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I E Society for promoting ting a plan of such immense im. Christian Knowledge, of which portance, arise partly from the I am a member, has thought fit to extent to which the system of the publish, during a general election, sinking fund has already been car- a resolution declaratory of its opi. ried in pursuance of the intentions nion respecting a political measure of its author; and partly from the recently submitted to parliament. great exertions made by parliament, That measure, brought forward during the war, to raise the war taxes for purposes of peace, union, and to their present very large amount. public security, by men who yield It now appears that the strong mea. to none of their fellow-subjects in sure adopted in the last session, by loyalty to their sovereign, and at. which all the war taxes, and par. tachment to the civil and religious ticularly the property tax, were so constitution of their country, is much augmented, was a step taken there stigmatized as hostile to the mot merely with a view to provide established church and ecclesiastical for present necessities, but in order constitution of the realm, and as to lay the foundation of a system subversise of those principles which which should be adequate to the placed his majesty's family on the full exigencics of this unexpected British throne. crisis, and should combine the two It is natural for those whose apparently irreconcilcable objects, characters are thus aspersed, to in. of relieving the public from all fué quire by what right any persons ture pressure of taxation, and of have taken upon themselves, in the exhibiting to the enemy resources name of such a society, to give by which we may defy his impla. countenance and currency to an cable hostility, to whatever period it injurious and groundless calumay, may be prolonged.--To have done calculated for the watch-word of a this is certainly a recompence for party, and calculated only to excite many sacrifices and privations. This and to uphold popular clamour? is a consideration which will enable The society was instituted, as its the country to submit with cheer. annual publications declare, for fulness to its present burthens, the increase of the knowledge and knowing that although they may be practice of our holy religion, by continued in part, for a limited the support of charity schools, and time, they will be now no further by the distribution of bibles, prayer. increased.

books, and religious tracts. Those who have directed the present proceeding, can best explain in what manner Christian knowledge,

Christian practice, will be increased, Copy of a Letter from the Right Ho. by promoting religious animositio nourable Lord Grenville, to the and civil discord; by stirring np

; Secretary of the Society for pro- able passions of the ignorant; and

the blind prejudices and ungovern. moting Christian Knouldge.

by circulating amongst our fellow.

subjects;

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subjects, instead of the word of vernment, who, in the year 1793, truth and charity, the libellous and gave and authorized that promise to inflammatory calumnies of elec- the catholics of Ireland ? tioneering contests, and party vio. If the employment of catholic lence.

officers and catholic soldiers in the As a member of the society, so. general service of the empire ; if licitous for the promotion of its the permitting them to hold and ex. genuine objects, I desire to enter ercise, at his majesty's discretion, my dissent to a resolution pur- all military commissions, the rank porting to express its unanimous and station of a general not exa opinion. I object to the propriety cepted; if the relieving them in of its taking part at all in the po. this respect from all penalties and litical divisions of the country : I disabilities on account of thcir reobject to its labouring to extend ligious persuasion ;-if these things and to prolong those divisions with be matter of just alarm “ to the respect to a measure publicly ecclesiastical constitution of this withdrawn, and of which there is country,” when was the moment of consequently no longer any ques. alarm ?-- In the year 1804, all this, tion : but, most of all, I object to and more than this, was done in an the truth, and, may I not add, to act proposed by Mr. Pitt, with the the decency, of a censure, which, concurrence of his colleagues, now if it were founded either in justice in administration, passed by the or in reason, would apply to almost British parliament, and sanctioned every description of public men, . by his majesty's royal assent.and would even implicate all those That act legalized a long list of authorities which are the most en. military commissions, 'antecedently titled to our respect and reverence. granted by his majesty, with the

If to permit the king's subjects 'advice of the same ministers; and of all persuasions to serve him in it enabled his majesty prospectively his army, be " an unconstitutional to grant, at his discretion, all mili. innovation, with whom, and tary commissions whatever to ca. when did it originate ? It was first tholics--not indeed to British or made the law in Ireland fourteen Irish catholics, but to foreign ca. years ago, at the express recom- tholics--to men who owe his má. mendation of the crown, delivered jesty no allegiance, and who are from the throne by one of his ma. not even required to disclaim jesty's present ministers, then lord. those tenets which all our fellow, lieutenant of that kingdom. subjects of that persuasion have so

