On the 23d of the same month of February, this petition, with that which had been signed before by the general body of the English catholics, was presented to the house of lords by earl Grey; and, a few days after, both petitions were presented to the house of commons by Mr. Wyndham.

In this single circumstance, the part which the English roman-catholics,-or any individual of their communion, took in the veto,-began,-with this, it ended.

The writer must add,-(and, for the truth of what he asserts, he invokes the testimony of every person who was present at either of the meetings), - that the English catholics on the one hand, and their two illustrious friends on the other, were most anxious to frame the resolution in such terms, as should not be thought objectionable by the Irish, or the venerable prelates of Ireland.

The propriety of this resolution became a subject of controversy :-but it is beside the subject of these pages to enter into any detail of the disputes to which it gave rise.-We leave the language of the resolution to speak for itself:-It is a mere general expression of good humour,-of a wish that the business of catholic emancipation should, and of a belief that it might be settled, to the satisfaction of both parties;-it neither proposes, nor even hints at any particular measure,—it leaves every thing entirely open to future discussion and arrangement.—Whatever might primarily, or intermediately, or ultimately, be proposed by government, if it contained a single iota "inconsistent

"with the strictest adherence to the tenets or "discipline of the roman-catholic religion," the catholic, who subscribed the resolution in question, might most honourably, most conscientiously, and most consistently, refuse it-all he would have to say, was, Non hæc in fædera veni: there is nothing in the record, which binds me to the proposal. This was perfectly understood, and has been repeatedly declared by every person present at the meeting.

Every thing respecting this conciliatory resolution, an epithet which it truly deserves,-is fully and most fairly detailed in the Apologetical Letter, addressed by Dr. Poynter to cardinal Litta, the prefect of the congregation De Propaganda Fide; we shall therefore present our readers with it in the Appendix*.

After all, those who blame the catholic committee of 1791, for persisting,-with the vicarapostolic of the midland district on their side,in their advocation of the oath grounded on the protestation, against the opposition of the three other vicars-apostolic, cannot, with consistency,

* See Appendix, Note I.-It contains, 1. Dr. Poynter's Apologetical Letter:-2. Some account of the result of it :3. A defence of that prelate against the charges brought against him by Dr. Milner, of tolerating Blanchardism :4. Of unveiling retired ladies:-5. Of patronising the Bible Society-6. And of not proceeding against the Cisalpine Club:-7. With a copy of Mr. Butler's letter to the catholic prelates of England and Scotland, assembled at Durham in

blame those, who, with the three vicars-apostolic on their side,-adhered to this fifth resolution of the catholics, in opposition to the single discordant voice of the vicar-apostolic of the midland district; especially as he himself had previously recommended, at three different times, the signing of it to others, and his discordancy must therefore have been an after-thought.

LXXXVI. 14.

26 February 1810.

The sixteenth Resolution of the Irish Prelātes.

ON the 26th of February 1810, the roman-catholic prelates in Ireland assembled in Dublin, and came to certain resolutions, the sixteenth of which is expressed in the following words :-"That as "to arrangements regarding our church, and said "to be intended for accompanying a proposal of "the emancipation of Irish roman-catholics, pru"dence and a regard for our duty forbid us to

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pronounce a judgment. However, we declare, "that no spirit of conciliation has ever been want"ing on our part; that we seek for nothing beyond "the mere integrity and safety of the roman-catholic

religion, in its christian faith and communion, "and its essential discipline, subordination and "moral code; nor may we be justly reproached "for our solicitude in guarding those sacred things, "for which we are bound to watch and bear tes"timony with our lives if required."

LXXXVI. 15.

16 February 1814

Letter of Monsignor Quarantotti*.

At the time of which we are now speaking, his holiness was in a state of captivity. He had invested Monsignor Quarantotti, since advanced to the dignity of cardinal, with all the ecclesiastical and spiritual powers of the see of Rome, except the appointment of the episcopal order.

By a rescript, in the nature of a letter, addressed to Dr. Poynter, dated the 16th February 1814, Monsignor Quarantotti notices the bill then in agitation for the emancipation of the catholic subjects of his majesty; and he then says, that "hav"ing taken the advice of the most learned prelates "and divines, having examined the letters which "had been transmitted to him both by Dr. Poynter "and the archbishop of Dublin, and the matter 'having been maturely discussed in a special con"gregation, it was decreed, that the catholics.

might, with satisfaction and gratitude, accept and "embrace the bill which was the last year pre"sented for their emancipation, in the form in "which Dr. Poynter had laid it before him;-it

being understood, that the ministers of the ca"tholic church were not forbidden, by the oath “contained in it, to preach, instruct, and give "counsel, but were only prohibited from disturb

ing the protestant church or government by vio"lence and arms, or evil artifices of whatever "kind."

We shall insert, in the Appendix, a full translation of this letter.

LXXXVI. 16.

17 June 1814.

Address from the English Roman-catholics to his holiness pope Pius the seventh.

On the restoration of his holiness, the English catholics thought it incumbent on them to present to him an address, mentioning their concern at the indignities which had been offered him, and their joy at his return to the city of Rome; and assuring him of the deep and unalterable respect and veneration which they felt for his sacred person and character. An address to this effect was accordingly prepared and transmitted to his holiness.

They refer in it to the letter addressed by Monsignor Quarantotti to Dr. Poynter, and express their confidence that, on the return of his holiness to the free exercise of his apostolical functions, he would find that the venerable depositaries of his authority had, during his captivity, spoken the genuine and full sentiments of his paternal heart towards the faithful of these countries.-A translation of this address is inserted in the Appendix*. Appendix, Note III.

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