, nor security, nor
repose. No Government secking to adininister the laws as they
now are, cav acquire the character of strength or wisdom; it
may be weak or artful or tyrannical, but it cannot appear sirong,
or wise, or consistent, nor can it fulfil the ovly ends for which
power is given by God.” > chk
. We coincide with Dr. Doyle, in condemning the
principle of the Constabulary, and the description be
gives of the matter in whiclrthat forco was organised,
confirms our prejudices against it; it is, in fact, at
Orange army. : :
“When a selection of men for the Constabulary was to be
made in open Court, the oral and written recommendations of
the candidates frequently turned on their being loyal men, or the’
sons of loyal men, an appellation which those making the s¢-
lection could not fail to understand, . Hence the spirit of party
was introduced into the body at the moment of its creation, an¢
hence the conflicts between the police and the peasantay ; the
perjuries and bloodshed; the trials and convictions, and acquii-
tals, in which these men were concerned.’ Hence we are‘at a
loss to determine whether the constabulary force has done moy”’
to preserve than to disturb the peace.” . . ’
After exposing that insulting humbug, the Burial
Bills he concludes the first Letter with some excel-
lent observations on the’ Tithe Composition Act,
which, from want of space, we cannot more particu-
larly allude to at present, n the first convenient oc-
casion we shall return to this subject ;"in the mean
time, we recommend this publication to cur readers, as
one of the most important and interesting: that hus,
for years, appeared on the state of Ireland. +’
SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE STATE
6 OF IRELAND, .
—e— .
THE RIGHT REV. JAMES DOYLE, D. D. TITULAR
. BISHOP OF KILDARE AND LEIGULIN.,
"Continued from our last. ° .
Then, in instances where the corpse of a Catholic was 1° be
interred within the Church, in a vault for instance, or within
the Church, as is the case with many families, the Catholic
Ciergyman would uot claim a right of reciting the psalm oF
Acts, and now, though last not least, comes. the new |
Magistracy, the Corporations, &c. &c. under its prétection; the’
spirits, we suspended our hopes and fears, and prepared to assist |.
not changed; and we sat down, such of us as could reflect, per~
We fully concur in the following wise observations,,
.
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