If the adoption of a similar law lemnly abjured! in Great Britain would be 66 an act What ground of difference will of hostility to the established then remain to justify those out. church," to whom shall that hos. · rageous calumnies against the late tility be ascribed ?—To those who proposal ? --Is it that men were per. now proposed, or to those who mitted to aspire to the rewards and long ago engaged for that conces. honours of a profession, to the „sion? – To the framers of lord toils and dangers of which the le. Howick's bill, or to those members gislature of their country had long and supporters of the present go. since invited them!- Is it that the

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same indulgences which had been promised and granted to catholics by others, were not withheld by us from Protestant dissenters ?-Or is it, lastly, that we judged our own countrymen and fellow-subjects entitled, under his majesty's discretion, to the same confidence and favour which parliament had so recently extended to all foreigners of all nations and all descriptions?

And let me further ask, if these concessions, all or any of them, are subversive of the principles

which placed his majesty's illus trious house upon the throne," what is to be said of the far more extensive indulgences proposed in 1801, by that great minister, now no more, whose name I have al

ready mentioned? Were his principles also subversive of the established church, and of the civil constitution of the monarchy?And if he too must be involved in this indiscriminating and injurious censure, what condemnation will not those men deserve, who, in the very moment of pretended danger, have advised his majesty to call to his present councils, the authors, the partisans, and the supporters of Mr. Pitt's plan?-a plan including all that has been now proposed, and extending very far beyond our

measure.

On the expediency of these mea. sures, statesmen may differ. To stigmatize them as hostile to our establishments, or dangerous to our constitution, is to libel both the throne and the parliament-to ca. lumniate the existing laws-and to impute to the most considerable public characters of our age, both the living and the dead, principles and purposes disclaimed by themselves, and contradicted by the

whole tenor of their lives. It is for the society to consider whether such a conduct be consonant to the character which it befits them to maintain, or in any manner con ducive to the objects of a charitable and a religious institution.

I have the honour to be, &c. &c. GRENVILLE. The Rev. G. Gaskin, D. D. Secretary to the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge.

An Address of several of his Majesty's Roman-Catholic Subjects to their Protestant Fellow-Subjects.

HIS majesty's Roman-catholic

subjects flattered themselves, that the declarations they had al ready made of the integrity of their religious and civil tenets-the oaths they had taken to his majesty's person, family, and government; the heroic exertions of a considerable proportion of them in his majesty's fleets and armies—the repeated instances in which they have come forward in their country's cause their irreproachable demeanour in the general relations of life; and, above all, the several acts of parliament passed for their relief, avowedly in consequence of, and explicitly recognizing their me ritorious conduct, would have been a bond, to secure to them for ever the affection and confidence of all their fellow subjects, and to make any further declaration of their principles wholly unnecessary. But, with astonishment and concern, they observe, that this is not altogether the case. They are again publicly traduced, and attempts are

again made to prejudice the public cession of the crown; which suc. mind against them.

cession, by an act, intitled, An We, therefore, English Roman. act for the further limitation of the catholics, whose names are here. crown, and better securing the under written, beg leave again to rights and liberties of the subject,' solicit the attention of our coun. is, and stands limited to the prin. trymen, and to lay before them the cess Sophia, electress, and duchess following unanswered and un. dowager of Hanover, and the heirs answerable documents of the purity of her body, being Protestants ; and integrity of the religious and hereby utterly renouncing and ab. civil principles of ALL his majesty's juring any obedience or allegiance Roman-catholic subjects, in respect unto any other person claiming or to their king and their country. pretending a right to the crown of

