whole of my literary life, I have endeavoured to preserve a consistency of opinion, which can only be THE present number closes the done by a strict attention to the disinterested avoidance of party or factious connections. In taking a retrospect of my career, it is with pride I state it, the greatest crime I have committed in the eyes of my enemies is, that of not having fur condemn my orthodoxy, or convict me of tergiversation. Not one individual has been able to prove me other than a sincere and true catholic, though a foolish attempt was made about a twelvemonth since, by the son of a peer, and in the columns of one of the most base and which I have conducted single-hand-sincere veneration for truth, and a ed through an eventful period of seven years and a half, amidst the attacks, open and disguised, of bigotted and perfidious enemies, and the wasting influence of excessive taxation and national misery. In looking back to the many heart-nished them with one occasion to rending difficulties I have had to contend with, principally occasioned by the secret workings of men, whose duty should have led them to encourage my labours, I cannot sufficiently express my feelings of gratitude to an all-wise Providence, whose merciful goodness has enabled me to withstand so long the malig-hireling prints of the day, to charge nant designs of my adversaries, to stop my exertions in the cause of his holy religion. But his protection has not been confined to the support of this work; through his bounty, conveyed by the generous, aid of catholic and protestant friends, this month has seen me appear in a new character, as the editor and sole proprietor of THE CATHOLIC ADVOCATE OF CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY, a weekly paper, in which an extension is given to my efforts to serve the sacred cause of God and my country. Throughout the ORTHOD. JOUR. VOL. VIII me with irreligious and seditious motives. The reader has not forgotten my defence, and I believe it will not be eradicated from the ho nourable gentleman's memory, while that memory is unimpaired. The topics into which this defence com pelled me to enter, though strictly confined to the peculiar situation in which the catholics of this country are placed, gave occasion to my adversaries to renew their clamour and calumnies against me, and even some of my friends became alarmed and offended at the freedom. of my re 3 N marks. I have letters now by me | holy alliance with some cabinet mifrom several individuals, for whom nisters, to deliver up the appointI entertain the most sincere regardment of their clergy to the latter, in and veneration, in which they com.exchange for seats in the two houses plain of the extended range I had of parliament. The appearance of taken, and blame me for the senti- this treaty in the shape of a bill ments I had promulgated. Not- brought into the house of commons, withstanding, however, this coolness and the indecent treatment experi and timidity of some of my friends, enced by Dr. Milner, for his cou I have never suffered my judgment rageous and successful opposition to to be warped, nor my independence the measure, induced me to take up to be moved; but have kept on a the pen to warn my catholic bresteady course, and I have the con- thren of the dangers which awaited solation to know that my conduct the free exercise of their religion, and my principles have been approv- and to caution them against the maed by divines, who, from their ta- chinations of a nest of intriguers, lents, their learning, their experi- whose baneful tricks have contrience, their disinterestedness, and buted more to destroy the character their attachment to the faith and of the clergy, than all the calumnies pure discipline of the church, are and all the lies which have been círfar better capable of deciding on my culated by infatuated bible mongers merits, and the credit of the work, and evangelical associators. In this than my fastidious and querulous endeavour I have been happily forfriends. tunate. Before I had carried on my labours many months, I discovered there were some clergymen as willing to become the slaves of government as the party in our aristocracy were to make them so; but by the force of my pen, and the all-wise dispensation of heaven, they have been kept from tasting the flesh.pots of Egypt, in spite of their longing appetites; and I flatter myself that the time is far distant before their inordinate desires will be gratified. By the aid of my public-spirited countrymen and fellow-catholics, a determined and successful opposition has been maintained against the secret intrigues of wealth and power, and every attempt made by the selfappointed managers of catholic con. cerns has been rendered fruitless and abortive. Quarantotti's rescript, political pastorals, parliamentary tactics, clerical intimida tions, have been resorted to, but have proved useless, and the poor creatures, the contemptible things of what is called The British Catholic Board, are in a worse and mor When first I commenced the work, the country was engaged in a long and expensive war, its fleets and armies were recruited by Irish catholics, and the nobility and gentry of that faith, resting ou the great services rendered to the nation by the body at large, were anxious to obtain a restoration of their civil privileges. Some of them had long been engaged in this pursuit, and had manifested an inclination to surrender the