Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

dis of tyranny, and to conduct them triumphantly into the haven of rational and constitutional Liberty.

In this state of the universe every undertaking calculated to strengthen the bonds of mutual fraternity, to unite the feelings of mankind at large in the one common cause of “ Civil and Religious Liberty," cannot fail to meet with the warm support of the friends of Freedom in every clime. What? while the old governments of Europe, laying aside their national and religious jealousies, have under the hypocritical and blasphemous name of "Holy Alliance" entered into a formal conspiracy for the atrocious purpose of holding the people of every realm in slavery, shall not the people, on their part divest themselves of every selfish and intolerable prejudice, whether national or religious, and raise one irresistible shout of universal public opinion to confound the impious cabal of tyranny, and attain without bloodshed, and without crime, their natural and inalienable rights.

To contribute his exertions towards so desirable, so necessary, so happy a consummation, a Catholic Editor well versed in the principles of his religion, and equally attached to the cause of political liberty; an Editor inimical to persecution of every sort, whether inflicted by Inquisitions on the Continent, or by Penal Laws in the British Empire; an Editor fully acquainted with the religious feelings of his brother Catholics, which so far from being opposed, are, when well understood, essentially congenial to the liberties of mankind; of which important fact, the late revolutions in Catholic Countries are the strongest practical proof, and the pastoral discourse of his present Holiness in favour of Democracy is the strongest documentary evidence; an Editor who for more than twenty years has been connected with the public press, and has attained a considerable influence with the Catholic mind by the publication of a monthly Magazine during the last seven years; an Editor thus qualified offers to undertake a Weekly London News-paper to be entitled "THE CATHOLIC ADVOCATE OF CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY."

A paper conducted on such principles has been long a desideratum to the cause of Freedom. The learned, zealous and liberal conductors of the London Press, not aware of the religious delicacy of Catholics, often check, unintentionally, the march of liberal sentiments, by allusions and expressions grating to Catholic feeling. The Catholics on the other band, like men long used to insult, are too apt to suspect offence where no offence is intended. The consequence is, that the enemies of Liberty, and among them a

few degenerate Catholic Noblemen, take advantage of this circumstance to keep alive the religious fears of the Catholics and prevent them from uniting cordially with their Protestant fellow-sufferers. A paper, therefore, in which the Catholics shall place their confidence, is the only medium through which Protestants can ascertain the true political feelings of Catholics, and Catholics can be induced to join fearlessly with their Protestant brethren. The direct object of such a publication must be of the most essential moment to the cause of constitutional Liberty; for that object is no less than the union of the Catholics of Great Britain and Ireland with the friends of Liberty of every religious denomination. Besides this grand object, which more immediately effects the welfare of our common, country, the Editor will pay peculiar attention to the great events now passing in the Catholic Realms of the Peninsula, and of Italy; for which purpose he has made arrangements to obtain the earliest and most complete intelligence. Thus while his paper shall be the link of union between the two great bodies of religious professions which compose the subjects of the British Empire, it will also prove the bond of fraternal feeling between the Catholic populations of Spain, Naples, Portugal, &c. and their Protestant well wishers in this and in every other country. Hence it is manifest that the present proposal does not originate in any spirit of speculating rivalry towards the existing liberal press of London, but in the evidence of the fact, that by no other means can the important union above mentioned be effectually attained, an union ardently desired by all the friends of the human race, and as sincerely contemplated in the establishment, as it is clearly expressed in the title of "THE CATHOLIC ADVOCATE OF CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY."

On these grounds the Editor confidently puts forward his claims to the support of all the friends of Liberty, Protestants as well as Catholics, and particularly of the Irish, Spaniards, Neapolitans and Portuguese resident in London. To ascertain previously the extent of public patronage upon which he may calculate, and to guard against the risk of a failure, he requests that orders for the paper may be immediately directed post paid, to Mr. Clement, Publisher, 76, Fleet-street, to the Postmasters, Clerks of the Road, and Newsmen, or to the Editor, W. E. Andrews, 8, Drake Street, Red Lion Square, London.

.0 10 0

Yearly Subscriptions, payable in advance, £1 17 0
Quarterly Subscriptions,...
Price of each number,.

..0 0 81

FOR THE REPUBLICAN.

Lines addressed to Sir John Draper Best, one of the Judges of the Court of King's Bench, on his Persecution of Mrs. Carlile and Mr. Davison for Blasphemy, &c.