We entreat you to peruse them; these realms. And I do swear, and when you have perased them, that I do reject and detest as an to declare. Whether his majesty's unchristian and impious position, Roman.catholic subjects maintain a that it is lawful to murder or de. single tenet, inconsistent with the stroy any person or persons what., purest loyalty ; or interfering in soever, for, or under pretence of, the slightest degree, with any one their being heretics or infidels ; and duty which an Englishman owes his also that unchristian and impious God, his king, or his country ?principle, that faith is not to be 1.The first Document we present kept with heretics or infidels; and

to you is, The oath and decla. I further declare, that it is not an ration prescribed by the British article of my faith; and that I do parliament of the 31st of his renounce, reject, and abjure the present majesty, and which is opinion, that princes excommuni. taken by all English catholics. cated by the pope and council, or

I A. B. do hereby declare, any authority of the see of Rome, that I do profess the Roman-catholic or by any authority whatsoever, religion.

may be deposed or murdered by "I A. B. do sincerely promise their subjects, or any person what. and swear, that I will be faithful soever : and I do promise, that I and bear true allegiance to his ma- will not hold, maintain, or 'abet. jesty kiog George the Third, and any such opinion, or any other him will defend to the utmost of opinions contrary to what is exmy power against all conspiracies pressed in this declaration : and I and attempts whatsoever that shall do declare, that I do not believe be made against his person, crown, that the pope of Rome, or any or dignity; and I will do my ut other foreign prince, prelate, state, most endeavour to disclose and or potentate, hath, or' ought to make known to his majesty, his have, any temporal or civil juris. heirs and successors, all treasons diction, power, superiority, and traitorous conspiracies which pre-eminence, directly or indirectly, may be formed against him or them; within this scalm ; 'and I do so. and I do faithfully promise to lemnly, in the presence of God, maintain, support, and defend, to profess, testify, and declare, that the utmost of my power, the suc. I do make this declaration, and

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every part thereof, in the plain and ordinary sense of the words of this oath, without any evasion, equivocation, or mental reservation whatever, and without any dispen. sation already granted by the pope, or any authority of the see of Rome, or any person whatever, and without thinking that I am, or can be, acquitted before God or man, or absolved of this declaration, or any part thereof, although the pope, or any other person or authority whatsoever, shall dispense with, or annul the same, or declare that it was null or void.

"So help me God.”

II. The next documents we present to you are―The oaths and declarations prescribed by the acts of the Irish parliament to Irish Roman-catholics. The first is the oath of allegiance and declaration, prescribed by the Irish act of the 13th and 14th of his present majesty, and is taken by all Irish Roman-catholics.

"IA. B. do take Almighty God, and his only Son Jesus Christ, my Redeemer, to witness that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to our most gracious sovereign lord king George the Third, and him will defend to the utmost of my power, against all conspiracies and attempts whatsoever that shall be made against his persou, crown, and dignity; and I will do my utmost endeavour to disclose and make known to his majesty and his heirs, all treasons and traitorous conspiracies, which may be formed against him or them; and I do faithfully promise to maintain, support, and defend, to the utmost of my power, the succession of the crown in his majesty's family, against any person or persons what

soever; hereby utterly renouncing and abjuring any obedience or allegiance unto the person taking upon himself the stile and title of prince of Wales, in the life-time of his father, and who since his death is said to have assumed the stile and title of king of Great Britain and Ireland, by the name of Charles the Third, and to any other person claiming, or pretending a right to the crown of these realms; and I do swear that I do reject and detest, as unchristian and impious to believe, that it is lawful to murder or destroy any person or persons whatsoever, for or under the pretence of their being heretics; and also that unchristian and impious principle, that no faith is to be kept with heretics: I further declare, that it is no article of my faith, and that I do renounce, reject, and abjure, the opinion that princes excommunicated by the pope and council, or by any authority of the see of Rome, or by any authority whatsoever, may be deposed or murdered by their subjects, or by any person whatsoever; and I do promise that I will not hold, maintain, or abet, any such opinion, or any other opinion contrary to what is expressed in this declaration; and I do declare that I do not believe that the pope of Rome, or any other foreign prince, prelate, state, or potentate, hath, or ought to have, any temporal or civil jurisdiction, power, superiority, or pre-eminence, directly or indirectly, within this realm; and I do solemnly in the presence of God, and of his only Son Jesus Christ, my Redeemer, profess, testify, and declare, that I do make this declaration, and every part thereof, in the plain and ordinary sense of the

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