Chapter VI: Part 6

[P] By the fundamental rule of Protestantism, every individual, possesses the right of private judgment, and of course, is allowed to interpret the Bible, as his reason, or his feelings, suggest; and yet, _mark_ the contradiction, he is _not_ allowed, to interpret the _thirty-nine Articles_. For in the declaration prefixed to this singular code, it is said: "His Majesty, prohibits his loving subjects, the least difference from them, or putting their _own_ sense upon them; but requires them, to be taken in _their literal_, and _grammatical_ sense." Now, Dr. Paley says, that "the Thirty-nine Articles, will be found, on dissection, to contain about two hundred and forty _distinct_, and independent propositions; many of them, inconsistent with _each_ other." In fact, few of the English Clergy subscribe the articles in the literal, and grammatical sense; "and Burnet says, that in his own times, the greater part of the clergy, subscribed the Articles, _without examining them_," and that others do it, because they _must_ do it, _though they can hardly satisfy their consciences_, about some things in them. Dr. Balguy says, that "the Thirty-nine Articles impose upon us doctrines of dark, and ignorant ages." How just, then, must the observation of Gibbon be, "that the great body of the English Clergy, sign the Thirty-nine Articles, with a _sigh_, or a _smile_." Really, to require that men, should take these Articles, in their literal, and grammatical sense, whilst many of them, have _no literal_, or _grammatical_ sense, nay, moreover, to oblige men, to swear that they believe them, is, in my humble opinion, a violation of common sense, and of decency. In all this, there may be some degree of political wisdom, but it is surely, an act of very gross, religious inconsistency.

[Q] The name of Ireland, brings to my mind, the great O'Connell, the pride of his country, the wonder of England, and the admiration of the world. When I read the direful grievances of that ill-treated nation, I wish, for the sake of England, (which I dearly love) that those grievances had never been written, either on the pages of history, or on the records of heaven. Oh, Ireland, how thou remindest me of the sufferings of my Saviour! "a man of sorrow, and the outcast of the people." Had not _his_ divine example been continually before _thy eyes_, thou never couldst have endured thy load of miseries, of sorrows, and of persecution, and so nobly have proved thy loyal allegiance to thy sovereign, even amidst a deluge of insults, and of wrongs, and of injustices, that would have maddened any other nation, into a whirlwind of fury, and revenge, and rebellion; but thou rememberedst the words of thy Saviour, "love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, and persecute you." But thy days of sufferings and of sorrow are, I hope, hastening to a close; but perhaps, the time of retribution for England has yet to come. Oh, may Heaven avert this dreadful day of reckoning for my dear country! But, Oh, Ireland, I must not forget the pride of thy heart--the great O'Connell--the much-abused and calumniated Dan. He is now, indeed, beyond this land of misery; but alas, he died a beggar! Yes, HE whom the newspapers _formerly_ held up, as a _most base knave_, a _deceiver_, and a _money-hunter_, _even he_ at last, died a beggar, for the _love_ of his country. He nobly sacrificed his, from ten to fourteen thousand a year, which he was making by his profession, and in lieu, accepted the comparatively small and precarious offerings of his countrymen, every farthing of which he spent in promoting their welfare; he blasted all the patrimonial prospects of his own family, and at last, died a martyr and a beggar, for his country; and yet, there is not one English Protestant newspaper to do him common justice, by _even hinting_ at these _heroic_ actions. Oh, how justly may I address them in the severe words of the poet:

"You all did hate him once, but without cause,
What cause withholds you, then, to mourn for him?
Oh, judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts!
And men have lost their reason."

But, Oh immortal Dan! their praises or censures to thee are equally worthless, for thy colossal deeds during life, and thy heroic death, have immortalized thy name. But of all thy sorrows, the _stab_ that _burst_ thy generous soul, was the "_unkindest cut of all_;" for when some of thy countrymen, whom thou hadst _raised and honoured_, wished to take into their hands the maddening weapons of injustice, revenge, and rebellion, and wished to bury thy dear country in the ruins of bloodshed and revolution, thou,

"Then rushing out of doors, to be resolved,
If these men so unkindly knocked, or no,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,
Quite vanquished thee, then burst thy noble heart!"

On which was engraved, in vivid characters, love for thy religion, patriotism for thy country, loyal and sincere allegiance to thy Queen, and a burning desire for civil and religious liberty for all mankind. Oh, how justly may we apply to thee, the words of the poet,

"Thou art the ruins, of the noblest man,
That ever lived, in the tide of times."

I, formerly, like many other Englishmen, thought only very lightly of thy actions; but thy noble deeds convinced me of my _rash_ judgment; and as some little retribution, I have paid this small tribute to thy memory. Oh, may God forgive me for my rash judgments, and may thy colossal soul rest in peace.

