Intelligence.-French Protestants. The finest promises of protection and aid from a foreign government cannot make any impression on my heart; God, my country, and the Charter of my King, are my sacred signs of rallying, and I would die rather than abandon them. "These, Sir, are the sentiments which I unceasingly endeavour to fortify by my discourses and my example, in the minds and hearts of my flock, and where they have long since been engraven; and I dare affirm, without fear of contradiction, that the King has not any subjects more devoted than the Protestants of Clairac." We think it our duty to add to this new testimony, the following extract from an address sent to the King by the President, Pastors, and Members of the Reformed Consistories of the Department of the Ardeche. "Sire, your faithful subjects, professing the reformed religion in the department of Ardeche, come to lay at the foot of the throne the respectful homage of their gratitude and love. They form no body in the State; they do not harbour the guilty thought of forming one; united together by the single bond of a common worship, they are also united to all your subjects by their sentiments for your august person; and the precious title of Frenchmen is sufficient for their hap, piness and glory.It is in this quality, Sire, that they come to swear to your Majesty an unlimited fidelity. "They have no complaints to make; no petition to offer: they rely implicitly on your justice and goodness. The tribute which they presume to offer to you is equally pure and disinterested; and their language must be that of unalterable gratitude and entire devotion. While the torch of fanaticism, repressed by your Majesty, has been shaken in less happy districts, they have constantly enjoyed all the liberty guaranteed by that Charter, the immortal offspring of your noble wisdom, and the pledge of your goodness. No attempt has been made to check the impulse of their conscience, to oppose their devotions which they publicly practise, and in which they fervently pray for your safety and happiness. "You come, to secure to us for ever that internal tranquillity which can alone serve as the basis for the public prosperity. That tutelary am 177 nesty, proposed in your name, by your ministers, has subdued all hatreds, dissipated all alarms, calmed all resentments, re-established universal confidence, and blended into one common sentiment of gratitude and love, the differences of opinion which party spirit had fomented. "Siré, posterity will place the name of Louis XVIII. between those of Louis XII. and Henry IV. The latter, who was your ancestor and your model, has always been, to the Protestants of France, the object of a sort of adoration. We love, Sire, to discover him again in you; and if our ancestors had the glory of powerfully contributing towards placing him on a throne which has become your inheritance, we will prove, by our conduct towards your sacred person, that the Protestants of the present day have the same love and the same fidelity for the august family of the Bourbons which animated the Protestants of two centuries back. "We are, Sire, with the most profound respect, your Majesty's most humble and most obedient servants and faithful subjects, the Presidents, Pastors, and Members of the Reformed Consistories of the Department of the Ardeche." [Here follow the signatures.] Proclamation of the Prefect to the Inhabitants and the National Guard of the City of Nismes. Nismes, Jan. 20. "At last, brave and loyal Inhabitants, aud National Guards, after so much solicitude for your happiness and your renown, I perceive a bright day shine upon this city, whose population has given so many proofs of its unalterable fidelity to legitimate monarchy, to the August House which reigned so long over our happy ancestors, and who, if our vows are heard by the Supreme Arbiter of nations and monarchs, shall reign for ever over our descendants. "The King is satisfied with your conduct; he has fulfilled all my wishes and rewarded all my efforts, by ordering me to make known his sovereign and paternal satisfaction. Thus are obliterated a few errors, into which perfidious agitators, abusing even your attachment to your king, had drawn you. Thus are annihilated those calumnious reports, which French Protestants. “I conjure you then, brave Nismois, brave National Guards, continue to deserve, by your fidelity to the King, by your obedience to his sacred orders and the laws of the kingdom, by your respect for liberty of worship and conscience, the favour which the King has just conferred on you and your justification in the face of all Europe, which his Majesty has not disdained himself to proclaim, by his Royal Ordonnance of the 10th of this mouth. Live the King! May our great, our good King live for ever! "The Prefect Marquis d'ARBAUD JOQUES." Extract of a Letter of Jan. 12, 1816, of his Excellency the Minister of the Interior to the Prefect of the Gard. "I learn with joy the happy convalescence of M. the Count de Lagarde. May this good servant of the King yet for a long period consecrate to him his loyal services." Strasburg, Jan. 29. The Journal of our department has published the following circular