independence of their religion to gratify the prejudices of bigotry, and feed the political influence of corrupt statesmen. But a few years before the appearance of the first number, the yell of "NoPopery" had been resounded from one quarter of the kingdom to the other; and since the work has been in circulation, several attempts have been made to revive it, but with only partial success. While our religion was thus attacked by the followers of error, it was menaced, at the same time, by ill-designing members, who had entered into an un tics, betrays a want of discernment, and a bias of weakness, which I did not expect from many of my friends; and I can only regret that such is the fact, lamenting, at the same time, the deficiency of public spirit and patriotism they discover by such conduct. For years past, the aim of our leading aristocracy has been to conciliate popular prejudices, but not to remove them. Work after work has been composed by a certain learned barrister, and published under the patronage and sauction of the self-elected board, with the view of harmonizing the various creeds of religious sects with the catholic faith. A more futile or more foolish scheme, however, was never con forlorn plight than they ever have been. To shew the force of public opinion and the power of the press, I need only mention, that in the year 1815, by means of the circulation of this Journal, and with an expense less than ten pounds, upwards of six thousand signatures were obtained to a petition praying for emancipatiou, free and unrestricted, although the boardmen, with all their wealth, influence, and exertions, had never been able to obtain any thing like that number to any of their petitions. Here then we have a couvincing proof of the utility of freedom of discussion and the liberty of the press; a privilege always exercised by the catholic church in the detection and exposureceived or acted upon. In testimony of error, and the eliciting and main tenance of truth. of which assertion, I challenge the author and his adherents to produce The return of peace, and the con- one rational convert to their plan, sequent operation of an enormous while the essays which have been debt, created by a twenty-years written against it clearly shew the war, have given a new feature to the mischief which it caused, by exciting political concerns of the nation, and deeper prejudice against our princichanged the relative situation of the ples from the duplicity exhibited by catholics. What was necessary and its author. The consigning of the proper to preserve religion five years catholic clergy into the care of proago would be neither beneficial nor testant ministers of state, was justi effective at this moment; and, of fied by the pretence of allaying relicourse, like a general, who often gious prejudices; and the disavowal changes his plan of campaign, with- of Dr. Milner's political writings and out losing sight of his object, my sentiments originated from the same enlarging the scope of argument to misguided feelings. But, notwithpromote the interests of religion was standing the vast sums of money exreither inconsistent with my original pended, and the great labour beintentions, nor a departure from the stowed, with the sacrifice of principle principles I first avowed. Politics into the bargain, it is evident that connected with the state of the canot one step was made towards the tholics I have invariably discussed; attainment of their object, and this and there is not`a question of poli- failure was occasioned by their want tics touched on by me for the two of sincerity in their actions. Had last years which I have not connect- the acting men of the aristocracy ed with the civil situation of catho- been endued with political integrity, lics. To charge me, therefore, with and had they acted with that firm stepping out of the line of principle and disinterested spirit which is sure laid down in my prospectus, and to to convince public opinion, their blame me for meddling with political characters would have been held up subjects, when a single number has to their countrymen as examples not been published free from poli-worthy of imitation, instead of be. ing, as they now are, the derision and laughing-stock of the community. stating my intentions, and calling for the support of the liberal-minded, both catholics and protestants, Perceiving the felicitous change to enable me to commence a weekly which was working in the opinions paper, which should be conducted of the people regarding catholic e- on pure honest principles, neither mancipation and freedom of consci- misleading catholics as to their relience, and considering this the most gious principles, nor deceiving pro-. favourable moment ever offered to testants on the latitude allowed to effect the removal of those prejudices catholics in points of civil freedom. against our religious principles With pleasure the most heartfelt do which we have so long endured, II announce, that the encouragement ventured to suggest the necessity of I have met with from protestant genespousing liberal maxims in our civil tlemen has exceeded my most san proceedings, of embracing the op-guine expectations; and with sor portunity then offered of uniting our own grievances with those of the nation, and joining the great body of the people, by calling for a reform of abuses with our own emancipation. This was considered by many a revolutionary movement on my part; and