SECT. III. SECTION III, ARRANGEMENT, I. We shall treat of those Laws, which pecu Heads, 1. liarly affect the Catholic Clergy, Houses of Wor- Catholic Clergy, Worship, ship, School-houses, and other Charitable Foun- &c. dations. 2. II. Of the Exclusion of the Catholics, from the Legislature. Legislature. 3. III. From Offices, &c. in Corporate Cities and Corporations, Towns. IV. From Offices relating to the Administration and Profession of the Laws. 4. Law. 5. V. From Offices in the Army and Navy, and Army & Navy. from the free exercise of their Religion therein. 6. VI. From various other Offices of Trust, Ho- Other Offices, nor, and Emolument. VII. From Parochial Vestries. VIII. From the right of having Arms, upon equal terms with Protestants. 7. Vestries. 8. Arms. IX. From the due protection of the Law, and Trials. especially of Trial by Jury. chiefs, 9. 10. X. Of the other Penalties and Privations not General misclassed under the foregoing Heads; and of the general Mischiefs of this Code, as inculcating sentiments of aversion towards the Catholics, stigmatizing them as disloyal, faithless, and superstitious; unworthy of Power or Trust, as an inferior SECT. III. race and exposing them to insult and injury, in the spirit of scorn, and the hope of impunity. Necessity of a detailed Statement of the operation of this Code. Of each of these Articles we shall treat separately; and I. As they respectively appear on the face of the Statute Book, by express enactment. II. As they are enforced, to the injury of the Catholics, directly or indirectly, in their spirit and constant efficacy throughout Ireland. It would be impossible to render a work of this nature satisfactory, were we merely to present a naked enumeration of the several Anti-Catholic Statutes, Clauses and Provisions, which remain in force. Such a compilation must fail of its professed purpose, unless accompanied by a corresponding Statement of its actual application to the Catholics of Ireland, in their various situations of life--their history---habits---numbers---respective pursuits, and local Customs, as well as their relative proportion to the professors of the Established Faith. It, therefore, appears to be indispensibly necessary to annex, to the Letter of these Laws, a temperate Statement of their Operation, spirit, and construction, in Ireland. This shall be done under each of the foregoing Ten Heads of this Code, as they follow in order, STATEMENT, &c. &c. CHAP. I. Of the Laws, which peculiarly affect the Catholic Clergy, Catholic Houses of Worship, SchoolHouses, and other Charitable Foundations. gy, &c. 1. As the concerns of Religion claim Catholic Clerthe first place in the estimation of all Good men, we begin with those Penal enactments, which are peculiarly directed against the Ministers of Catholic Worship, and the Works of Catholic Piety. That the Laws of a Country should wantonly Hostility toselect the Ministers of any form of Worship as nisters of any wards the Mi Religion--im objects of hostility, appears to be at once a depar-politic. CHAP. 1. This is strongly exemplified in the instance now under consideration. Catholic Cler in 2. The Catholic Clergy of Ireland have long possessed, in an eminent degree, the confidence, the affections, and the reverence of the People. Collectively, they are the representatives of the most ancient Christian Clergy in the united kingdom. Their Hierarchy has been preserved, entire and unbroken, throug hevery peril and persecution--the precious depositaries of an unaltered Faith, and a pure discipline. They have uniformly shared with the unfortunate in their miseries, with the poor their afflictions, with the suffering in their sadness, and have never once forsaken the fate and destinies of their Country. The memory of their former sorrows, of their unshaken constancy and Righteousness under every trial, of a community of griefs, of partnership in tribulation, would alone suffice to preserve and eternize the sympathy and attachment of a grateful people towards their beloved Clergy. But besides these established advantages of high character collectively, their eminent merits, as Individuals, entitle them to the most respectful treatment. Splendid Talents, various and extensive Learning, rigid Integrity, pure Benevolence, innocence of Morals, and unaffected Piety; all that çan dignify or decorate a chosen order of men, are 1 to be found amongst the Irish Catholic Clergy, in CHAP. 1. a degree of perfection never surpassed in any age Catholic Cleror Nation. gy. ranks, and 3. They consist of 4 Archbishops, Their orders, 25 Bishops, about 1100 Parish Priests, 800 Cu-numbers. rates, and between 200 and 300 Regular Clergy of various Orders; amounting to a total number, exceeding 2000 Clergymen, all incessantly employed in ministering to the Spiritual wants of four Millions of People. These are the peace-makers throughout every district; healing dissensions, reconciling differences, inculcating pure morality, confirming the good, reclaiming the sinful, soothing the sorrowful, earnestly diffusing all the blessings of fervent charity, and enforcing all the precepts of social affec occupations, Devotion to their duties. instance. tion. Their labours are incessant, and their very Their useful existence is a state of continual self-denial. No and heroic sentiment but that of Religion, no support but the their flocks and inward impulse of divine love, could sustain their marvellous, and almost superhuman, exertions in fulfilling their sacred Duties. Generous, bold and An affecting indefatigable---not to be deterred by distance, inclemency of weather, unseasonable hours, dread of contagion, or any other temporal obstacle---the Catholic Priest flies to the bed of Sickness at a moment's call, imparts the balm of hope to the dying penitent, alleviates his anguish with the sweetest and most benevolent assiduity---and piously assists |