of the Minister of the Interior to the Prefects, dated Paris, Jan. 17. "A circular, printed and dated at London, has been, Monsieur le Prefect, addressed by a pretended Protestant Society to the French Protes tant Ministers. This paper, under the pretext of persecutious, to which it supposes the latter to be subjected, may spread disquietude amongst them, and induce them to emigrate. "I have before me the answers of the Presidents of several Consistories; all of them are marked by the good disposition which prevails in them, and by the sentiments which they express; and I doubt not that those which have not yet come to hand have repelled with the same indignation these dangerous insinuations. I pray you, Monsieur, to send me copies of all these answers, which I shall lay before the King. His Majesty will see with satisfaction these une quivocal testimonies of the confidence of the Protestants in his paternal government, of their attachment to his person, and of their love for the country. "The Protestants may also rely upon the Protection of the King, who only sees in his subjects, whatever may be their religion, children to whom he bears an equal affection. "I have the honour, Mousieur le Prefect, &c. "The Minister Secretary of State for the Department of the Interior, (Signed) "VAUBLANC." The following audacious calumny appeared in the French papers. "The Prefect of Calvados has published at Caen a letter from M. de Vaublanc, Minister of the Interior, to the following effect: Paris, Jan. 31, 1816. "I received the letter which you wrote to me, enclosing the reply made by the Consistory of Calvados to the missives from the Protestant Society of London. I have recognized with pleasure in this answer the patriotic sentiments which animate all Frenchmen of the Protestant communion. They may depend on the protection of the King; tell the Cousistory, at the same time, that to my certain knowledge, the persons who have formed a society at London, in order to throw a correspondence into France, enjoy little credit or confidence in their own country; they are there justly considered as belonging to a party of jacobins, enemies of repose and of every government. The sessions of Parliament about to open, will furnish proofs of this." This is the manner in which the avowed agents of the French government dare to speak of the respectable body of Dissenting ministers, and of the Parliament of England. In every way, and by all descriptions of the constituted authorities in France, England and Englishmen are treated with illiberality. The fact is, that while these proclamations are published, and that the unprotected victims of persecution are forced to write letters denying the miseries they endure, every man who gets away from the horrid scene makes known to us the grievous truth, that their sufferings are not at an end, and that their only hope is in the exertions of the Intelligence. French Protestants." friends of civil and religious liberty in England. Morn. Chron, Feb. 7. A letter from Switzerland contains the following particulars : "During the last three months we have had here several persons, who had left Nismes on account of the persecutions to which they were exposed. Among others, I have conversed with four or five ministers; they all agree in painting their situations as extremely critical; they declare most solemnly that the present evils are not the result of any political misconduct on their part, but arise solely from the hatred and jealousy of their Catholic brethren; that they are so surrounded by enemies, and all their actions so misrepresented, that they are afraid to take any steps, lest, on their proving insufficient, they should be exposed to an increase of malice and persecution; they are therefore quite at a loss to know how their miseries are to be remedied. On a late occasion, when the Duke d'Angouleme visited Nismes, a. memorial was drawn up, beseeching him, in the humblest manner, to grant them his protection, and to accept their assurances of loyalty; but though not a single complaint was made of all they were actually suffering, their bitter enemies, who surrounded the Duke, intercepted the memorial, and threatened tenfold vengeance on its authors. "The persons here are most anxious for the fullest investigation, but they deeline furnishing any details in writing, lest they should commit their unfortunate companions. Such is the state of terror and alarm. "Last week a letter was received here from a Protestant Minister in France, where he had officiated for twenty-five years, informing his friends that the French government had decreed that none but natives should continue in its offices, and that himself and many other Swiss ministers must leave their churches and throw themselves upon charity. This respectable man, between 50 and 60 years of age, is anxious to obtain bread for his children." MISCELLANEOUS. Rev. O. Desmond. Williams's Library, Redcross Street, SFB, Dec. 9, 1815. While the correspondence of every 179 day accumulates the proofs of a desolating persecution in the southern provinces of France, it is a duty as grateful as indispensable, to prevent all unnecessary agitation and distress. I embrace, therefore, the earliest moment, through your Magazine, to allay public apprehension as to the fate of the Rev. O. Desmond, President of the Consistory of Nismes. From a letter received this day, the following paragraph is extracted: "I render a sad homage to truth, by confirming the frighful accounts of the massacres in the South. How mamy widows inconsolable! How many orphans wanting bread!!