such was the slavish state, such the servile feelings of some of the clergy, that private letters were written to defame my character and misrepresent my principles, with the view of currying favour and gaining the applause of the most anti-catholic and unpopular administration that ever misgoverned the country. Unmoved, however, by this dis graceful conduct on the part of those whose actions should be as open as the day, and convinced that the most effectual way to remove the prejudices so long standing, and so much complained of, would be to display our civil and religious principles in their true light, and, by example, prove the groundlessness of our misinstructed neighbours' prepossessions, I resolved to make another attempt at the establishment of a newspaper, whereby my exertions would have a wider field to range in, and a better chance would be offered to inform our protestant friends how unfounded their apprehensions were, that catholicity and row do I say, that the support from the wealthy and landed catholics has been of the most scanty kind,--But, notwithstanding this contemptible want of public spirit in those of my communion who could best afford it, and for whose interest I am exerting myself, as they stand in much more danger of losing their estates from the system they are supporting, than from the penal laws their forefathers had to endure, yet I have found a noble and patriotic feeling in those of my fellow-catholics who could least spare the pecunary means required to enable me to commence action; and I beg my supporters, both catholics and protestants, to accept my warmest acknowledgments for the public benefit they have conferred, assuring them that my utmost efforts shall be exert ed to advocate the cause of Civil and Religious Liberty, which a des, perate faction is now attempting to destroy. Five numbers of THE CATHOLIC ADVOCATE have already appeared; and, from the approbation expressed of them by many of my protestant subscribers, I am convinced that I have done more, with my scanty means, to remove religious prejudice in one short month, than the sham leaders of catholic affairs have effected in a quar slavery were synonymous. Accord-ter of a century. This is saying a ingly, I issued out a prospectus, great deal, nevertheless I believe it town, by whom they will be regu are, £ s. d. 0 Yearly in advance, 1 17 Each paper to be true; for I have never yet heard of any practical benefits resulting from their wealth, though I can give proofs of the advantages derived from my industry. But the experience of this month has proved that it is impossible for me, individually, to conduct the two publications at the same time; and as the advantages which have been gained by the circulation of The Orthodox Journal will be increased ten-fold by a liberal and extended support of The Catholic Advocate of Civil and Religious Liberty, I have come to the determination of discontinuing the former work, and request the subscribers to it will transfer their patronage to the latter. The same spirit which animated The Orthodox to defend the divine rights of the ca tholic church, will be found in The Catholic Advocate; and should the evil genius of the self-elected board urge the parliamentary lead-all, newspaper-offices, at Rochester, ers of emancipation to attempt a veto bill again, I shall be able to communicate to the catholic body the measures they may have in view every week, whereas before I could only convey the requisite information to them mouthly. Besides this, the paper circulating among protestants, whereas the Journal was confined to catholics, we shall have the aid of our liberal fellow-countrymen to put down the spirit of intrigue in our body, which is more anxious to enslave the freedom of conscience, and reduce the civil liberties of the country, than to establish unrestricted religious rights, and extend the privileges of the British constitution to all classes of men. Such of my friends as feel inclined to support my new and arduous undertaking will please to communicate their intentions to me, post-paid, inclosing a year or half-year's subscription in advance, or give their orders to the nearest post-master or clerk For the accommodation of those individuals whose circumstances render them unable to advance the money, and who may find it convenient to form associations of four or six to obtain a paper, Messrs. Lyon, booksellers, of Wigan; Mr. Lynch, of Liverpool; Mr. Whittle, of Preston; Mr. Cooper and Mr. Mansell, both of Union-street, Birmingham; Mr. Harvey, Exchange, Bristol; Mr. Everton, newspaper - office,' James-street, Bath; Mr. Wether Chatham, and Canterbury; Mr. Maun, bookseller, Leeds; and the newsmen at Durham, Newcastle, and Manchester, will supply them with the same, on making application.' WM. EUSEBIUS ANDREWS. NOTICE EXTRAORDINARY. My friends and the public will please to. observe, that I have REMOVED from Drake-street to No. 4, CHAPTERHOUSE COURT, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD; where the BOOKSELLING and PUBLISHING bu siness is carried on as usual, and where orders and communications for The Catholic Advocate are respectfully requested to be sent, post-paid. On the Promulgation of the Doc. trinal Bulls of the Holy See, and of the right of Placet assumed by the Temporal Powers. Brusells. [Concluded from page 451.] "Princes have no authority to. of the road, or to their newsman in, frame ecclesiastical laws, and render |