But can I here forget "the finest Protestant (as the immortal Dan. justly observed) that Ireland ever saw?" O no! I know indeed, some will sneer at it, and call it the voice of flattery, but in the eyes of poor Ireland, it will be regarded as a just act of gratitude, to remember the liberal, the high-minded, and chivalrous nobleman, the Marquis of Normanby. When this kind hearted, and enlightened statesman, first placed his foot on the shores of Ireland, "the cauldron" (of political discords) as Lord Plunkett had said, "was boiling over, and the polemic (religious) contest was thrown in as an ingredient." But as soon as the Marquis of Normanby, hoisted in Ireland his political flag of truth, of justice, and of honour, then the cauldron (of political discord,) gradually cooled, and the polemic (religious) contest gradually subsided, into the more congenial calm of peace, of union, and of charity. Hence, might be seen the noble Marquis of Normanby, and his charitable marchioness, gracing, and gladdening by their presence the streets of Dublin, unattended by military escorts, but _safely_ guarded, by the generous hearts, and faithful loyalty of a grateful people. To have touched even a single hair of their heads, or to have offered the least insult to these noble, and generous creatures, would have instantly brought down on the base offender, the indignation and fury of the people. There the noble Marquis, without any detriment to his political dignity, walked without guards, surrounded by the hearts of the people, an honour to England, a just representative of our most gracious, liberal, and well-beloved Queen, the idol of the people, and the saviour of Ireland. But why mention merely Ireland? His _whole_ political career, has been a consistent course of truth, of justice, and of honour. When only young, the golden prospect of Tory promotion, the inheritance of his noble father's political influence, a seat in Parliament already obtained by a Tory constituency, were all laid before him; when lo! his penetrating though youthful mind, saw that his dear country required reform, and therefore, sacrificing all the above golden prospects, he disinterestedly ranked himself, under the banner of reform. Afterwards a sinecure, but profitable office under Government, was offered him by the Whig ministry; but his political creed, was reform and consistency, and therefore, he politely declined the tempting offer. He is afterwards honoured with the government of Jamaica, and there shews himself the sincere friend of the slave, and on one occasion, generously and manfully exposed even his own life, to vindicate and obtain their just rights: and how dearly he was there beloved, the sorrowful and sincere lamentations, that bade him the last farewell, can best tell. He is honoured also, with the government of Ireland, and gradually peace, contentment, and union, begun to smile on that long agitated, and mis-ruled land. But in all his political promotions, to his honour be it remembered, that he never solicits nor asks of Government any places of office for his relations. Such has been the consistent and even tenor of his political career. Long, will the name of Normanby, be dearly cherished, in the heart of every sincere Catholic, of every grateful Irishman, and of every true English reformer; and he will be handed down to posterity, as a worthy descendant of the Mulgrave family, whose character has always been distinguished, for their acts of justice, liberality, and charity to all, _without any distinction of religious creeds_. Well then might the immortal Dan declare, that "The Marquis of Normanby, was the finest Protestant, that Ireland ever saw."

TRANSCRIBERS' NOTES

Introduction

Page iv: Latern as in the original

First address

Page 1: goverment corrected to government after "The clergy, and the
head of the"
Page 2: intolerence corrected to intolerance after "before this
whirlwind of Protestant"
Page 6: descendents as in the original
Page 9: addres corrected to address after "would tempt me to"
Page 12: te corrected to to after "But it manifestly allows us"
Page 12: " added before "as to preventing persons"
Page 14: Torento corrected to Toronto after "Kingston, Byetown,"
Page 14: Irvinites as in the original
Page 15: freeborn standardised to free-born
Page 15: diocess corrected to diocese after "and assigned to it a"
Page 15: Caldea corrected to Chaldea after "jurisdiction over Syria,"
Page 18: Portestant corrected to Protestant after "If therefore the
orthodox"
Page 19: " added after "limitation of the crown"
Page 21: ancesters corrected to ancestors after "having to suffer, what
our Catholic"
Page 25: villany as in the original
Page 26: distintinguished corrected to distinguished after "I am sure
(says this"
Footnote A: Anglo Saxon corrected to Anglo-Saxon
Footnote D: pourtrayed as in the original
Footnote D: shillalah as in the original
Footnote D: floodgates standardised to flood-gates

Second address

Page 9: phillippic corrected to philippic after "meeting, a thundering"
Page 14: he standardised to He after "mankind; that is,"
Page 19: ' changed to " after "prophets under Jeroboam?"
Page 20: Luthern as in the original
Page 23: apostacy as in the original
Page 24: Pharo's as in the original
Page 24: suicidical as in the original
Page 28, 29: variable spelling of Molineus/Molinaeus as in original
Page 29: " ( added before "In Defens. Transl.)"
Page 29: detort as in the original
Page 30: " added after "delegates of the Clarendon press."
Page 31: " added after "to the end of Jeremiah."
Page 42: . added after Gaz
Page 56: heirarchy corrected to hierarchy after "put together, more than
the"
Page 56: " added after "of any earthly power!"
Page 66: " added after "liberal to the poor_."
Footnote H: " removed before "our bishops, though deprived"
Footnote J: phillippic corrected to philippic after "immediately
commenced a"
Footnote N: " added after "and _even idiots_."
Footnote Q: collossal corrected to colossal after "rash judgments, and
may thy"

General: Errata applied to text.
General: Spelling of inuendo, inuendoes as in the original

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