__ Notwithstanding the number of Protestants who have been assassinated is great, we cannot count among the victims the venerable Olivier Desmond, President of the Consistory." Having been informed by another correspondent that the reformed churches have sustained a great loss by the death of the Rev. Mr. Armond, one of the pastors of Nismes, it appears probable, in the distracted state of the country, that the event has occasioned an erroneous report to obtain considerable circulation. By order of the Committee, T. MORGAN, Secretary. Assassin of Gen. Lagarde. The following paragraph from the French papers proves, what we suspected, that the military employed at Nismes to protect the liberties of the Protestants, are the volunteers, or national guard of the town, who swore, when the Protestants some months ago wished to shew their loyalty by joining that corps, that they would have no Protestant rascal among them." "A notice, published by order of the Prefect of Vaucluse, says, that' the assassin of Gen. Lagarde is a man of the name of Boissin, a grenadier of the national guard of that city." The Times. The most decent part of society must feel so instinctively and strongly, that any remarks of ours on the scurrilous language of The Times may be well omitted. We need only record the fact, that that Journal had the' indecency (to say no worse) to describe the ministers of religion, who preside over the Dissenting congregations in the metropolis of the British empire, and any individual of whom would, 180 Intelligence.-French Protestants. we presume, incalculably outweigh that Journal in public confidence, as "the treble faced rogues." What must be the character of that cause which dictates such abuse and employs such meaus ? We wish the Bourbons joy, with their agent in the Journal Department of this country; he may give articulation to their malignity, and display their taste as legitimate gentlemen, though he will precisely fail where they especially need his aid; that is, in deterring the honourable and benevolent inhabitants of this kingdom from bringing to light, and resisting the shameful persecutious which have marked the short periods of their first and second reign. : The Times is exceedingly delighted at having disposed so soon of the company, called The Protestant Soeiety,' and of course equal pleasure will be experienced at the Thuilleries. The task, by the bye, appeared so easy, that it was hardly worth the ceTebration indeed we were always at a loss to discover what the Protestant or Penitent Society had done to excite the rage of the Bourbons and The Times. It certainly could only arise from neglect of a little explanation. Whether intentionally or not, its operations seemed calculated to secure their cause, and now it is evident that it is only auxious to make its peace, by preventing the exertions of others. this country, we stated as a fact which was before the public, that the respectable editor of a periodical work had mentioned, that Mr. Marron had written to this country in strains of high commendation of those who took an interest in the affairs of French Protestants; and the fact is precisely as we stated it. Mr. Marron now, it appears, sends another letter, in which he acknow ledges that he wrote to the Rev. R. A. and with a profligacy of expression, unworthy of a minister of religion, and especially when connected with the calamities of his brethreu, he says -"he might have gilded the pill, and have softened the crudity of his refusal." That pill still exists, but the gold has disappeared. If Mr. Marron feels sore at the gratuitous abuse of the "self-styled Protectors," he has much reason to bless the forbearance of the Committee at Williams's Library-but forbearance may have its limit; and in the letter itself, which we hope will be published, the public may learn how to estimate the President's talents for pill making and pill gilding. No one need "be inclined to asperse him," for he takes care what with odes and pills, effectually to asperse himself. As to the dictation of the police we know the history of that business too well to assist Mr. Marron in his justification.