Blush, Christian! blush with guilty shame:

Or own no more that SACRED name!

Go hide thy persecuting head!

Where is thy vaunted mercy fled?

Thou'st shewn the mighty void of sense,
By fearing for Omnipotence!

Thy faith thou provest, an empty plea,
Thou wilt not trust the Deity,
But fliest for help to human laws
To prop thy weak-thy tottering cause!
To pains, to penalties, and fine,

To uphold a cause, thou call'st divine!
Presumptuous man! must thy weak arm
Protect the Amighty's cause from harm?
Thine is the unbeliever's part,

An infidel to heaven thou art!

Think's thou that chains and fetters bind
Th' all-inspiring human mind?

Can dungeon glooms obscure its light
Or stop it in its daring flight?
As well might'st thou impotent say—
"My hand shall check the solar ray!
"I will arrest its bright career

"And turn it backwards from our sphere!"
As strive to check, by fraud and force,
Science and Knowledge in its course,

O'er errors and murky clouds 'tis ris'n,

Aspiring to the highest heav'n:

Thro' Truth's bright path THEY wing their flight

Scatt'ring around their heav'nly light;

While Reason's pure and piercing eye

Sees all the mist and shadows fly,
And hails, with infinite delight,
The constellations glorious height:
Nor long shall Superstition base,
The noble mind of man disgrace,

Are banish'd thence to her own Hell,
With Persecution there to dwell:
And Bigotry upon her throne,
A Trinity all hell shall own.

Rid of their influence dire, the Earth
Shall hail, at length, the second birth
Of Paradise again restor'd,

And Nature's God alone ador'd.
Impartial Justice there shall reign,
And Man's long injur'd Rights maintain:
Oppression, Fraud, and Crime shall cease
And all be Light, Life, Love and Peace.

Camberwell, Nov. 30, 1820.

J. J. BRAYFIELD.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE REPUBLICÂN.

SIR,

PERHAPS the following courtly conversazione, overheard sometime ago at Carlton Palace, may still possess some interest, notwithstanding the proceedings to which it refers are happily terminated. Its insertion in your Republican, will oblige,

SIR,

Your constant Reader,

LISTENING TOM, OF PALL MALL.

P. S. I intend in future to apply my auricular nerves to every key-hole and aperture about the palace.

SCENE. A royal Apartment.

Enter George, Hertford, and Signor Majocchi.

G. Signor Majocchi, whence come ye?
M. Great King, I come from Italy.
G. From Italy? the land of song,
Of arts, and love! wert thou among
The household servants of my Queen?
M. Yes, Sire.

G.

Indeed! then thou hast seen
Her favoured Baron, Bergamı,
And all her amorous revelry?

Blush not, this lady of my court (pointing to H.)
Will love to hear your true report

(Of ought you may have known or seeu)
Regarding her beloved Queen.

H. You know the Baron, then.
M.

When he was her courier, Miss.

O yes,

G. (Apart to M.) The lady's married, Madam, call her. H. Was he a handsome man, and taller

Than any of the household?

M.

Yes.

H. How often did Bergami kiss His royal mistress?

M.

Really, Madam,

I know no more than Father Adam.

H. Talking of Adam, I believe, Statues of him, and Mother Eve, Adorned a room at Como?

M.

Yes.

H. And our poor parents had no dress,
Saving a fig-leaf-did you see

The Princess, or sweet Bergami,
Remove the fig-leaf?

G. (apart to her.)

Psha! my

dear,

We have another man to swear
To that delicious tete-a-tete!
Besides, my love, it is not meet

That thou should'st mar thy modesty ;
Pray leave th' precious knave to me.
(To M.) Signor, I hope you'll not forget
Your sleeping in the Cabinet;
But strictly in your memory keep
How you beheld, while feigning sleep,
The Princess to your bed-side coine,
And pass on to the Baron's room.
Likewise-but my grand advocate
Will tell you all you are to state.
So, Siguor, I'll no further press,
At present, this business.
great
Yet know to this resolve I've come,
To be a knight of cuckoldom!
Then hold thyself prepared, I pray,

Against the great, the important day

Big with the fate of" Caroline;
And any services of thine

Well am I able to reward;

I'll make thee, if thou lik'st, a lord!

For I raise men of humblest birth

To highest dignities on earth;

« AnteriorContinuar »