-M. Chron., Feb. 3. Protestant Society. CHRONICLE. We suspect, however, that the Bourbons and their Editor will find, that the respectable persons whom TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING they now vituperate with all their might, are made of more genuine and sterner stuff, and that a threefold cord will not easily be broken. The contributions they cannot endure, but they cannot prevent them, and The Times may be assured that not a farthing of them will be given to it for hush money, nor will the advice, nor the consent of the French police be asked as to its disposal. Europe will know, and history will record, that wise, upright, and charitable Christians in England assisted to relieve the sufferings of persecuted Protestants in France-in the second reign of Louis The Desired. M.Chron., Jan. 31. Mr. Marron. When Mr. Marron's letter was published by the Bourbon Journals in SIR, consideration of the conduct of the Without entering at all into the Protestant Society for the Protection of Religious Liberty, in regard to the letter of the Duke of Wellington, I have thought it proper to address you, on purpose to distinguish the Society question from the great mass of Dissenters in this country. It is the more necessary because paragraphs have appeared in many of the papers, and, I believe, in your respectable Journal, assuming that this Society defeated Lord Sidmouth, obtained the enlargement of the Act of Toleration, and is composed of many members of the Church of England, and represents all the Dissenters of England and Wales. Now, Sir, this assumption deserves the severest reprobation. Intelligence.-Wahabees, Mahometan Reformers. On the occasion of Lord Sidmouth's Bill, all that worshiped under the Act of Toleration, made an instant movement; the Methodists in the connexion of the late Rev. John Wesley, particularly distinguished themselves, and a great proportion of the petitions was from that numerous body. A great many Dissenters also came forward at that time, who have not acted with any public body since. Some of the persons who were active in that affair formed a Society, and called it the Protestant Society; but others retired, and have neither contributed to the Society or been members of its Committee; it cannot, therefore, be said with truth that this Society defeated Lord Sidmouth, for it was not formed till after that event, and many who took part then have no connexion with it whatever. With respect to the enlargement of the Act of Toleration, the Methodists, also, were particularly employed to obtain that measure. The solicitor to that body, and Mr. Butterworth, M. P. I, myself, know to have been very active. It is further stated, that the Committee is composed of several members of the Established Church. Now, Sir, the names of that Committee are published, I suppose officially, in a work called the Evangelical MiscelJany; it appears that there are fifteen ministers and fifteen gentlemen—all the ministers are Dissenters, and I perceive the others are tradesmen in the Metropolis, and may therefore be easily known; and out of the fifteen I only see one to whom any doubt can attach of his being a Dissenter and that is the individual whose name generally appears as Chairman, Mr. Mills. He does, I understand, receive the sacrament at the church occasionally-but all his family are Dis senters. He was brought up to attend a meeting in Spitalfields, and now attends himself principally at that in East Cheap, where the Rev. Mr. Clayton preaches-he is further a manager of a Dissenting Academy in Hoxton, for educating persons for the ministry among Dissenters. It scems to me therefore to be deceiving the public, to hold out that the Committee is composed of members of the Established Church. As to its representing all the Dissenters in England and Wales-there is and has 181 been in existence since 1782, a Committee of Deputies appointed by almost all the regular Dissenting churches in Loudon, to protect and represent them in all matters respecting their religious freedom, and from an interesting volume lately published, containing the Proceedings of this body, it appears, that as long ago as 1745, they addressed a circular letter to the Dissenters throughout En gland to raise forces against the Pretender. They have also come to resolutions on the present question. I learn, in fact, that very few of the London Dissenters, belong to this society, which assumes to represent all England and Wales. They represent none of the Methodists-the Quakers have a Committee of Sufferings-and indeed they only represent, according to their own plan, those congregations who subscribe annually a certain sum. The design of the Society, it appears, was to protect the persons so subscribing in their freedom, under the acts of toleration as existing from time to time, and to afford legal assistance in assault, riot, &c. Very important objects, no doubt, but how this Committee of thirty gentlemen, thus appointed from year to year, can assume to represent all the Dissenters, on the subject of a persecution in France, is to me inexplicable. AN OLD CITIZEN AND DISSENTER. Wahabees, Mahometan Reformers. Letters from Egypt state, that Mohammed Ali, the reigning Viceroy, who had undertaken an expedition against the Wahabee Arabs, had at length terminated it with complete success. After driving them from Mecca, Medina, and the ports along the coast of the Red Sea, taking possession of their great inland capital Tarabe, &c., the strong hold on which they chiefly depended, he effected their total defeat, by pursuing them to the remotest confines of their territory. DOMESTIC. The first Annual Meeting of the Southern Unitarian Fund Society will be beld on Wednesday, 17th April, 1816, at the General Baptist Chapel, Thomas Street, Portsmouth. The Rev. W. J. Fox is expected to preach. |